Ruth Gordon was an American actress (
October 30,
1896 -
August 28,
1985) who was perhaps best known for her role as the oversolicitous neighbor in
Roman Polanski's adaptation of
Ira Levin's novel
Rosemary's Baby, for which she won the
1968 Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress. Gordon also starred as Maude in
Hal Ashby[?]'s indie comedy
Harold and Maude and as
Mary Todd Lincoln[?] in
Abe Lincoln in Illinois. She had a minor role as Clint Eastwood's mother in his films
Every Which Way But Loose and
Any Which Way You Can.
In addition, Gordon wrote the screenplay for the Katharine Hepburn and Spencer Tracy film Adam's Rib.
Harold and Maude and Adam's Rib have both been selected for preservation in the United States Library of Congress' National Film Registry.