Child Actress Ann E. Todd Dies at 88

Classic film fans may not immediately recognize the name Ann E. Todd, but they surely know the face, as she appeared in countless films of the Golden Era.

Todd was born on August 26, 1931. It was just announced that she passed away on February 7th at the age of 88; obituaries may be found at The Hollywood Reporter and Deadline.

Here are just a few of Ann's many roles which will be recognized by classic film fans. She was Leslie Howard's daughter in INTERMEZZO (1939), seen here with Ingrid Bergman:

She was Walter Pidgeon and Virginia Bruce's daughter in STRONGER THAN DESIRE (1939)...

...and one of Charles Boyer's daughters, along with Virginia Weidler (center) and June Lockhart, in ALL THIS AND HEAVEN TOO (1940). The girls are seen here with Bette Davis, with Richard Nichols as their brother in the second photo:

She played Tyrone Power's little sister in BRIGHAM YOUNG (1940); she's seen here in front of Dickie Jones, Power, and Linda Darnell:

She was Linda Darnell as a child in BLOOD AND SAND (1941)...

...and Ceinwen in John Ford's HOW GREEN WAS MY VALLEY (1941), pictured with Roddy McDowall:

She had a nice role as Ann Doran and John Ridgely's daughter in PRIDE OF THE MARINES (1945), seen here with John Garfield:

Ann was Jeanne Crain's daughter in the opening and closing scenes in the wonderful MARGIE (1946):

As Jeanette MacDonald's daughter, she was one of the title characters in THREE DARING DAUGHTERS (1948), along with Jane Powell and Elinor Donahue:

Ann was also Barbara Britton's kid sister in a personal favorite, COVER UP (1949), seen here with Helen Spring, Art Baker, Britton, and Dennis O'Keefe:

Other roles included THE BLUE BIRD (1940) with Shirley Temple, KINGS ROW (1942) where she played Ann Sheridan as a child, BEYOND THE BLUE HORIZON (1942) where she played Dorothy Lamour as a child, and ROUGHLY SPEAKING (1945) where she played Rosalind Russell as a child. She finished her acting career on TV's THE STU ERWIN SHOW (1950-53).

As I wrote a few years ago in my review of STRONGER THAN DESIRE (1939), Ann had a very interesting second career as a music librarian at UC Berkeley.

I'm very grateful for all the joy Ann gave us with her roles in so many marvelous films, and I send sincere condolences to her family and friends.

Links for my reviews of films in which Todd appeared: STRONGER THAN DESIRE (1939), CALLING DR. KILDARE (1939), BRIGHAM YOUNG (1940), HOW GREEN WAS MY VALLEY (1941), THAT OTHER WOMAN (1942), PRIDE OF THE MARINES (1945), MY REPUTATION (1946), MARGIE (1946), THREE DARING DAUGHTERS (1948), and COVER UP (1949).