Ruth Roman (born Norma Roman; December 22, 1922 – September 9, 1999) was an American actress of film, stage, and television. After playing stage roles on the east coast, Roman relocated to Hollywood to pursue a career in films. She appeared in several uncredited bit parts before she was cast as the leading lady in the western ''

Harmony Trail ''Harmony Trail'' is a 1944 American Western film directed by Robert Emmett Tansey and starring Ken Maynard, Eddie Dean and Ruth Roman.Pitts p.144 Its early distribution was limited, and it was given a fuller release in 1947 by Astor Pictures ...

'' (1944) and in the title role in the

serial film A serial film, film serial (or just serial), movie serial, or chapter play, is a film, motion picture form popular during the first half of the 20th century, consisting of a series of short subjects exhibited in consecutive order at one theater ...

'' Jungle Queen'' (1945), her first credited film performances. Roman first starred in the title role of ''

Belle Starr's Daughter ''Belle Starr's Daughter'' is a 1948 American Western film directed by Lesley Selander and starring George Montgomery, Rod Cameron and Ruth Roman. Plot After the town marshal of Antioch is shot by Bob Yauntis, the newly appointed Tom Jacks ...

'' (1948). She achieved her first notable success with a role in '' The Window'' (1949) and a year later was nominated for the Golden Globe Award for New Star of the Year – Actress for her performance in ''

Champion A champion (from the late Latin ''campio'') is the victor in a challenge, contest or competition. There can be a territorial pyramid of championships, e.g. local, regional / provincial, state, national, continental and world championships, an ...

'' (1949). In the early 1950s, she was under contract to

Warner Bros. Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. (commonly known as Warner Bros. or abbreviated as WB) is an American film and entertainment studio headquartered at the Warner Bros. Studios complex in Burbank, California, and a subsidiary of Warner Bros. D ...

, where she starred in a variety of films, including the

Alfred Hitchcock Sir Alfred Joseph Hitchcock (13 August 1899 – 29 April 1980) was an English filmmaker. He is widely regarded as one of the most influential figures in the history of cinema. In a career spanning six decades, he directed over 50 featur ...

thriller '' Strangers on a Train'' (1951). In the mid-1950s, after leaving Warner Bros., Roman continued to star in films and also began playing guest roles for television series. She also worked abroad and made films in England, Italy, and Spain. She was also a passenger aboard the SS ''Andrea Doria'' when it collided with another ship and sank in 1956. In 1959, she won the

Sarah Siddons Award The Sarah Siddons Award, established in 1952, is presented annually to an actor for an outstanding performance in a Chicago theatrical production. The winner receives a statuette of the Welsh stage actress Sarah Siddons. It is awarded by the Sar ...

for her work in the play ''

Two for the Seesaw ''Two for the Seesaw'' is a 1962 American romantic-drama film directed by Robert Wise and starring Robert Mitchum and Shirley MacLaine. It was adapted from the 1958 Broadway play written by William Gibson with Henry Fonda and Anne Bancroft (who ...

''. Her numerous television appearances earned her a star on the

Hollywood Walk of Fame The Hollywood Walk of Fame is a historic landmark which consists of more than 2,700 five-pointed terrazzo and brass stars embedded in the sidewalks along 15 blocks of Hollywood Boulevard and three blocks of Vine Street in Hollywood, Californ ...

Early life and stage experience

Norma Roman was born in

Lynn, Massachusetts Lynn is the eighth-largest municipality in Massachusetts and the largest city in Essex County. Situated on the Atlantic Ocean, north of the Boston city line at Suffolk Downs, Lynn is part of Greater Boston's urban inner core. Settled by E ...

, to Lithuanian Jewish parents, Mary Pauline (née Gold) and Abraham "Anthony" Roman. She was renamed "Ruth" when a fortune teller told her mother that "Norma" was an unlucky name. Her mother was a dancer, and her father a barker, in a carnival sideshow that they owned at

Revere Beach Revere Beach is a public beach in Revere, Massachusetts, located about north of downtown Boston. The beach is over long. In 1875, a rail link was constructed to the beach, leading to its increasing popularity as a summer recreation area, and in ...

Massachusetts Massachusetts (Massachusett language, Massachusett: ''Muhsachuweesut assachusett writing systems, məhswatʃəwiːsət'' English: , ), officially the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, is the most populous U.S. state, state in the New England ...

. She had two older sisters, Ann and Eve. Her father died when Ruth was eight, and her mother sold the sideshow. Later, she attended the William Blackstone School and

Girls' High School Girls High School is a historically and architecturally notable public secondary school building located at 475 Nostrand Avenue in the Bedford–Stuyvesant neighborhood of Brooklyn, New York City. It was built in 1886.''Brooklyn: a soup-to-nuts ...

in Boston. She then pursued her desire to become an actress by enrolling in the prestigious Bishop Lee Dramatic School in Boston. After further enhancing her skills performing with the New England Repertory Company and the Elizabeth Peabody Players, Roman moved to

New York City New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the List of United States cities by population, most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the L ...

