Ruth Roman (1922-1999)

biography

Born Norma Roman in Lynn, Massachusetts on December 22, 1922, Ruth Roman entered films in the early 1940s. Several years of small and often uncredited roles followed until Roman was cast as the title character Lothel, the Jungle Queen in Universal's adventure serial Jungle Queen (1945). The serial was not a success, and Roman went back to bit parts for a couple of years. Her next important role came in the western Belle Starr's Daughter (1948; with George Montgomery). Afterward, Roman would appear frequently in westerns and dramas. Upon signing with Warner Bros. in 1948, Roman appeared in several 'A' pictures including the film noir thrillers Beyond the Forest (1949; with Bette Davis and Joseph Cotten) and Alfred Hitchcock's Strangers on a Train (1951; with Robert Walker and Farley Granger).



She left the studio following the birth of her son and eventually signed with Universal-International in 1953. While she made a number of good 'B' films at Universal, these lacked the higher production values of her Warner Bros. movies. By 1957, Roman was cut loose by Universal, as that studio got rid of most of its contract players in the late 1950s.

the films of ruth roman

Barricade (1950)

Colt .45 (1950)

Dallas (1950)

Three Secrets (1950)

Strangers on a Train (1951)

Tomorrow Is Another Day (1951)

Young Man with Ideas (1952)

Mara Maru (1952)

The Far Country (1954)

Tanganyika (1954)

Joe MacBeth (1955)

The Bottom of the Bottle (1956)

The Sinner (1957)

Look in Any Window (1961)

Love Has Many Faces (1965)

The F.B.I. (1965-1974 ABC TV Series)

Day of the Animals (1977)

later years

Without the support of a large studio, Ruth Roman's film appearances became sporadic in the late 1950s. She made just three films in the 1960s, including Milagro a los cobardes (1962), a Spanish production never released in the U.S. However, she appeared frequently on popular television programs (including Burke's Law, The Outer Limits, and The Name of the Game through the late 19980s. Her last film was the low-budget indie Echoes (1983 with Gale Sondergaard and Mercedes McCambridge). Sadly, Ruth Roman passed away in her sleep on September 9, 1999, at the age of 76. She was survived by her son, Richard.

ruth roman films available from movies unlimited

TELEVISION
The Outer Limits: The Original Series, Vol. 2 [DVD](1964) DVD
The final 16 first-season episodes--including "Don't Open Till Doomsday," "The Invisibles," "Moonstone," "The Special One," and "The Forms of Things Unknown"--are featured in a two-disc collector's set. 13 2/3 hrs. total. Standard; Soundtrack: English Dolby Digital mono. **16 episodes on 2 discs. 13 2/3 hrs.**
I Spy, Vol. 13: The Medarra Block [DVD] DVD
Includes "Let's Kill Karlovassi" with Ruth Roman, "The Beautiful Children," Michael Rennie in "Laya," and "The Medarra Block." 204 min. Standard; Soundtrack: English Dolby mono.
Bonanza: The Official First Season Value Pack [DVD](1959) DVD
All 32 episodes from season one--including "A Rose for Lotta," "The Paiute War," "The Saga of Annie O'Toole," "Dark Star," and "Death at Dawn"--have been collected in an eight-disc set. 26 1/2 hrs. total. Standard; Soundtrack: English Dolby Digital mono. **32 episodes on 8 discs. 26 1/2 hrs.**

