Sarah Padden
Sarah Padden was a character actress in theater and vaudeville from Chicago, Illinois. She performed on stage in the early 20th century. She is noted for her expressive voice and for her psychological studies of the characters she portrayed. Her finest single-act performance was in The Clod, a stage production in which she played an uneducated woman who lived on a farm during the American Civil War. Padden was a featured player on the Orpheum Circuit, Inc.. She had a role in His Grace de Grammont, a romantic comedy by Clyde Fitch which came to the Park Theatre in Boston, Massachusetts in September 1905. The production starred Skinner and was based on the life of a chevalier in the court of Charles II. Padden appeared again with Skinner in a four-act play produced by Charles Frohman, The Honor of the Family, by Emile Fabre, which was presented in New Rochelle, New York in September 1907. Another of her theatrical parts was in Hell-Bent Fer Heaven, a Pulitzer Prize-winning play by Hatcher Hughes. It was performed at the Wilkes Orange Grove Theater (Majestic Theater), 845 South Broadway (Los Angeles), in November 1925. She was also an active screen actress from 1926 to 1958, appearing in 178 films and TV shows. In 1938, she played Ma Thayer in MGM's Rich Man Poor Girl, directed by Reinhold Schunzel and starring Robert Young, Ruth Hussey, and Lana Turner. Bill Harrison (Robert Young) a wealthy young businessman moves in with secretary girlfriend Joan Thayer's (Ruth Hussey) eccentric family to convince her they can make their marriage work. In 1941, she played wealthy spinster Aunt Cassandra ("Cassie") Hildegarde Denham in Murder by Invitation, directed by Phil Rosen and starring Wallace Ford and Marian Marsh. In this "closed room" murder comedy, after they unsuccessfully attempt to have her declared legally insane to gain control of her fortune, her nephews and nieces are invited to a week's visit at her mansion where they are murdered one by one.
Filmography
Girl with an Itch
as Cookie
Girl with an Itch
as Cookie
Screaming Mimi
as Landlady
Screaming Mimi
as Landlady
The Kettles in the Ozarks
as Mrs. Tinware
The Kettles in the Ozarks
as Mrs. Tinware
Prince of Players
as Mary Todd Lincoln (uncredited)
Prince of Players
as Mary Todd Lincoln (uncredited)
Big Jim McLain
as Mrs. Lexiter
Big Jim McLain
as Mrs. Lexiter
The Missourians
as Mother Kovacs
The Missourians
as Mother Kovacs
Again Pioneers
as Ma Ashby
Again Pioneers
as Ma Ashby
A Life of Her Own
as Betsy Ross Hotel Overseer (uncredited)
A Life of Her Own
as Betsy Ross Hotel Overseer (uncredited)
Gunslingers
as Rawhide Rosie Rawlins
Gunslingers
as Rawhide Rosie Rawlins
House by the River
as Mrs. Beach - Stephen's elderly cook
House by the River
as Mrs. Beach - Stephen's elderly cook
Range Justice
as Ma Curtis
Range Justice
as Ma Curtis
Homicide
as Mrs. Webb
Homicide
as Mrs. Webb
Frontier Revenge
as Widow Owens
Frontier Revenge
as Widow Owens
The Dude Goes West
as Mrs. Hallihan
The Dude Goes West
as Mrs. Hallihan
The Return of the Whistler
as Mrs. Hulskamp
The Return of the Whistler
as Mrs. Hulskamp
Joe Palooka in Fighting Mad
as Mom Palooka
Joe Palooka in Fighting Mad
as Mom Palooka