, where she hoped to find success on

Broadway Broadway may refer to: Theatre * Broadway Theatre (disambiguation) * Broadway theatre, theatrical productions in professional theatres near Broadway, Manhattan, New York City, U.S. ** Broadway (Manhattan), the street **Broadway Theatre (53rd Stree ...

. Instead, she worked as a cigarette girl, a hat check girl, and a model to make a living and save money.

Career

Roman moved to Hollywood, where she obtained bit parts in several films such as ''

Stage Door Canteen The Stage Door Canteen was an entertainment venue for American and Allied servicemen that operated in the Broadway theatre district of New York City throughout World War II. Founded by the American Theatre Wing (ATW) in 1942, the entertainers we ...

'' (1943), ''

Ladies Courageous ''Ladies Courageous'' (also called ''Fury in the Sky'' in a 1950 Realart re-release) is a 1944 war film based on the novel ''Looking For Trouble'' (1941) by Virginia Spencer Cowles. Directed by John Rawlins, the film stars Loretta Young and Gera ...

'' (1944), ''

Since You Went Away ''Since You Went Away'' is a 1944 American epic drama film directed by John Cromwell for Selznick International Pictures and distributed by United Artists. It is an epic about the American home front during World War II that was adapted and pr ...

'' (1944), ''

Song of Nevada ''Song of Nevada'' is a 1944 American musical Western film directed by Joseph Kane, and starring Roy Rogers and Dale Evans. Plot Rancher John Barrabee is upset his daughter doesn't want to stay in the West; instead, she is a New York City nigh ...

'' (1944), and ''

Storm Over Lisbon ''Storm Over Lisbon'' is a 1944 American thriller film produced and directed by George Sherman and starring Vera Ralston. The screenplay concerns a nightclub owner who attempts to gain secret information. The film's sets were designed by the ...

'' (1944). She had a featured role in a ''

'' (1944), but continued to be mostly unbilled in films such as ''

She Gets Her Man She Gets Her Man may refer to: * She Gets Her Man (1935 film), an American comedy film * She Gets Her Man (1945 film) ''She Gets Her Man'' is a 1945 American comedy film directed by Erle C. Kenton and written by Warren Wilson, Clyde Bruckman, Ra ...

'' (1945). Roman was cast in the title role in the 13-episode serial '' Jungle Queen'' (1945). Her roles, though, remained small in such films as ''

See My Lawyer ''See My Lawyer'' is a 1945 American comedy film directed by Edward F. Cline and written by Edmund Hartmann and Stanley Davis. It is based on the 1939 musical ''See My Lawyer'' by Richard Maibaum and Harry Clork. The film stars Ole Olsen, Chi ...

'' (1945), ''

The Affairs of Susan ''The Affairs of Susan'' is a 1945 American romantic comedy drama film directed by William A. Seiter and starring Joan Fontaine, Walter Abel, George Brent, Dennis O'Keefe and Don DeFore. It is also known as ''Chameleon''. Plot Susan Darel ...

'' (1945), ''

You Came Along ''You Came Along'' (working title ''Don't Ever Grieve Me'') is a 1945 romantic comedy-drama film set in World War II, directed by John Farrow. The original Robert Smith screenplay was rewritten by Ayn Rand. ''You Came Along'' stars Robert Cumming ...

'' (1945), '' Incendiary Blonde'' (1945), ''

Gilda ''Gilda'' is a 1946 American film noir directed by Charles Vidor and starring Rita Hayworth in her signature role and Glenn Ford. The film is known for cinematographer Rudolph Maté's lush photography, costume designer Jean Louis's wardrobe fo ...

'' (1946), ''

Without Reservations ''Without Reservations'' is a 1946 RKO Radio Pictures American comedy film directed by Mervyn LeRoy and starring Claudette Colbert, John Wayne and Don DeFore. The film was adapted by Andrew Solt from the novel ''Thanks, God! I'll Take It From H ...

'' (1946), ''

A Night in Casablanca ''A Night in Casablanca'' is a 1946 film starring the Marx Brothers: (Groucho Marx, Harpo Marx and Chico Marx). The picture was directed by Archie Mayo, and written by Joseph Fields and Roland Kibbee. ...

'' (1946), and ''

The Big Clock ''The Big Clock'' is a 1946 novel by Kenneth Fearing. Published by Harcourt Brace, the thriller was Fearing's fourth novel, following three for Random House (''The Hospital'', ''Dagger of the Mind'', ''Clark Gifford's Body'') and five collections ...

'' (1948). While waiting for an opportunity in movies, Roman wrote short stories based on her experiences living in a theatrical boarding house. She sold two of them: ''The House of the Seven Garbos'' and ''The Whip Song.'' Roman's career began to improve in the late 1940s when she was cast in a featured role in the 1948 release '' Good Sam''. The next year, she was chosen for the title role in ''

'', as a killer in the thriller '' The Window'', and as the wife of the central character in ''

'', starring

Kirk Douglas Kirk Douglas (born Issur Danielovitch; December 9, 1916 – February 5, 2020) was an American actor and filmmaker. After an impoverished childhood, he made his film debut in ''The Strange Love of Martha Ivers'' (1946) with Barbara Stanwyck. Do ...

