Person biography:
Ann Rutherford was born in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. She was the daughter of a former Metropolitan Opera singer, John Rutherford, and her actress mother, Lillian Mansfield. This led her to pursue a career in show business.
Rutherford made her stage debut in 1925, soon after her family moved to California. She appeared in numerous plays and radio shows for the next nine years before making her screen debut in Waterfront Lady (1935).
Her talent quickly gained recognition, and she was signed to three films in 1935: Waterfront Lady, Melody Trail, and The Fighting Marines. She soon became a leading lady in Westerns alongside John Wayne and Gene Autry.
At the age of 17, Rutherford inked a deal with MGM, where she gained star status for her portrayal of "Polly Benedict" in the popular "Andy Hardy" series with Mickey Rooney. She played the role of "Polly" in You're Only Young Once (1937) and went on to appear in three more Hardy films that year.
Rutherford also appeared in other productions, including the classic A Christmas Carol (1938),where she played the role of the Spirit of Christmas Past.
In 1939, she played the role of "Annie Hawks" in Of Human Hearts and appeared in three more Andy Hardy films. She then landed a role in the iconic film Gone with the Wind (1939),playing "Careen O'Hara," Scarlett's little sister.
Rutherford continued to make films, working under the watchful eye of Louis B. Mayer, the mogul of MGM. However, she stood out as one of the few stars who successfully negotiated a raise, showing Mayer her bankbook and explaining that she had promised her mother a new house.
In 1942, she appeared in her last Andy Hardy film, Andy Hardy's Double Life, and then left MGM to freelance her talent. She continued to be in demand, appearing in films such as Happy Land (1943),The Secret Life of Walter Mitty (1947),and Adventures of Don Juan (1948).
Rutherford eventually retired from acting, appearing in a few TV programs and films, including They Only Kill Their Masters (1972) and Won Ton Ton: The Dog Who Saved Hollywood (1976). She was approached to play the older Rose in Titanic (1997) but turned it down.
Rutherford spent her retirement enjoying fan mail and granting interviews and appearances. She passed away at her Beverly Hills home on June 11, 2012, at the age of 94, surrounded by her close friend Anne Jeffreys.
