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Rosalind Russell

Rosalind Russell

Actor · 1907–1976 · Waterbury, Connecticut, USA

IMDb

Biography

Catherine Rosalind Russell (June 4, 1907 – November 28, 1976) was an American actress of stage and screen, perhaps best known for her role as a fast-talking newspaper reporter in the Howard Hawks screwball comedy His Girl Friday, as well as the role of Mame Dennis in the film Auntie Mame. She won all 5 Golden Globes for which she was nominated, and was tied with Meryl Streep for wins until 2007 when Streep was awarded a sixth. Russell won a Tony Award in 1953 for Best Performance by an Actress in a Musical for her portrayal of Ruth in the Broadway show Wonderful Town (a musical based the film My Sister Eileen, in which she also starred). Russell was known for playing character roles, exceptionally wealthy, dignified ladylike women. She had a wide career span from the 1930s to the 1970s and attributed her long career to the fact that, although usually playing classy and glamorous roles, she never became a sex symbol, not being famous for her looks.

Acted in 58

1990s

  1. 1994

    That's Entertainment! III

    (archive footage) (uncredited)

  2. The Twilight Zone: Rod Serling's Lost Classics

    Hildy Johnson (archive footage) (uncredited)

1970s

  1. 1972

    The Crooked Hearts

    Laurita Dorsey

  2. 1971

    Mrs. Pollifax — Spy

    Mrs. Pollifax

1960s

  1. 1968

    Where Angels Go, Trouble Follows

    Mother Simplicia

  2. 1967

    Rosie!

    Rosie Lord

  3. Oh Dad, Poor Dad, Mamma's Hung You in the Closet and I'm Feeling So Sad

    Madame Rosepettle

  4. 1966
  5. 1962
  6. Five Finger Exercise

    Louise Harington

  7. 1961

    A Majority of One

    Bertha Jacoby

1950s

  1. 1958
  2. Wonderful Town

    Ruth Sherwood

  3. 1955
  4. The Girl Rush

    Kim Halliday

  5. 1953

    General Electric Theater

    Cynthia · 1 episode

  6. 1951

    Schlitz Playhouse of Stars

    TV

  7. 1950

    A Woman of Distinction

    Susan Manning Middlecott

1940s

  1. 1949

    Tell It to the Judge

    Marsha Meredith

  2. 1948

    The Velvet Touch

    Valerie Stanton

  3. 1947

    Mourning Becomes Electra

    Lavinia Mannon

  4. The Guilt of Janet Ames

    Janet Ames

  5. 1946

    Sister Kenny

    Elizabeth Kenny

  6. 1945

    She Wouldn't Say Yes

    Dr. Susan A. Lane

  7. Roughly Speaking

    Louise Randall Pierson

  8. 1943

    What a Woman

    Carol Ainsley

  9. Flight for Freedom

    Tonie Carter

  10. 1942

    My Sister Eileen

    Ruth Sherwood

  11. Take a Letter, Darling

    A.M. MacGregor

  12. 1941

    Design for Scandal

    Judge Cornelia C. Porter

  13. The Feminine Touch

    Julie Hathaway

  14. They Met in Bombay

    Anya Von Duren

  15. 1940

    This Thing Called Love

    Ann Winters

  16. No Time for Comedy

    Linda Paige Esterbrook

  17. Hired Wife

    Kendal Browning

1930s

  1. 1939
  2. Fast and Loose

    Garda Sloane

  3. 1938

    Breakdowns of 1938

    Rosalind (archive footage) (uncredited)

  4. The Citadel

    Christine Manson

  5. Four's a Crowd

    Jean Christy

  6. Man-Proof

    Elizabeth Kent

  7. 1937

    Live, Love and Learn

    Julie Stoddard

  8. Night Must Fall

    Olivia Grayne

  9. 1936

    Craig's Wife

    Harriet Craig

  10. Trouble for Two

    Miss Vandeleur

  11. Under Two Flags

    Lady Venetia Cunningham

  12. It Had to Happen

    Beatrice Newnes

  13. 1935

    Rendezvous

    Joel Carter

  14. Reckless

    Josephine 'Jo' Mercer

  15. West Point of the Air

    Dare Marshall

  16. The Casino Murder Case

    Doris Reed

  17. The Night Is Young

    Countess Zarika Rafay

  18. 1934
  19. The President Vanishes

    Sally Voorman

  20. Evelyn Prentice

    Mrs. Nancy Harrison

Wrote 2

1970s

  1. 1971

    Mrs. Pollifax — Spy

    Screenplay

1950s

  1. 1956

    The Unguarded Moment

    Story

Appearances24

2010s

  1. 2017
  2. Lighting Up with Hildy Johnson

    Self (archive footage)

2000s

  1. 2009

    Life is a Banquet

    Self (Archive Footage)

  2. 2006

    On Assignment: 'His Girl Friday'

    Self (archive footage)

1980s

  1. 1987

    James Stewart: A Wonderful Life

    Self (archive footage)

1970s

  1. 1973
  2. The Men Who Made the Movies: King Vidor

    Self (archive footage)

1940s

  1. 1948
  2. 1947

    Blow-Ups of 1947

    Self

  3. 1945

    Screen Snapshots (Series 25, No. 1): 25th Anniversary

    Self

  4. 1944

    Breakdowns of 1944

    Self

  5. 1942

    Screen Snapshots (Series 22, No. 10)

    Self

  6. 1941

    Breakdowns of 1941

    Self (archive footage) (uncredited)

  7. 1940

    A New Romance of Celluloid: The Miracle of Sound

    Self

  8. Hollywood: Style Center of the World

    Self

1930s

  1. 1939

    From the Ends of the Earth

    Self

  2. 1937

    The Romance of Celluloid

    Self

  3. 1936

    Screen Snapshots (Series 16, No. 1)

    Self