Ruth Donnelly (May 17, 1896 – November 17, 1982) was an American stage and film actress.
Born in Philadelphia, Donnelly was the daughter of Harry Augustus Donnelly and Bessie B. Donnelly.
According to a 1915 article in The Day Book
Donnelly began her stage career at the age of 17 in The Quaker Girl A ctress Rose Stahl took the teen under her wing and, after giving her training and a year's experience in the chorus, placed the then 18-year-old in the play Maggie Pepper . Her Broadway debut brought her to the attention of George M. Cohan , who proceeded to cast her in numerous comic-relief roles in such musicals as Going Up
Though she made her first film appearance in 1913, her Hollywood career began in earnest in 1931 and lasted until 1957. In her films she often played the wife of Guy Kibbee (Footlight Parade Wonder Bar Mr. Smith Goes to Washington ). Among her roles was the part of Sister Michael in The Bells of St. Mary's , starring Bing Crosby and Ingrid Bergman . Years after her final film role, she returned to the stage, understudying Patsy Kelly in the Broadway revival of No No Nanette with old co-star Ruby Keeler and later appearing in the touring production starring Don Ameche and Evelyn Keyes .
Her uncle, Frederick W. Donnelly , was the longtime mayor of Trenton, New Jersey.
Donnelly was married to Basil de Guichard.
Donnelly died at Roosevelt Hospital in New York City at age 86. She was survived by her sister.
Actress
1965
The Doctors and the Nurses (TV Series) as
Mrs. Maloney
- The Patient Nurse (1965) - Mrs. Maloney
1964
Harris Against the World (TV Series) as
Aunt Cora
- Harris Against Aunt Cora (1964) - Aunt Cora
1963
East Side/West Side (TV Series) as
Mrs. Grevitch
- Creeps Live Here (1963) - Mrs. Grevitch
1957
The Way to the Gold as
Mrs. Williams
1957
Cavalcade of America (TV Series) as
Ma Dolan
- Are Trees People? (1957) - Ma Dolan
1956
Autumn Leaves as
Liz Eckhart
1956
Crossroads (TV Series) as
Mother O'Brien
- Mother O'Brien (1956) - Mother O'Brien
1955
A Lawless Street as
Molly Higgins
1954
Mayor of the Town (TV Series) as
Beth
- Take Me Out to the Ballgame (1954) - Beth
1954
The Imogene Coca Show (TV Series) as
Regular (1954-55)
1951
The Wild Blue Yonder as
Maj. Ida Winton
1951
The Secret of Convict Lake as
Mary Fancher
1951
I'd Climb the Highest Mountain as
Glory White
1950
Where the Sidewalk Ends as
Martha
1949
Down to the Sea in Ships as
New Bedford Neighbor (scenes deleted)
1948
Fighting Father Dunne as
Kate Mulvey
1947
The Fabulous Texan as
Utopia Mills
1947
Little Miss Broadway as
Aunt Minerva Van Dorn
1947
Millie's Daughter as
Helen Reilly
1947
The Ghost Goes Wild as
Aunt Susan Beecher
1946
Cross My Heart as
Eve Harper
1946
In Old Sacramento as
Zebby Booker
1946
Cinderella Jones as
Cora Elliot
1945
The Bells of St. Mary's as
Sister Michael
1945
Pillow to Post as
Mrs. Grace Wingate
1943
Thank Your Lucky Stars as
Nurse Hamilton
1943
Sleepy Lagoon as
Sarah Rogers
1943
This Is the Army as
Mrs. O'Brien
1942
Johnny Doughboy as
Biggy Biggsworth
1941
Rise and Shine as
Mame Bacon
1941
Sailors on Leave as
Aunt Navy
1941
The Gay Vagabond as
Kate Dixon
1941
Model Wife as
Mrs. Milo Everett