Warner Bros.

In recognition of Roman's rising status as an actress,

signed her to a long-term contract in 1949, casting her first as a supporting player for

Bette Davis Ruth Elizabeth "Bette" Davis (; April 5, 1908 – October 6, 1989) was an American actress with a career spanning more than 50 years and 100 acting credits. She was noted for playing unsympathetic, sardonic characters, and was famous for her pe ...

in ''

Beyond the Forest ''Beyond the Forest'' is a 1949 American film noir directed by King Vidor, and featuring Bette Davis, Joseph Cotten, David Brian, and Ruth Roman. The screenplay is written by Lenore Coffee based on a novel by Stuart Engstrand. The film marks Dav ...

'' and then for

Milton Berle Milton Berle (born Mendel Berlinger; ; July 12, 1908 – March 27, 2002) was an American actor and comedian. His career as an entertainer spanned over 80 years, first in silent films and on stage as a child actor, then in radio, movies and tel ...

and

Virginia Mayo Virginia Mayo (born Virginia Clara Jones; November 30, 1920 – January 17, 2005) was an American actress and dancer. She was in a series of comedy films with Danny Kaye and was Warner Brothers' biggest box-office money-maker in the late 1940s. ...

in ''

Always Leave Them Laughing ''Always Leave Them Laughing'' is a 1949 musical comedy-drama film directed by Roy Del Ruth and starring Milton Berle and Virginia Mayo. Plot Unoriginal comic Kip Cooper meets aspiring showgirl Fay Washburn at a second rate hotel in Asbury Park, ...

''. The studio in 1950 cast her as the female lead in ''

Barricade Barricade (from the French ''barrique'' - 'barrel') is any object or structure that creates a barrier or obstacle to control, block passage or force the flow of traffic in the desired direction. Adopted as a military term, a barricade denot ...

'' with

Dane Clark Dane Clark (born Bernard Zanville; February 26, 1912September 11, 1998) was an American character actor who was known for playing, as he labeled himself, "Joe Average." Early life Clark was born in Brooklyn, New York City, the son of Jewish imm ...

and '' Colt .45'' with

Randolph Scott George Randolph Scott (January 23, 1898 – March 2, 1987) was an American film actor whose career spanned the years from 1928 to 1962. As a leading man for all but the first three years of his cinematic career, Scott appeared in a variety of ...

. Warners gave her a starring role in ''

Three Secrets ''Three Secrets'' is a 1950 American drama film directed by Robert Wise and starring Eleanor Parker, Patricia Neal and Ruth Roman. It was released by Warner Bros. Plot A private plane crashes in the California mountains and a 5-year-old boy sur ...

'' (1950) with

Eleanor Parker Eleanor Jean Parker (June 26, 1922 – December 9, 2013) was an American actress. She was nominated for three Academy Awards for her roles in the films ''Caged'' (1950), ''Detective Story'' (1951), and ''Interrupted Melody'' (1955), the first ...

and

Patricia Neal Patricia Neal (born Patsy Louise Neal, January 20, 1926 – August 8, 2010) was an American actress of stage and screen. A major star of the 1950s and 1960s, she was the recipient of an Academy Award, a Golden Globe Award, a Tony Award, and two ...

. She played a distraught mother waiting to learn whether or not her child survived an airplane crash. This was followed by ''

Dallas Dallas () is the List of municipalities in Texas, third largest city in Texas and the largest city in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex, the List of metropolitan statistical areas, fourth-largest metropolitan area in the United States at 7.5 ...

'' (1950), wherein she was

Gary Cooper Gary Cooper (born Frank James Cooper; May 7, 1901May 13, 1961) was an American actor known for his strong, quiet screen persona and understated acting style. He won the Academy Award for Best Actor twice and had a further three nominations, a ...

's leading lady. The May 1, 1950, issue of ''

Life Life is a quality that distinguishes matter that has biological processes, such as signaling and self-sustaining processes, from that which does not, and is defined by the capacity for growth, reaction to stimuli, metabolism, energ ...

'' magazine featured Roman in a cover story "The Rapid Rise of Ruth Roman". Ruth Roman in Strangers on a Train trailer

Roman got top billing in '' Lightning Strikes Twice'' (1951), directed by

King Vidor King Wallis Vidor (; February 8, 1894 – November 1, 1982) was an American film director, film producer, and screenwriter whose 67-year film-making career successfully spanned the silent and sound eras. His works are distinguished by a vivid, ...

with

Richard Todd Richard Andrew Palethorpe-Todd (11 June 19193 December 2009) was an Irish-British actor known for his leading man roles of the 1950s. He received a Golden Globe Award for Most Promising Newcomer – Male, and an Academy Award for Best Actor n ...

. She was

Farley Granger Farley Earle Granger Jr. (July 1, 1925 – March 27, 2011) was an American actor, best known for his two collaborations with director Alfred Hitchcock: ''Rope'' in 1948 and '' Strangers on a Train'' in 1951. Granger was first noticed in a small ...

