Ann Sothern's 100th Birthday

[Hiram]

Posted: 1/22/09 at 10:17pm

Today would have been Ann Sothern's 100th Birthday. I adored this great, underrated actress. She was a true chameleon and a beautiful woman. Her most notable films were the brilliant A LETTER TO THREE WIVES and THE WHALES OF AUGUST for which she received a well deserved Oscar nomination in 1988 at the age of 79. Ms. Sothern also had two successful television series entitled PRIVATE SECRETARY and THE ANN SOTHERN SHOW. Many will remember her in the recurring role of the penniless Countess Framboise on THE LUCY SHOW. She was hilarious.

In her later years she did a great deal of Theatre. I had the honor of seeing her play Rose in GYPSY at The Westbury Music Fair in 1967. She was magnificent. To this day she still remains my favorite Rose.

Ms. Sothern passed away on March 15th, 2001 in Ketchum, Idaho at the age of 92. Updated On: 1/22/09 at 10:17 PM

[miss pennywise]

Posted: 1/22/09 at 10:20pm

My husband LOVES her performance in the 1950's TV production of LADY IN THE DARK. She was one-of-a-kind.

[Hiram]

Posted: 1/22/09 at 10:29pm

I have always wanted to see her in LADY IN THE DARK. I heard she was wonderful! I know there's a CD of it. I wonder if there's an existing videotape.

[miss pennywise]

Posted: 1/22/09 at 10:29pm

My husband has a copy of it.

[artscallion]

Posted: 1/22/09 at 10:31pm

I love her.

Updated On: 1/22/09 at 10:31 PM

[miss pennywise]

Posted: 1/22/09 at 10:39pm

Arts, as always, brilliant!

[Hiram]

Posted: 1/22/09 at 10:41pm

I second that! Absolutely brilliant!

[FindingNamo]

Posted: 1/22/09 at 11:58pm

I had a dream once in which Ann Sothern was my mother.

[BigFatBlonde]

Posted: 1/23/09 at 12:00am

Ever see A LETTER TO THREE WIVES?

She is great in it.

[PalJoey]

Posted: 1/23/09 at 12:03am

She was never lovelier than she is here, singing Rodgers and Hart's "Where's That Rainbow" in Words and Music:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nwtyOS3MM7g

[PalJoey]

Posted: 1/23/09 at 12:13am

Very cool. Here she is as Susie in an episode of Private Secretary. She's the secretary to a talent agent. I love, in the opening credits, the way she puts the end of the temple of her glasses into her mouth when she's thinking...very Eve Arden:

Part One

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I-CuoGGv7nk


Part Two

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GhHmuUss4O8


Part Three

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lyup9B5q9fQ

Updated On: 1/23/09 at 12:13 AM

[Kristie-K2]

Posted: 1/23/09 at 12:56am

Loved her in Lady in a Cage...

[Dollypop]

Posted: 1/23/09 at 8:32am

Why oh why didn't this woman ever play Dolly?

[Hiram]

Posted: 1/23/09 at 10:10am

Great casting. She would have been a brilliant Dolly!

[Hiram]

Posted: 1/23/09 at 12:11pm

PalJoey, thanks for posting those clips. Great fun. I also loved her solo in WORDS AND MUSIC. Also exquisite is Ms. Sothern's "Last Time I Saw Paris" in LADY BE GOOD.

[nobodyhome]

Posted: 1/23/09 at 2:32pm

She was also great in an extremely disturbing episode of The Alfred Hitchcock Hour, in which she starred with John Cassavetes. Unfortunately, I don't think those have been issued on DVD in the U.S.

[Jane2]

Posted: 1/23/09 at 2:40pm

Well, being the wife of Methusela, I remember watching her in the tv sitcom, Private Secretary. She was perfect!

[PalJoey]

Posted: 1/23/09 at 2:44pm

Jane--was it called "Private Secretaryt" or "Susie"? I'm seeing conflicting listings.

And Hiram--I couldn't finder her "Last Time I Saw Paris" on YouTube, but I remember it being GORGEOUS.

[Jane2]

Posted: 1/23/09 at 2:49pm

PJ, it was Private Secretary. I had to look it up myself because I was confusing it with December Bride!

[PalJoey]

Posted: 1/23/09 at 3:00pm

I LOOOOOOVED December Bride! Spring Byington!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yjQRcyTWUZg

[Jane2]

Posted: 1/23/09 at 3:32pm

OK, I'm going to throw one at you-"My LIttle Margie" starring Gale Storm. (how do you like that for a weather name.)

[Reginald Tresilian]

Posted: 1/23/09 at 3:34pm

As a kid, I always loved her Countess Framboise!

[Jane2]

Posted: 1/23/09 at 3:36pm

watchutalkinboutreggie?

[Reginald Tresilian]

Posted: 1/23/09 at 3:37pm

I was back to Ann Sothern.

[Jane2]

Posted: 1/23/09 at 3:42pm

You're too fast for me!