Jane Darwell

Biography

Jane Darwell was an American actress who worked in theater, movies, and television. Born in Palmyra, Missouri, she turned to acting after her father objected to her plans for a circus or opera career. She studied voice, piano, and dramatics, began in Chicago stage productions, and made her first screen appearance in 1913. After returning to film in Tom Sawyer (1930), she became a Hollywood character actress and appeared in five Shirley Temple movies. She won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for playing Ma Joad in The Grapes of Wrath (1940), a part Henry Fonda, the film's star, pressed for her to get. She was memorably cast in The Ox-Bow Incident (1943). In 1944 she drew notice onstage in Suds in Your Eye. Her last role, in Mary Poppins (1964), came after Walt Disney asked her in person. In 1960 the Walk of Fame in Hollywood honored her with a star. She made more than 170 films.

87years old at death

Born October 15, 1879Marion County
Died August 13, 1967Woodland Hills
Star sign: LibraThe sign runs September 23 to October 22
Patti Woodard (birth name)

Movie Career

Films: 29
Career span: 32 years1932 to 1964

Genres

Drama48%, 14 films
Romance45%, 13 films
Comedy34%, 10 films
Family17%, 5 films
Western17%, 5 films

First and latest

Did you know?!

Big break
Darwell played Ma Joad in The Grapes of Wrath (1940), a part she got at the insistence of Henry Fonda, the star of the film. She won an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for it.
A role that slipped away
Disney asked Darwell to play the Bird Woman in Mary Poppins (1964), but she declined. Walt Disney went to the retirement home himself to urge her, and she took the role.
First role
Darwell started out in Chicago theater productions before her first film role in 1913. She did almost 20 films in the following two years, then went back to the stage and stayed away from movies for 15 years.

Jane Darwell movies on Netflix

Mary Poppins1964IMDb rating 7.8as The Bird Woman
There's Always Tomorrow1956IMDb rating 7.4as Mme Rogers
A Life at Stake1955IMDb rating 5.8as Landlady
The Bigamist1953IMDb rating 6.8as Mrs. Connelley
We're Not Married!1952IMDb rating 6.3as Mrs. Bush
Caged1950IMDb rating 7.6as Isolation Matron
Wagon Master1950IMDb rating 7.1as Sister Ledyard
3 Godfathers1948IMDb rating 7.0as Miss Florie
My Darling Clementine1946IMDb rating 7.7as Kate Nelson
The Ox-Bow Incident1943IMDb rating 8.0as Ma Grier
All Through the Night1942IMDb rating 7.1as Mrs. Donahue
It Happened in Flatbush1942IMDb rating 6.0as Mrs. Maguire
The Battle of Midway1942IMDb rating 6.1as Narrator
All That Money Can Buy1941IMDb rating 7.5as Ma Stone
Brigham Young1940IMDb rating 6.3as Eliza Kent
The Grapes of Wrath1940IMDb rating 8.1as Ma Joad
Jesse James1939IMDb rating 7.0as Mrs. Samuels
The Rains Came1939IMDb rating 6.9as Aunt Phoebe Smiley
Love Is News1937IMDb rating 6.9as Mrs. Flaherty
The Singing Marine1937IMDb rating 5.8as Ma Marine
Wife, Doctor and Nurse1937IMDb rating 6.0as Mrs. Krueger
Captain January1936IMDb rating 7.0as Eliza Croft
Poor Little Rich Girl1936IMDb rating 7.0as Woodward
Curly Top1935IMDb rating 6.8as Mrs. Denham
Bright Eyes1934IMDb rating 7.2as Mrs. Higgins
The Scarlet Empress1934IMDb rating 7.5as Miss Cardell, Sophia's Nurse
Design for Living1933IMDb rating 7.4as Curtis' Housekeeper
Roman Scandals1933IMDb rating 6.6as Roman Spa Proprietress
Hot Saturday1932IMDb rating 6.5as Mrs. Brock

Best known for

The films on Netflix they are best known for, with the part played in each.

Top

The Grapes of Wrath1940 Dramaas Ma Joad
IMDb rating 8.1108K votes
The Ox-Bow Incident1943 Drama, Westernas Ma Grier
IMDb rating 8.028K votes
Mary Poppins1964as The Bird Woman
IMDb rating 7.8200K votes
All That Money Can Buy1941as Ma Stone
IMDb rating 7.56.6K votes
All Through the Night1942as Mrs. Donahue
IMDb rating 7.15.6K votes
3 Godfathers1948as Miss Florie
IMDb rating 7.012K votes
The Battle of Midway1942as Narrator
IMDb rating 6.12.5K votes
My Darling Clementine1946as Kate Nelson
IMDb rating 7.729K votes

Most often with

John Ford directed five of these films, Irving Cummings three and David Butler two. Henry Fonda appears in five of them, more than any other actor. Pick a number on the chart or a name in the list to see the films they share.

