Ruth Terry obit

Ruth Terry, Hollywood actress – obituary

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Ruth Mae Terry (born Ruth Mae McMahon, October 21, 1920 – March 11, 2016) was an American singer and actress in film and television from the 1930s to the 1960s. She claimed her stage name came from Walter Winchell, who combined the names of two then-famous baseball players, Babe Ruth and Bill Terry.

Terry was born in Benton Harbor, Michigan, the daughter of Irish-American parents, Mr. and Mrs. M. E. McMahon. She attended St John's Catholic School in Benton Harbor, Michigan.

Terry won a number of prizes for singing before singing with the Paul Ash Theater Orchestra at the age of twelve. At that same age, she left her hometown to sing with Clyde McCoy's orchestra.

Terry's first movie was Love and Hisses in 1937 with Walter Winchell, at which time she was earning $400 per week. Her first western was Call of the Canyon with Gene Autry. She appeared in several Roy Rogers movies. Her best-known movie was Pistol Packin' Mama, based on the song of the same name with Robert Livingston. She retired when she married her second husband in 1947.

While making films, Terry continued her singing career in a limited way. On August 15, 1943, she appeared as guest female singer on The Bob Crosby Show on NBC radio.

On June 20, 1942, Terry and test pilot John Martin eloped and were married in Las Vegas, Nevada. On October 25, 1947, she married John P. Gilmour, a Canadian. A November 8, 1947, article in her hometown newspaper, The News-Palladium, reported, "She has given up her career as an actress and she and her husband and her four-year-old son by a previous marriage will make their home at St. Genevieve de Pierre Fonds, Quebec."

Terry was a Republican who supported Dwight Eisenhower in the 1952 presidential election.

 

Actress

The New Interns (1964)

The New Interns

6.1

Carolyn's Mother (uncredited)

1964

 

Hand of Death (1962)

Hand of Death

4.7

Woman with Packages

1962

 

Cheyenne (1955)

Cheyenne

8.0

TV Series

Neighbor Woman

1961

1 episode

 

Coronado 9 (1960)

Coronado 9

7.8

TV Series

Paula Rhem

1961

1 episode

 

James Garner and Jack Kelly in Maverick (1957)

Maverick

8.0

TV Series

Librarian

1960

1 episode

 

Edd Byrnes, Roger Smith, and Efrem Zimbalist Jr. in 77 Sunset Strip (1958)

77 Sunset Strip

7.7

TV Series

Helen Blanton

1959

1 episode

 

Walter Brennan, Richard Crenna, and Kathleen Nolan in The Real McCoys (1957)

The Real McCoys

7.6

TV Series

Grace Harwick

1958

1 episode

 

Shelley Fabares, Donna Reed, Carl Betz, and Paul Petersen in The Donna Reed Show (1958)

The Donna Reed Show

7.4

TV Series

Ruth Sterling

1958

1 episode

 

Behind Closed Doors (1958)

Behind Closed Doors

7.7

TV Series

Sally Anderson

1958

1 episode

 

Richard Coogan in The Californians (1957)

The Californians

6.5

TV Series

Ravinia Selby

1958

1 episode

 

Paul Campbell, Gil Taylor, Ruth Terry, Paul Trietsch, Ken Trietsch, Charles Ward, and The Hoosier Hotshots in Smoky River Serenade (1947)

Smoky River Serenade

6.4

Sue Greeley

1947

 

Robert Livingston, Franklin Pangborn, and Ruth Terry in Tell It to a Star (1945)

Tell It to a Star

6.3

Carol Lambert

1945

 

Billie Burke, Ona Munson, Eugene Pallette, Joseph Schildkraut, Ruth Terry, and Raymond Walburn in The Cheaters (1945)

The Cheaters

6.8

Therese Pidgeon

1945

 

Edward Everett Horton and Gladys George in Steppin' in Society (1945)

Steppin' in Society

6.7

Lola Forrest

1945

 

Vera Ralston in Lake Placid Serenade (1944)

Lake Placid Serenade

6.4

Susan Cermak

1944

 

Don 'Red' Barry and Ruth Terry in My Buddy (1944)

