Clara Lou "Ann" Sheridan (February 21, 1915 – January 21, 1967) was an American actress and singer. She is best known for her roles in the films ''

San Quentin San Quentin State Prison (SQ) is a California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation state prison for men, located north of San Francisco in the unincorporated place of San Quentin in Marin County. Opened in July 1852, San Quentin is the ...

'' (1937) with Humphrey Bogart, ''

Angels with Dirty Faces ''Angels with Dirty Faces'' is a 1938 American crime drama film directed by Michael Curtiz for Warner Brothers. It stars James Cagney, Pat O'Brien, The Dead End Kids, Humphrey Bogart, Ann Sheridan, and George Bancroft. The screenplay was wri ...

'' (1938) with

James Cagney James Francis Cagney Jr. (; July 17, 1899March 30, 1986) was an American actor, dancer and film director. On stage and in film, Cagney was known for his consistently energetic performances, distinctive vocal style, and deadpan comic timing. He ...

and Bogart, '' They Drive by Night'' (1940) with

George Raft George Raft (born George Ranft; September 26, 1901 – November 24, 1980) was an American film actor and dancer identified with portrayals of gangsters in crime melodramas of the 1930s and 1940s. A stylish leading man in dozens of movies, Raft is ...

and Bogart, ''

City for Conquest ''City for Conquest'' is a 1940 American epic drama film directed by Anatole Litvak and starring James Cagney, Ann Sheridan and Arthur Kennedy. The picture is based on the 1936 novel of the same name by Aben Kandel. The supporting cast features ...

'' (1940) with Cagney and

Elia Kazan Elia Kazan (; born Elias Kazantzoglou ( el, Ηλίας Καζαντζόγλου); September 7, 1909 – September 28, 2003) was an American film and theatre director, producer, screenwriter and actor, described by ''The New York Times'' as "one o ...

, ''

The Man Who Came to Dinner ''The Man Who Came to Dinner'' is a comedy play by George S. Kaufman and Moss Hart. It debuted on October 16, 1939, at the Music Box Theatre in New York City, where it ran until 1941, closing after 739 performances. It then enjoyed a number of N ...

'' (1942) with

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 ...

, ''

Kings Row ''Kings Row'' is a 1942 film starring Ann Sheridan, Robert Cummings, Ronald Reagan and Betty Field that tells a story of young people growing up in a small American town at the turn of the twentieth century. The picture was directed by Sam Wood ...

'' (1942) with

Ronald Reagan Ronald Wilson Reagan ( ; February 6, 1911June 5, 2004) was an American politician, actor, and union leader who served as the 40th president of the United States from 1981 to 1989. He also served as the 33rd governor of California from 1967 ...

, ''

Nora Prentiss ''Nora Prentiss'' is a 1947 American film noir drama film directed by Vincent Sherman and starring Ann Sheridan, Kent Smith, Bruce Bennett, and Robert Alda. It was produced and distributed by Warner Bros. The cinematography is by James Wong Howe ...

'' (1947), and ''

I Was a Male War Bride ''I Was a Male War Bride'' is a 1949 comedy film directed by Howard Hawks and starring Cary Grant and Ann Sheridan. The film was based on "Male War Bride Trial to Army", a biography of Henri Rochard (pen name of Roger Charlier), a Belgian who ...

'' (1949) with

Cary Grant Cary Grant (born Archibald Alec Leach; January 18, 1904November 29, 1986) was an English-American actor. He was known for his Mid-Atlantic accent, debonair demeanor, light-hearted approach to acting, and sense of comic timing. He was one o ...

Early life

Clara Lou Sheridan was born in

Denton, Texas Denton is a city in and the county seat of Denton County, Texas, United States. With a population of 139,869 as of 2020, it is the 27th-most populous city in Texas, the 197th-most populous city in the United States, and the 12th-most populous ...

, on February 21, 1915, the youngest of five children (Kitty, Pauline, Mabel and George) of George W. Sheridan and Lula Stewart (née Warren). According to Sheridan, her father was a grandnephew of Civil War Union general

Philip Sheridan General of the Army Philip Henry Sheridan (March 6, 1831 – August 5, 1888) was a career United States Army officer and a Union general in the American Civil War. His career was noted for his rapid rise to major general and his close as ...

. She was active in dramatics at

Denton High School Denton High School is a public high school located in the city of Denton, Texas and classified as a 5A school by the UIL. It is a part of the Denton Independent School District located in central Denton County and was the original high schoo ...

and at

North Texas State Teachers College The University of North Texas (UNT) is a public research university in Denton, Texas. It was founded as a nonsectarian, coeducational, private teachers college in 1890 and was formally adopted by the state 11 years later."Denton Normal School ...

. She also sang with the college's stage band and played basketball on the North Texas women's basketball team. Then, in 1933, Sheridan won the prize of a

bit part In acting, a bit part is a role in which there is direct interaction with the principal actors and no more than five lines of dialogue, often referred to as a five-or-less or under-five in the United States, or under sixes in British television, ...

in an upcoming Paramount film, ''

Search for Beauty ''Search for Beauty'' is a 1934 American pre-Code dramedy film, with some musical Busby Berkeley-esque athletic sequences, directed by Erle C. Kenton and starring Buster Crabbe and Ida Lupino (the film was released shortly before Lupino's 16th ...

