Ann Sothern
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."
Filmography
The Whales of August
as Tisha Doughty
The Whales of August
as Tisha Doughty
A Letter to Three Wives
as Ma Finney
A Letter to Three Wives
as Ma Finney
The Manitou
as Mrs. Karmann
The Manitou
as Mrs. Karmann
That's Entertainment, Part II
as (archive footage)
That's Entertainment, Part II
as (archive footage)
The Killing Kind
as Thelma Lambert
The Killing Kind
as Thelma Lambert
Fol-de-Rol
as Queen Gertrude
Fol-de-Rol
as Queen Gertrude
A Death of Innocence
as Annie La Cossit
A Death of Innocence
as Annie La Cossit
Congratulations, It's a Boy!
as Ethel Gaines
Congratulations, It's a Boy!
as Ethel Gaines
Chubasco
as Angela
Chubasco
as Angela
The Outsider
as Mrs. Kozzek
The Outsider
as Mrs. Kozzek
Sylvia
as Mrs. Argona / Grace Argona
Sylvia
as Mrs. Argona / Grace Argona
Lady in a Cage
as Sade
Lady in a Cage
as Sade
The Best Man
as Sue Ellen Gamadge
The Best Man
as Sue Ellen Gamadge
Lady in the Dark
as Liza
Lady in the Dark
as Liza
Shadow on the Wall
as Dell Faring
Shadow on the Wall
as Dell Faring
A Letter to Three Wives
as Rita Phipps
A Letter to Three Wives
as Rita Phipps
April Showers
as June Tyme
April Showers
as June Tyme
The Judge Steps Out
as Peggy
The Judge Steps Out
as Peggy
Undercover Maisie
as Maisie Ravier
Undercover Maisie
as Maisie Ravier
Up Goes Maisie
as Maisie Ravier
Up Goes Maisie
as Maisie Ravier
Twenty Years After
as (archive footage)
Twenty Years After
as (archive footage)
Cry 'Havoc'
as Pat
Cry 'Havoc'
as Pat
Swing Shift Maisie
as Maisie Ravier
Swing Shift Maisie
as Maisie Ravier
Thousands Cheer
as Ann Sothern
Thousands Cheer
as Ann Sothern
Maisie Gets Her Man
as Maisie Ravier
Maisie Gets Her Man
as Maisie Ravier
Ringside Maisie
as Maisie Ravier
Ringside Maisie
as Maisie Ravier
Maisie Was a Lady
as Maisie Ravier
Maisie Was a Lady
as Maisie Ravier
A New Romance of Celluloid: The Miracle of Sound
as Self
A New Romance of Celluloid: The Miracle of Sound
as Self
Dulcy
as Dulcy Ward
Dulcy
as Dulcy Ward
Gold Rush Maisie
as Maisie Ravier
Gold Rush Maisie
as Maisie Ravier
Brother Orchid
as Florence 'Flo' Addams
Brother Orchid
as Florence 'Flo' Addams
Hollywood: Style Center of the World
as Self
Hollywood: Style Center of the World
as Self
Congo Maisie
as Maisie Ravier
Congo Maisie
as Maisie Ravier
Joe and Ethel Turp Call on the President
as Ethel Turp
Joe and Ethel Turp Call on the President
as Ethel Turp
Fast and Furious
as Garda Sloane
Fast and Furious
as Garda Sloane
Hotel for Women
as Ellen Connelly
Hotel for Women
as Ellen Connelly
Maisie
as Maisie Ravier / Mary Anastasia O'Connor
Maisie
as Maisie Ravier / Mary Anastasia O'Connor
Trade Winds
as Jean Livingstone
Trade Winds
as Jean Livingstone
She's Got Everything
as Carol Rogers
She's Got Everything
as Carol Rogers
There Goes the Groom
as Bettina Louise "Betty" Russell
There Goes the Groom
as Bettina Louise "Betty" Russell
Ali Baba Goes to Town
as Herself
Ali Baba Goes to Town
as Herself
Danger – Love at Work
as Antoinette "Toni" Pemberton
Danger – Love at Work
as Antoinette "Toni" Pemberton
Super-Sleuth
as Mary Strand
Super-Sleuth
as Mary Strand
Fifty Roads to Town
as Millicent Kendall
Fifty Roads to Town
as Millicent Kendall
There Goes My Girl
as Connie Taylor
There Goes My Girl
as Connie Taylor
Dangerous Number
as Eleanor
Dangerous Number
as Eleanor
Smartest Girl in Town
as Frances Cooke
Smartest Girl in Town
as Frances Cooke
Walking on Air
as Kit Bennett
Walking on Air
as Kit Bennett
My American Wife
as Mary Cantillon
My American Wife
as Mary Cantillon
Don't Gamble with Love
as Ann Edwards
Don't Gamble with Love
as Ann Edwards
Hell-Ship Morgan
as Mary Taylor
Hell-Ship Morgan
as Mary Taylor
You May Be Next!
as Fay Stevens
You May Be Next!
as Fay Stevens
Grand Exit
as Adrienne Martin / Adeline Maxwell
Grand Exit
as Adrienne Martin / Adeline Maxwell
The Girl Friend
as Linda Henry
The Girl Friend
as Linda Henry
Hooray for Love
as Patricia Thatcher
Hooray for Love
as Patricia Thatcher
Eight Bells
as Marge Walker
Eight Bells
as Marge Walker
Folies Bergère de Paris
as Mimi
Folies Bergère de Paris
as Mimi
Kid Millions
as Joan Larrabee
Kid Millions
as Joan Larrabee
The Party's Over
as Ruth Walker
The Party's Over
as Ruth Walker
Blind Date
as Kitty Taylor
Blind Date
as Kitty Taylor
The Hell Cat
as Geraldine Sloane
The Hell Cat
as Geraldine Sloane
Melody in Spring
as Jane Blodgett
Melody in Spring
as Jane Blodgett
Let's Fall in Love
as Jean
Let's Fall in Love
as Jean
Broadway Thru a Keyhole
as Singer
Broadway Thru a Keyhole
as Singer
Whoopee!
as Goldwyn Girl (uncredited)
Whoopee!
as Goldwyn Girl (uncredited)
Madam Satan
as Zeppelin Reveler (uncredited)
Madam Satan
as Zeppelin Reveler (uncredited)
The March of Time
as Chorus Girl (uncredited)
The March of Time
as Chorus Girl (uncredited)
Good News
as Student
Good News
as Student
Song of the West
as Bit Part
Song of the West
as Bit Part
The Show of Shows
as Performer in 'Meet My Sister' & 'Bicycle Built for Two' Numbers (as Harriet Lake)
The Show of Shows
as Performer in 'Meet My Sister' & 'Bicycle Built for Two' Numbers (as Harriet Lake)
Broadway Nights
as Showgirl (uncredited)
Broadway Nights
as Showgirl (uncredited)