Ann Todd (American actress) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Ann E. Todd
Todd in Stronger Than Desire (1939)
Born	Ann Todd Phillips (1931-08-26)August 26, 1931 Denver, Colorado, U.S.
Died	February 7, 2020(2020-02-07) (aged 88) Berkeley, California, U.S.
Occupation	Child actress
Years active	1939–1953
Spouse(s)	Robert Basart ​ ​ (m. 1951; died 1993)​
Children	2

Ann E. Todd (born Ann Todd Phillips, later known as Ann Basart; August 26, 1931 – February 7, 2020) was an American child actress. She starred in many movies when she was young. As an adult, she became a music librarian at the University of California, Berkeley.

Ann E. Todd: Child Star and Librarian

Early Life and Family

Ann Todd was born in 1931 in Denver, Colorado. Her parents were Burrill L. and Alberta C. Phillips. She had a younger brother named Stephen. During tough times in the Great Depression, Ann was raised by her grandparents. Their names were Mr. and Mrs. Albert Ulysses Mayfield. She was even a distant relative of Mary Todd Lincoln.

When Ann was 11 years old, she had a serious health scare. She cut her foot while playing in her backyard. This led to an infection that put her in the hospital. Luckily, she recovered.

Her Acting Career

Ann Todd started acting in 1939 in a movie called Zaza. She was only 8 years old at the time. Over 14 years, she appeared in almost 40 films! She acted alongside many famous stars. These included Ingrid Bergman, Shirley Temple, James Stewart, and Bette Davis.

Famous Movies and Co-Stars

Ann worked with some of the biggest names in Hollywood. She was in movies like Intermezzo with Ingrid Bergman. She also appeared in The Blue Bird with Shirley Temple. Her roles often involved playing young girls or children of the main characters.

Why "E." Was Added to Her Name

There was another famous British actress named Ann Todd. To avoid confusion, Ann E. Todd added the letter "E." to her name. This helped people tell them apart. From 1950 to 1953, Ann was a regular on The Stu Erwin Show. This was a popular TV series.

Life as a Librarian

After her acting career, Ann went to college. She studied at the University of California, Los Angeles. Then she went to the University of California, Berkeley. There, she earned two master's degrees. One was in library science, and the other was in arts.

Helping Others with Music

Ann worked as a librarian at U.C. Berkeley for many years. She helped people find information about music. She also started and edited a newsletter for the library. It was called Cum Notis Variorum. This newsletter became very well-known. Ann also wrote reviews for a music library publication called Notes. She even helped edit that journal.

In 1984, Ann started her own publishing company. It was called Fallen Leaf Press. She published reference books about music. She also published music scores by American composers. She closed her business in 2000. In 1993, she received an award for her lifetime achievements in music librarianship.

Filmography