'', when her sister Kitty entered Sheridan's photograph into a beauty contest.

Career

Paramount

After the release of ''Search for Beauty'' in 1934, Paramount put the 19-year-old under contract at a starting salary of $75 a week ($ today), where she played mostly uncredited bit parts for the next two years. She can be glimpsed in the following 1934 films, and if credited, as Clara Lou Sheridan: ''

Bolero Bolero is a genre of song which originated in eastern Cuba in the late 19th century as part of the trova tradition. Unrelated to the older Spanish dance of the same name, bolero is characterized by sophisticated lyrics dealing with love. It has ...

'', ''

Come On Marines! ''Come On Marines!'' is a 1934 American pre-Code drama film directed by Henry Hathaway and starring Richard Arlen and Ida Lupino.Murder at the Vanities ''Murder at the Vanities'' is a 1934 American Pre-Code musical film based on the 1933 Broadway show with music by Victor Young. It was released by Paramount Pictures. It was directed by Mitchell Leisen, stars Victor McLaglen, Carl Brisson, Jac ...

'', '' Shoot the Works'', ''

Kiss and Make-Up ''Kiss and Make-Up'' is a 1934 romantic comedy film starring Cary Grant as a doctor who specializes in making women beautiful. Genevieve Tobin and Helen Mack play his romantic entanglements. The film was based on the play ''Kozmetika'' by (credi ...

'' with

, ''

The Notorious Sophie Lang ''The Notorious Sophie Lang'' is a 1934 American crime drama film directed by Ralph Murphy and starring Gertrude Michael, Paul Cavanagh and Alison Skipworth.College Rhythm ''College Rhythm'' is a 1934 American musical comedy film directed by Norman Taurog and starring Jack Oakie, Mary Brian, and Joe Penner. The budget was $537,000. Filming started August 16, 1934.Michael A. Hoey, ''Elvis' Favorite Director: The Ama ...

'' (directed by

Norman Taurog Norman Rae Taurog (February 23, 1899 – April 7, 1981) was an American film director and screenwriter. From 1920 to 1968, Taurog directed 180 films. At the age of 32, he received the Academy Award for Best Director for '' Skippy'' (1931). He i ...

whom Sheridan admired), ''

Ladies Should Listen ''Ladies Should Listen'' is a 1934 American comedy film directed by Frank Tuttle and starring Cary Grant, Edward Everett Horton, Frances Drake, and Nydia Westman. Plot The switchboard operator Anna Mirelle ( Frances Drake) in an apartment bui ...

'' with Cary Grant, '' You Belong to Me'', ''

Wagon Wheels Wagon Wheels are a sweet snack food sold in the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, other Commonwealth countries like New Zealand and India, and Ireland. They consist of two biscuits that form a sandwich with a marshmallow filling with jam, and ...

'', ''

The Lemon Drop Kid ''The Lemon Drop Kid'' is a 1951 American comedy film based on the short story of the same name by Damon Runyon, starring Bob Hope and Marilyn Maxwell. Although Sidney Lanfield is credited as the director, Frank Tashlin reportedly was hired, u ...

'' with

Lee Tracy William Lee Tracy (April 14, 1898 – October 18, 1968) was an American stage, film, and television actor. He is known foremost for his portrayals between the late 1920s and 1940s of fast-talking, wisecracking news reporters, press agents, lawye ...

, '' Mrs. Wiggs of the Cabbage Patch'', '' Ready for Love'', '' Limehouse Blues'' with

and

Anna May Wong Wong Liu Tsong (January 3, 1905 – February 3, 1961), known professionally as Anna May Wong, was an American actress, considered the first Chinese-American movie star in Hollywood, as well as the first Chinese-American actress to gain intern ...

, and ''

One Hour Late ''One Hour Late'' is a 1934 American comedy film directed by Ralph Murphy and written by Kathryn Scola and Paul Gerard Smith. The film stars Joe Morrison, Helen Twelvetrees, Conrad Nagel, and Arline Judge. ''One Hour Late'' was released on Decem ...

''. Along with fellow contractees, Sheridan worked with Paramount's drama coach Nina Mouise and performed on the studio lot in such plays as ''The Milky Way'' and ''The Pursuit of Happiness''. While in ''The Milky Way'', Paramount decided to change her first name from Clara Lou to the same as her character Ann. Sheridan was then cast in the film '' Behold My Wife!'' (1934) at the behest of director and friend

Mitchell Leisen James Mitchell Leisen (October 6, 1898 – October 28, 1972) was an American director, art director, and costume designer. Film career He entered the film industry in the 1920s, beginning in the art and costume departments. He directed his fir ...

