Ruth Hussey (1914-2005)
 Ruth Hussey always seemed pretty cool. She appeared in some movies in the late 30s (including the third Thin Man film, Another Thin Man [1939]) and then was great in the now-dated, and at times annoying, The Philadelphia Story (1940), for which she was nominated for a Best Supp. Actress Oscar.
She's really good in The Philadelphia Story, and that's hard, working opposite Katharine Hepburn, Jimmy Stewart and, of course, Cary Grant. She made some more movies, but, I guess, did more stage work. She never went as far in films as her performance in TPS would lead one to think she would have. If that sentence makes any sense. Other notable pictures included: Northwest Passage, H.M. Pulham, Esq. (1941), a very good ghost story The Uninvited (1944), playing Jordan Baker in the apparently lost film, The Great Gatsby (1949) with Alan Ladd, Louisa (1950), and playing Jennie Sousa in Stars and Stripes Forever (1952).
Her last TV or film appearance was as Maggie Cartwright in the 1973 made-for-TV movie, My Darling Daughters' Anniversary.
She was married to Charles Robert Longenecker for 60 years, until his death in 2002. They had three children.
Oscar-Nominated Actress Ruth Hussey Dies
Associated Press
Apr 21 2005 12:13PM
LOS ANGELES (AP) - Ruth Hussey, who was nominated for an Academy Award for her role as James Stewart's wise-cracking girlfriend in 1940's "The Philadelphia Story," has died. She was 93.
Hussey died Tuesday at a convalescent home in Newbury Park in Ventura County of complications from an appendectomy, according to her son, John Longnecker.
From the late 1930s through 1960 Hussey made dozens of films and appeared with such leading men as Stewart, Spencer Tracy, Melvyn Douglas and Robert Taylor.
She also was a stage actress, appearing on Broadway in 1945 in the hit "State of the Union" and in 1949 in the comedy "Goodbye, My Fancy."
Born Oct. 30, 1911, in Providence, R.I., Hussey graduated from Pembroke Women's College at Brown University and the drama school at the University of Michigan.
She began her show-business career as a local radio fashion commentator. Later, she moved to New York and became a model for the Powers agency. She toured with stage companies and won an MGM contract when she was spotted by a talent agent during a road production in Los Angeles.
Her first movie role, in the 1937 Tracy film "Big City," was uncredited. Three years later, she was Tracy's leading lady in "Northwest Passage."
She received an Oscar nomination for supporting actress for playing Elizabeth Imbrie, the sassy photographer who accompanies Stewart to cover a socialite's wedding in "The Philadelphia Story."
She lost to Jane Darwell, who was Ma Joad in "The Grapes of Wrath."
Her last feature film role was in 1960 in "The Facts of Life," playing Bob Hope's wife.
Hussey also had a long career in television, including guest appearances in "The Magnificent Ambersons" and "Time Out for Ginger."
She also played the love interest of Robert Young in the 1973 television movie "My Darling Daughters' Anniversary."
Most of the following info comes from imdb:
Ruth Hussey
Born Ruth Carol Hussey, October 30, 1914, Providence, Rhode Island.
Died April 19, 2005, USA.
Filmography
1. My Darling Daughters' Anniversary (1973) (TV) .... Maggie Cartwright
2. The Resurrection of Broncho Billy (1970) .... Voice Over
3. Joyful Hour (1960) (TV) .... Mary
4. The Facts of Life (1960) .... Mary Gilbert
5. The Lady Wants Mink (1953) .... Nora Connors
6. Stars and Stripes Forever (1952) .... Jennie Sousa
7. Woman of the North Country (1952) .... Christine Powell, later Christine Ramlo
8. That's My Boy (1951) .... Ann Jackson
9. Mr. Music (1950) .... Lorna Marvis
10. Louisa (1950) .... Meg Norton
11. The Great Gatsby (1949) .... Jordan Baker
12. I, Jane Doe (1948) .... Eve Meredith Curtis
13. Bedside Manner (1945) .... Dr. Hedy Fredericks, MD
14. Marine Raiders (1944) .... Lt. Ellen Foster
15. The Uninvited (1944) .... Pamela Fitzgerald
16. Tender Comrade (1943) .... Barbara Thomas
17. Tennessee Johnson (1942) .... Eliza 'Liza' McCardle Johnson
18. Pierre of the Plains (1942) .... Daisy Denton
19. H.M. Pulham, Esq. (1941) .... Cordelia 'Kay' Motford Pulham
20. Married Bachelor (1941) .... Norma Haven, aka Norma Winters
21. Our Wife (1941) .... Professor Susan Drake
22. Free and Easy (1941) .... Martha Gray
23. Flight Command (1940) .... Lorna Gary
24. The Philadelphia Story (1940) .... Elizabeth 'Liz' Imbrie
25. Susan and God (1940) .... Charlotte 'Charl'
26. Northwest Passage (1940) .... Elizabeth Browne
27. Another Thin Man (1939) .... Dorothy Waters, Charles' Nanny
28. Fast and Furious (1939) .... Lily Cole
29. Blackmail (1939) .... Helen Ingram
