Ruth Gordon

Lore & Background

Ruth Gordon Jones was born in Quincy, Massachusetts, at 41 Winthrop Avenue, in the Wollaston section of town. She was the child of Annie Tapley (née Ziegler) and Clinton Jones. Her first appearance in the public eye came as an infant when her photograph was used in advertising for her father's employer, Mellin's Food for Infants and Invalids. Before graduating from Quincy High School, she wrote to several of her favorite actresses requesting autographed pictures. A personal reply from Hazel Dawn inspired her to go into acting. Although her father was skeptical, he took his daughter to New York in 1914, where he enrolled her in the American Academy of Dramatic Arts.

In 1915, Gordon appeared as an extra in silent films shot in Fort Lee, New Jersey, including as a dancer in The Whirl of Life. The same year, she made her Broadway debut in a revival of Peter Pan in the role of Nibs, earning a favorable mention from critic Alexander Woollcott. She married actor Gregory Kelly in 1921; he died of heart disease in 1927. In 1929, Gordon became pregnant by producer Jed Harris, and their son Jones Harris was born in Paris. She married her second husband, writer Garson Kanin, in 1942. Gordon and Kanin collaborated on the screenplays for Adam's Rib and Pat and Mike, both directed by George Cukor.

Gordon won an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for Rosemary's Baby (1968) and a Golden Globe for the same role. She was nominated again in 1971 for her role as Maude in Harold and Maude. She appeared in 22 more films and many television appearances through her 70s and 80s, including an Emmy-winning appearance on Taxi in 1979. Her last Broadway appearance was as Mrs. Warren in Mrs. Warren's Profession in 1976. Gordon died on August 28, 1985, at her summer home in Edgartown, Massachusetts, following a stroke at age 88.

Reader's Guide

Ruth Gordon's significance lies in her extraordinary longevity and versatility across acting, writing, and screenwriting. She began her career on Broadway at age 19 and continued performing into her 80s, winning an Academy Award at age 72 for Rosemary's Baby. Her co-writing of Adam's Rib (1949) earned an Academy Award nomination and remains a classic of American cinema. Gordon's distinctive nasal voice and personality made her a memorable presence in films such as Harold and Maude and the Clint Eastwood comedies Every Which Way but Loose and Any Which Way You Can. She also wrote three volumes of memoirs in the 1970s and authored the novel Shady Lady in 1982. In 1983, she was awarded the Women in Film Crystal Award. Three of her films—Harold and Maude, Adam's Rib, and Rosemary's Baby—have been selected for preservation in the National Film Registry. Her legacy is that of a pioneering woman who succeeded in multiple facets of the entertainment industry over seven decades.

Did You Know?

• Ruth Gordon's first public appearance was as an infant in an advertisement for Mellin's Food for Infants and Invalids.
• She had her legs broken and straightened in 1920 to treat her lifelong bow-leggedness.
• Gordon won an Emmy for a 1979 episode of Taxi titled 'Sugar Mama'.
• She hosted Saturday Night Live in 1977.

Notable Quotes (Wikiquote)

"Ruth Gordon Jones (October 30, 1896 – August 28, 1985) was an American actress, screenwriter, and playwright. She began her career performing on Broadway at age 19." — Ruth Gordon "[1] Ruth speech when she won oscar award in 1969." — Ruth Gordon "Work on yourself. Believe in yourself. Show up! Support others! The bounty of the world will open up for you." — Ruth Gordon "The biggest limitations are the ones we place on ourselves, and opportunities rise up to meet the unique offerings of people." — Ruth Gordon