. The role provided two standout scenes for the actress, including one in which her character commits suicide, to which she attributed Paramount's keeping her under contract.Hagen p. 172 She continued with bit parts in '' Enter Madame'' (1935) with

Elissa Landi Elissa Landi (born Elisabeth Marie Christine Kühnelt; December 6, 1904 – October 21, 1948) was an Austrian-American actress born in Venice, who was popular as a performer in Hollywood films of the 1920s and 1930s. She was noted for her a ...

and Cary Grant, ''

Home on the Range "Home on the Range" is a classic cowboy song, sometimes called the "unofficial anthem" of the American West. Dr. Brewster M. Higley (also spelled Highley) of Smith County, Kansas, wrote the lyrics as the poem "My Western Home" in 1872 or 1873 ...

'' (1935) with Randolph Scott and

Evelyn Brent Evelyn Brent (born Mary Elizabeth Riggs; October 20, 1895 – June 4, 1975) was an American film and stage actress. Early life Brent was born in Tampa, Florida, and known as Betty. When she was age 10, her mother Eleanor (née. Warner) died, ...

, and ''

Rumba The term rumba may refer to a variety of unrelated music styles. Originally, "rumba" was used as a synonym for "party" in northern Cuba, and by the late 19th century it was used to denote the complex of secular music styles known as Cuban rumba. ...

'' (1935) with George Raft and Carole Lombard, until her first lead role in ''

Car 99 ''Car 99'' is a 1935 American thriller film directed by Charles Barton and written by Karl Detzer and C. Gardner Sullivan. The film stars Fred MacMurray, Ann Sheridan, Guy Standing, Marina Koshetz, Dean Jagger, William Frawley and Frank Craven. ...

'' (1935), with Fred MacMurray. "No acting, it was just playing the lead, that's all", she later said. She next had a support role as the romantic interest in '' Rocky Mountain Mystery'' (1935), a Randolph Scott Western. She then appeared in ''

Mississippi Mississippi () is a state in the Southeastern region of the United States, bordered to the north by Tennessee; to the east by Alabama; to the south by the Gulf of Mexico; to the southwest by Louisiana; and to the northwest by Arkansas. Miss ...

'' (1935) with

Bing Crosby Harry Lillis "Bing" Crosby Jr. (May 3, 1903 – October 14, 1977) was an American singer, musician and actor. The first multimedia star, he was one of the most popular and influential musical artists of the 20th century worldwide. He was a ...

and

W. C. Fields William Claude Dukenfield (January 29, 1880 – December 25, 1946), better known as W. C. Fields, was an American comedian, actor, juggler, and writer. Fields's comic persona was a misanthropic and hard-drinking egotist who remained a sympathe ...

, ''

The Glass Key ''The Glass Key'' is a novel by American writer Dashiell Hammett. First published as a serial in '' Black Mask'' magazine in 1930, it then was collected in 1931 (in London; the American edition followed 3 months later). It tells the story of a ga ...

'' (1935) with

in a brief speaking role for which she was billed as "Nurse" in the cast list at the end of the film, and (having one line) ''

The Crusades The Crusades were a series of religious wars initiated, supported, and sometimes directed by the Latin Church in the medieval period. The best known of these Crusades are those to the Holy Land in the period between 1095 and 1291 that were i ...

'' (1935) with

Loretta Young Loretta Young (born Gretchen Young; January 6, 1913 – August 12, 2000) was an American actress. Starting as a child, she had a long and varied career in film from 1917 to 1953. She won the Academy Award for Best Actress for her role in the fil ...

. In her last picture under her deal with Paramount, the studio loaned her out to

Poverty Row Poverty Row is a slang term used to refer to Hollywood films produced from the 1920s to the 1950s by small (and mostly short-lived) B movie studios. Although many of them were based on (or near) today's Gower Street in Hollywood, the term did ...

production company Talisman to make ''

The Red Blood of Courage ''Red Blood of Courage'' is a 1935 American drama film directed by John English from a screenplay by Barry Barringer. The film stars Kermit Maynard, Ann Sheridan, and Reginald Barlow. Plot Sgt. Sullivan of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police go ...

'' (1935) with

Kermit Maynard Kermit Maynard (September 20, 1897 – January 16, 1971) was an American actor and stuntman. Early years Born in Vevay, Indiana, he was the son of Mr. and Mrs. William Maynard and a lookalike younger brother of actor Ken Maynard; they were f ...

. After this, Paramount declined to renew her contract. Sheridan made '' Fighting Youth'' (1935) at

Universal Universal is the adjective for universe. Universal may also refer to: Companies * NBCUniversal, a media and entertainment company ** Universal Animation Studios, an American Animation studio, and a subsidiary of NBCUniversal ** Universal TV, a ...

and then signed a contract with

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 ...

in 1936.

Warner Bros.

Ann SHERIDAN-James CAGNEY-Angels Dirty Faces-PHOTO2

Sheridan's career prospects began to improve at her new studio. Her early films for Warner Bros. included ''

Sing Me a Love Song ''Sing Me a Love Song'' is a 1936 American musical film directed by Ray Enright and written by Sig Herzig and Jerry Wald. The film stars James Melton, Patricia Ellis, Hugh Herbert, ZaSu Pitts, Allen Jenkins and Nat Pendleton. The Warner Bro ...