's love interest in '' Strangers on a Train'' (1951), directed by

. Roman was top-billed as well in the 1951 thriller '' Tomorrow Is Another Day'', co-starring

Steve Cochran Steve Cochran (born Robert Alexander Cochran, May 25, 1917 – June 15, 1965) was an American film, television and stage actor. He attended the University of Wyoming. After a stint working as a cowboy, Cochran developed his acting skills in loca ...

. That year, she was also one of many Warners stars in ''

Starlift ''Starlift'' (a.k.a. ''Operation Starlift'') is a 1951 American musical film released by Warner Bros. in directed by Roy Del Ruth and written by Karl Lamb and John D. Klorer. The film stars Janice Rule, Dick Wesson, Ron Hagerthy and Ruth Ro ...

'', the studio's musical tribute to United States military personnel fighting in the Korean War. She was loaned to MGM for '' Invitation'' (1952), then co-starred with

Errol Flynn Errol Leslie Thomson Flynn (20 June 1909 – 14 October 1959) was an Australian-American actor who achieved worldwide fame during the Golden Age of Hollywood. He was known for his romantic swashbuckler roles, frequent partnerships with Olivia ...

in a B action film, ''

Mara Maru ''Mara Maru'' is a 1952 American noir action film directed by Gordon Douglas and starring Errol Flynn, Ruth Roman and Raymond Burr . It was the last movie Flynn made for Warner Bros where he had started out in Hollywood in 1935. However he did ...

'' (1952). She went back to MGM to play

Glenn Ford Gwyllyn Samuel Newton "Glenn" Ford (May 1, 1916 – August 30, 2006) was a Canadian-American actor who often portrayed ordinary men in unusual circumstances. Ford was most prominent during Classical Hollywood cinema, Hollywood's Golden Age as ...

's love interest in ''

Young Man with Ideas ''Young Man with Ideas'' is a 1952 romantic comedy film directed by Mitchell Leisen and starring Ruth Roman and Glenn Ford. It was released by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. The screenplay concern a young small-town lawyer, who moves his family from Monta ...

'' (1952) and was reunited with Cooper in ''

Blowing Wild ''Blowing Wild'' is a 1953 American Western film directed by Hugo Fregonese starring Gary Cooper, Barbara Stanwyck, and Anthony Quinn. It was written by Philip Yordan. The story revolves around a love triangle set in the oilfields of an unnamed So ...

'' (1953), only this time she was billed beneath

Barbara Stanwyck Barbara Stanwyck (; born Ruby Catherine Stevens; July 16, 1907 – January 20, 1990) was an American actress, model and dancer. A stage, film, and television star, during her 60-year professional career she was known for her strong, realistic sc ...

Post-Warners

Roman went to Universal to play

Van Heflin Emmett Evan "Van" Heflin Jr. (December 13, 1908 – July 23, 1971) was an American theatre, radio and film actor. He played mostly character parts over the course of his film career, but during the 1940s had a string of roles as a leading man. H ...

's love interest in ''

Tanganyika Tanganyika may refer to: Places * Tanganyika Territory (1916–1961), a former British territory which preceded the sovereign state * Tanganyika (1961–1964), a sovereign state, comprising the mainland part of present-day Tanzania * Tanzania Main ...

'' (1954). At Universal she was a love interest to

James Stewart James Maitland Stewart (May 20, 1908 – July 2, 1997) was an American actor and military pilot. Known for his distinctive drawl and everyman screen persona, Stewart's film career spanned 80 films from 1935 to 1991. With the strong morality h ...

in the

Anthony Mann Anthony Mann (born Emil Anton Bundsmann; June 30, 1906 – April 29, 1967) was an American film director and stage actor. Mann initially started as a theatre actor appearing in numerous stage productions. In 1937, he moved to Hollywood where ...

-directed western ''

The Far Country ''The Far Country'' is a 1954 American Technicolor Western film directed by Anthony Mann and starring James Stewart, Ruth Roman, Walter Brennan, John McIntire and Corinne Calvet. Written by Borden Chase, the film is about a self-minded advent ...

'' (1955) and at Republic was top billed in ''

The Shanghai Story ''The Shanghai Story'' is a 1954 American film noir crime film directed by Frank Lloyd and starring Ruth Roman, Edmond O'Brien and Richard Jaeckel. It was based on a novel by Lester Yard.Goble p.954 The film's sets were designed by the art direct ...

'' (1954) with

Edmond O'Brien Eamon Joseph O'Brien (September 10, 1915 – May 9, 1985) was an American actor and film director. His career spanned almost 40 years, and he won one Academy Award, two Golden Globe Awards, and two stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. O'Brien w ...

. Roman did ''

Down Three Dark Streets ''Down Three Dark Streets'' is a 1954 American film noir crime film directed by Arnold Laven and starring Broderick Crawford and Ruth Roman. The screenplay was written by Gordon Gordon and Mildred Gordon, based on their novel ''Case File FBI'' ...

'' (1954) with

Broderick Crawford William Broderick Crawford (December 9, 1911 – April 26, 1986) was an American stage, film, radio, and television actor, often cast in tough-guy roles and best known for his Oscar- and Golden Globe-winning portrayal of Willie Stark in ''All t ...

