Ann Sothern

Biography

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Ann Sothern (born Harriette Arlene Lake; January 22, 1909 – March 15, 2001) was an American actress who worked on stage, radio, film, and television, in a career that spanned nearly six decades. Sothern began her career in the late 1920s in bit parts in films. In 1930, she made her Broadway stage debut and soon worked her way up to starring roles. In 1939, MGM cast her as Maisie Ravier, a brash yet lovable Brooklyn showgirl. The character, based on the Maisie short stories by Nell Martin, proved to be popular and spawned a successful film series (Congo Maisie, Gold Rush Maisie, Up Goes Maisie, etc.) and a network radio series (The Adventures of Maisie). In 1953, Sothern moved into television as the star of her own sitcom Private Secretary. The series aired for five seasons on CBS and earned Sothern three Primetime Emmy Award nominations. In 1958, she starred in another sitcom for CBS, The Ann Sothern Show, which aired for three seasons. From 1965 to 1966, Sothern provided the voice of Gladys Crabtree, the title character in the sitcom My Mother the Car. She continued her career throughout the late 1960s with stage and film appearances and guest-starring roles on television. Due to health issues, she worked sporadically during the 1970s and 1980s. In 1987, Sothern appeared in her final film The Whales of August, starring Bette Davis and Lillian Gish. Sothern earned her first and only Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress for her role in the film. After filming concluded, she retired to Ketchum, Idaho, where she spent her remaining years before her death from heart failure in March 2001. Lucille Ball called Sothern "the best comedian in the business, bar none."

Known For

The Virginian

Love, American Style

The Alfred Hitchcock Hour

The Merv Griffin Show

The Lucy Show

What's My Line?

MGM Parade

The Steve Allen Show

All Movies (86)

