Ann Blyth

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Image:Ann Blyth.jpg Ann Marie Blyth (born August 16, 1928) is an Oscar-nominated American actress and singer, most often cast in Hollywood musicals, but who also succeeded in the dramatic roles she was given.

1 Early life
2 Career
3 Private life
4 Filmography
5 External links

[edit] Early life

Blyth was born in Mount Kisco, New York to parents who divorced shortly after her birth. She was raised a devout churchgoing Roman Catholic by her mother.

[edit] Career

Blyth began her acting career initially as "Anne Blyth", changing the spelling of her name back to the original (Ann) at the beginning of her film career. Her first acting role was on Broadway in Watch on the Rhine (from 1941 until 1942). She was signed to a contract with Universal Studios, and made her film debut in Chip Off the Old Block (1944). In musical films such as Babes on Swing Street and Bowery to Broadway (both 1944), she played the part of the sweet, and demure teenager. Her next film, on loan to Warner Brothers cast her against type, as Veda Pierce, the scheming, ungrateful daughter of Joan Crawford in Mildred Pierce (1945). Her dramatic portrayal won her outstanding reviews, and she received a nomination for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress.

Blyth injured her back after this film, and was not able to capitalize on its success completely although she was still able to make a few films. She played the part of Regina Hubbard in Another Part of the Forest (a 1948 prequel to The Little Foxes), and achieved success playing a mermaid in Mr. Peabody and the Mermaid (1948). Her other films include : Our Very Own (with Farley Granger, 1950), The Great Caruso (1951), One Minute to Zero (with Robert Mitchum, 1952), Rose Marie (1954), The Student Prince (1954), Kismet (1955), The Buster Keaton Story (1957) and The Helen Morgan Story.

Blyth raised eyebrows in 1954 at the Academy Awards show when she sang Doris Day's song Secret Love from Calamity Jane while seven months pregnant.

From the 1960s she worked in musical theater, summer stock and television. She also became the spokesperson for Hostess Cupcakes. Her most recent television appearances have been in episodes of Quincy (1983) and Murder, She Wrote (1985).

Blyth has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for her contribution to motion pictures, at 6733 Hollywood Boulevard. She was featured in a comic book story with Superman in Action Comics No. 130, March 1949: "Superman and the Mermaid!".