Irene Rich Biography October 13, 1891 -April 22, 1988

Irene Rich Biography

October 13, 1891 -April 22, 1988

Born October 13, 1891 in Buffalo, New York, USA
Died April 22, 1988 in Hope Ranch, California, USA  (heart failure)
Birth Name Irene Luther
Height 5' 6" (1.68 m)
Mini Bio (1)
Born Irene Luther on October 13, 1891, silent-screen femme Irene Rich came from a once well-to-do family in Buffalo, New York. Her father had a reversal of fortune while she was quite young and the family subsequently had to move to California. Following her education, Irene pursued a career as a realtor. She had already married twice by the time she decided to become an actress and, by the "ripe old age" of 27, had begun working as a movie extra.

Success came quickly for Irene and her first part of real substance was in The Girl in His House (1918). She continued on as a poised, resourceful co-star and became a particular favorite of Will Rogers, who used her in Water, Water, Everywhere (1920), The Strange Boarder (1920), Jes' Call Me Jim (1920), Boys Will Be Boys (1921) and The Ropin' Fool (1922). Her array of leading men ran the gamut -- from Harry Carey in Desperate Trails (1921) to Lon Chaney in Heart of a Wolf (1922) to John Barrymore in Beau Brummel (1924) to movie mutt Strongheart the Dog in Brawn of the North (1922).

Irene's true screen persona, however, arrived in the form of tearjerkers, nobly portraying the ever-suffering, well-coiffed "doormat" in her own plush, domestic dramas. Somewhat reminiscent in both looks, style and demeanor of Irene Dunne, she became a favorite in women's pictures throughout the 1920s, one of her best known roles being in Lady Windermere's Fan (1925).

With age Irene moved into more motherly roles, and by the coming of sound she was playing Will Rogers' pushy wife in a few of his social comedies, including So This Is London (1930) and Down to Earth (1932). At around the same time Irene enjoyed a spectacular new career on radio. In 1933 she began her nationwide anthology program entitled "Dear John" (also called "The Irene Rich Show"), which lasted over a decade. Her leading man on that show for many of those years was Gale Gordon, who later played Lucille Ball's apoplectic boss and nemesis on 1960s TV.

Irene also enjoyed some success on stage in such productions as "Seven Keys to Baldpate" (1935), which starred George M. Cohan. Eventually she left it all, marrying a fourth time to businessman George Henry Clifford in 1950, and settling in comfortable retirement. She died at age 96 quietly of heart failure and was survived by two daughters, one of whom, Frances Rich, was an actress briefly on the 1930s stage and screen before becoming a noted sculptor.
- IMDb Mini Biography By: Gary Brumburgh / gr-home@pacbell.net

Spouse (4)

George Henry Clifford (28 February 1950 - 1959) ( his death)
David Ferguson Blankenhorn (6 April 1927 - 1931) ( divorced)
Charles Rich (9 January 1912 - 1916) ( divorced)
Elvo Elcourt Deffenbaugh (17 February 1909 - 1911) ( divorced) ( 1 child)
Trivia (4)
Children: Frances (c. 1910) and Jane (c. 1916)
Mother of actress Frances Rich.
She was awarded 2 Stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for Radio at 6150 Hollywood Boulevard and for Motion Pictures at 6225 Hollywood Boulevard in Hollywood, California.
She served in the Women's Ambulance and Defense Corps during World War II.