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Ruth Ford

Ruth Ford

Actor · Died August 12, 2009, aged 98 · Brookhaven, Mississippi, USA

Her parents, Mr. & Mrs. C. N. Ford, managed the Tennessee Hotel in Clarksville, Tennessee, in 1943. At that time, she reported to the local newspaper in Clarksville that she had a daughter named Shelley, age 2. Also, Orson Welles is her godfather. Prior to her Hollywood experience, she was in Orson Welles' Mercury Theatre plays before he left for the coast and was playing summer stock when noticed by a Hollywood playwright. He set Columbia Pictures on her trail to sign her up and since that time she has been with them and Warner Brothers. She posed for Harpers' Magazine and for the Paris and London issues of "Vogue" and "Harpers"; also appeared in "Town and Country" and "Mademoiselle." She even appeared in the local newspaper, "The Leaf-Chronicle" showing her modeling a pair of black stockings. She said that "(her) Mother and Daddy noticed it by chance and the next day it was on the front page."

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Biography from IMDb.

Born
July 7, 1911
Died
August 12, 2009 (aged 98)
From
Brookhaven, Mississippi, USA
Works as
Actor
Titles
14 on MovieCove · 38 credits in all
Links
IMDb (opens in a new tab)TMDB (opens in a new tab)Wikidata (opens in a new tab)

Known for

TMDB popularity, last 39 days to Oct 28Down 19% in 30 days

What are Ruth Ford's films like?

Across their 8 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Self and Morality.

Genres

Drama3 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 49th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Drama movies
Biography2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 40th percentile
: browse their Biography movies

Their MovieCove films by primary genre. The badge is the typical Midcredits score of the genre's films, the median percentile; an up arrow marks a genre at or above their average across these genres.

Themes

share of theme weight
Self
28%
Morality
25%
Bonds
16%
Power
13%
Survival
9%
Society
6%
Ideas
3%
Justice3 titles, browse their movies with this themeAmbition2 titles, browse their movies with this themeIdentity2 titles, browse their movies with this themeCommunity2 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 8 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category
Serious: How heavy the subject matter and outlook get. Browse their serious movies.
Tone · Weight
lightdark

A split, not a type: Light 3 · Serious 2 · Dark 3

Stylized: How far its world departs from everyday reality. Browse their stylized movies.
Tone · Style
naturalisticheightened

A split, not a type: Grounded 5 · Stylized 3 · Heightened 0

Charged: How hard the emotional peaks hit while you watch. Browse their charged movies.
Feel · Intensity
gentleintense

Gentle 2 · Charged 3 · Intense 3

Shifting: How much it swings between very different feelings. Browse their shifting movies.
Feel · Swings
steadyswings

Steady 3 · Shifting 4 · Whiplash 1

Straight-faced: How much of the runtime is played for laughs. Browse their straight-faced movies.
Feel · Humor
noneconstant

Straight-faced 5 · Some laughs 2 · Funny 1

Even-paced: How fast it moves from scene to scene. Browse their even-paced movies.
Demand · Pace
slowrelentless

A split, not a type: Slow burn 3 · Even-paced 2 · Relentless 3

Engaged: How much focus it asks of you — look away and lose the thread? Browse their engaged movies.
Demand · Attention
casualfull focus

Casual 2 · Engaged 5 · Full focus 1

Affecting: How much it costs you emotionally; whether you need recovery time. Browse their affecting movies.
Demand · Emotional cost
easyheavy

A split, not a type: Easy watch 5 · Affecting 2 · Heavy 1

Resolved: How much is left for you to interpret. Browse their resolved movies.
Demand · Resolution
resolvedambiguous

Resolved 6 · Open-ended 1 · Ambiguous 1

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Tense
4
Dread
3
Contemplative
3
Melancholic
2
Thrilling
2
Other
7

How their films linger

Rousing3 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFun3 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFeel-good2 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteBittersweet2 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteCathartic2 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end · 3 with a twist

  • Happy4
  • Bittersweet2
  • Ambiguous1
  • Cyclical1

AI-generated from each title's plot synopsis and cast list, with extra plot summaries, reviews and Parents Guide notes for titles the model may not know, and the model's own knowledge of the ones it recognizes. Only analyzed titles count, so this covers part of the filmography; the feel axes count films only for now.

Where can I watch Ruth Ford's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 2 of their 14 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Tubi (2).

Subscription and free streaming for Ruth Ford's titles on MovieCove; rent and buy are not counted. Titles are listed by Midcredits score, highest first, at most 12 per service; a dashed chip is a producer credit or a minor one, such as a thanks. A service opens the browse page, which counts movies only, so its number can differ.

Filmography

38 credits, 14 with a MovieCove page; 2 appearances as themselves are hidden until asked for.