, and started appearing on TV in shows like ''

Lux Video Theatre ''Lux Video Theatre'' is an American television anthology series that was produced from 1950 until 1957. The series presented both comedy and drama in original teleplays, as well as abridged adaptations of films and plays. Overview The ''Lux Vid ...

'', ''

The Red Skelton Hour ''The Red Skelton Show'' is an American television comedy/variety show that aired from 1951 to 1971. In the decade prior to hosting the show, Richard "Red" Skelton had a successful career as a radio and motion pictures star. Although his televis ...

'', ''

Producers' Showcase ''Producers' Showcase'' is an American anthology television series that was telecast live during the 1950s in compatible color by NBC. With top talent, the 90-minute episodes, covering a wide variety of genres, aired under the title every fourth M ...

'', ''

Climax! ''Climax!'' (later known as ''Climax Mystery Theater'') is an American television anthology series that aired on CBS from 1954 to 1958. The series was hosted by William Lundigan and later co-hosted by Mary Costa. It was one of the few CBS progra ...

'', ''

General Electric Theatre ''General Electric Theater'' was an American anthology series hosted by Ronald Reagan that was broadcast on CBS radio and television. The series was sponsored by General Electric's Department of Public Relations. Radio After an audition show ...

'', ''

Celebrity Playhouse ''Celebrity Playhouse'' is an American anthology series that aired on Syndication from September 1955, to June 1956. Episodes were repeats of dramas that were originally shown on ''Schlitz Playhouse of Stars''. ''Celebrity Playhouse'' was produce ...

'', ''

The Ford Television Theatre ''Ford Theatre'', spelled ''Ford Theater'' for the original radio version and known, in full, as ''The Ford Television Theatre'' for the TV version, is a radio and television anthology series broadcast in the United States in the 1940s and 1950 ...

'' and ''

Jane Wyman Presents The Fireside Theatre ''Fireside Theatre'' (also known as ''Jane Wyman Presents'') is an American anthology drama series that ran on NBC from 1949 to 1958, and was the first successful filmed series on American television. Productions were low-budget and often based ...

''. Roman had a good part in England in ''

Joe MacBeth ''Joe MacBeth'' is a 1955 British–American crime drama, directed by Ken Hughes and starring Paul Douglas, Ruth Roman and Bonar Colleano. It is a modern retelling of Shakespeare's ''Macbeth'', set in a 1930s American criminal underworld. The ...

'' (1955) playing Lady MacBeth, and she was with

Van Johnson Charles Van Dell Johnson (August 25, 1916 – December 12, 2008) was an American film, television, theatre and radio actor. He was a major star at Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer during and after World War II. Johnson was described as the embodiment o ...

in ''

The Bottom of the Bottle ''The Bottom of the Bottle'' is a 1956 CinemaScope American drama film based on the novel written by Georges Simenon during his stay in Nogales, Arizona. The novel was adapted for film by Sydney Boehm and directed by Henry Hathaway. Plot Patric ...

'' (1956) and Mayo in ''

Great Day in the Morning ''Great Day in the Morning'' is a Technicolor Superscope 1956 film.''Harrison's Reports'' film review; May 19, 1956, page 80. It was directed by Jacques Tourneur and stars Virginia Mayo, Robert Stack, and Ruth Roman in a story set in 1860s De ...

'' (1956). Roman appeared in the western ''

Rebel in Town ''Rebel in Town'' is a 1956 American Western film directed by Alfred L. Werker and starring John Payne, Ruth Roman, J. Carrol Naish and Ben Cooper. Plot Home from the Civil War, where he fought for the Union army, John Willoughby now lives i ...

'' (1956) and was top-billed in ''

5 Steps to Danger ''5 Steps to Danger'' is a 1957 American film noir crime film directed, produced, and co–written by Henry S. Kesler. It stars Ruth Roman and Sterling Hayden, with a cast that also included Werner Klemperer, Richard Gaines, Charles Davis, ...

'' (1957). She was in ''

Bitter Victory ''Bitter Victory'' (French title ''Amère victoire'') is a 1957 Franco-American international co-production film, shot in CinemaScope and directed by Nicholas Ray. Set in World War II, it stars Richard Burton and Curt Jürgens as two British A ...

'' (1957) and went to Italy to star in '' Desert Desperados'' (1959).

Continuing work in theatre

In 1959, Roman won the

for her work in

Chicago theatre The Chicago Theatre, originally known as the Balaban and Katz Chicago Theatre, is a landmark theater located on North State Street in the Loop area of Chicago, Illinois. Built in 1921, the Chicago Theatre was the flagship for the Balaban an ...

. She was selected from among 47 nominees based on her performance in ''

''. Back in Hollywood, she played

Paul Anka Paul Albert Anka (born July 30, 1941) is a Canadian-American singer, songwriter and actor. He is best known for his signature hit songs including " Diana", " Lonely Boy", "Put Your Head on My Shoulder", and " (You're) Having My Baby". Anka also ...

