Virginia Patton
Virginia Patton | |
|---|---|
 Patton in Black Eagle (1946) | |
| Born | Virginia Ann Patton June 25, 1925 Cleveland, Ohio, U.S. |
| Education | Jefferson High School (Portland, Oregon) |
| Alma mater | University of Southern California University of Michigan |
| Occupation(s) | Actress, businesswoman |
| Years active | 1943–1949 |
| Spouse |
Cruse W. Moss (m. 1949) |
Virginia Ann Patton (born June 25, 1925) is an American retired businesswoman and former actress. After appearing in several films in the early 1940s, she was cast in her most well-known role as Ruth Dakin Bailey in Frank Capra's It's a Wonderful Life (1946). In 1949, Patton retired from acting, with her final film credit being The Lucky Stiff (1949).
Early life
Patton was born in Cleveland, Ohio[1] to Marie (née Cain) and Donald Patton. She was raised in her father's hometown of Portland, Oregon,[2] where her family relocated when she was an infant.[3] She is a niece of General George S. Patton.[4] Patton graduated from Jefferson High School in Portland, and then relocated to Los Angeles, California, where she attended the University of Southern California.[5]
Career
While a student the University of Southern California, Patton began to audition for acting parts. She collaborated in plays with screenwriter William C. deMille while in college.[5] She had several insignificant film appearances before being cast in Capra's It's a Wonderful Life (1946) as Ruth Dakin Bailey, the wife of George Bailey's younger brother Harry. Although Capra did not know Patton personally, she read the role for him and he signed her to a contract. Patton later said that she was the only girl the famous director ever signed in his whole career. Patton still gives interviews about It's a Wonderful Life. With the death of Charles Lane in July 2007, Patton, Marian Carr, Carol Coombs, Jimmy Hawkins, and Karolyn Grimes are the only credited actors in It's a Wonderful Life still alive.[citation needed]
She made only four films after It's a Wonderful Life, including her first lead in the B-Western Black Eagle (1948).[6] She appeared in the drama The Burning Cross (1946), a film about a World War II veteran who becomes embroiled with the Ku Klux Klan upon returning to his hometown.[7]
Personal life
Patton has been married to Cruse W. Moss since 1949, and gave up acting in the late 1940s to concentrate on raising a family with her husband in Ann Arbor, Michigan.[6] She later attended the University of Michigan.[6]
Filmography
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1943 | Thank Your Lucky Stars | Girl in Ann Sheridan Number | Uncredited |
| 1943 | Old Acquaintance | College Girl | Uncredited |
| 1944 | Roaring Guns | Karen Ferris | Short film |
| 1944 | Grandfather's Follies | Short film | |
| 1944 | Janie | Carrie Lou | |
| 1944 | The Last Ride | Hazel Dale | Uncredited |
| 1944 | Hollywood Canteen | Junior Hostess | Uncredited |
| 1945 | The Horn Blows at Midnight | Party Girl | Uncredited |
| 1946 | Canyon Passage | Liza Stone / Bartlett | Uncredited |
| 1946 | Nobody Lives Forever | Switchboard Operator | Uncredited |
| 1946 | It's a Wonderful Life | Ruth Dakin Bailey | |
| 1947 | The Burning Cross | Doris Green | |
| 1947 | A Double Life | Actress onstage in Othello | |
| 1948 | Black Eagle | Ginny Long | |
| 1949 | The Lucky Stiff | Millie Dale | (final film role) |
References
- ^ "St. Nicholas Institute: 2013 Award Winners". St. Nicholas Institute. Archived from the original on April 19, 2015. Retrieved July 1, 2016.
- ^ "Virginia Ann Patton (b. 1925)". Ohio Birth Index, 1908-2011. Record count: 13,254,340. Retrieved July 1, 2016.
- ^ "Virginia A Patton in entry for Donn M Patton, 1930; United States Census, 1930". Family Search. Retrieved July 1, 2016.
- ^ Reuter, Anne (October 12, 1997). "A gem gets its chance to Shine". The Ann Arbor News. p. F3.
- ^ a b McKay, John (December 9, 2012). "'It's a Wonderful Life' Actress Recalls Classic Film Role in Visit to Plymouth". Patch. Plymouth, Michigan. Retrieved July 1, 2016.
- ^ a b c Pronechen, Joseph (December 26, 2013). "'It's a Wonderful Life' Actress Tells How Wonderful the Film Was and Is". National Catholic Register. Retrieved July 1, 2016.
- ^ Berry & Berry 2007, p. 48.
Bibliography
- Berry, S. Torriano; Venise T. Berry (2007). Historical Dictionary of African American Cinema. Scarecrow Press. ISBN 978-0-81085-545-8.
External links
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
