Ann Wedgeworth

Ann Wedgeworth married actor, Rip Torn, in 1955. She gave birth to a daughter, Danae Torn, also an actress. The couple divorced in 1961.

In 1970, she married Ernie Martin, an acting teacher and director. She gave birth to a daughter, Dianna Martin, who is an acting teacher/ actress/writer.

Ann Wedgeworth died on November 16, 2017 in New York City. She was 83.

Ann Wedgeworth was born on January 21, 1934, in Abilene, Texas, U.S., to Elizabeth Wedgeworth and Cortus Wedgeworth. Her father was a school teacher.

She did her graduation from the Highland Park School in Texas. At this school she was also Jayne Mansfield’s classmate.

Ann dropped the first name Elizabeth after she graduated in 1957 from University of Texas. She then moved to New York City and was finally admitted to The Actors Studio after several auditions.

Ann Wedgeworth first made her foray into theater with her Broadway debut in ‘Make a Million’ in 1958. She then starred in several Broadway and off-Broadway productions that included ‘Blues for Mister Charlie’, ‘Period of Adjustment’, ‘Thieves’ and ‘The Last Analysis’.

She then appeared in ‘A Lie of the Mind’ by Sam Shepard, with co-stars Geraldine Page and Harvey Keitel at the Promenade Theatre in New York. This ran from December 5, 1985 to June 1, 1986. Page in fact had ended up marrying Ann’s former husband Rip Torn.

Ann Wedgeworth also ventured into movies and made her movie debut with the film ‘Andy’ in 1965. She played the female lead against actor Gene Hackman in the film ‘Scarecrow’ in 1973.

She played supporting role in the movies ‘Law and Disorder’, ‘Bang the Drum Slowly’, ‘Thieves’ and ‘One Summer Love’. She appeared with her former husband, Rip Torn, in the movie ‘Birch Interval’ in 1976. This was after fifteen years of divorce and by then he was married to Geraldine Page.

In the 1980s, she played supporting role in movies, such as ‘No Small Affair’ and ‘Made in Heaven’. She then portrayed Aunt Fern in ‘Steel Magnolias’ in 1989.

She appeared as the mother of Sissy Spacek in ‘Hard Promises’ in 1991. Ann also appeared in two movies opposite Renée Zellweger: ‘The Whole Wide World’ and ‘Love and a .45’.

Ann was also seen in the ‘The Hawk Is Dying’ opposite Paul Giamatti. This indie film was showcased at the 2006 Sundance Film Festival.