Ruth Attaway: Difference between revisions

| death_place = [[New York City]], [[New York]], U.S.

| spouse = {{marriage|Allan Morrison||1968|end = died}}

'''Ruth Attaway''' (June 28, 1910 – September 21, 1987) was an American film and stage actress. Among the films she appeared in includeare ''[[Raintree County (film)|Raintree County]]'' (1957), ''[[Porgy and Bess (film)|Porgy and Bess]]'' (1959) and ''[[Being There]]'' (1979).<ref name=obituary/>

Attaway was born on June 28, 1910, in [[Greenville, Mississippi]].<ref name=obituary/><ref>[http://music.hollywood.com/celebrities/ruth-attaway-58493144/ Hollywood.com]</ref><ref name=nyt>[https://web.archive.org/web/20150927225316/http://www.nytimes.com/movies/person/2736/Ruth-Attaway/biography Ruth Attaway biography at ''The New York Times'']</ref><ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=94Vkm-y_3CEC&q=allan+morrison+ruth+attaway&pg=PA12|last=Peterson|first=Bernard L.|title=Profiles of African American Stage Performers and Theatre People, 1816-1960|year=2001|publisher=Greenwood Publishing Group|isbn=9780313295348}}</ref> She was the daughter of physician W.A. Attaway, PhD.<ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=9FNdJ8wlss8C&pg=PA25&lpg=PA25&dqq=ruth+attaway+actress&sourcepg=bl&ots=fjMmhQ_yS8&sig=pDuxa5MXl0TxU8Tb74tRt1ntxdI&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0CDcQ6AEwCDgKahUKEwipu7bUu6LIAhWIcD4KHcttBbg#v=onepage&q=ruth%20attaway%20actress&f=falsePA25|last=Cruse|first=Harold|title=The Crisis of the Negro Intellectual: A Historical Analysis of the Failure of Black Leadership|year=1967|publisher=New York Review of Books|isbn=9781590171356}}</ref> Her siblings included a sister, Florence,<ref name=obituary/> and a brother, novelist and writer [[William Attaway|William]].<ref>{{cite book|url=https://booksarchive.google.comorg/books?iddetails/katherinedunham00joyc|url-access=KyhaD14Za40C&pgregistration|page=PA23&lpg=PA23&dq[https://archive.org/details/katherinedunham00joyc/page/23 23]|quote=ruth+ attaway+ actress&source=bl&ots=-i8utESkjs&sig=lle_Y8n-RPfC1rzpcbRWuZVQLkc&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0CBwQ6AEwADgKahUKEwjIkNXYy5XIAhUDez4KHQsGCNQ#v=onepage&q=ruth%20attaway%20actress&f=false.|last=Aschenbrenner|first=Joyce|title=Katherine Dunham: Dancing a Life|year=2002|publisher=University of Illinois Press|isbn=9780252027598}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=vEvgAgAAQBAJ&pg=PT42&lpg=PT42&dqq=ruth+attaway+actress&sourcepg=bl&ots=kEsmAYQxrq&sig=5Xzjr3i1akPKE9UIS6zPpmvowLw&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0CCgQ6AEwAjgoahUKEwiJv4K8zJXIAhWCMj4KHcrGAeQ#v=onepage&q=ruth%20attaway%20actress&f=falsePT42|last=Battat|first=Erin Royston|title=Ain’tAin't Got No Home: America's Great Migrations and the Making of an Interracial Left|year=2014|publisher=UNC Press Books|isbn=9781469614038}}</ref> She graduated from the [[University of Illinois system|Universityat of IllinoisUrbana–Champaign]], where she majored in sociology.<ref name=obituary/><ref name=nyt/><ref name=baltimore/>

