Biografie

Since her mother was born in Kentucky, she always thought she was a United States citizen. It was not until the 1950s when she made plans to visit Europe that she discovered she was not. She later officially got her citizenship papers in order and became one.

Hollywood, California: Attended the TCM Classic Film Festival, where she walked the red carpet and attended the 50th anniversary premiere of Ein Amerikaner in Paris (1951).

Although Waterfront Lady (1935) is usually listed as Ann Rutherford's first film, her first film was actually Student Tour (1934), where she played one of the young female students, and acted under the name "Joan Arlen". Ann's sister was an aspiring actress and performed under the name Judith Arlen. When a phone call came to the house for "Miss Arlen" to audition for this Jimmy Durante film, Ann said she was "Miss Arlen" and went to the audition instead of her sister. Ann recalled that when she and the other attractive actresses would pose for stills with Durante, she would position herself to play with a wisp of his hair. Durante played along, and you would see his gaze fixed on Joan Arlen soon to be known as Ann Rutherford.

Her first big break came after being contracted to Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer and was given the recurring role of girlfriend Polly Benedict in the "Andy Hardy" film series starring Mickey Rooney from 1937 to 1942.

She was awarded 2 Stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for Motion Pictures at 6834 Hollywood Boulevard; and for Television at 6331 Hollywood Boulevard in Hollywood, California.

It's titillating to do an occasional film, but really, I don't need it. Oh, I suppose, if you were a Helen Hayes, it might mean something if you left the business. You'd be depriving the show world of something. I'm depriving that world of nothing.

There was a quality about Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer that was so special . . . it was just the most exciting studio in the world. They looked after their people so perfectly. And then to go to a place [Lippert Pictures, a low-budget "B" company[ where you don't know anybody and they don't know you and they don't give a rip, it was not a happy time. I got so ticked off, I got married!

[to MGM chief Louis B. Mayer, after he told her he wouldn't loan her out to appear in Vom Winde verweht (1939) because they wanted her for a "nothing" part] I don't care--I want to be in that film! I would even be a gate or part of the scenery just to be in it!

[on working with Wallace Beery in Wyoming (1940)] I don't like to speak ill of the dead. But this poor soul--he would steal scenes from that lovable child actor Bobs Watson! He would take to scratching his crotch, or pick his ear and examine the wax. Anything to get attention on himself and off the other actors. We had a scene together. We rehearsed it and when we shot it, Mr. Beery did a monologue--saying both his and my lines! He took all my dialogue and I said, "Cut! I didn't know this was a monologue" and I went to my dressing room. I was right. This was an old trick of his! He was also a kleptomaniac--he would take stuff off the set before we were finished with it. They'd need to shoot at a different angle and things would be missing--he'd swiped them! He drove the script girls crazy!

[on working with Vera Ralston in Murder in the Music Hall (1946) for Republic Pictues] Herbert J. Yates, the head of the studio and her future husband, put a full page picture of her in the trades once a week, with a caption underneath the photo stating she was the most beautiful woman in the world. I know this embarrassed her. She is dear, sweet and kind. But she married the old toad.