Ann Blyth, Oscar-nominated Mildred Pierce star and MGM musical actress, dies at 98
Ann Blyth, the Oscar-nominated actress best known for her role as Joan Crawford’s troubled daughter in “Mildred Pierce” and for her work in MGM musicals, has died at the age of 98.
Blyth died Wednesday of natural causes at her home in Rancho Santa Fe, California, surrounded by her family, according to her daughter, Eileen McNulty.
One of the last surviving performers from Hollywood’s studio system era, Blyth built a career that spanned film, stage, radio, television, and concert performances. She appeared in a wide range of films, from youth-oriented pictures to serious dramas, sharing the screen with major stars including Bing Crosby, Tyrone Power, Gregory Peck, Robert Mitchum, and Mickey Rooney. She stepped away from regular film work by the late 1950s to focus on raising her children, though she continued performing in television productions and live musical tours.
Blyth’s career began early. At 13, she earned her first major stage success in Lillian Hellman’s anti-Nazi play “Watch on the Rhine,” starring alongside Bette Davis. After touring with the production, she was signed to a Universal contract and began appearing in low-budget musicals, including roles opposite Donald O’Connor.
Her breakthrough came when she was loaned to Warner Bros. for “Mildred Pierce,” where she portrayed Veda, the manipulative daughter of Joan Crawford’s character. The performance earned Blyth an Academy Award nomination at just 17 and marked a dramatic shift from the wholesome roles she had previously been known for. The film, a dark noir directed by Michael Curtiz, remains one of her most recognized performances.
In 1946, Blyth’s rising career was interrupted when she suffered a severe back injury in a toboggan accident. She spent more than a year recovering in a body cast and wheelchair, later crediting her faith with helping her through the long recovery.
After returning to acting, she took on a series of film roles across genres, including dramas and thrillers such as “Brute Force,” “A Woman’s Vengeance,” and “Another Part of the Forest,” where she played a younger version of a character previously portrayed by stage and screen stars Tallulah Bankhead and Bette Davis.
Her career later shifted toward musicals, including a notable turn in “The Great Caruso” opposite Mario Lanza. She went on to star in additional MGM productions such as “Rose Marie” and “Kismet,” often praised for her strong singing voice. Other films included “Top o’ the Morning” with Bing Crosby, “The World in His Arms” with Gregory Peck, and a reunion with Donald O’Connor in “The Buster Keaton Story.” Her final film role came in 1957’s “The Helen Morgan Story,” which also starred Paul Newman.
Born in 1928 in Mount Kisco, New York, Blyth grew up in New York City. After her father left the family, her mother supported them through a series of jobs while encouraging Blyth’s early interest in performing. She began acting on radio at age five and later trained with the San Carlo Opera Company.
Following her rise to fame, Blyth often credited her mother’s encouragement for helping her persevere through early career setbacks. Her mother died of cancer before Blyth’s breakthrough in “Mildred Pierce.”
In 1953, Blyth married physician James McNulty, with whom she had five children. The couple remained married until his death in 2007. She also made a memorable television appearance at the Academy Awards while visibly pregnant, performing “Secret Love” in a moment that drew widespread attention.
Blyth retired from film in her late 20s but remained active in performance through stage, television, and concert work for years afterward, leaving behind a legacy that bridged Hollywood’s golden age and its evolving post-studio era.
Comments
Post a Comment