Ruth Gordon

Ruth Gordon Jones (October 30, 1896 – August 28, 1985) was an American actress, screenwriter and playwright. Gordon began her career performing on Broadway at age nineteen. Known for her nasal voice and distinctive personality, she gained international recognition and critical acclaim for film roles that continued into her seventies and eighties. Her later work included performances in Rosemary's Baby (1968), Where's Poppa? (1970), Harold and Maude (1971), Every Which Way but Loose (1978) and Any Which Way You Can (1980). In addition to her acting career, Gordon wrote numerous plays, film scripts, and books, most notably co-writing the screenplay for the 1949 film Adam's Rib. Gordon won an Oscar, an Emmy, and two Golden Globe Awards for her acting, as well as received three Academy Award nominations for her writing. Description above from the Wikipedia article Ruth Gordon, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.

2

Rosemary's Baby (1968)

ClassicDarkDramaticInspiring

A young couple, Rosemary and Guy, moves into an infamous New York apartment building, known by frightening legends and mysterious events, with the purpose of starting a family.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Roman Polanski
CAST:  Mia Farrow  •  John Cassavetes  •  Ruth Gordon  •  Sidney Blackmer

A young couple, Rosemary and Guy, moves into an infamous New York apartment building, known by frightening legends and mysterious events, with the purpose of starting a family.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Roman Polanski
CAST:  Mia Farrow  •  John Cassavetes  •  Ruth Gordon  •  Sidney Blackmer

Every Which Way but Loose (1978)

Philo Beddoe is your regular, easygoing, truck-driving guy. He's also the best bar-room brawler west of the Rockies. And he lives with a 165-pound orangutan named Clyde. Like other guys, Philo finally falls in love - with a flighty singer who leads him on a ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  James Fargo
CAST:  Clint Eastwood  •  Sondra Locke  •  Ruth Gordon  •  Beverly D'Angelo

Philo Beddoe is your regular, easygoing, truck-driving guy. He's also the best bar-room brawler west of the Rockies. And he lives with a 165-pound orangutan named Clyde. Like other guys, Philo finally falls in love - with a flighty singer who leads him on a ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  James Fargo
CAST:  Clint Eastwood  •  Sondra Locke  •  Ruth Gordon  •  Beverly D'Angelo

Harold and Maude (1971)

FunnyBeautifulCharmingClever

The young Harold lives in his own world of suicide-attempts and funeral visits to avoid the misery of his current family and home environment. Harold meets an 80-year-old woman named Maude who also lives in her own world yet one in which she is having the time of ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Hal Ashby
CAST:  Ruth Gordon  •  Bud Cort  •  Cyril Cusack  •  Charles Tyner

The young Harold lives in his own world of suicide-attempts and funeral visits to avoid the misery of his current family and home environment. Harold meets an 80-year-old woman named Maude who also lives in her own world yet one in which she is having the time of ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Hal Ashby
CAST:  Ruth Gordon  •  Bud Cort  •  Cyril Cusack  •  Charles Tyner

My Bodyguard (1980)

InspiringClassicDramaticThought provoking

Clifford Peach, an easygoing teenager, is finding less than easy to fit in at his new high school, where a tough-talking bully terrorizes his classmates and extorts their lunch money. Refusing to pay up, Clifford enlist the aid of an overgrown misfit whose mere ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Tony Bill
CAST:  Chris Makepeace  •  Adam Baldwin  •  Matt Dillon  •  Martin Mull

Clifford Peach, an easygoing teenager, is finding less than easy to fit in at his new high school, where a tough-talking bully terrorizes his classmates and extorts their lunch money. Refusing to pay up, Clifford enlist the aid of an overgrown misfit whose mere ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Tony Bill
CAST:  Chris Makepeace  •  Adam Baldwin  •  Matt Dillon  •  Martin Mull

The Big Bus (1976)

The ultimate disaster film parody. A nuclear-powered bus is making its maiden non-stop trip from New York to Denver. The journey is plagued by disasters due to the machinations of a mysterious group allied with the oil lobby. Will the down-on-his-luck driver, with ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  James Frawley
CAST:  Joseph Bologna  •  Stockard Channing  •  John Beck  •  René Auberjonois

The ultimate disaster film parody. A nuclear-powered bus is making its maiden non-stop trip from New York to Denver. The journey is plagued by disasters due to the machinations of a mysterious group allied with the oil lobby. Will the down-on-his-luck driver, with ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  James Frawley
CAST:  Joseph Bologna  •  Stockard Channing  •  John Beck  •  René Auberjonois

Abe Lincoln in Illinois (1940)

Abe Lincoln in Illinois is a 1940 biographical film which tells the story of the life of Abraham Lincoln from his departure from Kentucky until his election as President of the United States.  (more)