's mother in ''

Look in Any Window ''Look in Any Window'' is a 1961 American drama film starring Paul Anka, Gigi Perreau, and, in his film debut, Jack Cassidy. The film was directed by William Alland and released by Allied Artists. Plot A teenager is brought up by uncaring, dysf ...

'' (1961).

Television

Ruth Roman in the trailer for the film Great Day in the Morning

Roman worked regularly in films well up to the late 1950s. Then she began making appearances on television shows. These included recurring roles in

NBC The National Broadcasting Company (NBC) is an Television in the United States, American English-language Commercial broadcasting, commercial television network, broadcast television and radio network. The flagship property of the NBC Enterta ...

's 1965–1966 ''

The Long, Hot Summer ''The Long, Hot Summer'' is a 1958 American drama film directed by Martin Ritt. The screenplay was written by Irving Ravetch and Harriet Frank Jr., based in part on three works by William Faulkner: the 1931 novella " Spotted Horses", the 1939 s ...

'' and, toward the end of her career, recurring roles in the 1986 season of ''

Knots Landing ''Knots Landing'' is an American prime time television soap opera that aired on CBS from December 27, 1979, to May 13, 1993. A spin-off of ''Dallas'', it was set in a fictitious coastal suburb of Los Angeles and initially centered on the lives of ...

'' and several episodes of ''

Murder, She Wrote ''Murder, She Wrote'' is an American crime drama television series, created by Peter S. Fischer, Richard Levinson and William Link, starring Angela Lansbury, and produced and distributed by Universal Television for the CBS network. The series f ...

'', both on

CBS CBS Broadcasting Inc., commonly shortened to CBS, the abbreviation of its former legal name Columbia Broadcasting System, is an American commercial broadcast television and radio network serving as the flagship property of the CBS Entertainm ...

. She guest-starred in NBC's ''

Bonanza ''Bonanza'' is an American Western television series that ran on NBC from September 13, 1959, to January 16, 1973. Lasting 14 seasons and 432 episodes, ''Bonanza'' is NBC's longest-running western, the second-longest-running western series on U ...

'' and ''

Sam Benedict ''Sam Benedict'' is an American legal drama that aired on NBC from September 1962 to March 1963. The series was created and executive produced by E. Jack Neuman. The character Sam Benedict is based on real-life lawyer Jake Ehrlich, who served as ...

'',

ABC ABC are the first three letters of the Latin script known as the alphabet. ABC or abc may also refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Broadcasting * American Broadcasting Company, a commercial U.S. TV broadcaster ** Disney–ABC Television ...

's '' The Bing Crosby Show''

sitcom A sitcom, a portmanteau of situation comedy, or situational comedy, is a genre of comedy centered on a fixed set of characters who mostly carry over from episode to episode. Sitcoms can be contrasted with sketch comedy, where a troupe may use ne ...

and its

circus A circus is a company of performers who put on diverse entertainment shows that may include clowns, acrobats, trained animals, trapeze acts, musicians, dancers, hoopers, tightrope walkers, jugglers, magicians, ventriloquists, and unicyclist ...

drama Drama is the specific mode of fiction represented in performance: a play, opera, mime, ballet, etc., performed in a theatre, or on radio or television.Elam (1980, 98). Considered as a genre of poetry in general, the dramatic mode has been ...

'' The Greatest Show on Earth'' starring

Jack Palance Jack Palance ( ; born Volodymyr Palahniuk ( uk, Володимир Палагню́к); February 18, 1919 – November 10, 2006) was an American actor known for playing tough guys and villains. He was nominated for three Academy Awards, all fo ...

, as well as '' Burke's Law'' starring

Gene Barry Gene Barry (born Eugene Klass, June 14, 1919 – December 9, 2009) was an American stage, screen, and television actor and singer. Barry is best remembered for his leading roles in the films ''The Atomic City'' (1952) and ''The War of The World ...

and ''

I Spy I spy is a guessing game where one player (the ''spy'' or ''it'') chooses an object within sight and announces to the other players that "I spy with my little eye something beginning with...", naming the first letter of the object. Other players a ...

'' featuring

Robert Culp Robert Martin Culp (August 16, 1930 – March 24, 2010) was an American actor widely known for his work in television. Culp earned an international reputation for his role as Kelly Robinson on ''I Spy'' (1965–1968), the espionage television se ...

and

Bill Cosby William Henry Cosby Jr. ( ; born July 12, 1937) is an American stand-up comedian, actor, and media personality. He made significant contributions to American and African-American culture, and is well known in the United States for his eccentric ...

. She also appeared as a fiery redhead in an episode of ''

Gunsmoke ''Gunsmoke'' is an American radio and television Western drama series created by director Norman Macdonnell and writer John Meston. It centers on Dodge City, Kansas, in the 1870s, during the settlement of the American West. The central character ...

