Ruth Gordon began her career first as a spokesbaby for Mellin’s food, then as an extra in silent films shot in Fort Lee, New Jersey. She pursued a career on the stage as well, making her Broadway debut in 1915 and continuing to act on the stage throughout the 1930s. Her first major film role was as Mary Todd Lincoln in the 1940 film Abe Lincoln in Illinois, after which she appeared in such films as Dr. Ehrlich’s Magic Bullet, Two-Faced Woman, Edge of Darkness, Inside Daisy Clover, and Lord Love a Duck. She won an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress in 1968’s Rosemary’s Baby and was nominated for a Golden Globe for her role in Harold and Maude, which is one of my favourite films. Throughout the 1970s, Gordon worked primarily in television, appearing on shows such as Kojak, The Love Boat, Columbo, and Taxi, while also playing roles in films like Every Which Way But Loose, Boardwalk, Jimmy the Kid and The Trouble With Spies. Ruth Gordon died of a stroke on August 28, 1985 at the age of 88.