Ann Blyth, the Oscar-nominated actress best known for her role as the manipulative daughter Veda in the 1945 film noir classic Mildred Pierce, has died at the age of 98. KABC's George Pennacchio reported her passing on Thursday, June 25, noting that she died the previous day from natural causes.
Early Life and Career Beginnings
Born Anne Blythe in Mount Kisco, New York, in 1928, she dropped the 'e' from her name as her career blossomed. After her father left the family, Blyth's mother moved her and her sister to New York City, where Blyth began acting on radio at just five years old. By nine, she had joined the New York Children's Opera Company. 'Life was one big struggle then, but mother managed somehow to keep me in parochial school and later in professional school,' Blyth recalled in a 1952 interview with The New York Times. 'She provided me with singing and dramatic lessons besides.'
Broadway and Film Breakthrough
Her Broadway debut came in 1941's Watch on the Rhine, which toured nationally and even performed for President Franklin D. Roosevelt and First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt. That tour brought her to Los Angeles, where she signed with Universal and made her film debut in 1944's Chip Off the Old Block, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
The following year, Blyth was loaned to Warner Bros. for Mildred Pierce, starring opposite Joan Crawford. At just 16, she played Veda, the manipulative daughter whose role earned her an Academy Award nomination. 'She just blew everybody away,' film noir historian Alan Rode told the Los Angeles Times in 2013. 'It's certainly Joan Crawford's movie, but she is really the spine of the movie. She is the epitome of the film noir daughter from hell. It's just an amazing performance that stands the test of time.' Blyth herself once explained her approach: 'I always had a terrific imagination and the ability to be somebody else.'
Later Film Career and Personal Life
Though a back injury briefly slowed her career, Blyth went on to star in more than two dozen films over the next decade, including The Great Caruso (1951), Rose Marie (1954), and Kismet (1955). She also charmed audiences in Mr Peabody and the Mermaid (1948), playing the mute mermaid.
In 1953, Blyth married Dr James McNulty, with whom she shared a devout Catholic faith and raised five children. Their marriage lasted until his death in 2007.
Legacy
Ann Blyth leaves behind a timeless legacy as a versatile actress whose career spanned musicals, dramas, and unforgettable film noir. Her performance in Mildred Pierce remains a landmark in cinema history, ensuring her place among Hollywood's most enduring stars.