30. The Women (1939) .... Miss Watts (Stephen's secretary)
31. Maisie (1939) .... Sybil Ames
32. Within the Law (1939) .... Mary Turner
33. Honolulu (1939) .... Eve, in a Movie
34. Spring Madness (1938) .... Kate 'Katie' McKim
35. Time Out for Murder (1938) .... Peggy Norton
36. Rich Man, Poor Girl (1938) .... Joan Thayer
37. Man-Proof (1938) .... Jane
38. Hold That Kiss (1938) .... Nadine Piermont Kent
39. Judge Hardy's Children (1938) .... Margaret 'Maggie' Lee
40. Marie Antoinette (1938) (uncredited) .... Duchess de Polignac
41. Madame X (1937) .... Annette
42. Big City (1937) (uncredited) .... Mayor's Secretary
Notable TV Guest Appearances
1. "Marcus Welby, M.D." in: "The Best Is Yet to Be" (ep #3.10) 16 Nov 1971
2. "Vacation Playhouse" as "Nurse Edie Ramsey" in: "Come A-Runnin'" 16 Sep 1963
3. "The Christophers" in: "Parents Lead the Way" 18 Dec 1960
4. "Climax!" as "Alice Moore" in: "Along Came a Spider" (ep #3.46) 26 Sep 1957
5. "Lux Video Theatre" in: "Payment in Kind" (ep #7.36) 6 Jun 1957
6. "Lux Video Theatre" in: "Old Acquaintance" (ep #7.11) 29 Nov 1956
7. "Climax!" as "Martha" in: "A Trophy for Howard Davenport" (ep #2.36) 28 Jun 1956
8. "Alfred Hitchcock Presents" as "Paula Hudson" in: "Mink" (ep #1.36) 3 Jun 1956
9. "Science Fiction Theater" as "Janice O'Hara" in: "The Unguided Missile" (ep #2.8) 25 May 1956
10. "Studio 57" in: "The Magic Glass" (ep #2.24) 18 Mar 1956
11. "Playwrights '56" as "Mrs. Anderson" in: "Flight" (ep #1.12) 28 Feb 1956
12. "Jane Wyman Presents The Fireside Theatre" as "Nancy" in: "Woman at Sea" (ep #1.14) 29 Nov 1955
13. "The Christophers" in: "Washington As a Young Man" 20 Nov 1955
14. "Shower of Stars" as "Agnes Carroll" in: "Time Out for Ginger" (ep #2.1) 6 Oct 1955
15. "Science Fiction Theater" as "Bernice Knight" in: "100 Years Young" (ep #1.15) 22 Jul 1955
16. "Climax!" as "Katherine Benson" in: "The Unimportant Man" (ep #1.27) 2 Jun 1955
17. "Lux Video Theatre" in: "It Grows on Trees" (ep #5.30) 17 Mar 1955
18. "Producers' Showcase" in: "The Women" (ep #1.5) 7 Feb 1955
19. "Lux Video Theatre" in: "Craig's Wife" (ep #5.15) 2 Dec 1954
20. "The Elgin Hour" as "Fran Tillman" in: "Warm Clay" (ep #1.4) 16 Nov 1954
21. "Studio One" as "Nancy Edison" in: "The Boy Who Changed the World" (ep #7.5) 18 Oct 1954
22. "General Electric Theater" as "Emma" in: "To Lift a Feather" (ep #2.19) 2 May 1954
23. "The Revlon Mirror Theater" in: "Flight From Home" (ep #2.4) 10 Oct 1953
24. "Lux Video Theatre" in: "The Moon for Linda" (ep #4.1) 8 Oct 1953
25. "General Electric Theater" in: "Winners Never Lose" (ep #1.5) 15 Mar 1953
26. "The Ford Television Theatre" in: "This Is My Heart" (ep #1.16) 15 Jan 1953
27. "Family Theatre" as "The Virgin Mary" in: "The World's Greatest Mother" 11 May 1952
28. "Celanese Theatre" in: "Counsellor-at-Law" (ep #1.5) 28 Nov 1951
29. "Family Theatre" as "The Virgin Mary" in: "That I May See" 21 Nov 1951
30. "Family Theatre" as "Mary" in: "Hill Number One" 25 Mar 1951
31. "Lux Video Theatre" as "Irene Stoddard" in: "Gallant Lady" (ep #1.7) 13 Nov 1950
32. "Pulitzer Prize Playhouse" in: "The Magnificent Ambersons" (ep #1.5) 3 Nov 1950
33. "Nash Airflyte Theatre" in: "Borrowed Memory" (ep #1.2) 28 Sep 1950
Awards for Ruth Hussey:
Nominated for Oscar as Best Actress in a Supporting Role for: The Philadelphia Story (1940).
Nominated for Emmy as Best Actress in a Single Performance for: "Lux Video Theatre" (1950) (for episode "Craig's Wife").
Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for "Motion Picture" at 1551 Vine Street.
Biographical info:
IMDb Mini biography: A graduate of the University of Michigan School of Drama, Ruth Hussey's first show-business job was as a fashion commentator on a local radio station. She journeyed to New York City, where she was signed as a model by the world-famous Powers agency. She obtained some stage roles with touring companies and was noticed by MGM, which signed her and with whom she made her film debut in 1937. She quickly became a leading lady in MGM's "B" unit, usually playing sophisticated, worldly roles. She was nominated for an Academy Award for her turn as a cynical photographer in The Philadelphia Story (1940). She soon focused her main energies on the stage, however, and returned to the screen only occasionally. IMDb mini-biography by frankfob@netscape.net.
IMDb Reported Height: 5' 5" (1.65 m).
Spouse: Charles Robert Longenecker (9 August 1942 - 10 December 2002) (his death) 3 children.
Trivia: Mother of John Longenecker; step-daughter of William O'Rourke.
Personal quotes: "I stayed out of sight I guess. I probably didn't seek work but then producers didn't seek me out either."
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