Gangbare naam: Chatterton, Ruth
Geboortedatum: 1893-12-24
Overlijdensdatum: 1961-11-24
Graflocatie: Beechwoods Cemetery, New Rochelle, New York, USA (ashes)
Geslacht: female
Nationaliteit: USA
Geboorteplaats: New York, New York, USA
Plaats van overlijden: Norwalk, Connecticut, USA
Woonplaatsen: New York, New York, USA
Beroepen: actor
novelist
pilot
Relaties: Chatteron, Thomas (ancestor)
Prijzen en onderscheidingen: Hollywood Walk of Fame
Academy Award nominee (Best Actress, 1929, "Madame X")
Academy Award nominee (Best Actress, 1930, "Sarah and Son")
Korte biografie: Ruth Chatterton was born and raised in New York City. She made her first stage appearance at the age of 14, and within a few years had become a star on Broadway, achieving fame for her performance in Daddy Long Legs (1914). Though she continued her stage work, Ruth Chatterton moved to Hollywood in 1928 and became a leading lady in films until World War II, making a successful transition from silent films to "talkies." Her major film credits included Madame X (1929) and Sarah and Son (1930), both of which earned her Academy Award nominations. One of her later top roles was in the classic Dodsworth (1936), in which she played the archetypal silly and spoiled American wife. With her retirement from movies, Chatterton established a career as a successful novelist; her published works including Homeward Borne (1950), The Betrayers (1953), Pride of the Peacock (1954) and Southern Wild (1958). After 1940, she performed with various local repertory companies, appearing in such roles as Regina Wentworth in The Little Foxes and Eliza in Pygmalion. One of her last stage roles was as Mrs. St. Maugham in The Chalk Garden in 1956.

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The pride of the Peacock door Ruth Chatterton

Where my overriding thought about Chatterton's first novel, Homeward Borne, is that it is "tightly controlled," this one meanders about and ultimately adds up to less... In some respects, it effectively reflects the realities of a life that never works out as neatly as one (a protagonist -- or a writer) imagines. In others, there are clear indications that Chatterton has attempted some overarching themes and observations that come across as redundancies rather than culminating in anything. Still, she uncritically and compellingly presents an array of vividly drawn characters, and effectively writes in three first-person voices. Almost too effectively... I nearly put the book away after becoming acquainted with the first two, and their liberal use of exclamation points!(!) That became easier to bear as I read on, and really I think she maintained the points of view impressively. A good read but nothing ground-breaking: for an introductory novel or if you only want to read one by Chatterton, make it Homeward Borne, but if that whets your appetite for more this will satisfy.

Oh, this amused me, bit of an in-joke for fans of her films I suppose...
"Somehow I don't see you as a lovely faded derelict, living from man to man. The role of Madame X doesn't suit you."
(Lots of sly comments, in fact, and very frank... really, a fan of Chatterton the actor must acquaint themselves with Chatterton the novelist. Where are her fans? Drop me a line... :)… (meer)

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afinpassing | Jul 21, 2008 |

Homeward borne, a novel door Ruth Chatterton

Chatterton's really an unfortunately forgotten novelist -- and for that matter, hardly given her due in her master craft of acting these days, as her Paramount pre-Codes are difficult to come by -- so I'd be interested to know it if anyone ever adds this book to their library. It's quite good, a tightly controlled, absorbing and nobly intentioned thing. Worth rediscovering and begging for the Persephone treatment! Fans of Chatterton the actor must give this a look. It offers a fascinating view into the mind of a person one "knows" from the screen!… (meer)

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afinpassing | Jul 21, 2008 |

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