'' (1936); '' Black Legion'' (1937) with Humphrey Bogart; '' The Great O'Malley'' (1937) with Pat O'Brien and Bogart, her first real break; ''

'' (1937), with O'Brien and Bogart, singing for the first time in a film; and '' Wine, Women and Horses'' (1937) with

Barton MacLane Barton MacLane (December 25, 1902 – January 1, 1969) was an American actor, playwright, and screenwriter. He appeared in many classic films from the 1930s through the 1960s, including his role as General Martin Peterson on the 1960s NBC ...

. Sheridan moved into B picture leads: ''

The Footloose Heiress ''The Footloose Heiress'' is a 1937 American comedy film directed by William Clemens and written by Robertson White. The film stars Craig Reynolds, Ann Sheridan, Anne Nagel, William Hopper, Hugh O'Connell and Teddy Hart. The film was released ...

'' (1937); ''

Alcatraz Island Alcatraz Island () is a small island in San Francisco Bay, offshore from San Francisco, California, United States. The island was developed in the mid-19th century with facilities for a lighthouse, a military fortification, and a military pri ...

'' (1937) with

John Litel John Beach Litel (December 30, 1892 – February 3, 1972) was an American film and television actor. Early life Litel was born in Albany, Wisconsin. During World War I, he enlisted in the French Army and was twice decorated for bravery. Ba ...

; and '' She Loved a Fireman'' (1937) with

Dick Foran John Nicholas "Dick" Foran (June 18, 1910 – August 10, 1979) was an American actor, known for his performances in Western musicals and for playing supporting roles in dramatic pictures. Early years Foran was born in Flemington, New Jer ...

for director

John Farrow John Villiers Farrow, KGCHS (10 February 190427 January 1963) was an Australian film director, producer, and screenwriter. Spending a considerable amount of his career in the United States, in 1942 he was nominated for the Academy Award for B ...

. She was a lead in ''

The Patient in Room 18 ''The Patient in Room 18'' is a 1929 mystery novel written by Mignon G. Eberhart. Eberhart's first published novel, it follows the adventures of Nurse Sarah Keate, who would later appear in six more of Eberhart's works, and became one of the mos ...

'' (1937) and its sequel ''

Mystery House ''Mystery House'' is an adventure game released by On-Line Systems in 1980. It was designed, written and illustrated by Roberta Williams, and programmed by Ken Williams for the Apple II. ''Mystery House'' is the first graphical adventure ga ...

'' (1938). Sheridan was in ''

Little Miss Thoroughbred ''Little Miss Thoroughbred'' is a 1938 film directed by John Farrow. Peggy Ann Garner made her debut in the film. It was also known as Little Lady Luck. Plot Knowing her father's out there somewhere, little Janet runs away from an orphanage. A co ...

'' (1938) with Litel for Farrow and supported Dick Powell in ''

Cowboy from Brooklyn ''Cowboy from Brooklyn'' is a 1938 American Western musical romantic comedy film directed by Lloyd Bacon and written by Earl Baldwin. It stars Dick Powell, Pat O'Brien and Priscilla Lane. The film was based on the 1937 Broadway play ''Howdy S ...

'' (1938). Universal borrowed her for a support role in ''

Letter of Introduction ''Letter of Introduction'' is a 1938 American comedy-drama film directed by John M. Stahl. In 1966, the film entered the public domain in the United States because the claimants did not renew its copyright registration in the 28th year after pu ...

'' (1938) at the behest of director

John M. Stahl John Malcolm Stahl (January 21, 1886 – January 12, 1950) was an American film director and producer. Life and work He was born Jacob Morris Strelitsky in Baku (Azerbaijan) to a Russian Jewish family. When he was a child, his family le ...

. For Farrow, she was in ''

Broadway Musketeers ''Broadway Musketeers'' is a 1938 American musical drama film directed by John Farrow for Warner Bros. Starring Margaret Lindsay, Ann Sheridan and Marie Wilson as three women who grew up in an orphanage and cross paths later in life, it is a re ...

'' (1938), a remake of ''

Three on a Match ''Three on a Match'' is a 1932 American pre-Code crime drama released by Warner Bros. The film was directed by Mervyn LeRoy and stars Joan Blondell, Warren William, Ann Dvorak and Bette Davis. The film also features Lyle Talbot, Humphrey Bog ...

'' (1932). Sheridan's notices in ''Letter of Introduction'' impressed Warner Bros. executives and she began to get roles in better quality pictures at her own studio starting with ''

'' (1938), wherein she played

's love interest; Bogart, O'Brien and the

Dead End Kids The Dead End Kids were a group of young actors from New York City who appeared in Sidney Kingsley's Broadway play '' Dead End'' in 1935. In 1937, producer Samuel Goldwyn brought all of them to Hollywood and turned the play into a film. They prov ...

had supporting roles. The film was a big hit and critically acclaimed. Sheridan was reunited with the Dead End Kids in ''

They Made Me a Criminal ''They Made Me a Criminal'' is a 1939 American crime drama film directed by Busby Berkeley and starring John Garfield, Claude Rains, and The Dead End Kids. It is a remake of the film '' The Life of Jimmy Dolan'' (1933). The film was later featu ...

'' (1938) starring

John Garfield John Garfield (born Jacob Julius Garfinkle, March 4, 1913 – May 21, 1952) was an American actor who played brooding, rebellious, working-class characters. He grew up in poverty in New York City. In the early 1930s, he became a member of ...

