Rosalind Russell
Biography
Rosalind Russell was an American actress, born in Waterbury, Connecticut, who began as a fashion model and in Broadway shows before becoming a contract player at Universal and MGM, making her film debut in Evelyn Prentice (1934). She became known for fast-talking comedy, playing catty Sylvia Fowler in The Women (1939) and reporter Hildy Johnson in His Girl Friday (1940). In the comedy My Sister Eileen (1942), she played older sister Ruth Sherwood and received her first Academy Award nomination, and she starred in Mourning Becomes Electra (1947), winning a Golden Globe and earning another Oscar nomination. She won a Tony for the Broadway musical Wonderful Town (1953) and starred as Mame Dennis on stage and in Auntie Mame (1958). Her other films included Picnic (1955), The Trouble with Angels (1966), and Where Angels Go, Trouble Follows (1968). She received five Golden Globe Awards and four Academy Award nominations, and wrote screenplays under the pen name C. A. McKnight.
69years old at death
- Born Waterbury
- Died Beverly Hills
- Star sign: GeminiThe sign runs May 21 to June 20
- Also credited as Catherine Rosalind Russell
Movie Career
- Films
- 17
- Career span
- 34 years1934 to 1968
Genres
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A role that slipped away
Before Russell was cast as Hildy, Howard Hawks asked Katharine Hepburn, Irene Dunne, Claudette Colbert, Jean Arthur, Margaret Sullavan and Ginger Rogers to play his film's fast-talking reporter, and all of them refused. Russell called herself "Everyone's fifteenth choice" for the role.
Big break
Harold S. Bucquet directed Rosalind Russell's screen test, and she later recalled that a closeup he took of her was the reason she got hired.
Behind the award
Russell earned a third Academy Award nomination and a second Golden Globe, and was so heavily favored that she started to stand up before the winner was announced. The Best Actress award went to Loretta Young for The Farmer's Daughter.
Beyond film
Russell took voice lessons and had a brief opera career that ended because she had trouble reaching the high notes.
Rosalind Russell movies on Netflix
Best known for
The films on Netflix they are best known for, with the part played in each.
Most often with
Clark Gable appears in three 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.
Films together
Clark Gable's page
Irving Bacon's page
Joan Crawford's page
Edward Brophy's page
Mary Wickes's page
Thurston Hall's page
Also two films together10 more actors
- Matthew BoultonThey Met in Bombay (1941) and Night Must Fall (1937)
- Patric KnowlesAuntie Mame (1958) and Four's a Crowd (1938)
- Jay NovelloTell It to the Judge (1949) and They Met in Bombay (1941)
- Eily MalyonNight Must Fall (1937) and Forsaking All Others (1934)
- Leo GennThe Velvet Touch (1948) and Mourning Becomes Electra (1947)
- Robert MontgomeryNight Must Fall (1937) and Forsaking All Others (1934)
- Binnie BarnesWhere Angels Go, Trouble Follows (1968) and The Trouble with Angels (1966)
- Jessie RalphThey Met in Bombay (1941) and Evelyn Prentice (1934)
- Dolores SuttonWhere Angels Go, Trouble Follows (1968) and The Trouble with Angels (1966)
- Barbara HunterWhere Angels Go, Trouble Follows (1968) and The Trouble with Angels (1966)
When several people share the same number of films, the ones with the most films on Netflix are in the chart.
Box office
What Rosalind Russell's films earned in cinemas worldwide.
Combined worldwide box office
$17.1 million
5 of the 17 films have a worldwide figure.
Of the 17 films: 5 worldwide figure; 2 us gross only; 10 figure not found.
- 5Worldwide figure
- 2US gross only
- 10Figure not found
Highest grossing
The five biggest films earned 100% of the total. The bars are drawn to scale.
- 1$9.0M52.7% of the total
- 2$2.6M15.2% of the total
- 3$2.3M13.3% of the total
- 4$2.2M12.9% of the total
- 5$1.0M5.9% of the total
Awards
Twelve awards and honors from 1947 to 2005, seven of them major.
| Year | Award | Film | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| Golden Globes | |||
| 1963 | Best Actress in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy | Gypsy | Won |
| 1962 | Best Actress in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy | A Majority of One | Won |
| 1959 | Best Actress in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy | Auntie Mame | Won |
| 1948 | Best Actress – Motion Picture Drama | Mourning Becomes Electra | Won |
| 1947 | Best Actress – Motion Picture Drama | Sister Kenny | Won |
| SAG Awards | |||
| Life Achievement Award | Won | ||
| Tony Awards | |||
| 1953 | Best Actress in a Musical | Wonderful Town | Won |
| Other honors | |||
| 2005 | Connecticut Women's Hall of Fame (posthumous) | Won | |
| 1973 | Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award | Won | |
| 1970 | Golden Plate Award | Won | |
| 1964 | Hasty Pudding Woman of the Year | Won | |
| Star on Hollywood Walk of Fame | Honored | ||
Online
Official profiles and reference pages.