Dorothy Fay facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Dorothy Fay
Born	Dorothy Alice Fay Southworth (1915-04-04)April 4, 1915 Prescott, Arizona, U.S.
Died	November 5, 2003(2003-11-05) (aged 88) Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Other names	Dorothy Faye Dorothy Fay Ritter
Occupation	Actress
Years active	1938–1941
Spouse(s)	Tex Ritter ​ ​ (m. 1941; died 1974)​
Children	2; including John
Relatives	Jason Ritter (grandson) Tyler Ritter (grandson)

Dorothy Fay (born Dorothy Alice Fay Southworth; April 4, 1915 – November 5, 2003) was an American actress. She was best known for her roles in Western movies.

Early Life and Education

Dorothy Fay Southworth was born in Prescott, Arizona. Her father, Harry T. Southworth, was a medical doctor.

Dorothy went to the Caroline Leonetti School. She also studied at the University of London and the University of Southern California in Los Angeles, California. To improve her acting skills, she attended the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London.

Acting Career

Dorothy Fay started her movie career in the late 1930s. She often appeared in "B-movies," especially Westerns. These were usually lower-budget films.

In 1938, she starred with George F. Houston in the movie Frontier Scout. She also worked with other famous Western actors like Buck Jones and William Elliott.

Movies with Tex Ritter

Dorothy made four movies with her husband, Tex Ritter. Tex Ritter was a well-known country singer and actor. Their movies together included Song of the Buckaroo (1938), Sundown on the Prairie (1939), Rollin' Westward (1939), and Rainbow Over the Range (1940).

She also played the main female character in adventure serials like The Green Archer (1940) and White Eagle (1941). These were popular short films shown before the main movie.

Other Film Roles

Dorothy also had small parts in other types of movies. For example, she appeared in the crime drama Missing Daughters (1939).

In 1940, she had a small role in the famous movie The Philadelphia Story. This film starred big names like Cary Grant, James Stewart, and Katharine Hepburn. She also appeared in the musical Lady Be Good (1941).

Later Years and Family

Dorothy Fay married Tex Ritter on June 14, 1941. They were married until his death in 1974. They had two sons, Thomas and John. Her grandsons, Jason Ritter and Tyler Ritter, are also actors.

After marrying Tex, Dorothy made a few more movies. She then retired from acting in late 1941 to focus on her family.

Life in Nashville

In 1965, Dorothy and Tex moved to Nashville, Tennessee. This was because of Tex's singing and recording career. For a while, Dorothy worked as an official greeter at the Grand Ole Opry. This is a famous country music show.

She returned to Southern California in 1981. Dorothy turned down offers to act again, even an offer to appear on the TV show The Love Boat with her son, John. However, she did appear with him in a TV special called "Superstars and their Moms" in 1987. She also often attended events for fans of old Western movies.

Health and Mistaken Report

In 1987, Dorothy had a stroke that affected her speech. In 1989, she moved to the Motion Picture & Television Country House and Hospital. This is a special place for people who worked in the entertainment industry.

In 2001, a newspaper mistakenly reported that she had died. This happened because a nurse thought she had "gone" when she had only moved to a different part of the hospital. Dorothy and her family found the mistake amusing.

Death

Dorothy Fay passed away from natural causes at age 88. She died at the Motion Picture & Television Country House and Hospital in Woodland Hills, California, in November 2003. This was less than two months after her son, John Ritter, had passed away.

She is buried with her parents in Prescott, Arizona. Tex Ritter is buried in Port Neches, Texas. Her son, John Ritter, is buried in Hollywood Hills, California.

Filmography

See also

In Spanish: Dorothy Fay para niños