Mary Nash

• Name — Mary Nash • Birth Name — Mary Honora Ryan • Born — 15 August 1884 • Birthplace — Troy, New York, U.S. • Died — 3 December 1976 • Place of death — Brentwood, Los Angeles, California, U.S. • Resting Place — St. Agnes Cemetery • Education — American Academy of Dramatic Arts • Known for — * In the Meantime, Darling • Heidi • The Little Princess • Occupation — Actress • Years Active — 1904–1946 • Spouse — José Ruben, married 1918, divorced after 1923 • Relatives — Florence Nash (sister) • Illustration — Nash ca. 1904 • Illustration — Nash ca. 1915

Mary and her younger sister, author/actress Florence, were born to James H. Ryan, a lawyer, and his wife, Ellen Frances (née McNamara). The sisters adopted the surname of their stepfather, Philip F. Nash, a vaudeville booking executive, who married their mother after the death of their father. Fortuitously, the name change would avoid conflict with actress Mary Ryan, who achieved Broadway popularity before Nash. Nash attended the Convent of St. Anne in Montreal and trained for acting at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts.

She was a stage actress in New York and London, and vaudeville. After brief appearances as a dancer at the Herald Square Theatre in 1904, she made her off-Broadway debut on Christmas Day 1905 as Leonora Dunbar in J. M. Barrie's Alice Sit-by-the-Fire, which starred Ethel Barrymore. She remained with Barrymore for two years, acting together in Captain Jinks and The Silver Box. Her last Broadway appearance was a production of Uncle Tom's Cabin in 1933 as Cassie, which starred Otis Skinner and Fay Bainter. She was acclaimed on the London stage. She started her Hollywood career in 1936, appearing in 18 films. She moved to Hollywood in 1934, where she acted in films until 1946. According to Allmovie: "Nash was often cast as seemingly mild-mannered women who turned vicious when challenged, as witness her work in College Scandal (1936) and Charlie Chan in Panama (1940)...Mary Nash's most sympathetic role was as the long-suffering wife of blustering capitalist J.B. Ball in Easy Living (1937)." In the 1940 film Gold Rush Maisie, she played the patient, forbearing wife and mother of a family - forced by the Dust Bowl and Depression to abandon their farm in Arkansas - who spent five years traveling through the country in search of seasonal work. Nash may be best known for playing villains in two Shirley Temple films, first as Fraulein Rottenmeier in Heidi (1937) and then as Miss Minchin in The Little Princess (1939). She played Katharine Hepburn's socialite mother in the movie version of The Philadelphia Story (1940). She played a supporting role in the 1936 Academy Award-winning film Come and Get It and had a featured role in the 1944 film In the Meantime, Darling.

On October 19, 1918, she wed the French-born actor and director José Ruben (1884–1969). They divorced sometime after 1923, when they were still living together with Florence Nash.

Nash died in her sleep at her Brentwood, California home on December 3, 1976. She was 92. She is interred at St. Agnes Cemetery in Menands, NY.

• Year — Film — Role — Director — Notes • 1915 — The Unbroken Road — Constance Turner • Tides of Time — Mary Martin (in the Five Ages of Woman) — Short • 1916 — Arms and the Woman — Rozika — George Fitzmaurice • 1934 — Uncertain Lady — Edith Hayes — Karl Freund • 1935 — College Scandal — Mrs. Fresnel — Elliott Nugent • 1936 — Come and Get It — Emma Louise — William Wyler • 1937 — The King and the Chorus Girl — Duchess Anna of Elberfield — Mervyn LeRoy • Easy Living — Mrs. Ball — Mitchell Leisen • Heidi — Fraulein Rottenmeier — Allan Dwan • Wells Fargo — Mrs. Pryor — Frank Lloyd • 1939 — The Little Princess — Amanda Minchin — Walter Lang • The Rains Came — Miss Mac Daid — Clarence Brown • 1940 — Charlie Chan in Panama — Miss Jennie Finch — Norman Foster • Sailor's Lady — Miss Purvis — Allan Dwan • Gold Rush Maisie — Sarah Davis — Norman Taurog • The Philadelphia Story — Margaret Lord — George Cukor • 1941 — Men of Boys Town — Mrs. Maitland — Norman Taurog • 1942 — Calling Dr. Gillespie — Emma Hope — Harold S. Bucquet • 1943 — The Human Comedy — Miss Hicks — Clarence Brown • 1944 — The Lady and the Monster — Mrs. Fame - the housekeeper — George Sherman • Cobra Woman — Queen — Robert Siodmak • In the Meantime, Darling — Mrs. Vera Preston — Otto Preminger • 1945 — Yolanda and the Thief — Duenna — Vincente Minnelli • 1946 — Monsieur Beaucaire — The Duenna — George Marshall • Till the Clouds Roll By — Mrs. Muller — Richard Whorf • Swell Guy — Sarah Duncan — Frank Tuttle — Final film role