DIRECTION:  John Cromwell
CAST:  Raymond Massey  •  Gene Lockhart  •  Ruth Gordon  •  Mary Howard

Abe Lincoln in Illinois is a 1940 biographical film which tells the story of the life of Abraham Lincoln from his departure from Kentucky until his election as President of the United States.  (more)

DIRECTION:  John Cromwell
CAST:  Raymond Massey  •  Gene Lockhart  •  Ruth Gordon  •  Mary Howard

Edge of Darkness (1943)

The film pivots around the local Norwegian doctor and his family. The doctor's wife (Ruth Gordon) wants to hold on to the pretence of gracious living and ignore their German occupiers. The doctor, Martin Stensgard (Walter Huston), would also prefer to stay neutral, ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Lewis Milestone
CAST:  Errol Flynn  •  Ann Sheridan  •  Walter Huston  •  Nancy Coleman

The film pivots around the local Norwegian doctor and his family. The doctor's wife (Ruth Gordon) wants to hold on to the pretence of gracious living and ignore their German occupiers. The doctor, Martin Stensgard (Walter Huston), would also prefer to stay neutral, ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Lewis Milestone
CAST:  Errol Flynn  •  Ann Sheridan  •  Walter Huston  •  Nancy Coleman

Inside Daisy Clover (1965)

A girl on the road to stardom fights the dehumanizing effects of Hollywood life.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Robert Mulligan
CAST:  Natalie Wood  •  Christopher Plummer  •  Robert Redford  •  Roddy McDowall

A girl on the road to stardom fights the dehumanizing effects of Hollywood life.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Robert Mulligan
CAST:  Natalie Wood  •  Christopher Plummer  •  Robert Redford  •  Roddy McDowall

Any Which Way You Can (1980)

Philo takes part in a bare knuckle fight - as he does - to make some more money than he can earn from his car repair business. He decides to retire from fighting, but when the Mafia come along and arrange another fight, he is pushed into it. A motorcycle gang and ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Buddy Van Horn
CAST:  Clint Eastwood  •  Sondra Locke  •  Geoffrey Lewis  •  Harry Guardino

Philo takes part in a bare knuckle fight - as he does - to make some more money than he can earn from his car repair business. He decides to retire from fighting, but when the Mafia come along and arrange another fight, he is pushed into it. A motorcycle gang and ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Buddy Van Horn
CAST:  Clint Eastwood  •  Sondra Locke  •  Geoffrey Lewis  •  Harry Guardino

Maxie (1985)

When Nick and Jan move into their new apartment in San Francisco, the batty landlady upstairs tells them about a girl who used to live there in the 20's: a brash young party girl named Maxie, who died in a car crash the morning before her big audition for a ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Paul Aaron
CAST:  Glenn Close  •  Mandy Patinkin  •  Ruth Gordon  •  Michael Ensign

When Nick and Jan move into their new apartment in San Francisco, the batty landlady upstairs tells them about a girl who used to live there in the 20's: a brash young party girl named Maxie, who died in a car crash the morning before her big audition for a ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Paul Aaron
CAST:  Glenn Close  •  Mandy Patinkin  •  Ruth Gordon  •  Michael Ensign

Hardhat & Legs (1980)

A sex education teacher falls for a construction worker with a gambling problem.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Lee Phillips
CAST:  Kevin Dobson  •  Sharon Gless  •  Raymond Serra  •  Jacqueline Brookes

A sex education teacher falls for a construction worker with a gambling problem.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Lee Phillips
CAST:  Kevin Dobson  •  Sharon Gless  •  Raymond Serra  •  Jacqueline Brookes

Night of 100 Stars (1982)

The most glittering, expensive, and exhausting videotaping session in television history took place Friday February 19, 1982 at New York's Radio City Music Hall. The event, for which ticket-buyers payed up to $1,000 a seat (tax-deductible as a contribution to the ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Clark Jones
CAST:  Jane Alexander  •  Peter Allen  •  Lauren Bacall  •  Steve Allen

The most glittering, expensive, and exhausting videotaping session in television history took place Friday February 19, 1982 at New York's Radio City Music Hall. The event, for which ticket-buyers payed up to $1,000 a seat (tax-deductible as a contribution to the ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Clark Jones
CAST:  Jane Alexander  •  Peter Allen  •  Lauren Bacall  •  Steve Allen

Dr. Ehrlich's Magic Bullet (1940)

True story of the doctor who considered it was not immoral to search for a drug that would cure syphillis.  (more)

DIRECTION:  William Dieterle
CAST:  Edward G. Robinson  •  Ruth Gordon  •  Otto Kruger  •  Donald Crisp

True story of the doctor who considered it was not immoral to search for a drug that would cure syphillis.  (more)

