Jessie Ralph Patton ( Chambers; November 5, 1864 – May 30, 1944), was an American stage and screen actress, best known for her matronly roles in many classic films.
Early life Ralph was born in Gloucester, Massachusetts, in 1864, the 13th child of sailing captain James Chambers and his wife. She made her acting debut in stock theater in 1880, at age 16.
Career Ralph made her Broadway debut in The Kreutzer Sonata (1906) and her final appearance on Broadway was in The Good Earth (1932).
In 1915, Ralph debuted in two-reel films in New York, not arriving in Hollywood until 1933. She was nearly 70 then, so her parts were limited to matronly roles, but her ability to steal scenes captured the attention of moviegoers of the time.
Ralph's best-known roles include Nurse Pegotty in David Copperfield (1935), Nanine, Greta Garbo's maid in Camille (1936), as Myrna Loy's Aunt Katherine (in a state of permanent high dudgeon) in After the Thin Man (1936) and as Mrs. Hermosillo Brunch, battle-axe mother-in-law to W.C. Fields in The Bank Dick (1940). From 1933 to 1941, Ralph appeared in 55 films, 11 of them released during 1935.
Personal life Ralph married actor William Patton on August 21, 1901 in Manhattan, New York. They remained married until his death. They had no children.
Death Ralph retired from Hollywood in 1941 after having her leg amputated. She died in Gloucester, Massachusetts, on May 30, 1944, aged 79 and was interred in Mount Pleasant Cemetery.
Filmography Year Film Role Director Notes 1915 A Ringer for Max short 1915 The Galloper Sybil 1915 Mary's Lamb Mary Lamb 1916 New York Mrs. Macey George Fitzmaurice Lost film 1919 The Madonna of the Slums short 1921 Such a Little Queen Mary George Fawcett Lost film 1933 Child of Manhattan Aunt Minnie Edward Buzzell 1933 Elmer, the Great Sarah Crosby Mervyn LeRoy uncredited 1933 Cocktail Hour Princess de Longville Victor Schertzinger 1933 Ann Carver's Profession Terry (Graham's Maid) Edward Buzzell 1934 Nana Zoe George Fitzmaurice 1934 Coming Out Party Nora John G. Blystone 1934 Murder at the Vanities Mrs. Helene Smith Mitchell Leisen 1934 The Affairs of Cellini Beatrice Gregory La Cava 1934 One Night of Love Angelina Victor Schertzinger 1934 We Live Again Matrona Pavlovna Rouben Mamoulian 1934 Evelyn Prentice Mrs. Blake William K. Howard 1935 David Copperfield Nurse Peggotty George Cukor 1935 Enchanted April Mrs. Phoebe Fisher Harry Beaumont 1935 Vanessa: Her Love Story Lady Mullion William K. Howard 1935 Les Misérables Madame Magloire Richard Boleslawski 1935 Mark of the Vampire Midwife Tod Browning 1935 Paris in Spring Countess de Charelle Lewis Milestone 1935 Jalna Gran Whiteoak John Cromwell 1935 I Live My Life Mrs. O.H.B. Gage, Kay's grandmother W.S. Van Dyke 1935 Metropolitan Charwoman Richard Boleslawski 1935 I Found Stella Parish Nana Mervyn LeRoy 1935 Captain Blood Mrs. Barlow Michael Curtiz 1936 The Garden Murder Case Mrs. Hammle Edwin L. Marin 1936 Yellow Dust Mrs. Bryan Wallace Fox 1936 Little Lord Fauntleroy The Applewoman John Cromwell 1936 The Unguarded Hour Lady Hathaway Sam Wood 1936 Bunker Bean Grandmother Edward Killy 1936 San Francisco Mrs. Maisie Burley W.S. Van Dyke 1936 Walking on Air Evelyn Bennett Joseph Santley 1936 Camille Nanine George Cukor 1936 After the Thin Man Aunt Katherine Forrest W.S. Van Dyke 1937 The Good Earth Cuckoo Sidney Franklin 1937 The Last of Mrs. Cheyney Duchess Richard Boleslawski 1937 Double Wedding Mrs. Kensington-Bly Richard Thorpe 1938 Love Is a Headache Sheriff Janet Winfield Richard Thorpe 1938 Hold That Kiss Aunt Lucy Edwin L. Marin 1938 Port of Seven Seas Honorine James Whale 1939 Four Girls in White Miss Tobias S. Sylvan Simon 1939 St. Louis Blues Aunt Tibbie Raoul Walsh 1939 Cafe Society Mrs. De Witt Edward H. Griffith 1939 The Kid from Texas Aunt Minetta S. Sylvan Simon 1939 Mickey the Kid Veronica M. Hudson Arthur Lubin 1939 Drums Along the Mohawk Mrs. Weaver John Ford 1940 The Blue Bird Fairy Berylune Walter Lang 1940 Star Dust Aunt Martha Parker Walter Lang 1940 I Can't Give You Anything But Love, Baby Mama McGann Albert S. Rogell 1940 Girl from Avenue A Mrs. Van Dyne Otto Brower 1940 I Want a Divorce Grandma Brokaw Ralph Murphy 1940 The Bank Dick Mrs. Hermisillo Brunch Edward F. Cline 1941 The Lady from Cheyenne Mrs. McGuinness Frank Lloyd 1941 They Met in Bombay Duchess of Beltravers Clarence Brown
References
External links
Jessie Ralph portrait at NY Public Library Billy Rose Collection