Ann Sothern was one of America's favorite actresses with a career that covers sixty years and over 100 appearances in film and television. She left her home as a youth, only 18 years old, to begin her career, and the move paid off.

She was born in Valley City, North Dakota, on January 22, 1909. After her departure from her home town, she began her appearances with a part in Broadway Nights, as an extra, the two years later joined the chorus girls in The Show of Shows and one of the Goldwyn Girls in Whoopie! After landing some lackluster parts, she left both Columbia Pictures and RKO Pictures for MGM, and appeared in her first MGM film in 1939 (Masie).

Masie was Sothern's first successful appearance, and several other Masie movies followed. Time magazine said in 1943 of Sothern, "In part this [the success of the Masie films is] is due to cinemactress Ann Sothern, one of the smartest comediennes in the business...." Soon Sothern found herself with her own radio program called "The Adventures of Masie," and in other films as well.

She also received television roles in the 1950s, playing the lead in series such as Private Secretary, and even had her own program (called The Ann Sothern Show). For these she received four Emmy nominations.

Sothern suffered from hepatitis in the 1960s, however, and it took its toll on her appearance. Instead, she did a voice appearance in My Mother the Car, and had a couple of guest appearances. Over the next years she worked on television occasionally, and her last film appearance was in The Whales of August (1987).

Ann Sothern died March 15, 2001, in Kethcum, Idaho, of heart failure. She had enjoyed a long, successful career and a tranquil retirement.