Ruth Roman

Actor

About

Also Known As

Norma Roman

Birth Place

Lynn, Massachusetts, USA

Born

December 22, 1922

Died

September 09, 1999

Biography

Filmography

Echoes (1983)

Michael'S Mother

Day Of The Animals (1976)

Mrs Shirley Goodwin

Impulse (1975)

A Knife For the Ladies (1974)

Punch and Jody (1974)

The Killing Kind (1973)

Rhea

Photos & Videos

View All

Bitter Victory (1957) -- (Movie Clip) Don't Talk To Me In Riddles

Starlift (1951) -- (Movie Clip) James Cagney, Janice Rule

Family & Companions

William Walsh

Companion

Publicist. Had five-year relationship.

Ronald Reagan

Companion

Actor, politician. Dated briefly.

Mortimer Hall

Husband

Executive. Married in 1950; divorced; father of Roman's son.

Budd Burton Moss

Husband

Divorced.

Biography

Although her career never scaled the heights suggested by her early promise, Ruth Roman had a long and fruitful career as a film and TV actress. She was a student at Boston's renowned Bishop Lee Dramatic School and pursued acting from a young age. Her first major break was in the 13-episode adventure serial "Jungle Girl" in 1945. Besides a supporting role in the 1949 boxing-themed film "Champion," for the rest of the 1940s she was limited to a series of small film parts. In 1951, she landed a co-starring role in Alfred Hitchcock's suspense classic "Strangers on a Train." In many ways this was a career peak for Roman whose subsequent roles never quite equaled the stature and significance of the part of Anne Morton. In the latter half of the 1950s, she made the transition to TV and continued working steadily in the medium until her last role--a recurring part on the Angela Lansbury mystery "Murder She Wrote"in 1989. Other recurring TV roles included a stint on the mid-'60s Deep South drama "The Long, Hot Summer" and a turn as Sylvia Lean in the popular nighttime soap "Knots Landing." She received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for her television work.

Filmography

Life Events

1942

Moved to Hollywood (date approximate)

1943

Film debut in bit part as a WAVE in "Stage Door Canteen"

1945

Appeared in the serial "Queen of the Jungle"

1949

Breakthrough screen role as Kirk Douglas' wife in "Champion"

1951

Acted in "Strangers on a Train", directed by Alfred Hitchcock

1956

With her three-year old son, survived the wreck of the luxury liner Andrea Doria

1965

Was series regular on the ABC drama "The Long Hot Summer"

1973

Played a psychiatrist in the well-received ABC movie about drug use "Go Ask Alice"

1980

Final feature, "Echoes" (released in 1983)

1986

Had recurring role on the CBS primetime serial "Knots Landing"

Photo Collections

The Window - Lobby Card Set

Here is a set of Lobby Cards from RKO's The Window (1949). Lobby Cards were 11" x 14" posters that came in sets of 8. As the name implies, they were most often displayed in movie theater lobbies, to advertise current or coming attractions.

Invitation - Behind-the-Scenes Photos

Here are some photos taken behind-the-scenes during production of MGM's Invitation (1952), starring Dorothy McGuire and Van Johnson.

The Killing Kind - Movie Poster

Here is the American one-sheet movie poster for The Killing Kind (1973), directed by Curtis Harrington. One-sheets measured 27x41 inches, and were the poster style most commonly used in theaters.

5 Steps to Danger - Movie Poster

Here is the American one-sheet movie poster for 5 Steps to Danger (1957), starring Sterling Hayden and Ruth Roman. One-sheets measured 27x41 inches, and were the poster style most commonly used in theaters.