Yesterday I received news that Ann Rutherford, an established character actress in the 1940s and one of the last remaining cast members of Gone With the Wind, passed away at the age of 94. I had heard that she was ill, and apparently she had been slowly tapering down her very busy schedule of appearances for some time, due to failing health. She had an extraordinarily wonderful life, and was much beloved both by fans and her family–she regularly made appearances at Gone With the Wind events and established herself as somewhat of a Gone With the Wind ambassador, endearing herself to legions of devotees of the film. She married twice, and I understand that she remained very close to her stepdaughter from her first marriage, Debbie Dozier. Ann Rutherford will be remembered for her significant contribution to film, through Gone With the Wind and the Andy Hardy series (in which she played Andy Hardy’s long-suffering girlfriend Polly Benedict), and for her kind nature and devotion to her fans.
Here is a photo tribute to her. RIP Ann Rutherford.
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