DIRECTION:  William Dieterle
CAST:  Edward G. Robinson  •  Ruth Gordon  •  Otto Kruger  •  Donald Crisp

Jimmy the Kid (1982)

Gang of bumbling crooks kidnap a bratty little kid, find out they got more than they bargained for.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Gary Nelson
CAST:  Gary Coleman  •  Don Adams  •  Paul Le Mat  •  Ruth Gordon

Gang of bumbling crooks kidnap a bratty little kid, find out they got more than they bargained for.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Gary Nelson
CAST:  Gary Coleman  •  Don Adams  •  Paul Le Mat  •  Ruth Gordon

Isn't It Shocking? (1973)

A small-town sheriff is confronted with the deaths of local senior citizens and strange goings-on in his town.  (more)

DIRECTION:  John Badham
CAST:  Alan Alda  •  Louise Lasser  •  Edmond O'Brien  •  Lloyd Nolan

A small-town sheriff is confronted with the deaths of local senior citizens and strange goings-on in his town.  (more)

DIRECTION:  John Badham
CAST:  Alan Alda  •  Louise Lasser  •  Edmond O'Brien  •  Lloyd Nolan

Voyage of the Rock Aliens (1984)

Aliens land in the mythical town of "Speelburgh, U.S.A" searching for the source of rock & roll. What they find is a gang of teenagers, led by Dee Dee and Frankie, along with Frankie's posse/rock band, the Pack. The leader of the aliens takes a shine to Dee Dee and ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  James Fargo
CAST:  Pia Zadora  •  Craig Sheffer  •  Ruth Gordon  •  Tom Nolan

Aliens land in the mythical town of "Speelburgh, U.S.A" searching for the source of rock & roll. What they find is a gang of teenagers, led by Dee Dee and Frankie, along with Frankie's posse/rock band, the Pack. The leader of the aliens takes a shine to Dee Dee and ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  James Fargo
CAST:  Pia Zadora  •  Craig Sheffer  •  Ruth Gordon  •  Tom Nolan

Perfect Gentlemen (1978)

Women whose husbands are incarcerated decide to band together to rob a hotel safe.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Jackie Cooper
CAST:  Lauren Bacall  •  Ruth Gordon  •  Sandy Dennis  •  Lisa Pelikan

Women whose husbands are incarcerated decide to band together to rob a hotel safe.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Jackie Cooper
CAST:  Lauren Bacall  •  Ruth Gordon  •  Sandy Dennis  •  Lisa Pelikan

The Trouble with Spies (1987)

George Trent, a British spy, has gone incommunicado in Ibiza. Appleton Porter (Donald Sutherland) is sent to find out what happened to Trent. Porter settles into a small hotel with several busybody guests. He probes them for information about Trent, their former ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Burt Kennedy
CAST:  Donald Sutherland  •  Ned Beatty  •  Ruth Gordon  •  Lucy Gutteridge

George Trent, a British spy, has gone incommunicado in Ibiza. Appleton Porter (Donald Sutherland) is sent to find out what happened to Trent. Porter settles into a small hotel with several busybody guests. He probes them for information about Trent, their former ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Burt Kennedy
CAST:  Donald Sutherland  •  Ned Beatty  •  Ruth Gordon  •  Lucy Gutteridge

Boardwalk (1979)

In this drama, David Rosen and his wife Becky have lived in the same Coney Island neighborhood for nearly all their married life. But the area is not what it used to be, and a gang leader named Strut has decided to make Coney Island his new turf. Strut begins ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Stephen Verona
CAST:  Ruth Gordon  •  Lee Strasberg  •  Janet Leigh  •  Joe Silver

In this drama, David Rosen and his wife Becky have lived in the same Coney Island neighborhood for nearly all their married life. But the area is not what it used to be, and a gang leader named Strut has decided to make Coney Island his new turf. Strut begins ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Stephen Verona
CAST:  Ruth Gordon  •  Lee Strasberg  •  Janet Leigh  •  Joe Silver

The Prince of Central Park (1977)

A lonely widow who frequents Central Park becomes emotionally involved with two orphaned youngsters who have built an oasis for themselves there after fleeing from a foster home. A young Brooke Shields made her TV acting debut in a small role.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Harvey Hart
CAST:  Ruth Gordon  •  Brooke Shields  •  T.J. Hargrave  •  Marc Vahanian

A lonely widow who frequents Central Park becomes emotionally involved with two orphaned youngsters who have built an oasis for themselves there after fleeing from a foster home. A young Brooke Shields made her TV acting debut in a small role.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Harvey Hart
CAST:  Ruth Gordon  •  Brooke Shields  •  T.J. Hargrave  •  Marc Vahanian
2