Joe Palooka in the Knockout
as Mom Palooka
Joe Palooka in the Knockout
as Mom Palooka
Possessed
as Mrs. Norris, the Caretaker’s Wife (uncredited)
Possessed
as Mrs. Norris, the Caretaker’s Wife (uncredited)
Ramrod
as Mrs. Parks
Ramrod
as Mrs. Parks
Trail Street
as Mrs. Ferguson (uncredited)
Trail Street
as Mrs. Ferguson (uncredited)
That Brennan Girl
as Mrs. Graves, the Nice Landlady
That Brennan Girl
as Mrs. Graves, the Nice Landlady
Wild West
as Carrie Bannister
Wild West
as Carrie Bannister
My Dog Shep
as Carrie Hodgkins
My Dog Shep
as Carrie Hodgkins
Gentleman Joe Palooka
as Mom Palooka
Gentleman Joe Palooka
as Mom Palooka
Angel on My Shoulder
as Agatha (uncredited)
Angel on My Shoulder
as Agatha (uncredited)
So Goes My Love
as Bridget
So Goes My Love
as Bridget
Idea Girl
as Old Lady
Idea Girl
as Old Lady
Dakota
as Mrs. Plummer
Dakota
as Mrs. Plummer
Riders of the Dawn
as Melinda Pringle
Riders of the Dawn
as Melinda Pringle
Song of Old Wyoming
as Ma Conway
Song of Old Wyoming
as Ma Conway
Marshal of Laredo
as Mrs. Randall
Marshal of Laredo
as Mrs. Randall
Wildfire
as Aunt Agatha
Wildfire
as Aunt Agatha
The Master Key
as Aggie
The Master Key
as Aggie
Identity Unknown
as Mrs. Anderson
Identity Unknown
as Mrs. Anderson
Ghost Guns
as Aunt Sally
Ghost Guns
as Aunt Sally
San Diego I Love You
as Mrs. Gulliver (uncredited)
San Diego I Love You
as Mrs. Gulliver (uncredited)
Casanova Brown
as Mrs. Smith
Casanova Brown
as Mrs. Smith
Trail to Gunsight
as Grandma Wagner
Trail to Gunsight
as Grandma Wagner
Summer Storm
as Beggar Woman (uncredited)
Summer Storm
as Beggar Woman (uncredited)
Range Law
as Boots Annie
Range Law
as Boots Annie
The Navy Way
as Mrs. Margaret Gimble
The Navy Way
as Mrs. Margaret Gimble
The Navy Way
as Mrs. Margaret Gimble
The Navy Way
as Mrs. Margaret Gimble
So This Is Washington
as Aunt Charity Speers
So This Is Washington
as Aunt Charity Speers
Family Troubles
as Mrs. Jones
Family Troubles
as Mrs. Jones
Hangmen Also Die!
as Mrs. Georgia Dvorak
Hangmen Also Die!
as Mrs. Georgia Dvorak
Assignment in Brittany
as Albertine
Assignment in Brittany
as Albertine
Riders of the West
as Ma Turner
Riders of the West
as Ma Turner
Law and Order
as Mary Todd
Law and Order
as Mary Todd
The Pride of the Yankees
as Mrs. Roberts (uncredited)
The Pride of the Yankees
as Mrs. Roberts (uncredited)
Lady in a Jam
as Miner’s Wife (uncredited)
Lady in a Jam
as Miner’s Wife (uncredited)
The Mad Monster
as Grandmother
The Mad Monster
as Grandmother
Wild Bill Hickok Rides
as Mrs. Kimball
Wild Bill Hickok Rides
as Mrs. Kimball
The Power of God
as Esther Worne
The Power of God
as Esther Worne
The Corsican Brothers
as Nurse
The Corsican Brothers
as Nurse
Reg'lar Fellers
as Hetty Carter
Reg'lar Fellers
as Hetty Carter
Murder by Invitation
as Cassandra Hildegard Denham
Murder by Invitation
as Cassandra Hildegard Denham
The Man Who Lost Himself
as Maid
The Man Who Lost Himself
as Maid
In Old Colorado
as Ma Harriet Woods
In Old Colorado
as Ma Harriet Woods
Chad Hanna
as Mrs. Todd
Chad Hanna
as Mrs. Todd
Son of the Navy
as Mrs. Baker - Landlady
Son of the Navy
as Mrs. Baker - Landlady
Forgotten Girls
as Miss Donaldson
Forgotten Girls
as Miss Donaldson
Should a Girl Marry?