My Buddy

6.1

Lola

1944

 

Roy Acuff, Virginia Brissac, Stanley Brown, Harry Cheshire, Carolina Cotton, Maxine Doyle, Earle Hodgins, Olin Howland, Charles Irwin, Mary Kenyon, Beverly Lloyd, Florence Pepper, Jimmy Riddle, Ruth Terry, Myrtle Wiseman, Scotty Wiseman, Joe Zinkan, Jesse Easterday, Beecher Kirby, Rachel Veach, The Milo Twins, and Roy Acuff and His Smoky Mountain Boys and Girls in Sing, Neighbor, Sing (1944)

Sing, Neighbor, Sing

6.2

Virginia Blake

1944

 

Mary Lee, Ruth Terry, and Cheryl Walker in Three Little Sisters (1944)

Three Little Sisters

5.3

Hallie Scott

1944

 

Henry Hull, Robert Livingston, and Ruth Terry in Goodnight, Sweetheart (1944)

Goodnight, Sweetheart

5.7

Caryl Martin

1944

 

Paul Harvey, Ruth Terry, and George Byron in Jamboree (1944)

Jamboree

5.4

Ruth Cartwright

1944

 

Roy Rogers, Ruth Terry, and Trigger in Hands Across the Border (1944)

Hands Across the Border

5.9

Kim Adams

1944

 

Robert Livingston, Ruth Terry, and Wally Vernon in Pistol Packin' Mama (1943)

Pistol Packin' Mama

6.4

Vicki Norris

Sally Benson

1943

 

Frank Albertson and Ruth Terry in Mystery Broadcast (1943)

Mystery Broadcast

6.1

Jan Cornell

1943

 

Roy Rogers, Ruth Terry, and Trigger in Man from Music Mountain (1943)

Man from Music Mountain

6.2

Laramie Winters

1943

 

Roy Rogers, Pat Brady, Hugh Farr, Karl Farr, Sons of the Pioneers, Tim Spencer, and Ruth Terry in Heart of the Golden West (1942)

Heart of the Golden West

6.1

Mary Lou Popen

1942

 

Ruth Terry in Youth on Parade (1942)

Youth on Parade

5.4

Patty Flynn

Betty Reilly

1942

 

Gene Autry, Pat Brady, Hugh Farr, Karl Farr, Bob Nolan, Sons of the Pioneers, Tim Spencer, and Ruth Terry in Call of the Canyon (1942)

Call of the Canyon

6.5

Katherine 'Kit' Carson

1942

 

Dennis O'Keefe and Ruth Terry in The Affairs of Jimmy Valentine (1942)

The Affairs of Jimmy Valentine

6.0

Bonnie Forbes

1942

 

Judy Canova in Sleepytime Gal (1942)

Sleepytime Gal

7.0

Sugar Caston

1942

 

Charles Boyer and Margaret Sullavan in Appointment for Love (1941)

Appointment for Love

5.8

Edith Meredith

1941

 

Rookies on Parade (1941)

Rookies on Parade

Lois Rogers

1941

 

Arthur Lake, Larry Simms, and Penny Singleton in Blondie Goes Latin (1941)

Blondie Goes Latin

6.5

Lovey Nelson - the Singer

1941

 

Johnny Downs and Ruth Terry in Sing, Dance, Plenty Hot (1940)

Sing, Dance, Plenty Hot

7.0

Irene

1940

 

Eddie Albert, Ronald Reagan, Rosemary Lane, Wayne Morris, Ruth Terry, and Jane Wyman in An Angel from Texas (1940)

An Angel from Texas

5.7

Valerie Blayne

1940

 

Broderick Crawford, Pat O'Brien, and Ruth Terry in Slightly Honorable (1939)

Slightly Honorable

6.0

Ann Seymour

1939

 

Hotel for Women (1939)

Hotel for Women

6.6

Craig's Receptionist

1939

 

Wendy Barrie and Richard Greene in The Hound of the Baskervilles (1939)

The Hound of the Baskervilles

7.4

Betsy Ann (uncredited)

1939

 

