Catherine Rosalind Russell (June , â€" November , ) was an American
actress, comedian, screenwriter and singer, known for her role as
fast-talking newspaper reporter Hildy Johnson in the Howard Hawks
screwball comedy His Girl Friday (), as well as for her portrayals of
Mame Dennis in Auntie Mame () and Rose in Gypsy (). A noted comedian,
she won all five Golden Globes for which she was nominated. Russell
won the Tony Award for Best Actress in a Musical in for her portrayal
of Ruth in the Broadway show Wonderful Town (a musical based on the
film My Sister Eileen, in which she also starred). She was nominated
for the Academy Award for Best Actress four times throughout her
career.In addition to her success as a comedic lead, Russell was known
for playing dramatic characters, especially wealthy, dignified,
ladylike women, being one of the few actresses of her time who
regularly played professional women such as judges, reporters, and
psychiatrists. She had a wide career span from the s to the s and
attributed her long career to the fact that, although usually playing
classy and glamorous roles, she never became a sex symbol.Catherine
Rosalind Russell was one of seven children born in Waterbury,
Connecticut, to James Edward, a lawyer, and Clara A. Russell (née
McKnight), a teacher. The Russells were an Irish-American, Catholic
family. She was named after a ship on which her parents had traveled.
She attended Catholic schools, including Rosemont College in Rosemont,
Pennsylvania and Marymount College in Tarrytown, New York, then
attended the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in New York City. Her
parents thought Russell was studying to become a teacher and were
unaware that she was planning to become an actress. Upon graduation
from the performing arts school, Russell acted in summer stock and
joined a repertory company in Boston.
actress, comedian, screenwriter and singer, known for her role as
fast-talking newspaper reporter Hildy Johnson in the Howard Hawks
screwball comedy His Girl Friday (), as well as for her portrayals of
Mame Dennis in Auntie Mame () and Rose in Gypsy (). A noted comedian,
she won all five Golden Globes for which she was nominated. Russell
won the Tony Award for Best Actress in a Musical in for her portrayal
of Ruth in the Broadway show Wonderful Town (a musical based on the
film My Sister Eileen, in which she also starred). She was nominated
for the Academy Award for Best Actress four times throughout her
career.In addition to her success as a comedic lead, Russell was known
for playing dramatic characters, especially wealthy, dignified,
ladylike women, being one of the few actresses of her time who
regularly played professional women such as judges, reporters, and
psychiatrists. She had a wide career span from the s to the s and
attributed her long career to the fact that, although usually playing
classy and glamorous roles, she never became a sex symbol.Catherine
Rosalind Russell was one of seven children born in Waterbury,
Connecticut, to James Edward, a lawyer, and Clara A. Russell (née
McKnight), a teacher. The Russells were an Irish-American, Catholic
family. She was named after a ship on which her parents had traveled.
She attended Catholic schools, including Rosemont College in Rosemont,
Pennsylvania and Marymount College in Tarrytown, New York, then
attended the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in New York City. Her
parents thought Russell was studying to become a teacher and were
unaware that she was planning to become an actress. Upon graduation
from the performing arts school, Russell acted in summer stock and
joined a repertory company in Boston.
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