as Mrs. Wilson
Should a Girl Marry?
as Mrs. Wilson
The Zero Hour
as Sister Theodosia
The Zero Hour
as Sister Theodosia
Let Freedom Ring
as 'Ma' Logan
Let Freedom Ring
as 'Ma' Logan
The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn
as Woman Wanting Needle Threaded (uncredited)
The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn
as Woman Wanting Needle Threaded (uncredited)
Off the Record
as Mrs. Fallon (uncredited)
Off the Record
as Mrs. Fallon (uncredited)
Rich Man, Poor Girl
as Ma
Rich Man, Poor Girl
as Ma
Woman Against Woman
as Dora
Woman Against Woman
as Dora
Exiled to Shanghai
as Aunt Jane
Exiled to Shanghai
as Aunt Jane
Mad Love
as Crippled Girl's Mother (Uncredited)
Mad Love
as Crippled Girl's Mother (Uncredited)
Stranded
as Workman's Wife (uncredited)
Stranded
as Workman's Wife (uncredited)
A Dog of Flanders
as Frau Keller
A Dog of Flanders
as Frau Keller
The Defense Rests
as Mrs. Evans
The Defense Rests
as Mrs. Evans
Tomorrow's Children
Tomorrow's Children
He Was Her Man
as Mrs. Gardella
He Was Her Man
as Mrs. Gardella
David Harum
as Widow
David Harum
as Widow
As the Earth Turns
as Mrs. Janowski
As the Earth Turns
as Mrs. Janowski
Man of Two Worlds
as Olago
Man of Two Worlds
as Olago
The Sin of Nora Moran
as Mrs. Watts
The Sin of Nora Moran
as Mrs. Watts
The Power and the Glory
as Henry's Wife
The Power and the Glory
as Henry's Wife
Ann Vickers
as Lil
Ann Vickers
as Lil
Doctor Bull
as Mary the Canning Cook
Doctor Bull
as Mary the Canning Cook
The Important Witness
as Deaf Woman
The Important Witness
as Deaf Woman
Pilgrimage
Pilgrimage
Face in the Sky
as Ma Brown
Face in the Sky
as Ma Brown
Rasputin and the Empress
as Duna the Landlady (uncredited)
Rasputin and the Empress
as Duna the Landlady (uncredited)
Tess of the Storm Country
as Old Martha
Tess of the Storm Country
as Old Martha
Kongo
as Nun (uncredited)
Kongo
as Nun (uncredited)
Grand Hotel
as Chambermaid in Room 174 (uncredited)
Grand Hotel
as Chambermaid in Room 174 (uncredited)
Blondie of the Follies
as Ma McClune
Blondie of the Follies
as Ma McClune
Red-Headed Woman
as Mary, Legendre Maid (uncredited)
Red-Headed Woman
as Mary, Legendre Maid (uncredited)
Young America
as Mrs. Mary Taylor
Young America
as Mrs. Mary Taylor
Cross-Examination
as Mary Stevens
Cross-Examination
as Mary Stevens
The Yellow Ticket
as Mother Kalish
The Yellow Ticket
as Mother Kalish
Sob Sister
as Ma Stevens
Sob Sister
as Ma Stevens
Bad Girl
as Mrs. Gardner
Bad Girl
as Mrs. Gardner
Billy the Kid
as Homesteader Mrs. Foster (uncredited)
Billy the Kid
as Homesteader Mrs. Foster (uncredited)
Trifles
as Mrs. Wright
Trifles
as Mrs. Wright
The Sophomore
as Mrs. Collins
The Sophomore
as Mrs. Collins
Wonder of Women
as Anna
Wonder of Women
as Anna