Ann Rutherford

Therese Ann Rutherford (November 2, 1917 – June 11, 2012), known as Ann Rutherford, was a Canadian-American actress in film, radio, and television. She had a long career starring and co-starring in films, playing Polly Benedict during the 1930s and 1940s in the Andy Hardy series, and as Scarlett O'Hara's sister in the film Gone with the Wind (1939).

Biography

Background

Rutherford was born in Vancouver, to John Rutherford, a former operatic tenor, and Lucille Mansfield, a silent film actress. While Rutherford was still a baby, the family moved to San Francisco. Soon afterwards, her parents separated and Lucille Mansfield moved to Los Angeles with Ann Rutherford and her sister Judith.

While roller skating home from middle school in Hollywood, Rutherford would stop at some of the radio studios to listen to voice actors perform. After being criticized one day by her English teacher, Rutherford decided to show her up. The girl falsified an acting history and applied for work at radio station KFAC. A month later, Rutherford had a part in a radio serial drama.