Ann Gillis

Ann Gillis

Born: February 12, 1927
Died: January 31, 2018
in Little Rock, Arkansas, USA
Ann Gillis was born Alma Mabel Conner on February 12, 1927, in Little Rock, Arkansas. At age seven, she appeared in her first film, Men in White (1934), as an extra. During the next two years, she had uncredited appearances in six more films until she received her first major role in King of Hockey (1936). Warner Brothers Studios gave significant screen time to Gillis in this movie, in hopes that she would become another Shirley Temple. Although (like all child stars of the 1930s) she never achieved Temple's level of fame, for the next several years Gillis starred in many films, almost always playing a spoiled, bratty character. She had two rare sympathetic roles as Becky Thatcher in The Adventures of Tom Sawyer (1938) and as the title character in Little Orphan Annie (1938). One scene in The Adventures of Tom Sawyer called for her to go into screaming hysterics when her character was trapped in a cave of bats, and Gillis delivered in a powerful performance that is probably the most memorable scene of her film career. As Gillis grew older, however, her career slowed down, and she left Hollywood in 1947. When she left Hollywood she married Paul Ziebold and had 2 sons. She then divorced, relocated to New York City and married Richard Fraser, a Scottish-born actor (they had a son born in 1958). During the 1950s and '60s, Gillis made sporadic television appearances, and in 1959, she hosted a national telecast presentation of The Adventures of Tom Sawyer. Gillis and her husband moved to England in 1961, and they were living in London when they heard of a casting call for 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968) that called for an American actress living in the city. Gillis auditioned and got the role; it remains her final film to date. Ann moved to Belgium in 1972 where she met and married Belgian René Van Hulst (deceased 1999). She lived in Belgium from 1972 to 2014 and became a Belgian citizen, devoting much of her time to painting and music, she was an accomplished pianist and harpist. She moved to England, UK in December 2014 and passed away peacefully on 31/1/2018.

Movies for Ann Gillis...

2001: A Space Odyssey
Title: 2001: A Space Odyssey
Character: Poole's Mother
Released: April 2, 1968
Type: Movie
Humanity finds a mysterious object buried beneath the lunar surface and sets off to find its origins with the help of HAL 9000, the world's most advanced super computer.
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Title: The Saint
Character: Beryl Carrington
Released: October 4, 1962
Type: TV
Simon Templar is The Saint, a handsome, sophisticated, debonair, modern-day Robin Hood who recovers ill-gotten wealth and redistributes it to those in need.
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Title: The Saint
Character: Wilma
Released: October 4, 1962
Type: TV
Simon Templar is The Saint, a handsome, sophisticated, debonair, modern-day Robin Hood who recovers ill-gotten wealth and redistributes it to those in need.
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Title: Man of the World
Released: September 29, 1962
Type: TV
Man of the World was an ATV drama series, distributed by ITC Entertainment. The show ran in the United Kingdom in 1962 and 1963 for 20 one-hour episodes in monochrome. The series stars Craig Stevens as Michael Strait, a world-renowned photographer whose assignments lead him into investigating mysterious goings-on amongst the rich and glamorous and intrigue from far-flung place as Iraq, Indo-China, and Algiers. Tracy Reed co-stars in the first season.
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Title: Studio One
Released: November 7, 1948
Type: TV
An American radio–television anthology series, created in 1947 by Canadian director Fletcher Markle, who came to CBS from the CBC. Studio One, presented by Westinghouse, was one of the first of the anthology TV programs. The episodes were often abridged remakes of movies from years gone by and many future well-known television and movie actors appeared in the productions.
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Big Town After Dark
Title: Big Town After Dark
Character: Susan Peabody LaRue
Released: December 12, 1947
Type: Movie
A crusading newspaper reporter battles big-city gambling interests.
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Sweetheart of Sigma Chi
Title: Sweetheart of Sigma Chi
Character: Sue
Released: November 16, 1946
Type: Movie
A couple of gamblers pressure the local night club owner to rig things so the local college rowing crew will lose their upcoming race.
