Ann Sothern

Ann Sothern was born Harriet Lake on January 22,1909, in Valley City, North Dakota. A young accomplished singer and dancer, she left for Hollywood at 17 and began her film career as an uncredited extra in the 1927 film, Broadway Nights. In the early 30's, she appeared as a dancer/chorus girl in a number of films including Whoopee! (1930), and Footlight Parade and Broadway Through A Keyhole, both in early 1933. She also appeared on Broadway during this time and had lead roles in 1931's America's Sweetheart (135 performances) and Everybody's Welcome (139 performances).

Her break came when she was signed by Columbia in the summer of 1933 and was given the female lead and first credited appearance in Let's Fall In Love, opposite Edmund Lowe. True stardom still alluded Ann in the 30's where she had contracts with RKO and M-G-M in addition to the two years spent with Columbia. She was paired with popular male stars including Robert Young, Gene Raymond, Jack Haley, and Ralph Bellamy, but the pictures were more "B" than "A". Her best roles were probably in Eddie Cantor's Kid Millions (1934), and Folies Bergere (1935) with Maurice Chevalier.

Then, in a role originally intended for Jean Harlow, MGM starred Ann in Maisie (1939), as Brooklyn burlesque dancer Maisie Ravier, which would turn into a series of ten films with the last being Undercover Maisie (1947). In between, she starred in such movies as Dulcy (1940) and Three Hearts For Julia (1943), and was well received in Brother Orchid (1940), Cry 'Havoc' (1943), and A Letter To Three Wives (1949). During the 1950's, she appeared in only four films. By this time, however, Ann had turned to the relatively new medium--television, where she would attract legions of new fans. In 1953, Ann played the role of Susie in "Private Secretary" (1953), which ran until 1957. She continued to appear on television and then in 1987, made her final film appearance in The Whales Of August, for which she received an Oscar nomination for Best Actress in a Supporting Role.

Ann died peacefully at the age of 92 on March 15, 2001.

Click on the images for a larger view.

Screenland - December, 1934

A two-page spread in Photoplay, February, 1934, promoting Ann and the film Let's Fall In Love.

Let's Fall In Love publicity still.

Ann gets a positive review in ScreenPlay, April, 1934.

A postcard (the only one I've seen) of Ann and Eddie Cantor from Kid Millions (1934).

Ann sings a duet with soon to be husband (1936-1943) Roger Pryor, in 1935's The Girl Friend.

A publicity still from 1935's Folies Bergere.

The Maisie series. I have 9 of the ten films, and haven't been able to locate Undercover Maisie, so no title screen capture.

Congo Maisie publicity still

Publicity still from Trade Winds (1938).

Undated publicity still

Ann Sothern - What do you think - Allure?