Attaway made her [[Broadway theatre|Broadway]] debut in 1936 in the [[Pulitzer Prize]] winning play, ''[[You Can't Take It with You (play)|You Can't Take It with You]]''.<ref name=obituary/><ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ZqtEIBxAhMsC&pg=PA34&lpg=PA34&dqq=ruth+attaway+actress&sourcepg=bl&ots=g_Phl1pklk&sig=jX2J6wAnSFNzF1hdQaGwWF3btzs&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0CBwQ6AEwADgUahUKEwjRq_KPzJXIAhUDOj4KHbj0BCE#v=onepage&q=ruth%20attaway%20actress&f=falsePA34|last=Tracy|first=Steven C.|title=Writers of the Black Chicago Renaissance|year=2011|publisher=University of Illinois Press|isbn=9780252093425}}</ref>

From 1954 to 1955, Attaway portrayed Anna Hicks in the play ''Mrs. Patterson'' at the [[National Theater (Manhattan)|National Theater]].<ref>{{cite webmagazine|title=Eartha Returns to 'Mrs. Patterson' After Fold-Up|date=24 February 24, 1955|publishermagazine=''[[Jet (magazine)|Jet]]''|publisher=Johnson Publishing Company|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=DLIDAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA56&lpg=PA56&dqq=ruth+attaway+actress&sourcepg=bl&ots=C8n0rqU8s1&sig=W28K2F6ubjAR2Ns83wLZggkv2As&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0CDUQ6AEwCDgKahUKEwjIkNXYy5XIAhUDez4KHQsGCNQ#v=onepage&q=ruth%20attaway%20actress&f=falsePA56|accessdate=September 26 September, 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=IJQyBe_wDj8C&pg=PA241&lpg=PA241&dqq=ruth+attaway+actress&sourcepg=bl&ots=KvgM_ESFX2&sig=ORsBwKruRgqdHfvXyD0nIVDBSuw&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0CDIQ6AEwBTgUahUKEwjRq_KPzJXIAhUDOj4KHbj0BCE#v=onepage&q=ruth%20attaway%20actress&f=falsePA241|last=Peterson, Jr.|first=Bernard L.|title=A Century of Musicals in Black and White: An Encyclopedia of Musical Stage Works By, About, or Involving African Americans: An Encyclopedia of Musical Stage Works By, About, or Involving African Americans|year=1993|publisher=ABC-CLIO|isbn=9780313064548}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=GzeiySJZXF4C&pg=PA312&lpg=PA312&dqq=ruth+attaway+actress&sourcepg=bl&ots=3wAx0o8sKg&sig=vfGRbegVhA0jj4RBG-Kg-PrGuls&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0CEgQ6AEwBzg8ahUKEwj1pNDUzJXIAhUD8z4KHXOSDRI#v=onepage&q=ruth%20attaway%20actress&f=falsePA312|last=Hischak|first=Thomas S.|title=Broadway Plays and Musicals: Descriptions and Essential Facts of More Than 14,000 Shows through 2007|year=2009|publisher=McFarland|isbn=9780786453092}}</ref>