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The Time of Their Lives
Title: The Time of Their Lives
Character: Nora O'Leary
Released: August 13, 1946
Type: Movie
Two ghosts, who were mistakenly branded as traitors during the Revolutionary War, return to 20th century New England to retrieve a letter from George Washington which would prove their innocence.
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Janie Gets Married
Title: Janie Gets Married
Character: Paula Rainey
Released: June 22, 1946
Type: Movie
Newlywed Janie's (Joan Leslie) World War II-veteran husband (Robert Hutton) goes to work at her father's (Edward Arnold) newspaper.
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Gay Blades
Title: Gay Blades
Character: Helen Dowell (as Anne Gillis)
Released: January 25, 1946
Type: Movie
New York hockey player Andy Buell is approached by Hollywood talent scout Nancy Davis to play the hunk lead in "The Behemoth" but he would prefer she quit her job and become his wife.
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The Cheaters
Title: The Cheaters
Character: Angela Pidgeon
Released: July 15, 1945
Type: Movie
An eccentric wealthy family facing bankruptcy schemes to steal an inheritance, but an alcoholic ex-actor they take in for Christmas charity complicates their plan.
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A Wave, a WAC and a Marine
Title: A Wave, a WAC and a Marine
Character: Judy (as Anne Gillis)
Released: October 7, 1944
Type: Movie
Henny Brown, talent scout for the Margaret Ames Film Agency in Hollywood, mistakes Broadway show understudies Judy and Marian, for stars Betty and Eileen, and signs them up for movies. Margaret, furious with Henny for the blunder, fires him---but only temporarily. Another agent, Marty Allen, once married to and still in love with Margaret, signs Betty and Eileen. Henny arrives with Judy and Marian, and the nightclub manager asks Henny to emcee the show. Though he is not sure himself what they can do, Henny introduces the girls and they make a hit in a dramatic sketch. Big-time movie producer R. J. signs them to a film contract. Judy joins the WAVES, Marian the WACS and Marty the Marines and all have two weeks before induction, and that is more than long enough to shoot a Monogram musical-within-a-Monogram musical and have a few days to spare.
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Janie
Title: Janie
Character: Paula Rainey
Released: September 2, 1944
Type: Movie
Teenage Janie falls in love with a private from an Army base opposed by her editor father.
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In Society
Title: In Society
Character: Gloria Winthrop
Released: August 16, 1944
Type: Movie
Two bumbling plumbers are hired by a socialite to fix a leak. A case of mistaken identity gets the pair an invitation to a fancy party and an entree into high society. As expected, things don't go too smoothly
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Since You Went Away
Title: Since You Went Away
Character: Becky Anderson - Class President (uncredited)
Released: June 30, 1944
Type: Movie
While husband Tim is away during World War II, Anne Hilton copes with problems on the homefront. Taking in a lodger, Colonel Smollett, to help make ends meet and dealing with shortages and rationing are minor inconveniences compared to the love affair daughter Jane and the Colonel's grandson conduct.
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Man from Music Mountain
Title: Man from Music Mountain
Character: Penny Winters
Released: October 30, 1943
Type: Movie
Roy returns home to fine a range feud between the cattlemen and the sheepmen. When his friend is killed he finds the rifle had a defective pin. He learns the rifle belongs to a ranch hand named Barker and that a third party has caused the feud. When he captures outlaws trying to blow up a dam, he claims Barker was the killer. But Barker has switched rifles and the outlaws now accuse Roy and Roy finds himself in trouble.