''. She appeared in the early 1960s in the

medical drama A medical drama is a television show or film in which events center upon a hospital, an ambulance staff, or any medical environment. Most recent medical drama (film and television), dramatic programming go beyond the events pertaining to the chara ...

s '' The Eleventh Hour'' and '' Breaking Point''. She starred in a season 3 episode of '' Mission: Impossible'' (1968) titled "The Elixir" as Riva Santel as well as a Season 2 episode of '' Naked City''. Many other series featured guest appearances by Roman, including ''

Route 66 U.S. Route 66 or U.S. Highway 66 (US 66 or Route 66) was one of the original highways in the United States Numbered Highway System. It was established on November 11, 1926, with road signs erected the following year. The h ...

The Untouchables (1959 TV series) ''The Untouchables'' is an American crime drama produced by Desilu Productions that ran from 1959 to 1963 on the ABC Television Network. Based on the memoir of the same name by Eliot Ness and Oscar Fraley, it fictionalized experiences of Elliot ...

'', ''

Mannix ''Mannix'' is an American detective television series that ran from 1967 to 1975 on CBS. It was created by Richard Levinson and William Link, and developed by executive producer Bruce Geller. The title character, Joe Mannix, is a private inves ...

'', ''

Cannon (TV series) ''Cannon'' is an American detective television series produced by Quinn Martin that aired from 1971 to 1976 on CBS. William Conrad played the title character, private detective Frank Cannon. The series was the first Quinn Martin production to r ...

'', ''

Marcus Welby, M.D. Marcus, Markus, Márkus or Mărcuș may refer to: * Marcus (name), a masculine given name * Marcus (praenomen), a Roman personal name Places * Marcus, a main belt asteroid, also known as (369088) Marcus 2008 GG44 * Mărcuş, a village in Dobârl ...

'', ''

The Mod Squad ''The Mod Squad'' is an American crime drama series, originally broadcast for five seasons on ABC from September 24, 1968, to March 1, 1973. It starred Michael Cole as Peter "Pete" Cochran, Peggy Lipton as Julie Barnes, Clarence Williams III as ...

'', ''

The FBI The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is the domestic intelligence and security service of the United States and its principal federal law enforcement agency. Operating under the jurisdiction of the United States Department of Justice, t ...

'', ''

Tarzan Tarzan (John Clayton II, Viscount Greystoke) is a fictional character, an archetypal feral child raised in the African jungle by the Mangani great apes; he later experiences civilization, only to reject it and return to the wild as a heroic adv ...

'', and '' The Outer Limits - episode Moonstone - 1964'' In 1971 Roman appeared as Marjorie Worth on "The Men From Shiloh" (rebranded name for the TV western '' The Virginian'') in the episode titled "The Angus Killer." In 1960, Roman was honoured with a star on the

at 6672 Hollywood Boulevard for her contribution to television.

Personal life

Roman was married four times. She had one son, Richard Roman Hall on November 12, 1952 , with husband Mortimer Hall, son of publisher Dorothy Schiff. She married Hall on December 17, 1950. In 1956, she sued him for divorce, and the divorce decree became final on April 15, 1957. Roman was a

Democrat Democrat, Democrats, or Democratic may refer to: Politics *A proponent of democracy, or democratic government; a form of government involving rule by the people. *A member of a Democratic Party: **Democratic Party (United States) (D) **Democratic ...

who supported Adlai Stevenson's campaign during the 1952 presidential election.''Motion Picture and Television Magazine'', November 1952, page 33.

''SS Andrea Doria'' sinking

In July 1956, Roman was just finishing a trip to Europe with her three-year-old son Richard. At the port of Cannes they boarded the Italian passenger liner SS ''Andrea Doria'' as first-class passengers for their return passage to the United States. On the night of July 25, the vessel collided with the Swedish passenger liner MS ''Stockholm''. Roman was in the Belvedere Lounge when the collision happened and immediately took off her high heels and scrambled back to her cabin barefoot to retrieve her sleeping son. Several hours later, they were both evacuated with the other passengers from the sinking liner. Richard was lowered first into a waiting lifeboat, but before she could follow, the lifeboat departed. Ruth stepped into the next boat and was eventually rescued along with 750 other survivors from the ''Andrea Doria'' by the French passenger liner SS ''Île de France''. Richard was rescued by the ''Stockholm'' and was reunited with his mother in New York.

Death

Roman died at the age of 76 in her sleep of natural causes at her beachfront villa on Crescent Bay in

Laguna Beach Laguna Beach (; ''Laguna'', Spanish for "Lagoon") is a seaside resort city located in southern Orange County, California, in the United States. It is known for its mild year-round climate, scenic coves, environmental preservation efforts, and a ...

California California is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States, located along the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million residents across a total area of approximately , it is the List of states and territori ...

, on September 9, 1999.