===Film careerwork===

Attaway made her film debut by portraying Moll in ''[[The President's Lady]]'' (1953), opposite [[Susan Hayward]] and [[Charlton Heston]].<ref name=baltimore>{{cite webnews|title=Ruth Attaway In First Film Role|date=March 24 March, 1953|publishernewspaper=''[[Baltimore Afro-American]]''|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=2205&dat=19530324&id=m_glAAAAIBAJ&sjid=bfUFAAAAIBAJ&pg=4749,5197550&hl=en|accessdate=September 26 September, 2015}}</ref><ref name=people>[http://people.theiapolis.com/actress-DE1S/ruth-attaway/ Ruth Attaway]</ref><ref>{{cite webmagazine|title=Ruth Attaway Scores In First Movie|date=30October October30, 1953|publishermagazine=''[[Jet (magazine)|Jet]]''|publisher=Johnson Publishing Company|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=a0IDAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA60&lpg=PA60&dqq=ruth+attaway+actress&sourcepg=bl&ots=znGW7jcyXM&sig=tdcMZttdNhbBUu34oSF4EsS6yRc&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0CCcQ6AEwAzgUahUKEwiFi7n0u6LIAhWLGj4KHXw7AXI#v=onepage&q=ruth%20attaway%20actress&f=falsePA60|accessdate=October 1 October, 2015}}</ref> She went on to play a variety of characters in film such as Philomena in ''[[The Young Don't Cry]]'' (1957),<ref>{{cite Serenaweb Robbins|title=Screen: inAn Orphan's Life; '[[PorgyThe andYoung BessDon't Cry' Opens at the Palace (film)|Porgyurl=https://www.nytimes.com/1957/07/27/archives/screen-an-orphans-life-the-young-dont-cry-opens-at-the-palace.html and|website=The Bess]]''New (1959)York Times |access-date=October 20, the2021 Farmer's|date=July Wife27, 1957}}</ref> Serena in ''[[PiePorgy inand the SkyBess (1964 film)|TerrorPorgy inand the CityBess]]'' (19641959), Edna in ''[[Conrack]]'' (1974) and Louise in ''[[Being There]]'' (1979).<ref>{{cite nameweb |title=Ruth Attaway |url=https://www2.bfi.org.uk/films-tv-people/4ce2baa2ee124 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190305161042/http://www.bfi.org.uk/films-tv-people/4ce2baa2ee124 |url-status=dead |archive-date=March 5, 2019 |website=BFI |access-date=October 20, 2021 |language=en}}</ref>

In 1954, Attaway was within the cast of an unaired pilot titled ''Three's Company''.<ref>{{cite book|url=https://booksarchive.google.comorg/details/primetimebluesaf00bogl/page/85/mode/books?id=V2UNCgAAQBAJ&pg=PA85&lpg=PA85&dq=ruth+attaway+actress&source=bl&ots=dbnysdDK-I&sig=tsxhimg_NX-gTaoe05WSsgZQPGo&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0CCIQ6AEwATgeahUKEwiy0OL3lbfIAhUCGD4KHZllANg#v=onepage&q=ruth%20attaway%20actress&f=false1up|last=Bogle|first=Donald|title=Primetime Blues: African Americans on Network Television|year=2015|publisher=Macmillan|isbn=9781466894457}}</ref>

She also played DellaDelia in the 1978 television movie, ''[[The Bermuda Depths]]''.<ref>{{cite webnews|title=Videos: Exploring ‘The'The Bermuda Depths’Depths'|date=9 January 9, 2012|publisherwork=''[[Bernews]]''|url=http://bernews.com/2012/01/108510/|accessdate=10 October 10, 2015}}</ref>

In addition to acting, Attaway was also trained as a [[social worker]]<ref>{{cite webmagazine|title=The Negro on Broadway|date=April 1964|publishermagazine=''[[Ebony (magazine)|Ebony]]''|publisher=Johnson Publishing Company|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=-VBKHwdFYAUC&pg=PT195&lpg=PT195&dqq=ruth+attaway+actress&sourcepg=bl&ots=pAJVnn6jkA&sig=ZSYAE4IPwEVND1cfqc8uPef1jqg&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0CB8Q6AEwATgKahUKEwjIkNXYy5XIAhUDez4KHQsGCNQ#v=onepage&q=ruth%20attaway%20actress&f=falsePT195|accessdate=September 26 September, 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite webmagazine|title=New York Beat|date=9 August 9, 1962|publishermagazine=''[[Jet (magazine)|Jet]]''|publisher=Johnson Publishing Company|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ar0DAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA63&lpg=PA63&dqq=ruth+attaway+actress&sourcepg=bl&ots=fPPBBFME-y&sig=HbQkWXkgX0aTblYX0GK5cByUSwE&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0CCEQ6AEwAjgKahUKEwjIkNXYy5XIAhUDez4KHQsGCNQ#v=onepage&q=ruth%20attaway%20actress&f=falsePA63|accessdate=September 26 September, 2015}}</ref> and, between acting jobs, worked with the [[American Red Cross]], the New York State Department of Social Welfare and New York's [[Metropolitan Hospital]].<ref name=obituary/><ref name=nyt/>