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Stage Door Canteen
Title: Stage Door Canteen
Character: Ann Gillis
Released: June 24, 1943
Type: Movie
A young soldier on a pass in New York City visits the famed Stage Door Canteen, where famous stars of the theater and films appear and host a recreational center for servicemen during the war. The soldier meets a pretty young hostess and they enjoy the many entertainers and a growing romance
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'Neath Brooklyn Bridge
Title: 'Neath Brooklyn Bridge
Character: Sylvia
Released: November 20, 1942
Type: Movie
The East Side Kids find a young girl in the apartment of a man who has just been murdered. Believing her to be innocent, they hide her in their clubhouse while they try to find the real killer. The killer, however, used a baseball bat as his murder weapon, and the bat has the fingerprints of one of the gang on it.
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Bambi
Title: Bambi
Character: Adolescent Faline (voice) (uncredited)
Released: August 14, 1942
Type: Movie
Bambi's tale unfolds from season to season as the young prince of the forest learns about life, love, and friends.
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Tough as They Come
Title: Tough as They Come
Character: Frankie Taylor
Released: June 5, 1942
Type: Movie
The 'Dead End Kids & Little Tough Guys' are working as collectors for a finance company, when they discover the company's illegal activities and try to stop them.
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Meet the Stewarts
Title: Meet the Stewarts
Character: Jane Goodwin
Released: May 21, 1942
Type: Movie
A young, newlywed couple learns to make their marriage work—on a budget.
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Glamour Boy
Title: Glamour Boy
Character: Brenda Lee
Released: December 5, 1941
Type: Movie
Former child star Jackie Cooper headlines this sentimental behind-the-scenes comedy drama. He plays an ex-child star who now jerks sodas for a living in Hollywood. He gets back into the movie business when he overhears a conversation between producers discussing their newest prodigy. Cooper butts in and suggests the producers remake Skippy (a real-life 1931 film that made young Cooper a star). The bigwigs like the idea and then hire Cooper to become the boy's acting coach. Once back on the backlot, Cooper finds both trouble and romance while helping the young boy adjust to life as a movie star.
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Mr. Dynamite
Title: Mr. Dynamite
Character: Joey aka Abigail
Released: March 1, 1941
Type: Movie
A ball player takes his girlfriend to a carnival, only to discover a ring of saboteurs.
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Nice Girl?
Title: Nice Girl?
Character: Nancy Dana
Released: February 21, 1941
Type: Movie
Jane is a nice girl and has had her eyes on a young man who seems more interested in his hand-built car than in Jane. She decides to shed her "nice girl" image when an associate of her father comes to town on his way to study Australian Aboriginal tribes.
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Little Men
Title: Little Men
Character: Nan
Released: November 29, 1940
Type: Movie
Jo March and her husband Professor Bhaer operate the Plumfield School for poor boys. When Dan, a tough street kid, comes to the school, he wins Jo's heart despite his hard edge, and she defends him when he is falsely accused. Dan's foster father, Major Burdle, is a swindler in cahoots with another crook called Willie the Fox. When the Plumfield School becomes in danger of foreclosure, the two con men cook up a scheme to save the home.
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My Love Came Back
Title: My Love Came Back
Character: Valerie Malette
Released: July 13, 1940
Type: Movie
Amelia is a gifted violinist who is in danger of quitting the Brissac Academy of Music. Julius arranges to have a scholarship given to her through his employee Tony so that Julius can escort Amelia to every musical event in the city. The trouble begins when he cannot meet her one night and Tony goes in his place. Tony believes that Julius and Amelia are a couple and then son Paul thinks that Tony and Amelia are a couple as he is sending her the money. The worst part is that Amelia might leave classical music for swing music with classmates Dusty, Joy and the band.
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All This, and Heaven Too
Title: All This, and Heaven Too
Character: Emily Schuyler
Released: July 5, 1940
Type: Movie
When lovely and virtuous governess Henriette Deluzy comes to educate the children of the debonair Duc de Praslin, a royal subject to King Louis-Philippe and the husband of the volatile and obsessive Duchesse de Praslin, she instantly incurs the wrath of her mistress, who is insanely jealous of anyone who comes near her estranged husband. Though she saves the duchess's little son from a near-death illness and warms herself to all the children, she is nevertheless dismissed by the vengeful duchess. Meanwhile, the attraction between the duke and Henriette continues to grow, eventually leading to tragedy.