. She was third-billed in the Western ''

Dodge City Dodge City is the county seat of Ford County, Kansas, United States, named after nearby Fort Dodge. As of the 2020 census, the population of the city was 27,788. The city is famous in American culture for its history as a wild frontier town ...

'' (1939), playing a saloon owner opposite

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 ...

and

Olivia de Havilland Dame Olivia Mary de Havilland (; July 1, 1916July 26, 2020) was a British-American actress. The major works of her cinematic career spanned from 1935 to 1988. She appeared in 49 feature films and was one of the leading actresses of her time. ...

. The film was another success.

Oomph girl

In March 1939, Warner Bros. announced Sheridan had been voted by a committee of 25 men as the actress with the most "oomph" in America. "Oomph" was described as "a certain indefinable something that commands male interest". She received as many as 250 marriage proposals from fans in a single week. Sheridan reportedly loathed the sobriquet that made her a popular

pin-up girl A pin-up model (known as a pin-up girl for a female and less commonly male pin-up for a male) is a model whose mass-produced pictures see widespread appeal as part of popular culture. Pin-up models were variously glamour models, fashion models ...

in the early 1940s. However, she expressed in a February 25, 1940, news story distributed by the

Associated Press The Associated Press (AP) is an American non-profit news agency headquartered in New York City. Founded in 1846, it operates as a cooperative, unincorporated association. It produces news reports that are distributed to its members, U.S. newspa ...

that she no longer "bemoaned the "oomph" tag." She continued, "But I'm sorry now. I know if it hadn't been for "oomph" I'd probably still be in the chorus." This was later referenced and spoofed on the 1941 animated short ''

Hollywood Steps Out ''Hollywood Steps Out'' is a 1941 short ''Merrie Melodies'' cartoon by Warner Bros., directed by Tex Avery. The short was released on May 24, 1941. The cartoon features caricatures of over 40 Hollywood celebrities. Plot A bird's-eye view of Los ...

''.

Stardom

Sheridan co-starred with Dick Powell in '' Naughty but Nice'' (1939) and played a wacky heiress in ''

Winter Carnival Winter is the coldest season of the year in polar and temperate climates. It occurs after autumn and before spring. The tilt of Earth's axis causes seasons; winter occurs when a hemisphere is oriented away from the Sun. Different cultures d ...

'' (1939). She was top billed in ''

Indianapolis Speedway The Indianapolis Motor Speedway is an automobile racing circuit located in Speedway, Indiana, an enclave suburb of Indianapolis, Indiana. It is the home of the Indianapolis 500 and the Verizon 200, and and formerly the home of the United States ...

'' (1939) with O'Brien and ''

Angels Wash Their Faces ''The Angels Wash Their Faces'' is a 1939 Warner Bros. film directed by Ray Enright and starring Ann Sheridan, Ronald Reagan and the Dead End Kids. Plot Gabe Ryan is released from reform school and is taken to a new house by his sister Joy to ...

'' (1939) with the Dead End Kids and

. ''

Castle on the Hudson ''Castle on the Hudson'' (UK title: ''Years Without Days'') is a 1940 American film noir drama directed by Anatole Litvak and starring John Garfield, Ann Sheridan, and Pat O'Brien. A thief is sent to Sing Sing Prison, where he is befriended by t ...

'' (1940) put her opposite Garfield and O'Brien. Ann Sheridan in 'The Doughgirls', 1944

Sheridan's first real starring vehicle was ''

It All Came True ''It All Came True'' is a 1940 American musical comedy crime film starring Ann Sheridan as a fledgling singer and Humphrey Bogart, who was third-billed on movie posters, as a gangster who hides from the police in a boarding house. It is based ...

'' (1940), a musical comedy costarring Bogart and

Jeffrey Lynn Jeffrey Lynn (born Ragnar Godfrey Lind; – November 24, 1995) was an American stage-screen actor and film producer who worked primarily through the Golden Age of Hollywood establishing himself as one of the premier talents of his time. Thr ...

. She introduced the song " Angel in Disguise". Sheridan and Cagney were reunited in ''

Torrid Zone The tropics are the regions of Earth surrounding the Equator. They are defined in latitude by the Tropic of Cancer in the Northern Hemisphere at N and the Tropic of Capricorn in the Southern Hemisphere at S. The tropics are also referred to ...

'' (1940) with O'Brien in support. She was with

, Bogart and

Ida Lupino Ida Lupino (4 February 1918Recorded in ''Births Mar 1918'' Camberwell Vol. 1d, p. 1019 (Free BMD). Transcribed as "Lupine" in the official births index – 3 August 1995) was an English-American actress, singer, director, writer, and producer. T ...

in '' They Drive by Night'' (1940), a smash-hit trucking melodrama. Sheridan was back with Cagney for ''

'' (1941) and then made '' Honeymoon for Three'' (1941), a comedy with

George Brent George Brent (born George Brendan Nolan; 15 March 1904 – 26 May 1979) was an Irish-American stage, film, and television actor. He is best remembered for the eleven films he made with Bette Davis, which included '' Jezebel'' and '' Dark Victo ...

