Rosalind Russell facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Rosalind Russell
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Russell in 1955
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| Born |
Catherine Rosalind Russell
June 4, 1907 Waterbury, Connecticut, U.S.
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| Died | November 28, 1976 (aged 69) |
| Resting place | Holy Cross Cemetery |
| Occupation |
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| Years active | 1929–1972 |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouse(s) |
Frederick Brisson
(m. 1941) |
| Children | 1 |
Catherine Rosalind Russell (born June 4, 1907 – died November 28, 1976) was a talented American actress. She was also a comedian, screenwriter, and singer. Rosalind Russell was famous for playing quick-witted characters.
Some of her most well-known roles include Hildy Johnson in the comedy His Girl Friday (1940). She starred alongside Cary Grant in this film. She also played Mame Dennis in Auntie Mame (1958) and Rose in Gypsy (1962).
Rosalind Russell was a fantastic comedian. She won all five Golden Globes she was nominated for. In 1953, she won a Tony Award for Best Actress in a Musical for her role as Ruth in the Broadway show Wonderful Town. This musical was based on her earlier film My Sister Eileen. She was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actress four times. In 1973, she received a special Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award for her good work.
Besides comedies, Russell also played serious characters. She often portrayed rich, elegant, and stylish women. She was one of the few actresses of her time to play women in professional jobs. These included judges, reporters, and even psychiatrists. Her career lasted from the 1930s to the 1970s.
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Early Life and Education
Catherine Rosalind Russell was born in Waterbury, Connecticut. She was one of seven children. Her father, James Edward, was a lawyer. Her mother, Clara A. Russell, was a teacher. Rosalind's family was Irish-American and Catholic. She was named after a ship her parents had traveled on.
Rosalind went to Catholic schools. These included Rosemont College and Marymount College. She then studied at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in New York City. Her parents thought she was studying to be a teacher. They didn't know she planned to become an actress. After graduating, she acted in summer plays and joined a theater group in Boston.
Rosalind Russell's Acting Career
Starting Out in Show Business
Rosalind Russell began her career as a fashion model. She also appeared in many Broadway shows. Her parents didn't want her to be an actress. But she took a job at a theater company in New York and Connecticut. Later, she moved to Boston and acted with a theater group for a year.
She also appeared in a show called The Garrick Gaieties in New York. There, she took singing lessons. She had a short career in opera. But it ended because she found it hard to sing very high notes.
In the early 1930s, Russell moved to Los Angeles. She was hired by Universal Studios. When she first arrived, she felt ignored and humiliated. She was unhappy with Universal. So, she decided to try for Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM). She managed to leave her Universal contract.
When MGM offered her a screen test, she was careful. She remembered her bad experience at Universal. But the people at MGM were very understanding. She later said she was hired because of a close-up shot during her screen test.
Becoming a Star at MGM
Rosalind Russell's first movie with MGM was Evelyn Prentice (1934). Her role was small, but critics liked her performance. One critic said she was "convincing as the woman scorned." She starred in many comedies, like Forsaking All Others (1934). She also acted in dramas, such as Craig's Wife (1936).
Russell became famous quickly. By 1935, she was seen as a replacement for actress Myrna Loy. She took many roles that Loy was first offered. In her early years in Hollywood, Russell was known for playing sophisticated "ladies."
Russell wanted to change her image. She asked director Frank Lloyd for help. But he cast her as a rich aristocrat in Under Two Flags (1936). Then, she played the gossipy Sylvia Fowler in the comedy The Women (1939). This film was a huge success. It boosted Russell's career and made her known as a great comedian.
Russell showed her comedy skills again in His Girl Friday (1940). This classic screwball comedy was directed by Howard Hawks. In the film, Russell plays Hildy Johnson, a smart reporter. She is also the ex-wife of her newspaper editor, Walter Burns (Cary Grant).
Russell later said she was "Everyone's fifteenth choice" for the role of Hildy. Many famous actresses had turned down the part. Russell found out she got the role by reading it in The New York Times. The article also listed all the actresses who had said no.
Later Career and Famous Roles
In the 1940s, Russell made more comedies. These included The Feminine Touch (1941) and My Sister Eileen (1942). She also starred in dramas like Sister Kenny (1946) and the mystery The Velvet Touch (1948).
Russell had a big success on Broadway in Wonderful Town (1953). This was a musical version of her film My Sister Eileen. She won a Tony Award for her performance. Russell played the role again for a TV special in 1958.
Perhaps her most famous role was in Auntie Mame. She starred in both the long-running stage play and the 1958 film version. She played an unusual aunt whose orphaned nephew comes to live with her. When asked about her most recognized role, she said strangers still called out, "Hey, Auntie Mame!" She was nominated for a Tony Award for this role in 1957. The author, Patrick Dennis, even dedicated his second Auntie Mame novel to her.
She continued to make movies into the mid-1960s. These included Picnic (1955), Gypsy (1962), and The Trouble with Angels (1966). She was the natural choice to play Auntie Mame again in the 1966 musical Mame. But she turned it down due to health reasons.
Besides acting, Russell also wrote movie stories. She used the pen name C.A. McKnight. She wrote the story for The Unguarded Moment (1956). In 1971, she wrote the screenplay for Mrs. Pollifax-Spy, which she also starred in. This was her last major film role.
Awards and Special Honors
Rosalind Russell was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actress four times. These nominations were for My Sister Eileen (1942), Sister Kenny (1946), Mourning Becomes Electra (1947), and Auntie Mame (1958). In 1972, she received a special Oscar, the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award.
In 1972, she also received the Golden Plate Award from the American Academy of Achievement. As mentioned, she won five Golden Globe Awards and a Tony Award. She also has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
The Rosalind Russell Medical Research Center for Arthritis is named in her honor. Her picture and a description of her work are in the lobby. This center was created in 1979. It honors her work on the National Commission on Arthritis.
Personal Life
On October 25, 1941, Rosalind Russell married Frederick Brisson. He was a Danish-American producer. Actor Cary Grant introduced them and was the best man at their wedding. Frederick Brisson first saw Rosalind Russell in her film The Women. He was so impressed that he decided he would either "kill that girl, or I'm gonna marry her."
Cary Grant helped them meet. He would often ask Russell if she had met Freddie Brisson. One night, Grant brought Brisson to meet her. They went to dinner together.
Russell and Brisson were married for 35 years. They had one son, Carl Lance Brisson, born in 1943.
Rosalind Russell was a Republican. She supported Richard Nixon in his 1960 election campaign. She was also a strong Catholic. She was a member of the Good Shepherd Parish and the Catholic Motion Picture Guild.
Later Years and Legacy
Rosalind Russell passed away from breast cancer on November 28, 1976. She was survived by her husband and son. She is buried in Holy Cross Cemetery in California.
Her autobiography, Life Is a Banquet, was published a year after she died. It was written with Chris Chase. The book mentions that she faced personal challenges and health issues in 1943. She did not act in films in 1944. Rosalind Russell also had rheumatoid arthritis. An arthritis research center at the University of California, San Francisco is named after her.
In 2009, a documentary film about her life was released. It was called Life Is a Banquet: The Life of Rosalind Russell. Kathleen Turner narrated the film. It was shown at film festivals and on some PBS stations.
Images for kids
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Lionel Barrymore's 61st birthday in 1939. Standing: Mickey Rooney, Robert Montgomery, Clark Gable, Louis B. Mayer, William Powell, Robert Taylor. Seated: Norma Shearer, Lionel Barrymore, and Rosalind Russell.
See also
In Spanish: Rosalind Russell para niños
