Comedienne Jean Arthur had a long and varied acting career. Known for her squeaky frog-like voice and fantastic laugh, Arthur was born Gladys Georgianna Greene in 1900. She used the stage name Jean Arthur throughout her career.
Arthur's storied career began with silent movies in 1923 when she was cast in John Ford's "Cameo Kirby." During the next decade, she would act in numerous low budget silent westerns.
Vote Now: Which Actress Is Your All-Time Favorite?
Her big break came in 1936, when she was cast in Frank Capra's romantic comedy "Mr. Deeds Goes to Town." In this film, she plays reporter Babe Bennett against Gary Cooper's Longfellow Deeds. The movie was nominated for five Academy Awards, and won the award for Best Director.
Arthur was at her best when acting in romantic comedies, like Mr. Deeds, that took advantage of what
The New York Times described in Arthur's obituary as "a bubbly flair for reflecting the absurdities of life, a subtle vulnerability and a voice that wavered unpredictably between the spunky and the amiable."
Three years after Mr. Deeds, Arthur was cast in her second Capra movie, "Mr. Smith Goes to Washington," a film that is still popular today. Playing secretary Clarissa Saunders against James Stewart's Jefferson Smith, the movie was nominated for 11 Academy Awards (but ultimately only won one award for "best story") and really cemented Arthur's role as one of the era's leading ladies of comedy.
Tell Us: Who Is Your Favorite Actor of All Time?
Arthur had only one Oscar nomination for Best Actress for her role as Connie Milligan in "The More the Merrier" in 1944. The movie centered around the post World War II housing shortage in Washington that brought three unlikely people together in a love triangle.
Arthur shared the spotlight with Joel McCrea and Charles Coburn, playing the landlady who rents a room to both men. Arthur did not win the Academy Award, however.
Although she never won an Academy Award, Arthur did earn a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1960.
Vote Now: Which of These Actresses Stands the Test of Time?
© 2025 Newsmax. All rights reserved.