Ann Sothern (born Harriette Arlene Lake; January , â€" March , ) was
an American actress who worked on stage, radio, film, and television,
in a career that spanned nearly six decades. Sothern began her career
in the late s in bit parts in films. In , she made her Broadway stage
debut and soon worked her way up to starring roles. In , MGM cast her
as Maisie Ravier, a brash yet lovable Brooklyn showgirl. The
character, based on the Maisie short stories by Nell Martin, proved to
be popular and spawned a successful film series (Congo Maisie, Gold
Rush Maisie, Up Goes Maisie, etc.) and a network radio series (The
Adventures of Maisie).In , Sothern moved into television as the star
of her own sitcom Private Secretary. The series aired for five seasons
on CBS and earned Sothern three Primetime Emmy Award nominations. In ,
she starred in another sitcom for CBS, The Ann Sothern Show, which
aired for three seasons. From to , Sothern provided the voice of
Gladys Crabtree, the title character in the sitcom My Mother the Car.
She continued her career throughout the late s with stage and film
appearances and guest-starring roles on television. Due to health
issues, she worked sporadically during the s and s.In , Sothern
appeared in her final film The Whales of August, starring Bette Davis
and Lillian Gish. Sothern earned her only Oscar nomination for Best
Supporting Actress for her role in the film. After filming concluded,
she retired to Ketchum, Idaho, where she spent her remaining years
before her death from heart failure in March . Lucille Ball, whom she
appeared alongside on Ball's program The Lucy Show on multiple
occasions, called Sothern "the best comedian in the business, bar
none."
an American actress who worked on stage, radio, film, and television,
in a career that spanned nearly six decades. Sothern began her career
in the late s in bit parts in films. In , she made her Broadway stage
debut and soon worked her way up to starring roles. In , MGM cast her
as Maisie Ravier, a brash yet lovable Brooklyn showgirl. The
character, based on the Maisie short stories by Nell Martin, proved to
be popular and spawned a successful film series (Congo Maisie, Gold
Rush Maisie, Up Goes Maisie, etc.) and a network radio series (The
Adventures of Maisie).In , Sothern moved into television as the star
of her own sitcom Private Secretary. The series aired for five seasons
on CBS and earned Sothern three Primetime Emmy Award nominations. In ,
she starred in another sitcom for CBS, The Ann Sothern Show, which
aired for three seasons. From to , Sothern provided the voice of
Gladys Crabtree, the title character in the sitcom My Mother the Car.
She continued her career throughout the late s with stage and film
appearances and guest-starring roles on television. Due to health
issues, she worked sporadically during the s and s.In , Sothern
appeared in her final film The Whales of August, starring Bette Davis
and Lillian Gish. Sothern earned her only Oscar nomination for Best
Supporting Actress for her role in the film. After filming concluded,
she retired to Ketchum, Idaho, where she spent her remaining years
before her death from heart failure in March . Lucille Ball, whom she
appeared alongside on Ball's program The Lucy Show on multiple
occasions, called Sothern "the best comedian in the business, bar
none."
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