On November 10, 1953, Attaway was one of three people cited by the Coordinating Council For Negro Performers at a special benefit in [[Harlem]].<ref>{{cite webmagazine|title=To Honor 2 Actresses, Playwright at Benefit|date=5 November 5, 1953|publishermagazine=''[[Jet (magazine)|Jet]]''|publisher=Johnson Publishing Company|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=xUIDAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA58&lpg=PA58&dqq=ruth+attaway+actress&sourcepg=bl&ots=D4mWg44Ls0&sig=m0iuZ2N5ZVZ1P6WEQoNv3E23uYs&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0CCUQ6AEwAjgeahUKEwiy0OL3lbfIAhUCGD4KHZllANg#v=onepage&q=ruth%20attaway%20actress&f=falsePA58|accessdate=October 10 October, 2015}}</ref>

Attaway was married to Allan Morrison, an editor of ''[[Ebony (magazine)|Ebony]]''.<ref name=baltimore/><ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=QdSBBAAAQBAJ&pg=PA280&lpg=PA280&dqq=ruth+attaway+actress&sourcepg=bl&ots=Otw_rMs1tO&sig=fNSb7pzRr08k5XL4hBrKp9PRTRg&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0CCMQ6AEwAzgKahUKEwjIkNXYy5XIAhUDez4KHQsGCNQ#v=onepage&q=ruth%20attaway%20actress&f=falsePA280|last=Smith|first=Judith E.|title=Becoming Belafonte: Black Artist, Public Radical|year=2014|publisher=University of Texas Press|isbn=9780292756700}}</ref> He died on May 29, 1968, at the age of 51.<ref>{{cite magazine|title=EDITOR OF ''EBONY'' DIES|date=June–July 1968|magazine=[[The Crisis]]|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=zVsEAAAAMBAJ&q=allan+morrison+ruth+attaway&pg=PA204|accessdate=April 20, 2016}}</ref>

Attaway died on September 21, 1987, in [[New York Hospital]] of injuries resulting from a [[Manhattan]] apartment fire.<ref name=obituary/><ref>[http://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/person/6733%7C136725/Ruth-Attaway/ Ruth Attaway at Turner Classic Movies]</ref> She was 77 years old.<ref name=obituary>{{cite webnews|title=Ruth Attaway, Actress, Dies Of Injuries in Apartment Fire|date=24 September 24, 1987|publishernewspaper=''[[The New York Times]]''|url=httphttps://www.nytimes.com/1987/09/24/obituaries/ruth-attaway-actress-dies-of-injuries-in-apartment-fire.html|accessdate=26 September 26, 2015}}</ref>

*''[[The President's Lady]]'' (1953) - Moll

*''[[The Young Don't Cry]]'' (1957) - Philomena

*''[[Raintree County (film)|Raintree County]]'' (1957) - Parthenia (uncredited)

*''[[Porgy and Bess (film)|Porgy and Bess]]'' (1959) - Serena Robbins

*''[[Pie in the Sky (1964 film)|Terror in the City]]'' (1964) - Farmer's Wife

*''[[Conrack]]'' (1974) - Edna

*''[[The Taking of Pelham One Two Three (1974 film)|The Taking of Pelham One Two Three]]'' (1974) - Mayor's Nurse

*''[[The Bermuda Depths]]'' (1978) - Delia

*''[[Being There]]'' (1979) - Louise (final film role)

* {{IBDB name|30322}}

* {{FindTcmdb a Grave|15401276name}}

[[Category:American20th-century socialAfrican-American workersactresses]]