Partial filmography

*''

'' (1943) - Girl (uncredited) *''

'' (1944) - WAF (uncredited) *''

'' (1944) - Envious Girl in Train Station (uncredited) *''

'' (1944) - Dancer (uncredited) *''

'' (1944) - Checkroom Girl (uncredited) *''

'' (1944) - Ann Martin *''

'' (1945) - Glamour Girl (uncredited) *'' Jungle Queen'' (1945, serial) - Lothel - Jungle Queen *''

'' (1945) - Mud Girl (uncredited) *''

'' (1945) - Girl at Bright Dollar (uncredited) *''

'' (1945) - Gloria Revere (uncredited) *'' Incendiary Blonde'' (1945) - Chorine (uncredited) *''

'' (1946) - Girl (uncredited) *''

'' (1946) - Girl in Negligee (uncredited) *''

'' (1946) - Harem Girl (uncredited) *''

'' (1948) - Secretary at Meeting (uncredited) *'' Good Sam'' (1948) - Ruthie *''

'' (1948) - Cimarron Rose *''

'' (1949) - Emma *'' The Window'' (1949) - Mrs. Jean Kellerson *''

'' (1949) - Carol Lawson *''

'' (1949) - Fay Washburn *''

'' (1950) - Judith Burns *'' Colt .45'' (1950) - Beth Donovan *''

'' (1950) - Ann Lawrence *''

'' (1950) - Tonia Robles *'' Lightning Strikes Twice'' (1951) - Shelley Carnes *'' Strangers on a Train'' (1951) - Anne Morton *'' Tomorrow Is Another Day'' (1951) - Catherine 'Cay' Higgins *''

'' (1951) - Ruth Roman *'' Invitation'' (1952) - Maud Redwick *''

'' (1952) - Stella Callahan *''

Young Man With Ideas ''Young Man with Ideas'' is a 1952 romantic comedy film directed by Mitchell Leisen and starring Ruth Roman and Glenn Ford. It was released by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. The screenplay concern a young small-town lawyer, who moves his family from Monta ...

'' (1952) - Julie Webster *''

'' (1953) - Sal Donnelly *''

'' (1954) - Peggy Marion *''

'' (1954) - Ronda Castle *''

'' (1954) - Rita King *''

'' (1954) - Kate Martell *''

'' (1955) - Lily MacBeth *''

'' (1956) - Nora Martin *''

'' (1956) - Boston Grant *''

'' (1956) - Nora Willoughby *''

'' (1957) - Ann Nicholson *'' Amère victoire'' (UK title: ''Bitter Victory'') (1957) - Jane Brand *''

Desert Desperadoes ''Desert Desperadoes'' ( it, La peccatrice del deserto) is a 1959 American/Italian Biblical drama film directed by Steve Sekely from an original screenplay by Victor Stoloff and Robert Hill. Co-produced by the Italian company Venturini Express a ...

'' (1959) - The Woman *''

'' (1961) - Jackie Fowler *''Milagro a los cobardes'' (1962) - Rubén's mother *''

Love Has Many Faces ''Love Has Many Faces'' is a 1965 American drama romance film directed by Alexander Singer, and written by Marguerite Roberts. Nancy Wilson sings the title song and Edith Head designed Lana Turner's clothes. Plot When a dead American "beach b ...

'' (1965) - Margot Eliot *'' The Baby'' (1973) - Mrs. Wadsworth *'' The Killing Kind'' (1973) - Rhea Benson *''

Impulse Impulse or Impulsive may refer to: Science * Impulse (physics), in mechanics, the change of momentum of an object; the integral of a force with respect to time * Impulse noise (disambiguation) * Specific impulse, the change in momentum per uni ...

'' (1974) - Julia Marstow *''

Knife for the Ladies ''Knife for the Ladies'' is a 1974 American Western horror film directed by Larry G. Spangler and starring Jack Elam, Ruth Roman and Gene Evans. It was the first production from the company Bryanston Pictures. Plot A private detective, Burns, ...

'' (1974) - Elizabeth *''

Day of the Animals ''Day of the Animals'' (re-released as ''Something Is Out There'') is a 1977 American natural horror film directed by William Girdler, based on a story by producer Edward L. Montoro. The film reunited Girdler and Montoro with stars Christopher Ge ...

'' (1977) - Shirley Goodwyn *''

The Sacketts ''The'' () is a grammatical article in English, denoting persons or things already mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite article in English. ''The'' is the ...

'' (1979) - Rosie *''Echoes'' (1982) - Michael's Mother

Radio appearances

Awards and nomination

* 1950

Golden Globe Award for New Star of the Year - Actress Golden means made of, or relating to gold. Golden may also refer to: Places United Kingdom *Golden, in the parish of Probus, Cornwall *Golden Cap, Dorset *Golden Square, Soho, London *Golden Valley, a valley on the River Frome in Gloucestershir ...

for ''

'' (nominee) * 1959

for ''

'' (winner) * 1960 Star for Television on the

(winner)

References

External links

* *
Photographs and literature
{{DEFAULTSORT:Roman, Ruth 1922 births 1999 deaths American film actresses American stage actresses American television actresses American people of Lithuanian-Jewish descent American people of Polish-Jewish descent Actresses from Boston People from Lynn, Massachusetts 20th-century American actresses Jewish American actresses Shipwreck survivors Schiff family California Democrats Massachusetts Democrats 20th-century American Jews Girls' High School (Boston, Massachusetts) alumni

Early life and stage experience

Career

Warner Bros.

Post-Warners

Continuing work in theatre

Television

Personal life

''SS Andrea Doria'' sinking

Death

Partial filmography

Radio appearances

Awards and nomination

References

Further reading

External links