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In "The Mating Season," young bride Gene Tierney mistakes her mother-in-law, Thelma, for the new cook, and the fun begins.
Gene, Thelma and John in the Paramount comedy, easily one of the season's funniest. She's now in "Will You Love Me In December?"
THELMA RITTER — for your information — is easily one of the funniest actresses in movies. . . .
Nonetheless, for a while, she must needs be identified with the help of a photograph — or, via: "Thelma's the one who was Birdie, Bette Davis' maid, in 'All About Eve.' " If you saw that movie, it's a certainty that you were impressed by the delightfully sarcastic Birdie.
The very same who deftly cut through the elaborate sham and pretense of the Great Actress ( telling her life story ), with the sardonic line: "Everything but the bloodhounds yappin' at her behind. . . ."
The excuse for this tete a tete with you being that La Ritter — a reformed ingenue — steals (on loanout to Paramount) "The Mating Season" from under the noses of Gene Tierney and John Lund.
Another reason is that our girl will soon be seen in "Will You Love Me In December," made for her home studio, 20th CenturyFox — a movie in which she'll (finally) co-star (with Monty Woottey).
And so, after these two items are comfortably settled on the nation's silver screens, the mere mention of Thelma Ritter should bring her to everyone's mind, instanter. And, in these parlous times, Thelma is a better mind-full than any of a dozen other subjects.
Off-screen, Thelma resembles the on-screen same — except that the former is a lady of considerable gentle charm, which her screen characters are not. Thelma is married to a vice president of the big-time Young & Rubicam ad agency. She is the doting mother of two kids, whose pictures she carries in a special wallet.
" 'The Mating Season' was a honeymoon of a picture to do," says this film felon. "Literally, the happiest professional experience I've ever enjoyed. . . ."
Which is saying plenty, since the lady has been a stock company actress most of her adult life. While it's true that her movie experience dates only from 1946 (with "The Miracle On 3Jtth Street"), her theatrical background is solid — one reason she can handle her various roles with aplomb ( and Woolley).
"I was on the Coast," Thelma said, "ready to leave for New York, when Charley Brackett (the producer) called and suggested that I play John Lund's mother in 'The Mating Season.' I told him that I wasn't interested, was dying to get back East to my family. But he insisted on describing the first two scenes of the film — the ham in me began to sizzle and I stayed on to do the (Please turn to page 54)
Above: Thelma's first socko role was as the maid in "A Letter To Three Wives." She's seen here with Linda Darnell and Barbara Lawrence.
Right: Thelma Ritter and Bette Davis were among those recently honored by the New York Film Critics for their performances in 20th's "All About Eve."