Cathy O'Donnell

Cathy O'Donnell
O'Donnell in 1959
Born	Ann Steely (1923-07-06)July 6, 1923 Siluria, Alabama, US
Died	April 11, 1970(1970-04-11) (aged 46) Los Angeles, California], US
Resting place	Forest Lawn Memorial Park, Glendale
Alma mater	Oklahoma City University
Occupation	Actress
Years active	1945–1964
Spouse(s)	Robert Wyler (1948–70; her death)

Cathy O'Donnell (July 6, 1923 – April 11, 1970) was an American actress, best remembered for her roles in films-noir.

Early life

She was born Ann Steely in Siluria in Shelby County in central Alabama. She attended Oklahoma City University and studied drama at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts before beginning her career on stage, followed by motion pictures.

Career

While under contract with Samuel Goldwyn, O'Donnell made her début in an uncredited role as a nightclub extra in Wonder Man (1945). Her first major role in The Best Years of Our Lives (1946), playing Wilma Cameron, the high-school sweetheart of double amputatee Homer Parrish, played by real-life World War II veteran/amputee Harold Russell.

She was loaned out to RKO for one of her most memorable films, They Live by Night (1949) starring with Farley Granger, widely considered a classic of the noir genre and on the Guardian's list of the top ten noir films. The film was directed by Nicholas Ray. The two actors later re-teamed for another film, Side Street (1950).

Later O'Donnell starred in The Miniver Story (also 1950), as Judy Miniver and also had a supporting role in Detective Story (1951). She appeared as Barbara Waggoman, the love interest of James Stewart's character in the western The Man from Laramie (1955). Her final film role was the title character's sister Tirzah in William Wyler's 1959 Academy Award winning Best Picture Ben-Hur (1959).

In the 1960s, she appeared in TV shows, playing mostly bit parts on shows such as Perry Mason, The Rebel and Man Without a Gun. Her last screen appearance was in 1964, in an episode of Bonanza.

Personal life and death

On April 11, 1948, at 24 years old, she married 47-year-old Robert Wyler, the elder brother of film director William Wyler who later directed her in Detective Story and Ben-Hur. At the age of 46, O'Donnell died of a cancer-related cerebral hemorrhage, on her 22nd wedding anniversary.^[1] She is interred at Forest Lawn Memorial Park, Glendale, California.

Filmography

Films

Television

References

External links

• Cathy O'Donnell at the Internet Movie Database
• Cathy O'Donnell at AllMovie
• Cathy O'Donnell at Find a Grave
• Cathy O'Donnell at Reel Classics