Jean Arthur
Acting
Jean Arthur (born Gladys Georgianna Greene; October 17, 1900 – June 19, 1991) was an American actress celebrated as one of the defining screen personalities of Hollywood’s Golden Age. Known for her quick wit, expressive voice, and understated charm, she became one of the era’s most beloved comedic leading ladies, especially in the screwball comedy genre. Film historian James Harvey noted that “no one was more closely identified with the screwball comedy than Jean Arthur,” and her work remains central to the style’s legacy. Arthur rose to prominence in the mid‑1930s and became best known for her collaborations with director Frank Capra, starring in Mr. Deeds Goes to Town (1936), You Can’t Take It with You (1938), and Mr. Smith Goes to Washington (1939). These films cemented her image as the relatable, spirited heroine of Depression‑era American cinema. She earned an Academy Award nomination for Best Actress for her performance in The More the Merrier (1943). Although she famously disliked the pressures of Hollywood and often retreated from public life, Arthur continued to work selectively after the 1940s. She delivered a memorable dramatic turn as Marian Starrett in George Stevens’ classic Western Shane (1953). She later returned to acting on television, appearing in a 1965 episode of Gunsmoke and starring in the 1966 sitcom The Jean Arthur Show. After leaving acting, Arthur taught drama at Vassar College and the North Carolina School of the Arts, where students remembered her as a passionate and generous instructor. She lived a largely private life in her later years and died in 1991 at the age of 90.
Mr. Smith Goes to Washington
as Clarissa Saunders
Age 39 (now 90)
The Whole Town's Talking
as Wilhelmina 'Bill' Clark
Age 34 (now 90)
Frank Capra Jr. Remembers... You Can't Take It with You
as Self (archive footage)
Age 108 (now 90)
Clara Bow: Discovering the "It" Girl
as Self (from The Saturday Night Kid [1929]) (archive footage)
Age 98 (now 90)
Gary Cooper: The Face of a Hero
as Self (archive footage)
Age 97 (now 90)
The Making of a Legend: Gone with the Wind
as Self (archive footage)
Age 87 (now 90)
Mr. Smith Goes to Washington
as Clarissa Saunders
Age 39 (now 90)Screen Snapshots Series 19, No. 1
as Self
Age 38 (now 90)
Screen Snapshots Series 17, No. 12
as Jean Arthur
Age 37 (now 90)
Screen Snapshots (Series 16, No. 1)
as Self
Age 35 (now 90)
Public Hero Number 1
as Maria Theresa 'Terry' O'Reilly
Age 34 (now 90)
The Whole Town's Talking
as Wilhelmina 'Bill' Clark
Age 34 (now 90)
Most Precious Thing in Life
as Ellen Holmes, aka Biddy, Babe
Age 33 (now 90)
Winners Of The Wilderness
as Bit Role (uncredited)
Age 26 (now 90)
Seven Chances
as Miss Smith the Country Club Receptionist (uncredited)
Age 24 (now 90)
Gathering insights...
Also Known As
Gladys Georgianna Greene
IMDB
nm0000795