Clara Lou Sheridan was born February 21, 1915, in Denton, Texas. She was the daughter of an automobile mechanic and his homemaker wife. The youngest of five children, she grew up in a normal childhood environment.
She was a self-described tomboy and was very athletic, even so far as playing on the girls basketball team for North Texas State Teacher's College, where she was planning to enter the teaching field.
Her sister thought her beautiful enough to send in a picture of Ann in a bathing suit to Paramount Studios. The "Search for Beauty" contest carried, as the prize, a screen test and a bit part in a movie. She won and was signed to a contract at the age of 19.
Her first film was the prize bit role in WAGON WHEELS in 1934. Performing under her real name of Clara Lou, she participated in 12 more films that year. Most of these were designed to showcase her beauty along with other starlets that Paramount had signed.
Twelve more bit parts followed in 1935.
The following year, she left Paramount and signed with Warner Brothers, where more of the same followed.
It wasn't until 1938 that Clara Lou, now Ann, landed a role with substance as Laury Ferguson in ANGELS WITH DIRTY FACES. Known as the "Oomph Girl", a nickname she detested, she became one of the most glamorous women in Hollywood. Rex Harrison said of her, "I was struck by her extraordinary magnetism and directness." He continued on by saying he liked her"distinctive quality of earthiness that never transcends to blatant sexiness."
Her beauty made her a favorite pin-up along with Betty Grable. She ultimately was allowed to mature into a leading star who could adapt to any role. Ann was in a lot of comedies and dramas, which were rather forgettable. But the public was enthralled with her.
By 1940, Ann had performed magnificently in THEY DRIVE BY NIGHT and TORRID ZONE. Both films caused critics to sit up and take notice of her talent. She was also magnificent in KING'S ROW(1941) with co-star Ronald Reagan.
In 1948, she appeared in Howard Hawks great film, I WAS A MALE WAR BRIDE. She continued making movies into the fifties when her career went into a decline.
New actresses were on the horizon and Ann's services were no longer in demand. Her last film was THE WOMAN AND THE HUNTER in 1957.
She moved to New York and took whatever acting jobs she could find, whether on stage or TV. Most soap opera fans may remember Ann in ANOTHER WORLD in 1964. But she is best remembered by TV audiences as Henrietta Hanks in the western comedy, PISTOLS-N-PETTICOATS. Her career was taking off again, but the success was short-lived.
Ann died on January 21, 1967 in San Fernando Valley, California, of cancer. She didn't
get to live out her series' first season. She was 51.
Ann Sheridan Photographs!
Ann Pic 1
Ann Pic 2
Ann Pic 3
Ann Pic 4
Ann Pic 5
Ann Pic 6
Click here to go to Gloria Grahame
Thanks to Doug Stickney and the one unknown source that I have. My thanks to Kyla McCall-Giles for pic 6.
© 1998 Denny C. Jackson dejackso@iglou.com
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