Ruth Chatterton Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids Ruth Chatterton
Ruth Chatterton in 1930
Born	(1892-12-24)December 24, 1892 New York City, U.S.
Died	November 24, 1961(1961-11-24) (aged 68) Norwalk, Connecticut, U.S.
Resting place	Beechwoods Cemetery
Occupation	Actress, novelist
Years active	1908–1953
Spouse(s)	Ralph Forbes (m. 1924; div. 1932) George Brent (m. 1932; div. 1934) Barry Thomson (m. 1942; died 1960)

Ruth Chatterton (born December 24, 1892 – died November 24, 1961) was a talented American actress. She performed on stage, in movies, and on television. Ruth was also a skilled pilot and a successful writer.

She was very popular in the early to mid-1930s. During this time, she became well-known as an aviator, which means she flew airplanes. She was one of the few women pilots in the United States back then. Later in the 1930s, Ruth stopped making movies but kept acting on stage. She also appeared in several TV shows starting in the late 1940s. In the 1950s, she became a successful novelist, writing many books.

Early Life and First Steps in Acting
A Star on Stage and Screen
Later Years and New Careers
Personal Life
- Flying
- Marriages
Death
Honors
Works
Images for kids
See also

Early Life and First Steps in Acting

Ruth Chatterton was born in New York City on December 24, 1892. Her father, Walter, was an architect, and her mother was Lillian. Her parents separated when she was young. Ruth went to Mrs. Hagen's School in Pelham, New York.

In 1908, when Ruth was 16, she went to a play in Washington, D.C. She told her friends that the lead actress wasn't very good. Her friends dared her to try acting herself. Ruth accepted the challenge! A few days later, she joined the chorus of a stage show. She soon left school to become a full-time actress. Ruth joined the Friend Stock Company in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and stayed there for six months.

A Star on Stage and Screen

Ullrich Haupt and Chatterton in Madame X (1929)

In 1911, Ruth Chatterton made her first appearance on Broadway, which is the highest level of theater in New York City. The play was called The Great Name. Her biggest success on stage came in 1914. She starred in the play Daddy Long Legs, which was based on a popular novel.

Ruth married her first husband, actor Ralph Forbes, in 1924. They moved to Los Angeles, California. In 1928, she got her first movie role in Sins of the Fathers. That same year, she signed a contract with Paramount Pictures, a big movie studio.

Her first movie for Paramount was also her first "talkie," meaning a film with sound. It was called The Doctor's Secret and came out in 1929. Because Ruth had a lot of experience on stage, she was able to easily switch from silent films to sound films.

Later in 1929, Ruth starred in Madame X. This movie was a huge hit and really launched her career. She was even nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actress for her role. The next year, she starred in Sarah and Son. In this film, she played a poor housewife who becomes a famous opera singer. This movie was also very successful, and Ruth received another Academy Award nomination.

Chatterton in the trailer for Female (1933)

In 1933, Ruth Chatterton starred in a popular comedy-drama called Female. In this movie, she played the boss of a car factory. Ruth later moved from Paramount Pictures to Warner Bros. Her last movie for Warner Bros. was Journal of a Crime in 1934.

One of her most famous films was Dodsworth (1936). Many people thought her acting in this movie was amazing. After this, she moved to England and made only two more films. Her last movie was A Royal Divorce in 1938. She returned to the U.S. in 1948 to act on television until 1953.

Later Years and New Careers

By 1938, Ruth Chatterton was tired of acting in movies. She decided to retire from films and moved back to the eastern United States. There, she lived with her third husband, Barry Thomson.

In 1940, she returned to the Broadway stage. She continued acting in plays and even performed in London. Ruth also started raising French poodles. She then began a very successful career as a writer. Her first novel, Homeward Borne, was published in 1950 and became a best-seller. She wrote three more novels after that: The Betrayers (1953), The Pride of the Peacock (1954), and The Southern Wild (1958).

Ruth Chatterton ad from The Film Daily, 1932

In the 1950s, Ruth came out of retirement to appear on U.S. television. She acted in several TV plays, including a TV version of Dodsworth. Her last TV appearance was in 1953. She played Gertrude in a TV show based on Shakespeare's play Hamlet.

Personal Life

Flying

Ruth Chatterton was one of the few women pilots of her time. She was good friends with the famous aviator Amelia Earhart. Ruth flew solo across the United States many times. She also helped organize air races and events for pilots in the 1930s. She even taught British actor Brian Aherne how to fly!

Marriages

Ruth Chatterton was married three times. She did not have any children.

In 1924, she married British actor Ralph Forbes. They divorced in 1932.
The very next day, in 1932, Ruth married George Brent, who had been her co-star in some movies. They divorced in 1934.
In 1942, Ruth married actor Barry Thomson. They stayed married until he passed away in 1960.

Death

The Lugar Mausoleum where Chatterton's remains are interred

After her third husband died in 1960, Ruth lived alone in her home in Connecticut. On November 21, 1961, she became very ill while friends were visiting. She was taken to the hospital and passed away on November 24, at the age of 68. She was cremated, and her remains are buried in Beechwoods Cemetery in New Rochelle, New York.

Honors

Ruth Chatterton has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. This is a special honor for people who have made great contributions to the movie industry. Her star is located at 6263 Hollywood Boulevard. She is also a member of the American Theater Hall of Fame.