Top

Henry Fonda

Ward Bond

Tyrone Power

Willard Robertson

Shirley Temple

John Carradine

John FordDirector, 5 films Irving CummingsDirector, 3 films

David ButlerDirector, 2 films

Films together

Henry Fonda5 films together, 1939 to 1946
Henry Fonda's page
- My Darling Clementine1946IMDb rating 7.7Darwell as Kate NelsonFonda as Wyatt Earp
- The Ox-Bow Incident1943IMDb rating 8.0Darwell as Ma GrierFonda as Gil Carter
- The Battle of Midway1942IMDb rating 6.1Darwell as NarratorFonda as Narrator
- The Grapes of Wrath1940IMDb rating 8.1Darwell as Ma JoadFonda as Tom Joad
- Jesse James1939IMDb rating 7.0Darwell as Mrs. SamuelsFonda as Frank James
Ward Bond4 films together, 1940 to 1950
Ward Bond's page
- Wagon Master1950IMDb rating 7.1Darwell as Sister LedyardBond as Wiggs / Elder Wiggs
- 3 Godfathers1948IMDb rating 7.0Darwell as Miss FlorieBond as Perley 'Buck' Sweet
- My Darling Clementine1946IMDb rating 7.7Darwell as Kate NelsonBond as Morgan Earp
- The Grapes of Wrath1940IMDb rating 8.1Darwell as Ma JoadBond as Policeman
Tyrone Power4 films together, 1937 to 1940
Tyrone Power's page
- Brigham Young1940IMDb rating 6.3Darwell as Eliza KentPower as Jonathan Kent
- Jesse James1939IMDb rating 7.0Darwell as Mrs. SamuelsPower as Jesse James
- The Rains Came1939IMDb rating 6.9Darwell as Aunt Phoebe SmileyPower as Major Rama Safti
- Love Is News1937IMDb rating 6.9Darwell as Mrs. FlahertyPower as Steve Leyton
Willard Robertson4 films together, 1933 to 1943
Willard Robertson's page
- The Ox-Bow Incident1943IMDb rating 8.0Darwell as Ma GrierRobertson as Sheriff Risley
- Brigham Young1940IMDb rating 6.3Darwell as Eliza KentRobertson as Heber Kimball
- Jesse James1939IMDb rating 7.0Darwell as Mrs. SamuelsRobertson as Clarke
- Roman Scandals1933IMDb rating 6.6Darwell as Roman Spa ProprietressRobertson as Warren Finley Cooper
Shirley Temple4 films together, 1934 to 1936
Shirley Temple's page
- Captain January1936IMDb rating 7.0Darwell as Eliza CroftTemple as Star
- Poor Little Rich Girl1936IMDb rating 7.0Darwell as WoodwardTemple as Barbara Barry
- Curly Top1935IMDb rating 6.8Darwell as Mrs. DenhamTemple as Elizabeth Blair
- Bright Eyes1934IMDb rating 7.2Darwell as Mrs. HigginsTemple as Shirley Blake
John Carradine3 films together, 1939 to 1940
John Carradine's page
- Brigham Young1940IMDb rating 6.3Darwell as Eliza KentCarradine as Porter Rockwell
- The Grapes of Wrath1940IMDb rating 8.1Darwell as Ma JoadCarradine as Jim Casy
- Jesse James1939IMDb rating 7.0Darwell as Mrs. SamuelsCarradine as Bob Ford
John FordDirector, 5 films, 1940 to 1950
All films by John Ford
- Wagon Master1950IMDb rating 7.1Darwell as Sister Ledyard
- 3 Godfathers1948IMDb rating 7.0Darwell as Miss Florie
- My Darling Clementine1946IMDb rating 7.7Darwell as Kate Nelson
- The Battle of Midway1942IMDb rating 6.1Darwell as Narrator
- The Grapes of Wrath1940IMDb rating 8.1Darwell as Ma Joad
Irving CummingsDirector, 3 films, 1935 to 1939
All films by Irving Cummings
- Jesse James1939IMDb rating 7.0Darwell as Mrs. Samuels
- Poor Little Rich Girl1936IMDb rating 7.0Darwell as Woodward
- Curly Top1935IMDb rating 6.8Darwell as Mrs. Denham
David ButlerDirector, 2 films, 1934 to 1936
All films by David Butler
- Captain January1936IMDb rating 7.0Darwell as Eliza Croft
- Bright Eyes1934IMDb rating 7.2Darwell as Mrs. Higgins
Also three films together4 more actors
- Alan MowbrayWagon Master (1950), My Darling Clementine (1946) and Roman Scandals (1933)
- Russell SimpsonWagon Master (1950), My Darling Clementine (1946) and The Grapes of Wrath (1940)
- Ruth CliffordWagon Master (1950), My Darling Clementine (1946) and It Happened in Flatbush (1942)
- Slim SummervilleJesse James (1939), Love Is News (1937) and Captain January (1936)
When several people share the same number of films, the ones with the most films on Netflix are in the chart.