Ruth Attaway

Ruth Attaway
Born	(1910-06-28)June 28, 1910 Greenville, Mississippi, U.S.
Died	New York City, New York, U.S.
Cause of death	fire injuries
Occupation	Actress, social worker
Years active	1936–1979
Spouse(s)	Allan Morrison

Ruth Attaway (June 28, 1910 – September 21, 1987) was an American film and stage actress. Among the films she appeared in include Raintree County (1957), Porgy and Bess (1959) and Being There (1979).

Early life

Attaway was born on June 28, 1910 in Greenville, Mississippi. She was the daughter of physician W.A. Attaway, PhD. Her siblings included a sister, Florence and a brother, William. She graduated from the University of Illinois, where she majored in sociology.

Career

Theatre work

Attaway made her Broadway debut in 1936 in the Pulitzer Prize winning play, You Can't Take It with You.

Attaway was the first director of the New York Players Guild, a black repertory theater company formed in New York in 1945.

From 1954 to 1955, Attaway portrayed Anna Hicks in the play Mrs. Patterson at the National Theater.

From 1964 to 1967, Attaway was with the Repertory Society of Lincoln Center.

Film work

Attaway made her film debut by portraying Moll in The President's Lady (1953), opposite Susan Hayward and Charlton Heston. She went on to play a variety of characters in film such as Philomena in The Young Don't Cry (1957), Serena Robbins in Porgy and Bess (1959), the Farmer's Wife in Terror in the City (1964), Edna in Conrack (1974) and Louise in Being There (1979).

Television work

In 1954, Attaway was within the cast of an unaired pilot titled Three's Company.

She also played Della in the 1978 television movie, The Bermuda Depths.

Other ventures

In addition to acting, Attaway was also trained as a social worker and, between acting jobs, worked with the American Red Cross, the New York State Department of Social Welfare and New York's Metropolitan Hospital.

Honors

On November 10, 1953, Attaway was one of three people cited by the Coordinating Council For Negro Performers at a special benefit in Harlem.

Personal life and death

Attaway was married to Allan Morrison, an editor of Ebony. He died on May 29, 1968 at the age of 51.

Attaway died on September 21, 1987 in New York Hospital of injuries resulting from a Manhattan apartment fire. She was 77 years old.

Filmography

• The President's Lady (1953)
• The Young Don't Cry (1957)
• Raintree County (1957)
• Porgy and Bess (1959)
• Terror in the City (1964)
• Conrack (1974)
• The Taking of Pelham One Two Three (1974)
• The Bermuda Depths (1978)
• Being There (1979)

External links

• Ruth Attaway at the Internet Movie Database
• Ruth Attaway at the Internet Broadway Database
• Ruth Attaway at Find a Grave
• Ruth Attaway at the TCM Movie Database

• Hollywood.com
• Ruth Attaway biography at The New York Times
• Ruth Attaway
• Ruth Attaway at Turner Classic Movies