Binnie Barnes, Warner Baxter, and Loretta Young in Wife, Husband and Friend (1939)

Wife, Husband and Friend

6.2

Carol

1939

 

John Barrymore, Joan Davis, Jack Haley, George Murphy, and Marjorie Weaver in Hold That Co-ed (1938)

Hold That Co-ed

6.1

Edie

1938

 

Tyrone Power, Don Ameche, and Alice Faye in Alexander's Ragtime Band (1938)

Alexander's Ragtime Band

6.8

Ruby

1938

 

George Sanders, Dolores Del Río, Dick Baldwin, and June Lang in International Settlement (1938)

International Settlement

6.5

Specialty

1938

 

Ben Bernie, Joan Davis, Bert Lahr, Simone Simon, and Walter Winchell in Love and Hisses (1937)

Love and Hisses

6.1

Hawaiian Specialty Singer

1937

 

Soundtrack

Paul Campbell, Gil Taylor, Ruth Terry, Paul Trietsch, Ken Trietsch, Charles Ward, and The Hoosier Hotshots in Smoky River Serenade (1947)

Smoky River Serenade

6.4

performer: "Suppose a Girl" (uncredited)

1947

 

Don 'Red' Barry and Ruth Terry in My Buddy (1944)

My Buddy

6.1

performer: "Who Done It?"

1944

 

Roy Acuff, Virginia Brissac, Stanley Brown, Harry Cheshire, Carolina Cotton, Maxine Doyle, Earle Hodgins, Olin Howland, Charles Irwin, Mary Kenyon, Beverly Lloyd, Florence Pepper, Jimmy Riddle, Ruth Terry, Myrtle Wiseman, Scotty Wiseman, Joe Zinkan, Jesse Easterday, Beecher Kirby, Rachel Veach, The Milo Twins, and Roy Acuff and His Smoky Mountain Boys and Girls in Sing, Neighbor, Sing (1944)

Sing, Neighbor, Sing

6.2

performer: "Dear Old Blake", "The Popcorn Polka" (uncredited)

1944

 

Mary Lee, Ruth Terry, and Cheryl Walker in Three Little Sisters (1944)

Three Little Sisters

5.3

performer: "Three Little Sisters"

1944

 

Henry Hull, Robert Livingston, and Ruth Terry in Goodnight, Sweetheart (1944)

Goodnight, Sweetheart

5.7

performer: "I'm Not Myself Anymore"

1944

 

Paul Harvey, Ruth Terry, and George Byron in Jamboree (1944)

Jamboree

5.4

performer: "Jamboree"

1944

 

Robert Livingston, Ruth Terry, and Wally Vernon in Pistol Packin' Mama (1943)

Pistol Packin' Mama

6.4

performer: "Pistol Packin' Mama" (uncredited)

1943

 

Gene Autry, Pat Brady, Hugh Farr, Karl Farr, Bob Nolan, Sons of the Pioneers, Tim Spencer, and Ruth Terry in Call of the Canyon (1942)

Call of the Canyon

6.5

performer: "When It's Chilly Down In Chile"

1942

 

Rookies on Parade (1941)

Rookies on Parade

performer: "Mother Never Told Me"

1941

 

Arthur Lake, Larry Simms, and Penny Singleton in Blondie Goes Latin (1941)

Blondie Goes Latin

6.5

performer: "You Don't Play a Drum, You Beat It", "You Can Cry On My Shoulder"

1941

 

Broderick Crawford, Pat O'Brien, and Ruth Terry in Slightly Honorable (1939)

Slightly Honorable

6.0

performer: "Cupid's After Me"

1939

 

George Sanders, Dolores Del Río, Dick Baldwin, and June Lang in International Settlement (1938)

International Settlement

6.5

performer: "Shrug"

1938

 

Self

Sterling Hayden, Roy Rogers, and Tristram Coffin in The Republic Pictures Story (1991)

The Republic Pictures Story

8.0

TV Movie

Self

1991

 

Archive Footage

TCM Remembers 2016

Music Video

Self

actress (archive footage)

2016

 

Roy Rogers, King of the Cowboys

8.5

Self (archive footage)

1992