Ruth Chatterton Age, Bio, Spouse, Movies, Actress, Height

Last Updated on August 11, 2023 by Sabina

Ruth Chatterton Biography

Ruth Chatterton (December 24, 1893 – November 24, 1961) was an American stage, film, and television actress, aviator and novelist. She was at her most popular in the early to mid-1930s, and in the same era gained prominence as an aviator, one of the few female pilots in the United States at the time. In the late 1930s, Chatterton retired from film acting but continued her career on the stage. She had several TV roles beginning in the late 1940s and became a successful novelist in the 1950s.

Chatterton was born in New York City to Walter, an architect, and Lillian (née Reed) Chatterton. She was of English and French extraction. Her parents separated while she was young. Chatterton attended Mrs. Hagen’s School in Pelham, New York.

In 1908, Chatterton and her friends were attending a play in Washington, D.C.Ruth later criticized the acting of the lead actress to her friends, who challenged her to become a stage actress herself or “shut up”. Chatterton accepted the challenge, and a few days later, joined the chorus of the stage show.

Chatterton made her Broadway debut in 1911 in The Great Name, produced by Henry W. She went on to star in a number of successful plays, including Daddy Long Legs (1914), Mary Rose (1920), and The Constant Wife (1927). In 1928, she made her film debut in Sins of the Fathers. She went on to star in a number of successful films, including Dodsworth (1936), The Life of Emile Zola (1937), and The Woman I Love (1937).

Ruth Chatterton Quick Facts

• She was born on December 24, 1893, in New York City.
• She was an American stage, film, and television actress, aviator and novelist.
• One of the first female stars known for her independent spirit and her refusal to conform to Hollywood’s expectations was her.
• She was also one of the first female pilots in the United States. She was a member of the Ninety-Nines, an organization of female pilots.
• She died of a cerebral hemorrhage in Norwalk, Connecticut, in 1961. She was 68 years old.

Ruth Chatterton Age

Chatterton was born on December 24, 1893, and died on November 24, 1961. She was 68 years old.

Ruth Chatterton Family

Ruth Chatterton was born to Walter Chatterton, an architect, and Lillian (née Reed) Chatterton. She had one sibling, a younger brother named Walter Jr.

Her mother raised her after her parents separated when she was young. She attended Mrs. Hagen’s School in Pelham, New York.

Ruth Chatterton Wife | Ruth Chatterton Children

Ruth Chatterton married three times and did not have any children.

• Her first marriage was to British actor Ralph Forbes in 1924. They divorced in 1932.
• Her second marriage was to actor George Brent in 1932. They divorced in 1934.
• Her third and final marriage was to actor Barry Thomson in 1942. They remained married until his death in 1960.

Chatterton was known for her independent spirit and her refusal to conform to Hollywood’s expectations. She was also one of the first female pilots in the United States. She was a member of the Ninety-Nines, an organization of female pilots.

Ruth Chatterton Movies

Ruth Chatterton starred in many movies, but some of her most notable roles include:

• Dodsworth (1936): Chatterton played the lead role of Fran Dodsworth, a woman who leaves her husband for another man. The film received three Academy Award nominations, including one for Best Picture.
• The Life of Emile Zola (1937): Chatterton played the lead role of Alexandrine Zola, the wife of the famous French author. The film was nominated for nine Academy Awards, including Best Picture.
• In The Woman I Love (1937), Chatterton took on the lead role of Toni Mara, a woman facing a dilemma between two men. The film received two Academy Award nominations, including a Best Actress nomination for Chatterton.
• In Madame X (1929), Chatterton portrayed the lead role of Madame X, a woman who must make a difficult choice between her love for a man and her social standing. The film was a critical and commercial success, and it earned Chatterton an Academy Award nomination for Best Actress.
• In Frisco Jenny (1932), Chatterton took on the lead role of Jenny, a sex worker who falls in love with a man uninterested in her past. The film was a critical and commercial success, and it earned Chatterton another Academy Award nomination for Best Actress.

Chatterton was a talented actress and a pioneer in the film industry. She is remembered as one of the most talented and independent actresses of her era, being one of the first female stars known for her independent spirit and her refusal to conform to Hollywood’s expectations.

Ruth Chatterton Net worth

At the time of her death in 1961, estimates placed Ruth Chatterton’s net worth at around $1 million.This is equivalent to around $8.5 million in today’s dollars.

Chatterton was one of the highest-paid actresses in Hollywood during her career. She earned $100,000 for her role in the 1933 film The Crash. This was a huge sum of money at the time, and it made Chatterton one of the first female stars to earn a six-figure salary.

Ruth Chatterton Death

Ruth Chatterton died on November 24, 1961, at the age of 68. She died of a cerebral hemorrhage at her home in Norwalk, Connecticut.

Chatterton had been in declining health for several years. She had suffered a stroke in 1956, and she had been diagnosed with cancer in 1960. She had been in and out of the hospital in the months leading up to her death.

Chatterton’s death was a shock to the Hollywood community. She was one of the most popular actresses of her era, and she was known for her independent spirit and her refusal to conform to Hollywood’s expectations. She was a role model for other female actresses and helped to pave the way for women in the film industry.

They laid Chatterton to rest in the Ferncliff Cemetery in Hartsdale, New York. She is survived by her third husband, actor Barry Thomson, and her two stepchildren.

They organized a memorial service for Chatterton at the Church of the Heavenly Rest in New York City. Hundreds of friends, family members, and colleagues attended the service.

Chatterton’s death was a loss to the Hollywood community and to the world. She was a talented actress and a pioneering figure in the film industry. She is remembered as one of the most talented and independent actresses of her era.