Ann Carter facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Ann Carter
Ann Carter in The Curse of the Cat People (1944)
Born	Ann Lois Carter (1936-06-16)June 16, 1936 Syracuse, New York, U.S.
Died	January 27, 2014(2014-01-27) (aged 77) North Bend, Washington, U.S.
Resting place	Tahoma National Cemetery
Alma mater	Occidental College
Occupation	Child actress, teacher
Years active	1941–1952
Spouse(s)	Crosby Newton ​ (m. 1957)​
Children	3

Ann Carter (born June 16, 1936 – died January 27, 2014) was an American child actress. She worked with many famous movie stars during her career, which lasted just over ten years. She is best known for her main role as Amy Reed in the film The Curse of the Cat People (1944). She also acted alongside stars like Humphrey Bogart, Katharine Hepburn, Bing Crosby, and Barbara Stanwyck.

Becoming a Young Star

Ann Carter was born in Syracuse, New York. When she was three, she moved with her mother to Palm Springs, California. Her father worked for Chrysler and traveled between California and Detroit. Ann's mother had always wanted to be in theater, but her own father didn't allow it.

Ann was discovered in Los Angeles when she was four years old. Her first fantasy film role was playing Veronica Lake's young daughter in I Married a Witch (1942). She remembered a scene where she flew down a staircase on a broomstick, which had a special seat just for her. She also recalled makeup artists styling her hair over one eye, just like Veronica Lake's famous 'Peek-A-Boo' hairstyle.

In a funny story, Ann got a part over another child actress, Margaret O'Brien. Ann's mother had dressed her in white gloves. During the interview, Margaret was so distracted by Ann's gloves that she didn't do well in her own interview!

Growing Film Roles

Ann's first important role came when she was six. She appeared in Commandos Strike at Dawn (1942). She played a young Norwegian girl whose father, played by Paul Muni, led his village against the German army during World War II. Much of the movie was filmed in Mill Bay, Canada, which looked like the Norwegian fjords. Ann and the cast stayed at the famous Empress Hotel in Victoria.

Ann's most significant film role was when she played Amy Reed in the classic fantasy movie The Curse of the Cat People (1944). She was seven years old at the time. Ann played a lonely and imaginative child who found it hard to connect with her school friends. She could relate to the role because she was also a bit of a dreamer and an only child.

Filming The Curse of the Cat People was "fascinating" for Ann. Most of it was shot on a movie set at RKO. The set was made to look like different seasons. For example, crew members would throw leaves or gypsum (a white powder) and corn flakes to create snow. Ann worked for almost all of the 33 days of filming. She felt "no pressure" and her parents helped her stay "normal" and grounded. She also enjoyed the schooling on set, which was often one-on-one.

Ann appeared in several other movies. A highlight was playing Humphrey Bogart's daughter in the 1947 thriller The Two Mrs. Carrolls. She recalled getting along "so well" with Bogart, calling him a "really nice man." He even nicknamed her "Tonsils" after she yawned during a rehearsal!

After Curse of the Cat People, Ann had smaller roles. She also did many radio shows, including playing Cary Grant's daughter in a radio version of Mr. Blandings Builds His Dream House.

Life After Acting

Ann left acting after she got polio. She believed she caught it during a Fourth of July vacation in 1948 while swimming in contaminated water. At first, doctors thought she had the flu. But during filming for The Member of the Wedding, the director noticed she was leaning. It was discovered that the muscles on one side of her back were affected.

After getting treatment and physical therapy, Ann became strong enough to wear a large, heavy cast. Her parents helped bring the musician Lawrence Welk to fame. Ann's mother loved The Lawrence Welk Show and convinced her husband to suggest it for Dodge to sponsor.

Becoming a Teacher

After recovering from polio, Ann went to Occidental College. Her earnings from acting paid for her medical care and college education. She decided she wanted to teach and have a family instead of continuing to act. This decision made her mother sad, as she had been very involved in Ann's acting career.

Ann married Crosby Newton in 1957. The next year, she started teaching high school and junior high. She especially enjoyed teaching drama classes. After her parents passed away, Ann and her husband moved to the Pacific Northwest in 1982. They settled near Seattle, a place they had loved since filming Commandos Strike at Dawn there. In Washington, Ann became a cruise-only travel agent for four years.

Ann was a mother of three children: Gail, David, and Carol. She retired to help care for her grandchildren. In 2005, she was diagnosed with ovarian cancer. She found hope and treatment and got through it with help from her family and friends. In 2007, she took part in Val Lewton: The Man in the Shadows, a documentary about the producer of Curse of the Cat People.

Death

Ann Carter passed away on January 27, 2014, in North Bend, Washington. She was 77 years old and had battled ovarian cancer for a long time. Her husband, Stephen Crosby Newton, passed away later that year. They were buried together at Tahoma National Cemetery.

Legacy

One film historian described Ann Carter as "the serious faced little blonde." Even though she was a beautiful child, she often played vulnerable children in movies. Director Robert Wise called her a "big asset" in his first movie as a director.

Filmography

Images for kids

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  Ann Carter in The Curse of the Cat People (1944)