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Edison, the Man
Title: Edison, the Man
Character: Nancy Grey
Released: May 10, 1940
Type: Movie
In flashback, fifty years after inventing the light bulb, an 82-year-old Edison tells his story starting at age twenty-two with his arrival in New York. He's on his way with the invention of an early form of the stock market ticker.
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The Under-Pup
Title: The Under-Pup
Character: Letty Lou
Released: August 31, 1939
Type: Movie
A young city girl from a poor family is invited to spend the summer at a camp for girls from wealthy families. At first made fun of and ridiculed because of her background, she determines to show the snooty rich girls she's just as good as they are.
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Beau Geste
Title: Beau Geste
Character: Isobel Rivers (as a Child)
Released: July 24, 1939
Type: Movie
When three brothers join the Foreign Legion to escape a troubled past, they find themselves trapped under the command of a sadistic sergeant deep in the scorching Sahara. Now the brothers must fight for their lives as they plot mutiny against tyranny and defend a desert fortress against a brutal enemy.
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Little Orphan Annie
Title: Little Orphan Annie
Character: Annie
Released: December 2, 1938
Type: Movie
Annie (Ann Gillis), an orphan, (based on Harold Gray's comic strip but who is at no point in the film called 'Little Orphan Annie), is befriended by a fight manager, 'Pop' Corrigan (J. Farrell MacDonald). She brings him Johnny Adams (Robert Kent), a promising prizefighter. Annie gets the people of the neighborhood to finance his training. But on the night of Johnny's big fight, a gambling syndicate locks him in a gymnasium and it appears the neighborhood folks will lose their investment.
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Peck's Bad Boy with the Circus
Title: Peck's Bad Boy with the Circus
Character: Fluerette de Cava
Released: December 2, 1938
Type: Movie
Trouble-prone Billy Peck and his gang descend on a traveling circus that has just hit town, and before long their antics are causing the circus owner all kinds of problems.
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The Adventures of Tom Sawyer
Title: The Adventures of Tom Sawyer
Character: Becky Thatcher
Released: February 11, 1938
Type: Movie
Tom Sawyer and his pal Huckleberry Finn have great adventures on the Mississippi River, pretending to be pirates, attending their own funeral and witnessing a murder.
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The Californian
Title: The Californian
Character: Rosalia as a Child
Released: July 18, 1937
Type: Movie
Native son returns from school in Spain to California in 1855 and finds corrupt politicians stealing land from old California families. He becomes a sort of Robin Hood in order to fight them.
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You Can't Buy Luck
Title: You Can't Buy Luck
Character: Peggy (uncredited)
Released: April 30, 1937
Type: Movie
When a gambler is accused of murder, the pretty orphanage employee he loves sets out to prove him innocent of the crime.
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Off to the Races
Title: Off to the Races
Character: Winnie Mae
Released: February 5, 1937
Type: Movie
The Jones family's uncle George enters his trotting horse in the fair grounds race. The family helps raise the entrance fee and care for the horse.
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King of Hockey
Title: King of Hockey
Character: Peggy O'Rourke
Released: December 19, 1936
Type: Movie
Gamblers try to pressure a star hockey player into throwing a game.
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Under Your Spell
Title: Under Your Spell
Character: Gwendolyn (uncredited)
Released: November 6, 1936
Type: Movie
A famous singer, bored with music and fans, goes to live in Mexico. His manager sends a woman to bring him back. They fall in love.
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The Singing Cowboy
Title: The Singing Cowboy
Character: Lou Ann Stevens
Released: May 11, 1936
Type: Movie
A rodeo singer funds a little girl's operation with a show, on television.
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The Great Ziegfeld
Title: The Great Ziegfeld
Character: Mary Lou as a Child (uncredited)
Released: April 8, 1936
Type: Movie
Lavish biography of Flo Ziegfeld, the producer who became Broadway's biggest starmaker.