Sheridan did two lighter films: '' Navy Blues'' (1941), a musical comedy, and ''

'' (1942) with

, wherein she played a character modeled on

Gertrude Lawrence Gertrude Lawrence (4 July 1898 – 6 September 1952) was an English actress, singer, dancer and musical comedy performer known for her stage appearances in the West End of London and on Broadway in New York. Early life Lawrence was born Gertr ...

. She then made ''

'' (1942), in which she received top billing playing opposite

Robert Cummings Charles Clarence Robert Orville Cummings (June 9, 1910 – December 2, 1990) was an American film and television actor who appeared in roles in comedy films such as '' The Devil and Miss Jones'' (1941) and ''Princess O'Rourke'' (1943), and in ...

, and

Betty Field Betty Field (February 8, 1916 – September 13, 1973) was an American film and stage actress. Early years Field was born in Boston, Massachusetts, to George and Katharine (née Lynch) Field. She began acting before she reached age 15, and went ...

. It was a major success and one of Sheridan's most memorable films. Sheridan and Reagan were reunited for ''

Juke Girl ''Juke Girl'' is a 1942 American drama film directed by Curtis Bernhardt, written by A. I. Bezzerides, and starring Ann Sheridan and Ronald Reagan. The supporting cast includes Richard Whorf, George Tobias, Gene Lockhart, Alan Hale Sr., Howard ...

'' (1942) released about six weeks after ''Kings Row''. She was in the war film ''

Wings for the Eagle ''Wings for the Eagle'' (aka ''Shadow of Their Wings'') is a 1942 American drama film starring Ann Sheridan, Dennis Morgan, Jack Carson and George Tobias, directed by Lloyd Bacon. It tells the story of workers at a Lockheed aircraft assembly p ...

'' (1942) and made a comedy with

Jack Benny Jack Benny (born Benjamin Kubelsky, February 14, 1894 – December 26, 1974) was an American entertainer who evolved from a modest success playing violin on the vaudeville circuit to one of the leading entertainers of the twentieth century with ...

, ''

George Washington Slept Here ''George Washington Slept Here'' is a 1942 comedy film starring Jack Benny, Ann Sheridan, Charles Coburn, Percy Kilbride, and Hattie McDaniel. It was based on the 1940 play of the same name by Moss Hart and George S. Kaufman, adapted by Everett F ...

'' (1943). She played a Norwegian resistance fighter in ''

Edge of Darkness ''Edge of Darkness'' is a British television drama serial produced by BBC Television in association with Lionheart Television International and originally broadcast in six 55-minute episodes in late 1985. A mixture of crime drama and politica ...

'' (1943) with Errol Flynn and was one of the many Warner Bros., stars who had cameos in '' Thank Your Lucky Stars'' (1943). She was the heroine of a novel, ''Ann Sheridan and the Sign of the Sphinx'', written by Kathryn Heisenfelt and published by Whitman Publishing Company in 1943. While the heroine of the story was identified as a famous actress, the stories were entirely fictitious. The story was probably written for a young teenaged audience and is reminiscent of the adventures of

Nancy Drew Nancy Drew is a Fictional character, fictional character appearing in several Mystery fiction, mystery book series, movies, and a TV show as a teenage amateur sleuth. The books are ghostwriter, ghostwritten by a number of authors and published ...

. It is part of a series known as "Whitman Authorized Editions", 16 books published between 1941 and 1947 that always featured a film actress as heroine. Sheridan was given the lead in the musical ''

Shine On, Harvest Moon "Shine On, Harvest Moon" is a popular early-1900s song credited to the married vaudeville team Nora Bayes and Jack Norworth. It was one of a series of moon-related Tin Pan Alley songs of the era. The song was debuted by Bayes and Norworth in the Z ...

'' (1944), playing Nora Bayes, opposite Dennis Morgan. She was in a comedy ''

The Doughgirls ''The Doughgirls'' is a 1944 American comedy film directed by James V. Kern based on the 1942 hit Broadway play written by Joseph Fields. The film works around three newlywed couples, focusing on the Halstead couple, played by Jane Wyman and ...

'' (1944). Sheridan was absent from screens for over a year, touring with the

USO The United Service Organizations Inc. (USO) is an American nonprofit-charitable corporation that provides live entertainment, such as comedians, actors and musicians, social facilities, and other programs to members of the United States Armed F ...

to perform in front of the troops as far afield as China. She returned in '' One More Tomorrow'' (1946) with Morgan. She had an excellent role in the noir ''

'' (1947), which was a hit. It was followed by '' The Unfaithful'' (1948), a remake of '' The Letter'', and '' Silver River'' (1948), a Western melodrama with

Leo McCarey Thomas Leo McCarey (October 3, 1898 – July 5, 1969) was an American film director, screenwriter, and producer. He was involved in nearly 200 films, the most well known today being ''Duck Soup (1933 film), Duck Soup'', ''Make Way for Tomo ...

borrowed her to support

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 ...

in '' Good Sam'' (1948). She was meant to star in '' Flamingo Road''. She then left Warner Bros., saying: "I wasn't at all satisfied with the scripts they offered me."