1941
The Round Up as
Polly Hope
1941
Petticoat Politics as
Lil Higgins
1940
Meet the Missus as
Lil Higgins
1940
Scatterbrain as
Miss Stevens
1940
My Little Chickadee as
Aunt Lou
1939
The Amazing Mr. Williams as
Effie Perkins
1939
Mr. Smith Goes to Washington as
Mrs. Hopper
1939
The Family Next Door as
Mrs. Pierce
1938
Annabel Takes a Tour as
Josephine (Jo)
1938
Personal Secretary as
Grumpy
1938
The Affairs of Annabel as
Josephine
1938
Meet the Girls as
Daisy Watson
1938
Army Girl as
Leila Kennett
1938
A Slight Case of Murder as
Nora Marco
1937
Portia on Trial as
Jane Wilkins
1937
Roaring Timber as
Aunt Mary
1936
More Than a Secretary as
Helen Davis
1936
Cain and Mabel as
Aunt Mimi
1936
13 Hours by Air as
Vi Johnson - Stewardess
1936
Mr. Deeds Goes to Town as
Mabel Dawson
1936
Song and Dance Man as
Patsy O'Madigan
1935
Personal Maid's Secret as
Lizzie
1935
Hands Across the Table as
Laura
1935
Red Salute as
Mrs. Edith Rooney
1935
Traveling Saleslady as
Mrs. Twitchell
1935
Vacation Daze (Short)
1935
Maybe It's Love as
Florrie Sands
1935
The White Cockatoo as
Mrs. Byng
1934
Romance in the Rain as
Miss Sparks
1934
Merry Wives of Reno as
Lois
1934
Heat Lightning as
Mrs. Ashton-Ashley
1934
Wonder Bar as
Ella Simpson
1934
Mandalay as
Mrs. George Peters
1933
Just Around the Corner (Short) as
Mrs. Sears
1933
Convention City as
Mrs. Ellerbe
1933
Havana Widows as
Emily Jones
1933
Female as
Miss Frothingham
1933
Ever in My Heart as
Lizzie the Housekeeper
1933
Footlight Parade as
Mrs. Harriet Gould
1933
Bureau of Missing Persons as
Pete
1933
Goodbye Again as
Richview Hotel Maid
1933
Sing Sinner Sing as
Margaret 'Maggie' Flannigan
1933
Private Detective 62 as
Amy Moran
1933
Lilly Turner as
Edna Yokum
1933
Ladies They Talk About as
Noonan
1933
Hard to Handle as
Lil Waters
1933
Employees' Entrance as
Miss Hall
1932
Blessed Event as
Miss Stevens
1932
Jewel Robbery as
Berta - Teri's Maid (uncredited)
1932
Make Me a Star as
The Countess
1932
The Rainbow Trail as
Widow Abigail
1931
The Spider as
Mrs. Wimbledon
1931
Transatlantic as
Burbank (scenes deleted)
1927
Rubber Heels as
Fanny Pratt
1916
Saved by a Song (Short) as
Elsie
1914
The Tenth Commandment (Short) as
The Doctor's Wife
1914
In All Things Moderation (Short) as
Winnie Graham - the Youngest Daughter
1914
When the Heart Calls (Short)
1914
The Lady of the Island (Short) as
The Nurse
1914
The Man Who Lost, But Won (Short) as
Rose Mason - The Minister's Wife
Soundtrack
1938
A Slight Case of Murder (performer: "Shine On, Harvest Moon" (1908) - uncredited)
1933
Hard to Handle ("Bridal Chorus (Here Comes the Bride)" (1850), uncredited) / (performer: "The Prisoner's Song" (1924) - uncredited)
Self
1974
Busby Berkeley (Documentary) as
Self
1955
The Imogene Coca Show (TV Series) as
Self
- Hal March, the Billy Williams Quartet, Bibi Osterwald, David Burns (1955) - Self
1945
Breakdowns of 1944 (Short) as
Self (uncredited)
1933
How to Break 90 #6: Fine Points (Short) as
Self (uncredited)
Archive Footage
1983
Hollywood Out-takes and Rare Footage (Documentary) as
Self (uncredited)
1936
Behind the Scenes of Cain and Mabel (Documentary short) as
Aunt Mimi (uncredited)