  • Too Much Johnson (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2013)

    as Mrs. Billings (uncredited)

  • Too Scared to Scream(1984)

    as Irma Hornady

    Midcredits score: 17th percentile of all films

  • The Eyes of the Amaryllis (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1982)

    as Gran

  • Play It As It Lays(1972)

    as Carlotta

    Midcredits score: 58th percentile of all films

  • The Tree (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1969)

    as Mrs. Gagnon

  • 13 Most Beautiful Women (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1964)

    Actor

  • Screen Test [ST107]: Ruth Ford (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1964)

    Actor

  • Act One(1963)

    as Beatrice Kaufman

    Midcredits score: 32nd percentile of all films

  • Sanctuary (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1961)

    Adaptation

  • The Chevy Mystery Show (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1960)

    Show 1 episode · as Julie McCormick

  • Naked City(1958)

    Show 1 episode · as Mrs. Rydecker

    Midcredits score: 82nd percentile of all shows

  • Hallmark Hall of Fame (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1951)

    Show 1 episode · as The Duchess

  • Suspense (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1949)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • Studio One (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1948)

    Show 3 episodes · as Calpurnia · as Julia

  • Dragonwyck(1946)

    as Cornelia Van Borden (uncredited)

    Midcredits score: 77th percentile of all films

  • Strange Impersonation(1946)

    as Jane Karaski #1

    Midcredits score: 49th percentile of all films

  • Woman Who Came Back (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1945)

    as Ruth Gibson

  • Circumstantial Evidence (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1945)

    as Mrs. Simms

  • The Keys of the Kingdom(1944)

    as Sister Clotilde

    Midcredits score: 86th percentile of all films

  • Wilson(1944)

    as Margaret Wilson

    Midcredits score: 48th percentile of all films

  • Princess O'Rourke (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1943)

    as Clare Stillwell (uncredited)

  • Adventure in Iraq (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1943)

    as Tess Torrence

  • Murder on the Waterfront (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1943)

    as Lana Shane

  • Air Force(1943)

    as Nurse (uncredited)

    Midcredits score: 81st percentile of all films

  • Truck Busters(1943)

    as Pearl Dorgan

    Midcredits score: 31st percentile of all films

  • The Gorilla Man (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1943)

    as Janet Devon

  • The Hidden Hand (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1942)

    as Estelle Channing

  • Across the Pacific(1942)

    as Secretary (uncredited)

    Midcredits score: 72nd percentile of all films

  • Escape from Crime (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1942)

    as Myrt - Slim's Moll

  • Men of the Sky (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1942)

    as Cadet Gladdens' Sweetheart

  • The Devil's Trail (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1942)

    as Ella

  • In This Our Life(1942)

    as Mother of Accident Victim (uncredited)

    Midcredits score: 88th percentile of all films

  • Murder in the Big House(1942)

    as Irene Gordon

    Midcredits score: 51st percentile of all films

  • Lady Gangster (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1942)

    as Lucy Fenton

  • The Lady Is Willing(1942)

    as Myrtle

    Midcredits score: 56th percentile of all films

  • The Man Who Returned to Life (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1942)

    as Beth Beebe

  • Secrets of the Lone Wolf (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1941)

    as Helene de Leon

  • Roaring Frontiers (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1941)

    as Reba Bailey

Career shape

Star power in the 73rd percentile of 239,109 people with a billed film role, over a full career of 38 titles from 1941 to 2013; peak year 1984.

Highest rated

Play It As It Lays (1972)

Midcredits 58th

Most popular right now

The Lady Is Willing (1942)

Film career

19412013

Peak 1984 · steadily prominent in film for years. Film roles by billing, audience size and rating; 25+ votes. A show carries a single first-air date, so shows are not on the curve.

By role

only this rolewith another role
Acting37 of 38: 37 only acting, 0 with another role · typical Midcredits score57thWriting1 of 38: 1 only writing, 0 with another role

By decade

1940s26 · acting1950s2 · acting1960s6 · 5 acting · 1 crew1970s1 · acting1980s2 · acting2010s1 · acting

Billing

usually 10th · top billed in 0% of 6 roles

Counts from TMDB across their full career, self appearances out; a title counts in every role they held on it. The ring is the typical Midcredits score (the median percentile) of the role's titles that are on MovieCove, shown from 5 scored. Billing is TMDB cast order for roles with 25+ votes, billed in the top 30.

How do Ruth Ford's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 56th percentile, the median of all 13; across their 8 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 46th percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

46thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 8

Approval · how many liked their films

45thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 8

Reach · how many have seen their films

46thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 8

Midcredits score across 14 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up5
  • 50th to 74th4
  • 25th to 49th4
  • Below 25th1

Shape of the crowd

7 of their 14 titles are Crowd Pleasers.

  • Universally Loved2
  • Crowd Pleaser7
  • Broadly Agreed3
  • Mixed2

Most divisive · actor

Play It As It Lays (1972)

55th percentile spread · 17% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · actor

In This Our Life (1942)

Midcredits 88th · 80% liked

Reviewers score the acting 62/100 in their films, across 8 reviewed titles; fans 75, detractors 42. The element that speaks to their work as an actor.

Percentiles are each film's standing among all films on MovieCove; the typical film is the median, so one outlier cannot drag it. Percentiles and reviewer scores count the films IMDb credits them on, for now; the Midcredits score bands, the shape of the crowd and the two cards count their MovieCove titles, shows included (a show ranked among shows), appearances as themselves left out. A descriptor is the shape of a title's IMDb rating distribution against the catalog; "most divisive" needs a spread wider than half of all titles, and a card names only a principal credit: a craft role, and on a show a crew role or a run of episodes, never a courtesy credit or a one-off guest spot.

Who does Ruth Ford work with?

People who share at least 2 of Ruth Ford's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; B. Reeves Eason shares the most, 2.

Directors

Writers

Actors

Composers

Producers