Ann Blyth Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids Ann Blyth
Blyth in 1952
Born	Anne Marie Blythe (1928-08-16) August 16, 1928 (age 96) Mount Kisco, New York, U.S.
Occupation	Actress, singer
Years active	1933–1985
Known for	Mildred Pierce
Spouse(s)	James McNulty (m. 1953; died 2007)
Children	5
Family	Dennis Day (brother-in-law)

Ann Blyth (born Anne Marie Blythe; August 16, 1928) is an American actress and singer who is now retired. She started her career as a child on radio shows. Later, she moved to Broadway, where she acted in a play called Watch on the Rhine (1941–42).

In the 1940s, Ann Blyth signed with Universal Studios and began making movies. Her first film was Chip Off the Old Block (1944). She became very famous for her role as Veda Pierce in the movie Mildred Pierce (1945). For this role, she was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress, which is a very important award in movies.

Ann Blyth acted in many films during the 1940s and 1950s, including Brute Force (1947) and The Great Caruso (1951). After the 1950s, she started working in theater and on television. She appeared in popular shows like The Twilight Zone and Murder, She Wrote. Ann Blyth stopped acting in 1985. She is one of the last living stars from the Golden Age of Hollywood.

Ann Blyth's Early Life and Career
Ann Blyth's Personal Life
Awards and Recognition
Images for kids
See also

Ann Blyth's Early Life and Career

Growing Up and Starting Out

Ann Marie Blythe was born in Mount Kisco, New York, on August 16, 1928. Her father left the family, and Ann, her older sister Dorothy, and their mother moved to New York City. Her mother worked hard doing ironing to support the family.

First Steps in Acting

Ann Blyth began performing on children's radio shows in New York when she was just five years old. She continued doing radio for six years. When she was nine, she joined the New York Children's Opera Company, showing her talent for singing and performing early on.

Her first big acting role was on Broadway in a play called Watch on the Rhine. She played a character named Babette. The play was very successful, running for 378 performances. While the play was on tour in Los Angeles, Ann Blyth was offered a contract with Universal Studios. This was a big step for her career!

Becoming a Movie Star at Universal

Ann Blyth in 1948

When Ann Blyth started her film career, she changed the spelling of her first name from "Anne" to "Ann". Her first movie was in 1944, a musical called Chip Off the Old Block. She then made two more similar musical films.

Her most famous early role was in Mildred Pierce (1945). She played Veda Pierce, a challenging role as the ungrateful daughter of the main character, played by Joan Crawford. Ann Blyth's acting was highly praised, and she was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress. She was only 16 years old when she made this film.

After Mildred Pierce, Ann Blyth had an accident while tobogganing and broke her back. This meant she couldn't immediately take advantage of her movie's success. However, she recovered and continued to make many films. She starred with famous actors like Burt Lancaster in Brute Force and Mickey Rooney in Killer McCoy.

Ann Blyth also appeared in a mystery film called A Woman's Vengeance (1948) and a fantasy movie, Mr. Peabody and the Mermaid (1948), where she played a mermaid! She also starred in Westerns and comedies. She was even loaned to other studios like Paramount Pictures to act with stars like Bing Crosby in Top o' the Morning.

One of her biggest hits was The Great Caruso (1951), where she sang opposite Mario Lanza. This movie was very popular. She continued to make many different types of films, including dramas and comedies, often playing the main female role.

Moving to Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer

Ann Blyth in 1952

In 1952, Ann Blyth signed a new contract with Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM), another major film studio. She starred in adventure films like All the Brothers Were Valiant and musicals such as Rose Marie. She also appeared in The Student Prince and the musical Kismet.

Her last film at MGM was Slander (1957). After that, she made a few more movies for other studios, including The Buster Keaton Story (1957) and The Helen Morgan Story (1957). In The Helen Morgan Story, her singing voice was actually dubbed by another singer, Gogi Grant. After these films, Ann Blyth stopped making movies.

Stage and TV Appearances

Ann Blyth in August 1954 for Modern Screen Magazine

From the late 1950s through the 1970s, Ann Blyth focused on performing in musical theater shows. She starred in famous productions like The King and I, The Sound of Music, and Show Boat.

She also made occasional appearances on television. She guest-starred in many popular TV shows of the time, including several episodes of Wagon Train and a memorable episode of The Twilight Zone called "Queen of the Nile". She also appeared on shows like Burke's Law and The Name of the Game.

Ann Blyth was also a spokesperson for popular snack brands like Twinkies and Ho Hos. Her final television roles were in episodes of Switch and Quincy, M.E. in 1983, and Murder, She Wrote in 1985. After her appearance on Murder, She Wrote, she officially retired from acting.

For her important work in movies, Ann Blyth has a star on the famous Hollywood Walk of Fame in Hollywood, California.

Live Performances

Ann Blyth also performed live in concert tours for many years. She traveled with her accompanist and music director, Harper MacKay.

Ann Blyth's Personal Life

In 1953, Ann Blyth married James McNulty, who was a doctor. His brother, singer Dennis Day, introduced them. The couple received a special blessing from Pope Pius XII. After getting married, Ann Blyth took a break from her acting career to focus on raising their five children.

In 1973, Ann Blyth and her husband, who were both Roman Catholics, were given a special honor called Lady and Knight of the Holy Sepulchre.

Ann Blyth's husband, Dr. McNulty, passed away in 2007.

Awards and Recognition

Ann Blyth was nominated for an Academy Award in 1946 for her role in Mildred Pierce. In 2003, she received the Living Legacy Award from the Women's International Center, recognizing her lasting contributions.