ANN SOTHERN BIOGRAPHY & FILMOGRAPHY:

Ann Sothern was born on January 22nd, 1909 in Valley City, North Dakota with the birth name Harriette Arlene Lake.  Her mother was a concert singer who traveled.  She began getting involved in the entertainment industry working as an extra in a number of films beginning in 1927 on the film, "Broadway Night".  Ann continued to do work as an extra for six years just barely able to support herself.

In 1934, Columbia Pictures decided to sign Ann to a contract and she got her first decent role in the film, "The Party's Over" (1934).  This career move continued with a total of eleven film roles in just one year on such films as, "Let's Fall in Love" (1933) and "Kid Millions" (1934).  Even though no role had yet brought her the level of stardom she hoped for she was at least getting work.  However, in 1936 Columbia Pictures dropped her but RKO picked her up.  
 
She continued to get cast in a number of films, but mostly 'B' rated and still none were significantly better then her previous roles.  Some of these film roles were, "Dangerous Number" (1937) and "Trade Winds" (1938).  It was her role in "Trade Winds" that got her a contract with MGM. 
 
With her new contract she got a role in 1939 on the film, "Maise" which turned out to be highly successful and created a series of sequels that ran till 1947.  It was this opportunity that opened a number of other doors for her career.  She was given roles on such films as, "Brother Orchid" (1940), "Dulcy" (1940), "City Havoc" (1943), "Thousands Cheer" (1943)  and "A Letter to Three Wives" (1949).   

As her career progressed into the 1950's she continued to work but more sporadically on only four films.  Film roles were becoming less available to her and so she turned to a career in television.  She was cast in the series, "Private Secretary" (1953) which lasted until 1957.  She then got her own show, "The Ann Southern Show" which ran from 1958 through 1961.  

Along with her resume having film and television roles she added to it some voice over work in 1965 for the film, "My Mother the Car" (1965).  For most of the late 60's and early 70's her career slowed down dramatically, but she did still work and made a number of television appearances on such series and television movies as, "The Chicago Teddy Bears" (1971), "Fol-De'Rol" (1972), "Captain and the Kings" (1976) and "A Letter to Three Wives" (1985).  

Ann did earn an Academy Award with her final role in the film, "The Whales of August" (1987) and then entered retirement and lived in Ketcham, Idaho with her daughter, Tisha Sterling and her granddaughter.  She passed away March 15th, 2001 at the age of ninety two from heart failure. 
 
She had married twice throughout her lifetime.  First to a man named Roger Pryor from 1936 to 1943 but never had any children with her first husband.  Her second husband was Robert Sterling whom she married in 1943 and had one child before divorcing in 1949.  Ann never remarried again and never had any other children.  

Filmography

1987 The Whales of August 
1985 A Letter to Three Wives 
1979 The Little Dragons 
1978 Flying High
1978 The Manitou 
1976 Captains and the Kings
1975 Medical Story
1975 Crazy Mama 
1974 Golden Needles 
1973 The Killing Kind 
1972 The Weekend Nun 
1972 The Great Man's Whiskers 
1972 Fol-de-Rol
1971 Alias Smith and Jones
1971 The Chicago Teddy Bears
1971 A Death of Innocence 
1971 Congratulations, It's a Boy! 
1971 The Virginian
1969 Love, American Style
1964-1969 Insight
1969 The Greatest Mother of Them All 
1968 Family Affair
1967 The Outsider 
1967 Chubasco 
1967 The Girl from U.N.C.L.E.
1965-1966 My Mother the Car
1965 The Legend of Jesse James 
1965 The Lucy Show
1965 Sylvia 
1964 The Alfred Hitchcock Hour
1964 Lady in a Cage
1964 The Best Man 
1958-1961 The Ann Sothern Show 
1959 The DuPont Show with June Allyson 
1958 The Steve Allen Plymouth Show
1957 The Lucy-Desi Comedy Hour
1953-1957 Private Secretary 
1957 The Ford Television Theatre
1955 The Loretta Young Show
1954 Lady in the Dark
1953 The Red Skelton Hour 
1953 The Blue Gardenia 
1952 Hollywood Opening Night
1952 Schlitz Playhouse 
1950 Shadow on the Wall 
1950 Nancy Goes to Rio
1949 The Judge Steps Out
1949 A Letter to Three Wives 
1948 Words and Music 
1948 April Showers 
1947 Undercover Maisie 
1946 Up Goes Maisie 
1944 Maisie Goes to Reno 
1943 Cry 'Havoc' 
1943 Swing Shift Maisie 
1943 Three Hearts for Julia 
1943 You, John Jones! 
1942 Panama Hattie 
1942 Maisie Gets Her Man 
1941 Lady Be Good 
1941 Ringside Maisie
1941 Maisie Was a Lady
1940 Dulcy 
1940 Gold Rush Maisie 
1940 Brother Orchid 
1940 Congo Maisie
1939 Joe and Ethel Turp Call on the President 
1939 Fast and Furious 
1939 Hotel for Women 
1939 Maisie 
1938 Trade Winds 
1937 She's Got Everything 
1937 There Goes the Groom 
1937 Danger: Love at Work 
1937 Super-Sleuth 
1937 Fifty Roads to Town 
1937 There Goes My Girl 
1937 Dangerous Number 
1936 Smartest Girl in Town 
1936 Walking on Air
1936 My American Wife
1936 Don't Gamble with Love 
1936 Hell-Ship Morgan 
1936 You May Be Next 
1935 Grand Exit 
1935 The Girl Friend 
1935 Hooray for Love
1935 Eight Bells 
1935 Folies Bergère de Paris 
1934 Kid Millions 
1934 The Party's Over 
1934 Blind Date 
1934 The Hell Cat
1934 Melody in Spring 
1933 Let's Fall in Love 
1933 Broadway Thru a Keyhole
1933 Footlight Parade 
1930 Whoopee!
1930 Doughboys 
1930 Good News 
1930 Song of the West 
1930 The March of Time 
1929 The Show of Shows 
1927 Broadway Nights