Freelance star

Her role in ''

'' (1949), directed by

Howard Hawks Howard Winchester Hawks (May 30, 1896December 26, 1977) was an American film director, producer and screenwriter of the classic Hollywood era. Critic Leonard Maltin called him "the greatest American director who is not a household name." A v ...

and starring

, was another success. In 1950, she appeared on the

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 ...

musical

television series A television show – or simply TV show – is any content produced for viewing on a television set which can be broadcast via over-the-air, satellite television, satellite, or cable television, cable, excluding breaking news, television adverti ...

'' Stop the Music''. She made '' Stella'' (1950), a comedy with

Victor Mature Victor John Mature (January 29, 1913 – August 4, 1999) was an American stage, film, and television actor who was a leading man in Hollywood during the 1940s and 1950s. His best known film roles include ''One Million B.C.'' (1940), '' My Darlin ...

at Fox. In April 1949, she announced she wanted to produce ''Second Lady'', a film based on a story by

Eleanore Griffin Eleanore Griffin (1904–1995) was an American screenwriter who worked in Hollywood. She is best known for co-writing the film '' Boys Town,'' which she won an Oscar for in 1938. Griffin worked on and wrote for over 20 different Hollywood fi ...

. She was going to make ''Carriage Entrance'' at RKO. They fired her and Sheridan sued for $250,000 (equivalent to $ million today) ''The New York Times'' reported the amount as $350,000 ($ million today). Sheridan ultimately won $55,162 ($ today).

Universal

Sheridan made ''

Woman on the Run ''Woman on the Run'' is a 1950 American crime film noir directed by Norman Foster and starring Ann Sheridan and Dennis O'Keefe. The film was based on the April 1948 short story "Man on the Run" by Sylvia Tate and filmed on location in San Franc ...

'' (1950), a noir also starring

Dennis O'Keefe Dennis O'Keefe (born Edward Vanes Flanagan, Jr., March 29, 1908 – August 31, 1968) was an American actor and writer. Early years Born in Fort Madison, Iowa, O'Keefe was the son of Edward Flanagan and Charlotte Flanagan, Irish vaudevill ...

which she produced. She wanted to make a film called ''Her Secret Diary''. ''Woman on the Run'' was distributed by Universal, and Sheridan signed a contract with that studio. While there, she made '' Steel Town'' (1952), ''

Just Across the Street ''Just Across the Street'' is a 1952 American comedy film directed by Joseph Pevney and starring Ann Sheridan and John Lund.Bubbeo p.206 Plot Henrietta applies for a job as a social secretary for the wealthy Medford family, and while at their ...

'' (1952), and ''

Take Me to Town ''Take Me To Town'' is a 1953 American Comedy film, Comedy Western (genre), Western film directed by Douglas Sirk and starring Ann Sheridan and Sterling Hayden. Plot On the lam after a robbery and needing a place to hide out, Vermilion O'Toole ...

'' (1953), a comedy with

Sterling Hayden Sterling Walter Hayden (born Sterling Relyea Walter; March 26, 1916 – May 23, 1986) was an American actor, author, sailor and decorated Marine Corps officer and an Office of Strategic Services' agent during World War II. A leading man for mos ...

that was the first film directed by

Douglas Sirk Douglas Sirk (born Hans Detlef Sierck; 26 April 1897 – 14 January 1987) was a German film director best known for his work in Hollywood melodramas of the 1950s. Sirk started his career in Germany as a stage and screen director, but he left for ...

in the United States.

Later career

Sheridan starred with

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 ...

in ''

Appointment in Honduras ''Appointment in Honduras'' is a 1953 American adventure film directed by Jacques Tourneur and starring Glenn Ford, Ann Sheridan, and Zachary Scott. Plot Taking place in 1910, during a fictional revolution in Honduras, Jim Corbett (Glenn For ...

'' (1953), directed by

Jacques Tourneur Jacques Tourneur (; November 12, 1904 – December 19, 1977) was a French film director known for the classic film noir ''Out of the Past'' and a series of low-budget horror films he made for RKO Studios, including ''Cat People (1942 film), Cat ...

. She appeared opposite

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 ...

in ''

Come Next Spring ''Come Next Spring'' is a 1956 American Trucolor movie directed by R. G. Springsteen, starring Ann Sheridan and Steve Cochran. The theme song, "Come Next Spring", with music by Max Steiner and lyrics by Lenny Adelson, was performed by Tony Benne ...

'' (1956) and was one of several stars in MGM's ''

The Opposite Sex ''The Opposite Sex'' is a 1956 American musical romantic comedy film shot in Metrocolor and CinemaScope. The film was directed by David Miller and stars June Allyson, Joan Collins, Dolores Gray, Ann Sheridan, and Ann Miller, with Leslie Ni ...

'' (1956), a remake of '' The Women'' starring June Allyson,

Joan Collins Dame Joan Henrietta Collins (born 23 May 1933) is an English actress, author and columnist. Collins is the recipient of several accolades, including a Golden Globe Award, a People's Choice Award, two Soap Opera Digest Awards and a Primetime ...

