Cathy O'Donnell
Biography
Cathy O'Donnell was an American actress born Ann Steely in Siluria, Alabama. She took acting classes at Oklahoma City University and played Juliet in a campus Romeo and Juliet, then went to Hollywood, where a talent agent noticed her and Samuel Goldwyn signed her. After appearing in Life with Father on the Boston stage in 1944, she made an uncredited film debut in Wonder Man (1945). Her first major role was Wilma Cameron in The Best Years of Our Lives (1946). RKO borrowed her for They Live by Night (1949), in which Farley Granger was her co-star, and the two worked together again on Side Street (1950). Other films included Detective Story (1951) with Kirk Douglas, The Man from Laramie (1955), and Ben-Hur (1959), where she played Tirzah, Judah Ben-Hur's sister, her final film. Her 1960s television work included Man Without a Gun, The Rebel and Perry Mason, and she finished with an episode of Bonanza in 1964.
46years old at death
- Born Shelby County
- Died Los Angeles
- Star sign: CancerThe sign runs June 21 to July 22
- Also credited as Ann Steely
Movie Career
- Films
- 7
- Career span
- 13 years1946 to 1959
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Big break
While on a brief trip to Hollywood, O'Donnell was spotted at a drugstore by an agent of Samuel Goldwyn. A screen test showed her thick Southern accent, but Goldwyn liked her appearance and signed her.
Cathy O'Donnell movies on Netflix
Ben-Huras Tirzah
The Man From Laramieas Barbara Waggoman
Detective Storyas Susan Carmichael
Side Streetas Ellen Norson
They Live by Nightas Catherine "Keechie" Mobley
The Amazing Mr. Xas Janet Burke
The Best Years of Our Livesas Wilma Cameron
Best known for
The films on Netflix they are best known for, with the part played in each.
Worked with
Cathy O'Donnell shares two films with Farley Granger, and one with each of the others. Pick a number on the chart or a name in the list to see the films they share.








Films together
Farley Granger2 films together, 1949 to 1950
Farley Granger's page Side Street1950IMDb rating 7.1O'Donnell as Ellen NorsonGranger as Joe Norson
They Live by Night1949IMDb rating 7.4O'Donnell as Catherine "Keechie" MobleyGranger as Arthur "Bowie" Bowers
Gladys George2 films together, 1946 to 1951
Gladys George's page Detective Story1951IMDb rating 7.5O'Donnell as Susan CarmichaelGeorge as Miss Hatch
The Best Years of Our Lives1946IMDb rating 8.1O'Donnell as Wilma CameronGeorge as Hortense Derry
James Stewart1 film together, 1955
James Stewart's page The Man From Laramie1955IMDb rating 7.3O'Donnell as Barbara WaggomanStewart as Will Lockhart
Kirk Douglas1 film together, 1951
Kirk Douglas's page Detective Story1951IMDb rating 7.5O'Donnell as Susan CarmichaelDouglas as Det. James McLeod
Charlton Heston1 film together, 1959
Charlton Heston's page Ben-Hur1959IMDb rating 8.1O'Donnell as TirzahHeston as Judah Ben-Hur
Ray Teal1 film together, 1946
Ray Teal's page The Best Years of Our Lives1946IMDb rating 8.1O'Donnell as Wilma CameronTeal as Mr. Mollett
William WylerDirector, 3 films, 1946 to 1959
All films by William Wyler Ben-Hur1959IMDb rating 8.1O'Donnell as Tirzah
Detective Story1951IMDb rating 7.5O'Donnell as Susan Carmichael
The Best Years of Our Lives1946IMDb rating 8.1O'Donnell as Wilma Cameron
Anthony MannDirector, 2 films, 1950 to 1955
All films by Anthony Mann The Man From Laramie1955IMDb rating 7.3O'Donnell as Barbara Waggoman
Side Street1950IMDb rating 7.1O'Donnell as Ellen Norson
Online
Official profiles and reference pages.





