Virginia Patton | |
|---|---|
 Patton inBlack Eagle (1948) | |
| Born | Virginia Ann Marie Patton (1925-06-25)June 25, 1925 Cleveland, Ohio, U.S. |
| Died | August 18, 2022(2022-08-18) (aged 97) Albany, Georgia, U.S. |
| Alma mater | |
| Occupation | Actress |
| Years active | 1943–1949 |
| Known for | It's a Wonderful Life |
| Spouse | |
| Relatives | GeneralGeorge Smith Patton Jr. (uncle) |
Virginia Ann Marie Patton Moss (June 25, 1925 – August 18, 2022) was an American actress. After appearing in several films in the early 1940s, she was cast in her most well-known role as Ruth Dakin Bailey inFrank Capra'sIt's a Wonderful Life (1946). In 1949, Patton retired from acting, and her final film credit wasThe Lucky Stiff (1949).
Virginia Patton was born inCleveland, Ohio on June 25, 1925, to Marie (née Cain) and Donald Patton.[1][2]
She was raised in her father's hometown ofPortland, Oregon,[3] where her family moved when she was an infant.[4][5][6]
She was a great-niece of GeneralGeorge S. Patton Jr.[7]
Patton graduated fromJefferson High School in Portland, and then moved to Los Angeles, California, where she attended theUniversity of Southern California.[8]
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While a student at USC, Patton began to audition for acting parts. She collaborated in plays with screenwriterWilliam C. DeMille while in college.[8] She had several minor supporting film appearances before being cast in Capra'sIt's a Wonderful Life (1946) as Ruth Dakin Bailey, the wife of George Bailey's younger brother Harry.[9]
Although Capra did not know Patton personally, she read the role for him, and he signed her to a contract. Patton later said that she was the only girl the famous director ever signed in his entire career. Patton still gave interviews aboutIt's a Wonderful Life, and she was the last surviving credited member of the adult actors in the film (a number of child actors are still alive).
Patton made only four films afterIt's a Wonderful Life, including her first lead in the B-WesternBlack Eagle (1948).[10] She appeared in the dramaThe Burning Cross (1946), a film about a World War II veteran who becomes embroiled with theKu Klux Klan upon returning to his hometown.[11]
Patton was married to Cruse W. Moss from 1949 until his death in 2018. She gave up acting in the late 1940s to concentrate on raising a family with her husband in Ann Arbor, Michigan.[10] She later attended the University of Michigan.[10]
Patton died on August 18, 2022, at age 97.[12] She was the last surviving adult cast member ofIt's a Wonderful Life.[13]
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1943 | Thank Your Lucky Stars | Girl in Ann Sheridan Number | uncredited |
| 1943 | Old Acquaintance | College Girl | uncredited |
| 1944 | Roaring Guns | Karen Ferris | short film |
| 1944 | Grandfather's Follies | short film | |
| 1944 | Janie | Carrie Lou | |
| 1944 | The Last Ride | Hazel Dale | uncredited |
| 1944 | Hollywood Canteen | Junior Hostess | uncredited |
| 1945 | The Horn Blows at Midnight | Party Girl | uncredited |
| 1946 | Canyon Passage | Liza Stone / Bartlett | uncredited |
| 1946 | Nobody Lives Forever | Switchboard Operator | uncredited |
| 1946 | It's a Wonderful Life | Ruth Dakin Bailey | |
| 1947 | The Burning Cross | Doris Green | |
| 1947 | A Double Life | Actress onstage inOthello | |
| 1948 | Black Eagle | Ginny Long | |
| 1949 | The Lucky Stiff | Millie Dale |
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
| People | |
