Cathy O'Donnell (born Ann Steely, July 6, 1923 – April 11, 1970) was an American actress who appeared in The Best Years of Our Lives, Ben-Hur, and films noir such as Detective Story and They Live by Night.
Early life O'Donnell was born Ann Steely in Siluria, Alabama. Her father, Grady Steely, was a schoolteacher and owned a local movie theatre. Her family moved to Greensboro, Alabama when she was seven, then to Oklahoma City when she was twelve. There she attended Harding Junior High School and Classen High School. She told a Boston Globe reporter in 1946 that she first became interested in acting at age fourteen after seeing Janet Gaynor in A Star Is Born. After high school she worked in a U.S. Army induction centre as a stenographer. She left that job to study acting at Oklahoma City University, where she played Juliet in a college production of Romeo and Juliet. She then saved money for a two-week trip to Hollywood, where she hoped to begin a movie career.
During her brief trip to Hollywood, an agent of Samuel Goldwyn spotted her at a drugstore. Although a screen test revealed her thick Southern accent, Goldwyn was impressed with her appearance and put her under contract. He sent her for acting and diction lessons and had her cast in local plays, including a Pasadena Playhouse dramatization of Little Women. She later changed her name to Cathy, after the female protagonist in Wuthering Heights. She then changed her last name to O'Donnell as recommended by Goldwyn's wife, who claimed that audiences loved actors with Irish last names.
Career O'Donnell appeared on stage in Boston in Life with Father in 1944. She made her film debut as an uncredited extra in Wonder Man (1945).
Her first major film role was in 1946's The Best Years of Our Lives, playing Wilma Cameron, the high-school sweetheart of Navy veteran Homer Parrish. Homer was played by real-life World War II veteran and double amputee Harold Russell.
O'Donnell was loaned to RKO for They Live by Night (1948). Farley Granger played her love interest. The film is on The Guardian list of the top 10 noir films. The two actors appeared together again in Side Street (1950).
Later she starred in The Miniver Story (also 1950) as Judy Miniver. She had a large supporting role in Detective Story (1951) with Kirk Douglas. 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 in Ben-Hur (1959) playing the part of Tirzah, the sister to Judah Ben-Hur.
In the 1960s she appeared in TV 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 In 1946, while acting in The Best Years of Our Lives, O'Donnell met director William Wyler's older brother Robert Wyler. On April 11, 1948, at age 24, she married 47-year-old Robert. After four days, O'Donnell filed for divorce, alleging Robert of "extreme cruelty." A month later, they reconciled.
On April 11, 1970, her 22nd wedding anniversary, O'Donnell died after a long battle with cancer. She is interred at Forest Lawn Memorial Park, Glendale, California.
Filmography Films Year Film Director Role Notes 1945 Wonder Man H. Bruce Humberstone Nightclub Extra Uncredited 1946 The Best Years of Our Lives William Wyler Wilma Cameron 1947 Bury Me Dead Bernard Vorhaus Rusty 1948 The Amazing Mr. X Bernard Vorhaus Janet Burke 1948 They Live by Night Nicholas Ray Catherine "Keechie" Mobley 1950 Side Street Anthony Mann Ellen Norson 1950 The Miniver Story H.C. Potter Judy Miniver 1951 Never Trust a Gambler Ralph Murphy Virginia Merrill 1951 Detective Story William Wyler Susan Carmichael 1952 The Woman's Angle Leslie Arliss Nina Van Rhyne 1954 Eight O'Clock Walk Lance Comfort Jill Manning 1954 Loves of Three Queens Edgar G. Ulmer Enone segment "The Face That Launched a Thousand Ships" 1955 Mad at the World Harry Essex Anne Bennett 1955 The Man from Laramie Anthony Mann Barbara Waggoman 1957 The Deerslayer Kurt Neumann Judith Hutter 1957 The Story of Mankind Irwin Allen Early Christian Woman 1958 My World Dies Screaming Harold Daniels Sheila Wayne Tierney retitled Terror in the Haunted House 1959 Ben-Hur William Wyler Tirzah
Television Year Show Episode Role Notes 1951 Lights Out To See OurselvesSeason 4 Episode 4 1953 Orient Express 13th Spy Francine GilmanSeason 1 Episode 13 1954 The Philip Morris Playhouse Up for ParoleSeason 1 Episode 19 1954 Orient Express The Human Bond Season ? Episode ? 1954 Center Stage Chivalry at Howling CreekSeason 1 Episode 1 1954 The Motorola Television Hour Chivalry at Howling Creek Season 1 Episode 16 1955 The Best of Broadway The Best of Broadway Amy FisherSeason 1 Episode 6 1955 Climax! Flight 951 Mona HerbertSeason 1 Episode 22 1956 Matinee Theater Greybeards and Witches VelnaSeason 1 Episode 130 1958Zane Grey Theater Sundown at Bitter Creek Jennie ParsonsSeason 2 Episode 19 1958 The Californians Skeleton in the Closet Grace AdamsSeason 1 Episode 28 1958 Target Fateful Decision Season 1 Episode 22 1959 Man Without a Gun AccusedSeason 2 Episode 10 1960 The Detectives The Trap Laurie DolanSeason 1 Episode 17 1960 The Rebel You Steal My Eyes Prudence GantSeason 1 Episode 24 1960 Tate Quiet After the Storm AmySeason 1 Episode 12 1960 The Rebel The Hope Chest Felicity BowmanSeason 2 Episode 15 1961 Perry Mason The Case of the Fickle Fortune Norma BrooksSeason 4 Episode 15 1961 Sugarfoot Angel AngelSeason 4 Episode 7 1964 Bonanza The Lila Conrad Story Sarah KnowlesSeason 5 Episode 14
References
External links
Cathy O'Donnell at Reel Classics