From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Ruth Donnelly (May 17, 1896 – November 17, 1982) was an American stage and film actress. Her father was the mayor of Trenton, New Jersey. She began her stage career at the age of 17 in 1913, in The Quaker Girl. Her Broadway debut brought her to the attention of George M. Cohan, who proceeded to cast her in numerous comic-relief roles in such musicals as Going Up (1917). Though she made her first film appearance in 1913, her Hollywood career began in earnest in 1931 and lasted until 1957. In her films she often played the wife of Guy Kibbee (Footlight Parade, Wonder Bar, Mr. Smith Goes to Washington). Among her roles was the part of Sister Michael in The Bells of St. Mary's, starring Bing Crosby and Ingrid Bergman.

Filmography

• 1957The Way to the Gold — Mrs. Williams
• 1956Autumn Leaves — Liz Eckhart
• 1955A Lawless Street — Molly Higgins
• 1955The Spoilers — Duchess
• Cavalcade of America — Ma Dolan
• 1951I'd Climb the Highest Mountain — Glory White
• 1951The Secret of Convict Lake — Mary Fancher
• 1951The Wild Blue Yonder — Maj. Ida Winton
• 1950Where the Sidewalk Ends — Martha
• 1948Fighting Father Dunne — Kate Mulvey
• 1948The Snake Pit — Ruth
• 1947Little Miss Broadway — Minerva Van Dorn
• 1947Millie's Daughter — Helen Reilly
• 1947The Fabulous Texan — Utopia Mills
• 1947The Ghost Goes Wild — Aunt Susan Beecher
• 1946Cinderella Jones — Cora Elliot
• 1946Cross My Heart — Eve Harper
• 1946In Old Sacramento — Zebby Booker
• 1945Pillow to Post — Mrs. Grace Wingate
• 1945The Bells of St. Mary's — Sister Michael
• 1943Sleepy Lagoon — Sarah Rogers
• 1943Thank Your Lucky Stars — Nurse Hamilton
• 1943This Is the Army — Mrs. O'Brien
• 1942Johnny Doughboy — Biggy Biggsworth
• 1941Model Wife — Mrs. Milo Everett
• 1941Petticoat Politics — Lil Higgins
• 1941Rise and Shine — Mame Bacon
• 1941Sailors on Leave — Aunt Navy
• 1941The Gay Vagabond — Kate Dixon
• 1941The Roundup — Polly Hope
• 1941You Belong to Me — Emma
• 1940Meet the Missus — Lil Higgins
• 1940My Little Chickadee — Aunt Lou
• 1940Scatterbrain — Miss Stevens
• 1939Mr. Smith Goes to Washington — Emma Hopper
• 1939The Amazing Mr. Williams — Effie Perkins
• 1939The Family Next Door — Mrs. Rose Pierce
• 1938A Slight Case of Murder — Nora Marko
• 1938Annabel Takes a Tour — Josephine
• 1938Army Girl — Leila Kennett
• 1938Meet the Girls — Daisy Watson
• 1938Personal Secretary — Grumpy
• 1938The Affairs of Annabel — Josephine
• 1937Portia on Trial — Jane Wilkins
• 1937Roaring Timber — Aunt Mary
• 193613 Hours by Air — Vi Johnson
• 1936Cain and Mabel — Aunt Mimi
• 1936Fatal Lady — Melba York
• 1936More Than a Secretary — Helen Davis
• 1936Mr. Deeds Goes to Town — Mabel Dawson
• 1936Song and Dance Man — Patsy O'Madigan
• 1935Alibi Ike — Bess
• 1935Hands Across the Table — Laura
• 1935Maybe It's Love — Florrie Sands
• 1935Personal Maid's Secret — Lizzie
• 1935Red Salute — Mrs. Edith Rooney
• 1935The White Cockatoo — Mrs. Byng
• 1935Traveling Saleslady — Mrs. Twitchell
• 1934Happiness Ahead — Anna
• 1934Heat Lightning — Mrs. Ashton-Ashley
• 1934Housewife — Dora Wilson
• 1934Mandalay — Mrs. George Peters
• 1934Merry Wives of Reno — Lois
• 1934Romance in the Rain — Miss Sparks
• 1934Wonder Bar — Emma Simpson
• 1933Bureau of Missing Persons — Gwendolyn 'Pete' Harris
• 1933Convention City — Mrs. Ellerbe
• 1933Employees' Entrance — Miss Hall, Anderson's secretary
• 1933Ever in My Heart — Lizzie
• 1933Female — Miss Frothingham
• 1933Footlight Parade — Mrs. Gould
• 1933Goodbye Again — Richview Hotel Maid
• 1933Hard to Handle — Lil Waters
• 1933Havana Widows — Mrs. Emily Jones
• 1933Just Around the Corner — Mrs. Sears
• 1933Ladies They Talk About — Noonan
• 1933Lilly Turner — Edna Yokum
• 1933Private Detective 62 — Amy Moran
• 1933Sing, Sinner, Sing — Margaret 'Maggie' Flannigan
• 1932Blessed Event — Miss Stevens
• 1932Jewel Robbery — Berta, Teri's Maid (uncredited)
• 1932Make Me a Star — The Countess
• 1932The Rainbow Trail — Widow Abigail
• 1931The Spider — Mrs. Wimbledon
• 1931Wicked — Fanny
• 1927Rubber Heels — Fanny Pratt

Appearances as themselves (4)

• 1983Hollywood Out-takes and Rare Footage — Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
• 1944Breakdowns of 1944 — Self
• 1936Behind the Scenes of Cain and Mabel — Self
• 1933How to Break 90 #6: Fine Points — Herself