Thelma Ritter
Thelma Ritter | |
|---|---|
 Ritter in 1955 | |
| Born | February 14, 1902 New York City, New York, U.S. |
| Died | February 5, 1969 (aged 66) New York City, New York, U.S. |
| Cause of death | Heart attack |
| Occupation | Actress |
| Years active | 1926–68 |
| Spouse(s) | Joseph Moran (1927-1969; her death); 2 children |
| Children | Monica Moran Joseph Moran Jr. |
Thelma Ritter (February 14, 1902 – February 5, 1969) was an American actress, best known for her comedic roles as working-class characters and her strong New York accent. She received six Academy Award nominations for Best Supporting Actress—more than any other actress in history[1]—and won one Tony Award for Best Leading Actress in a Musical.
Early life
Thelma was born in Brooklyn, New York, in 1902, the first child of Charles and Lucy Ritter, both natives of the United States.[2][3] According to the New York State Census of 1905, her father at that time was a bookkeeper.[2] Thelma's acting career began as a teenager, when she appeared in high-school plays and stock companies. She later received formal training at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts.[4] Although she subsequently struggled to establish a stage career, Ritter decided to take a hiatus from acting to raise her two children—Monica and Joe—by her husband Joseph Moran (whom she married in 1927),[1] who was also an actor, but changed professions in the mid-1930s, opting to become an agent and then an advertising executive.[4]
Career
Ritter did stock theater and radio shows early in her career. Her Broadway credits include UTBU (1965), New Girl in Town (1956), In Times Square (1931), and The Shelf (1926).[5]
Ritter's first movie role was in Miracle on 34th Street (1947). She made a memorable impression in a brief uncredited part, as a frustrated mother unable to find the toy that Kris Kringle has promised her son. Her second role, in writer-director Joseph L. Mankiewicz's A Letter to Three Wives (1949), left a mark, although Ritter was again uncredited. Mankiewicz kept Ritter in mind, and cast her as Birdie in All About Eve (1950), which earned her an Oscar nomination. A second nomination followed for her work in Mitchell Leisen's' classic ensemble screwball comedy The Mating Season (1951) starring Gene Tierney and John Lund. She enjoyed steady film work for the next dozen years.
She appeared in many of the episodic drama TV series of the 1950s, such as Alfred Hitchcock Presents, General Electric Theater, and The United States Steel Hour. Other film roles were as James Stewart's nurse in Rear Window (1954) and as Doris Day's housekeeper in Pillow Talk (1959). Although best known for comedy roles, she played the occasional dramatic role, most notably in With a Song in My Heart (1952), Pickup on South Street (1953), Titanic (1953), and The Misfits (1961).
Death
Her last work was an appearance on The Jerry Lewis Show on January 23, 1968.[6] Ritter died of a heart attack in New York City, nine days before her 67th birthday.
Awards and nominations
During her career, Ritter was nominated for an Oscar six times, giving her the distinction of being one of the three actresses (tied with Deborah Kerr and Glenn Close) most nominated for the award in an acting category without a win. The current record for all actors is Peter O'Toole with eight nominations without a win, followed by Richard Burton with seven nominations. Both Kerr and O'Toole received honorary awards from the Academy, however. In 1954, Thelma Ritter co-hosted the Oscar ceremony, notably trading wisecracks with Bob Hope.
Academy Awards
Nominated Best Actress in a Supporting Role for:
- All About Eve (1950)[7]
- The Mating Season (1951)[7]
- With a Song in My Heart (1952)[7]
- Pickup on South Street (1953)[7]
- Pillow Talk (1959)[7]
- Birdman of Alcatraz (1962)[7]
Emmy Awards
Nominated for an Emmy (in 1956), as Best Actress in a Supporting Role for the Goodyear Television Playhouse production of The Catered Affair.[8]
Golden Globe Awards
Nominated for Best Supporting Actress for:
- All About Eve (1950)[9]
- The Mating Season (1951)[9]
- Boeing Boeing (1965)[9]
Tony Awards
Awarded Best Actress in a Musical (1957) for New Girl in Town in a rare tie (with her co-star, Gwen Verdon).[10]
Filmography
Radio broadcasts
| Year | Program | Episode/source |
|---|---|---|
| 1953 | Theatre Guild on the Air | A Square Peg[11] |
References
- ^ a b Nissen, Axel (2007). Actresses of a Certain Character: Forty Familiar Hollywood Faces from the Thirties to the Fifties. McFarland. pp. 171–172. ISBN 9780786427468. Retrieved 26 September 2017.
- ^ a b The New York State Census of 1905", 16th Assembly District, Borough of Brooklyn, Kings County, State of New York, June 1, 1905. Digital copy of original 1905 enumeration page available on FamilySearch, an online genealogical database provided as a public service by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Salt Lake City, Utah. Retrieved July 21, 2017.
- ^ Born in 1902 as per Social Security Death Index under the name "Thelma Ritter"
- ^ a b LoBianco, Lorraine. "Thelma Ritter Profile", Turner Classic Movies (TCM), a Time Warner Company, New York, N.Y. Retrieved July 21, 2017.
- ^ "("Thelma Ritter" search results)". Playbill Vault. Playbill. Retrieved 26 September 2017.
{{cite web}}: Check|archiveurl=value (help) - ^ "Appearance on Jerry Lewis Show". Thewindmillsofyourmind.com. Retrieved 2012-12-04.
- ^ a b c d e f "("Thelma Ritter" search results)". Academy Awards Database. Retrieved 26 September 2017.
- ^ "("Thelma Ritter" search results)". EMMYS. Television Academy. Archived from the original on 26 September 2017. Retrieved 26 September 2017.
- ^ a b c "Thelma Ritter". Golden Globe Awards. HFPA. Archived from the original on 26 September 2017. Retrieved 26 September 2017.
- ^ "("Thelma Ritter" search results)". Tony Awards. Archived from the original on 26 September 2017. Retrieved 26 September 2017.
{{cite web}}:|archive-date=/|archive-url=timestamp mismatch; 31 August 2016 suggested (help) - ^ Kirby, Walter (March 15, 1953). "Better Radio Programs for the Week". The Decatur Daily Review. p. 46. Retrieved June 25, 2015 – via Newspapers.com.
External links
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
| Other | |
- 1902 births
- 1969 deaths
- 20th-century American actresses
- Actresses from New York City
- American film actresses
- American musical theatre actresses
- American stage actresses
- American television actresses
- Musicians from Brooklyn
- People from Queens, New York
- Tony Award winners
- Vaudeville performers
- 20th-century American singers