• That's Entertainment! III1994 · as (archive footage)
• The Whales of August1987 · as Tisha Doughty
• A Letter to Three Wives1985 · as Ma Finney
• The Little Dragons1980 · as Angel
• The Manitou1978 · as Mrs. Karmann
• That's Entertainment, Part II1976 · as (archive footage)
• Crazy Mama1975 · as Sheba
• Golden Needles1974 · as Finzie
• The Killing Kind1974 · as Thelma Lambert
• The Weekend Nun1972 · as Mother Bonaventure
• The Great Man's Whiskers1972 · as Aunt Margaret Bancroft
• Fol-de-Rol1972 · as Queen Gertrude
• A Death of Innocence1971 · as Annie La Cossit
• Congratulations, It's a Boy!1971 · as Ethel Gaines
• The Greatest Mother of 'em All1969 · as Dolly Murdock
• Chubasco1968 · as Angela
• The Outsider1967 · as Mrs. Kozzek
• Sylvia1965 · as Mrs. Argona / Grace Argona
• Lady in a Cage1964 · as Sade
• The Best Man1964 · as Sue Ellen Gamadge
• Lady in the Dark1954 · as Liza
• The Blue Gardenia1953 · as Crystal Carpenter
• Shadow on the Wall1950 · as Dell Faring
• Nancy Goes to Rio1950 · as Frances Elliott
• A Letter to Three Wives1949 · as Rita Phipps
• Words and Music1948 · as Joyce Harmon
• April Showers1948 · as June Tyme
• The Judge Steps Out1947 · as Peggy
• Undercover Maisie1947 · as Maisie Ravier
• Up Goes Maisie1946 · as Maisie Ravier
• Maisie Goes to Reno1944 · as Maisie Ravier
• Twenty Years After1944 · as (archive footage)
• Cry 'Havoc'1943 · as Pat
• Swing Shift Maisie1943 · as Maisie Ravier
• Thousands Cheer1943 · as Ann Sothern
• Three Hearts for Julia1943 · as Julia Seabrook
• You, John Jones!1943 · as Mary Jones
• Panama Hattie1942 · as Hattie Maloney
• Maisie Gets Her Man1942 · as Maisie Ravier
• Lady Be Good1941 · as Dixie Donegan Crane
• Ringside Maisie1941 · as Maisie Ravier
• Maisie Was a Lady1941 · as Maisie Ravier
• A New Romance of Celluloid: The Miracle of Sound1940 · as Self
• Dulcy1940 · as Dulcy Ward
• Gold Rush Maisie1940 · as Maisie Ravier
• Brother Orchid1940 · as Florence 'Flo' Addams
• Hollywood: Style Center of the World1940 · as Self
• Congo Maisie1940 · as Maisie Ravier
• Joe and Ethel Turp Call on the President1939 · as Ethel Turp
• Fast and Furious1939 · as Garda Sloane
• Hotel for Women1939 · as Ellen Connelly
• Maisie1939 · as Maisie Ravier / Mary Anastasia O'Connor
• Trade Winds1938 · as Jean Livingstone
• She's Got Everything1937 · as Carol Rogers
• There Goes the Groom1937 · as Bettina Louise "Betty" Russell
• Ali Baba Goes to Town1937 · as Herself
• Danger – Love at Work1937 · as Antoinette "Toni" Pemberton
• Super-Sleuth1937 · as Mary Strand
• Fifty Roads to Town1937 · as Millicent Kendall
• There Goes My Girl1937 · as Connie Taylor
• Dangerous Number1937 · as Eleanor
• Smartest Girl in Town1936 · as Frances Cooke
• Walking on Air1936 · as Kit Bennett
• My American Wife1936 · as Mary Cantillon
• Don't Gamble with Love1936 · as Ann Edwards
• Hell-Ship Morgan1936 · as Mary Taylor
• You May Be Next!1936 · as Fay Stevens
• Grand Exit1935 · as Adrienne Martin / Adeline Maxwell
• The Girl Friend1935 · as Linda Henry
• Hooray for Love1935 · as Patricia Thatcher
• Eight Bells1935 · as Marge Walker
• Folies Bergère de Paris1935 · as Mimi
• Kid Millions1934 · as Joan Larrabee
• The Party's Over1934 · as Ruth Walker
• Blind Date1934 · as Kitty Taylor
• The Hell Cat1934 · as Geraldine Sloane
• Melody in Spring1934 · as Jane Blodgett
• Let's Fall in Love1933 · as Jean
• Broadway Thru a Keyhole1933 · as Singer
• Whoopee!1930 · as Goldwyn Girl (uncredited)
• Madam Satan1930 · as Zeppelin Reveler (uncredited)
• The March of Time1930 · as Chorus Girl (uncredited)
• Good News1930 · as Student
• Song of the West1930 · as Bit Part
• The Show of Shows1929 · as Performer in 'Meet My Sister' & 'Bicycle Built for Two' Numbers (as Harriet Lake)
• Broadway Nights1927 · as Showgirl (uncredited)

All TV Shows (26)

• Flying High1978
• Captains and the Kings1976 · as Mrs. Finch
• Medical Story1975 · as Mrs. Metulski
• The Chicago Teddy Bears1971
• Alias Smith and Jones1971
• Love, American Style1969 · as Mrs. Devlin
• The Girl from U.N.C.L.E.1966 · as Aunt Magda
• Family Affair1966
• My Mother the Car1965 · as Gladys Crabtree
• The Legend of Jesse James1965 · as Widow Fay
• The Match Game1962 · as Herself
• The Lucy Show1962 · as Rosie Harrigan
• The Merv Griffin Show1962 · as Self
• The Alfred Hitchcock Hour1962 · as Helen Cox
• The Virginian1962 · as Della Spencer
• The DuPont Show with June Allyson1959 · as Martha
• Westinghouse Desilu Playhouse1958
• The Ann Sothern Show1958 · as Katy O'Connor
• The Lucy–Desi Comedy Hour1957 · as Susie MacNamara
• The Steve Allen Show1956 · as Self - Guest
• MGM Parade1955
• Letter to Loretta1953 · as Self - Guest Host
• Private Secretary1953 · as Susie McNamara
• The Ford Television Theatre1952 · as Christine Emerson
• Schlitz Playhouse of Stars1951 · as Liz Quiz
• What's My Line?1950 · as Self