Ruth Selwyn

Ruth Selwyn (born Ruth Virginia Wilcox; November 6, 1905 – December 13, 1954) was an American theater producer and actress.

Ruth Selwyn
Ruth Selwyn, a smiling white woman with short blonde wavy hair, wearing a hat and a blouse with a graphic print
Selwyn in 1932
Born
Ruth Virginia Wilcox

(1905-11-06)November 6, 1905
Tazewell, Virginia, U.S.
DiedDecember 13, 1954(1954-12-13) (aged 49)
Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Resting placeForest Lawn Memorial Park, Glendale, California
Other namesRuth Snyder, Ruth Warburton, Ruth Barrow
Occupation(s)Actress, theatrical producer
SpouseEdgar Selwyn
RelativesFred M. Wilcox (brother)
Nicholas Schenck (brother-in-law)

Early life and education

Ruth Wilcox was born in Tazewell, Virginia and raised in Morgantown, West Virginia,[1] the daughter of James Columbus Wilcox and Martha McLeod WIlcox. Her father was an optometrist and jeweler.[2] Her brother was film and television director Fred M. Wilcox. Her sister Pansy Wilcox married film studio executive Nicholas Schenck.

Career

Selwyn worked as an actress and theater producer.[3] She produced several productions of Broadway comedies and musicals.[4] In 1930, she produced The 9:15 Revue,[5] with formidable writing and performing rosters including Anita Loos, Ring Lardner, Ira Gershwin, George Gershwin, Harold Arlen,[6] Eddie Cantor, Ruth Etting, and Leslie Howard.[4] Despite this star power, the show closed after five performances.[7] Bachelor Born, which she produced in 1938 with Milton Shubert, ran for over a year with 400 performances, and toured nationally.[1] Her last Broadway production was Walk With Music (1940), with music by Hoagy Carmichael and lyrics by Johnny Mercer.[8]

Selwyn was also active in developing Palm Springs, where she owned the Red Roof Ranch.[9][10]

Filmography

Personal life

Wilcox married three times. Wilcox's first husband was Russell Martin Snyder; they married in 1922 and divorced in 1925. They had one son, Russell.[12] Her second husband was film director Edgar Selwyn; they married in 1926,[2] and he adopted her son. They divorced in 1938. She married Irish-born actor John Warburton in 1943.[13] They divorced in 1948.[14] Ruth Selwyn died in Hollywood on December 13, 1954, and was interred at Forest Lawn Memorial Park, Glendale, California; she was 49 years old.[9][10][15]

References
  1. "Filmdom and Theater Seek Talent in S. F." The San Francisco Examiner. May 24, 1939. p. 15. Retrieved July 24, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  2. "Beautiful Ruth Selwyn Came into Life at Tazewell, Oldtimers Recall". The Roanoke Times. November 19, 1933. p. 19. Retrieved July 24, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  3. Kellow, Brian (2007). Ethel Merman: A Life. Penguin. pp. 11–12. ISBN 978-0-670-01829-1.
  4. Swan, Gilbert (February 28, 1930). "Broadway's Sole Woman Producer Rivals Her Eminent Husband". Arizona Republic. p. 23. Retrieved July 24, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  5. "'The 9:15': Ruth Selwyn's Revue is No More Than So-So". The Brooklyn Daily Eagle. February 13, 1930. p. 21. Retrieved July 24, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  6. Jablonski, Edward (1996). Harold Arlen: Rhythm, Rainbows, and Blues. UPNE. pp. 31–32. ISBN 978-1-55553-366-3.
  7. Love, Sam (February 18, 1930). "Ruth Selwyn's Show Fails For Lack of $3,000 Cash". The Pittsburgh Press. p. 10. Retrieved July 24, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  8. "Newcomer". The Windsor Star. June 8, 1940. p. 30. Retrieved July 25, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  9. "Funeral of Ruth Selwyn Draws Film Personages". The Los Angeles Times. December 17, 1954. p. 5. Retrieved July 24, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  10. "Ruth Warburton, Actress and Desert Resident, Dies". The Desert Sun. December 16, 1954. p. 1. Retrieved July 25, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  11. "'Men Must Fight' Has Novel Dramatic Theme". The Paducah Sun-Democrat. March 12, 1933. p. 6. Retrieved July 24, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  12. "Ruth Warburton Estate Goes to Son, Russell Selwyn". The Desert Sun. December 30, 1954. p. 6. Retrieved July 25, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  13. "English Actor's Engagement to Mrs. Ruth Selwyn Revealed". The Los Angeles Times. June 15, 1943. p. 4. Retrieved July 24, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  14. "Ruth Selwyn Divorces John Barrow Warburton". The Tulsa Tribune. December 24, 1948. p. 10. Retrieved July 25, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  15. "'Obituary for Ruth Wilcox Selwyn SELWYN (Aged 49)'". The Los Angeles Times. Los Angeles, California. December 15, 1954. p. 5. Retrieved July 26, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
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