Jessie Ralph
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Jessie Ralph (born Jessie Ralph Chambers, November 5, 1864 – May 30, 1944) was an American stage and screen actress, best known for her matronly roles in many classic motion pictures. She was born in Gloucester, Massachusetts, in 1864. She made her acting debut in 1880, at the age of sixteen. She made it to Broadway, where George M. Cohan cast her in many of his musicals, but she also excelled at dramatic roles. Although she made her Hollywood debut in 1916, in a motion picture career that would eventually span 25 years, she only became a permanent Hollywood actress in 1933. She was nearly 70 at this time, so her roles were limited to matronly roles, but her expertise at stealing scenes captured the imagination of cinema-goers of the time. Her best-known roles are as Greta Garbo's maid in Camille, as W.C. Fields' battle-axe of a mother-in-law in The Bank Dick, as Myrna Loy's supercilious aunt Katherine in After the Thin Man, and as Nurse Peggotty in David Copperfield. She starred in 55 movies altogether, 52 between 1933 and 1941. Jessie Ralph retired from Hollywood in 1941, after her leg was amputated. She died four years later in her home town of Gloucester at the age of 79. She was buried in Mount Pleasant Cemetery in Gloucester, Massachusetts.
Filmography
They Met in Bombay
as Duchess of Beltravers
They Met in Bombay
as Duchess of Beltravers
The Lady from Cheyenne
as Mrs. McGuinness
The Lady from Cheyenne
as Mrs. McGuinness
The Bank Dick
as Mrs. Hermisillo Brunch
The Bank Dick
as Mrs. Hermisillo Brunch
I Want a Divorce
as Grandma Brokaw
I Want a Divorce
as Grandma Brokaw
The Girl from Avenue A
as Mrs. Van Dyne
The Girl from Avenue A
as Mrs. Van Dyne
I Can't Give You Anything But Love, Baby
as Mama McGann
I Can't Give You Anything But Love, Baby
as Mama McGann
Star Dust
as Aunt Martha Parker
Star Dust
as Aunt Martha Parker
The Blue Bird
as Fairy Berylune
The Blue Bird
as Fairy Berylune
Drums Along the Mohawk
as Mrs. Weaver
Drums Along the Mohawk
as Mrs. Weaver
Mickey the Kid
as Veronica Hudson
Mickey the Kid
as Veronica Hudson
The Kid From Texas
as Aunt Minetta
The Kid From Texas
as Aunt Minetta
Cafe Society
as Mrs. De Witt
Cafe Society
as Mrs. De Witt
St. Louis Blues
as Aunt Tibbie
St. Louis Blues
as Aunt Tibbie
Four Girls in White
as Miss Tobias
Four Girls in White
as Miss Tobias
Port of Seven Seas
as Honorine
Port of Seven Seas
as Honorine
Hold That Kiss
as Aunt Lucy
Hold That Kiss
as Aunt Lucy
Love Is a Headache
as Sheriff Janet Winfield
Love Is a Headache
as Sheriff Janet Winfield
Double Wedding
as Mrs. Kensington-Bly
Double Wedding
as Mrs. Kensington-Bly
The Romance of Celluloid
as Self
The Romance of Celluloid
as Self
The Good Earth
as Cuckoo
The Good Earth
as Cuckoo
The Last of Mrs. Cheyney
as The Duchess of Ebley
The Last of Mrs. Cheyney
as The Duchess of Ebley
Camille
as Nanine
Camille
as Nanine
After the Thin Man
as Katherine Forrest
After the Thin Man
as Katherine Forrest
Walking on Air
as Evelyn Bennett
Walking on Air
as Evelyn Bennett
Bunker Bean
as Grandmother
Bunker Bean
as Grandmother
San Francisco
as Mrs. Maisie Burley
San Francisco
as Mrs. Maisie Burley
The Unguarded Hour
as Lady Agatha Hathaway
The Unguarded Hour
as Lady Agatha Hathaway
Yellow Dust
as Mrs. Brian
Yellow Dust
as Mrs. Brian
Little Lord Fauntleroy
as Applewoman
Little Lord Fauntleroy
as Applewoman
The Garden Murder Case
as Mrs. Hammle
The Garden Murder Case
as Mrs. Hammle
Captain Blood
as Mrs. Barlow
Captain Blood
as Mrs. Barlow
I Found Stella Parish
as Nana
I Found Stella Parish
as Nana
Metropolitan
as Charwoman
Metropolitan
as Charwoman
I Live My Life
as Mrs. O.H.B. Gage, Kay's Grandmother
I Live My Life
as Mrs. O.H.B. Gage, Kay's Grandmother
Jalna
as Gran Whiteoaks
Jalna
as Gran Whiteoaks
Paris in Spring
as Countess de Charelle
Paris in Spring
as Countess de Charelle
Mark of the Vampire
as Midwife
Mark of the Vampire
as Midwife
Vanessa: Her Love Story
as Lady Mullion
Vanessa: Her Love Story
as Lady Mullion
Enchanted April
as Mrs. Phoebe Fisher
Enchanted April
as Mrs. Phoebe Fisher
David Copperfield
as Clara Peggotty
David Copperfield
as Clara Peggotty
Evelyn Prentice
as Mrs. Blake
Evelyn Prentice
as Mrs. Blake
We Live Again
as Matrona Pavlovna
We Live Again
as Matrona Pavlovna
The Affairs of Cellini
as Beatrice
The Affairs of Cellini
as Beatrice
One Night of Love
as Angelina
One Night of Love
as Angelina
Coming Out Party
as Nora
Coming Out Party
as Nora
Nana
as Zoe
Nana
as Zoe
Cocktail Hour
as Princess
Cocktail Hour
as Princess
Ann Carver's Profession
as Terry
Ann Carver's Profession
as Terry
Elmer, the Great
as Sarah Crosby (uncredited)
Elmer, the Great
as Sarah Crosby (uncredited)
Child of Manhattan
as Aunt Minnie
Child of Manhattan
as Aunt Minnie
Such a Little Queen
as Mary
Such a Little Queen
as Mary
The Madonna of the Slums
The Madonna of the Slums