Dolores Gray Dolores Gray (born Sylvia Dolores Finkelstein; June 7, 1924 – June 26, 2002) was an American actress and singer. She was nominated for the Tony Award for Best Lead Actress in a Musical twice, winning once. Early life She was born as Sylvia ...

, Sheridan and Ann Miller. Her last film, '' Woman and the Hunter'' (1957), was shot in Africa. She performed in stage tours of ''Kind Sir'' (1958) and ''Odd Man In'' (1959), and ''The Time of Your Life'' at the Brussels World Fair in 1958. In all three shows, she acted with Scott McKay, whom she later married. In 1962, she played the lead in the Western series ''

Wagon Train ''Wagon Train'' is an American Western series that aired 8 seasons: first on the NBC television network (1957–1962), and then on ABC (1962–1965). ''Wagon Train'' debuted on September 18, 1957, and became number one in the Nielsen ratings ...

'' episode entitled "The Mavis Grant Story". In the mid-1960s, Sheridan appeared on the

NBC The National Broadcasting Company (NBC) is an American English-language commercial broadcast television and radio network. The flagship property of the NBC Entertainment division of NBCUniversal, a division of Comcast, its headquarters are l ...

soap opera A soap opera, or ''soap'' for short, is a typically long-running radio or television serial, frequently characterized by melodrama, ensemble casts, and sentimentality. The term "soap opera" originated from radio dramas originally being sponsored ...

'' Another World''. Her final role was as Henrietta Hanks in the television comedy Western series ''

Pistols 'n' Petticoats ''Pistols 'n' Petticoats'' is an American Western sitcom starring Ann Sheridan that ran on CBS during the 1966-1967 television season. It was produced by Kayro/Universal Television for CBS Productions and ran from September 17, 1966 to March 11 ...

'', which was filmed while she became increasingly ill in 1966, and was broadcast on CBS on Saturday nights. The 19th episode of the series, "Beware the Hangman", aired as scheduled on the same day that she died in 1967. For her contributions to the motion picture industry, Ann Sheridan has 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 ...

at 7024

Hollywood Boulevard Hollywood Boulevard is a major east–west street in Los Angeles, California. It begins in the east at Sunset Boulevard in the Los Feliz district and proceeds to the west as a major thoroughfare through Little Armenia and Thai Town, Hollywoo ...

Personal life

Sheridan married actor

Edward Norris Septimus Edward Norris (March 10, 1911 – December 18, 2002) was an American film actor. Early years Norris was born in 1911, the son of a prominent Philadelphia gynecologist, who was described in a newspaper article as "a famous surgeon and ...

August 16, 1936, in Ensenada, Mexico. They separated a year later and divorced in 1939. On January 5, 1942, she married fellow Warner Bros. star

, who co-starred with her in ''Honeymoon for Three'' (1941); they divorced exactly one year later. Following her divorce from Brent, she had a long-term relationship with publicist Steve Hannagan that lasted until his death in 1953. Hannagan bequeathed Sheridan $218,399 (equivalent to $ million today). On June 5, 1966, she married actor

Scott McKay Scott McKay (born December 2, 1960) is a Canadians, Canadian politician, who served as a former leader of the Green Party of Quebec and a former Montreal council member. McKay was elected in 2008 to the Quebec National Assembly for the Parti Q ...

, who was with her when she died, seven months later. Sheridan supported

Thomas E. Dewey Thomas Edmund Dewey (March 24, 1902 – March 16, 1971) was an American lawyer, prosecutor, and politician who served as the 47th governor of New York from 1943 to 1954. He was the Republican candidate for president in 1944 and 1948: although ...

in the 1948 presidential elections.

Death

In 1966, Sheridan began starring in a new television series, a Western-themed comedy called ''Pistols 'n' Petticoats''. She became ill during the filming and died of esophageal cancer with massive liver metastases at age 51 on January 21, 1967, in Los Angeles. She was cremated and her ashes were stored at the

Chapel of the Pines Crematory Chapel of the Pines Crematory is a crematory and columbarium located at 1605 South Catalina Street, Los Angeles, in the U.S. state of California, in the historic West Adams District a short distance southwest of Downtown. It is beside Angelus- ...

in Los Angeles until they were interred in a niche in the Chapel Columbarium at the

Hollywood Forever Cemetery Hollywood Forever Cemetery is a full-service cemetery, funeral home, crematory, and cultural events center which regularly hosts community events such as live music and summer movie screenings. It is one of the oldest cemeteries in Los Angeles ...

in 2005.

Filmography

Radio appearances

References

External links

* * * *
Digital scrapbook filled with news clippings related to the career of Ann Sheridan, housed at the University of North Texas.

Interview with Ann Sheridan biographer

Photographs and literature
{{DEFAULTSORT:Sheridan, Ann 1915 births 1967 deaths 20th-century American actresses Actresses from Texas American film actresses American television actresses Burials at Chapel of the Pines Crematory Burials at Hollywood Forever Cemetery Deaths from cancer in California Deaths from esophageal cancer Deaths from liver cancer Paramount Pictures contract players People from Denton, Texas University of North Texas alumni Warner Bros. contract players California Republicans Texas Republicans