Ann Doran

Character actress Ann Doran was beyond prolific, appearing in more than 350 film and television shows. Her career in film began humbly, working as a stand-in before stepping up to bit parts in movies like Frank Capra's rags to riches romantic comedy "Mr. Deeds Goes to Town." Capra liked Doran and went on to cast her in a string of his films, including his adaptation of the daffy stage play "You Can't Take It With You." Capra's interest also aided Doran in scoring a contract with Columbia in 1938, which guaranteed her consistent work over the years in a wide range of productions, including the popular action serial "Flying G-Men," the Three Stooge's comedy short "Three Sappy People," and major movies like Howard Hawks' sassy classic "His Girl Friday." Though most of her work were bit parts, Doran did land the occasional lead. In 1938, she starred opposite Charles Starrett in the revenge-centered Western "Rio Grande." She later landed a supporting role in the boy and his dog drama "For the Love of Rusty." The film spawned several sequels, in which Doran reprised her role as the boy's loving mother, Ethel Mitchell. Yet she may be best remembered as the concerned mother of Jim Stark (James Dean) in the iconic classic "Rebel Without a Cause." Upon her death in 2000, Doran showed her love of Hollywood one last time by donating $400,000 to the Motion Picture Country House, which cares for retirees from the film industry.