FILM
Jungle Queen [DVD](1943) DVD
Ruth Roman plays the title role of Lothel, mysterious leader of an African tribe whose homeland is caught in the middle of a battle between Nazi spies and Allied agents, in this exciting mix of wartime drama and jungle action. With Edward Norris, Douglass Dumbrille, Tala Birell. Includes all 13 chapters. 4 hrs. total. Standard; Soundtrack: English Dolby Digital stereo; theatrical trailer.
Harmony Trail [DVD](1944) DVD
When a band of outlaws robs a bank of $30,000, a sheriff enlists the help of some rootin'-tootin' cowpokes to bring them to bay. Posing as workers in a travelling medicine show, the men get to demonstrate their entertaining skills while tracking down the conniving criminals. Exciting oater stars Ken Maynard, Eddie Dean, Max Terhune, Gene Alsace. AKA: "White Stallion." 54 min. Standard; Soundtrack: English. Plays All Regions.
Champion [DVD](1949) DVD
Powerful drama based on a story by Ring Lardner and set amid the world of pro boxing. In a breakthrough performance, Kirk Douglas plays a young man who reluctantly enters the ring and quickly rises to the top, while using the people who help him and falling under the Mob's influence. With Marilyn Maxwell, Arthur Kennedy. 100 min. Standard; Soundtracks: English mono; production notes; scene access.
The Window (Remastered Edition) [DVD](1949) DVD
Suspense classic set in the New York tenements, where a young boy with a penchant for telling tall tales witnesses a murder in a neighboring apartment. Neither his parents nor the police will believe his story...but the killers do! Bobby Driscoll, Arthur Kennedy, Paul Stewart, and Ruth Roman star. 73 min. Standard; Soundtrack: English Dolby Digital mono.
Barricade [DVD](1950) DVD
In this unusual oater, a gold mine operator rules over his facility with an iron fist while hiring fugitives to work for him. When two of the laborers befriend a lawyer whose murdered brother used to own the mine, their actions set the stage for a shocking--and violent--confrontation with the current proprietor. Dane Clark, Raymond Massey, Ruth Roman star. 75 min. Standard; Soundtrack: English Dolby Digital mono.
Gary Cooper: The Signature Collection [DVD] DVD
Former Confederate officer Gary Cooper poses as a U.S. marshal to bring down some outlaw brothers in the rough-and-tumble Texas town of "Dallas" (1950). Ruth Roman, Steve Cochran co-star. Coop is a disgraced Union officer who joins up with a band of horse rustlers working for the Confederacy, but whose side is he really on, in "Springfield Rifle" (1952). With Phyllis Thaxter, Lon Chaney, Jr. Charlton Heston co-stars with Cooper in "The Wreck of the Mary Deare" (1959), the story of a ship salvager who helps the lone remaining crew member of a grounded boat who is accused of destroying the vessel. This five-disc set also includes "Sergeant York" and "The Fountainhead." 9 hrs. total. Standard; Soundtrack: English Dolby Digital mono.
Fort Worth (1951)/Colt .45 (1950)/Tall Man Riding [DVD](1955) DVD
First, in "Fort Worth," Randolph Scott is an ex-gunslinger and newspaperman who is forced to return to his old vocation when a gang of outlaws rides into his Texas town. Features David Brian, Phyllis Thaxter, Helena Carter. Next, "Colt .45" has Scott chasing a desperado who is using weapons to terrorize locals. With Ruth Roman, Zachary Scott, Lloyd Bridges. AKA: "Thundercloud." Finally, Scott is a "Tall Man Riding" for vengeance as he tries to settle the score with a nemesis from his past. Dorothy Malone, Peggie Castle, Robert Barratt co-star. Soundtrack: English.
Tomorrow Is Another Day [DVD](1951) DVD
After killing his father to protect his mother when he was a teen, Bill Clark (Steve Cochran) emerges from a long prison stint hoping to rejoin polite society. Bill is forced to leave town when news of his release is publicized, leading him to New York, a whirlwind romance with a dance hall girl (Ruth Roman), and new complications that drive the lovers to flee for their lives. Noir thriller co-stars Lurene Tuttle, Ray Teal. 90 min. Standard; Soundtrack: English Dolby Digital mono.
Greatest Classic Films Collection: Hitchcock Thrillers [DVD] DVD
Two-disc set includes "Suspicion" (1941), "Strangers on a Train," "I Confess," and "The Wrong Man."
Strangers On A Train (Two-Disc Special Edition) [DVD](1951) DVD
One of Alfred Hitchcock's greatest works, based on Patricia Highsmith's novel. Two men meet by chance on a train and facetiously discuss swapping murder targets in each other's lives, but when one man carries out the killing he tries to force the other to fulfill their "bargain." Robert Walker, Farley Granger, Ruth Roman star. Hollywood version; 101 min./British version; 103 min. Standard; Soundtracks: English Dolby Digital mono, French Dolby Digital mono; Subtitles: English, French, Spanish; theatrical trailers; newsreel footage; "making of" documentary; featurettes; audio commentary. Two-disc set.
Greatest Classic Films Collection: Hitchcock Thrillers [DVD] DVD
Two-disc set includes "Suspicion" (1941), "Strangers on a Train," "I Confess," and "The Wrong Man."
Lightning Strikes Twice [DVD](1951) DVD
Directed by King Vidor, this suspenser follows a stage actress who becomes convinced that a man who has been accused of murdering his wife is innocent. After the would-be killer is cleared of committing the crime thanks to a technicality, she falls for him. But on her wedding night, our heroine discovers that her new spouse may just be a madman after all. Richard Todd, Ruth Roman, Mercedes McCambridge star. 91 min. Standard; Soundtrack: English.
Mara Maru [DVD](1952) DVD
Following the death of his partner, salvage diver Errol Flynn becomes the only one who knows the location of a fortune in sunken treasure. When his boat mysteriously goes up in flames, Flynn has little choice but to ally himself with shady collector Raymond Burr, who offers the use of his ship for a cut of the loot. But who's double-crossing whom? With Ruth Roman, Paul Picerni, Richard Webb. 98 min. Standard; Soundtrack: English.
Invitation [DVD](1952) DVD
Dorothy McGuire gives a emotional performance as a sickly woman with a critical heart condition who believes that she's destined to spend her life alone. When her father learns that she has a deep affection for Van Johnson, he pays Johnson to marry McGuire, much to the dismay of McGuire's rival Ruth Roman. The troubling secret is eventually revealed to McGuire, but everything may not be as it seems. Louis Calhern co-stars. 84 min. Standard; Soundtrack: English Dolby Digital mono.
The Far Country [DVD](1955) DVD
Classic western saga stars James Stewart as a cattleman who moves his herd to Alaska, but encounters nothing but trouble. Action and excitement await in this Northern frontier adventure. Walter Brennan, Ruth Roman, Harry Morgan star. 97 min. Standard; Soundtrack: English Dolby Digital mono; Subtitles: Spanish, French; theatrical trailer.
Rebel In Town [DVD](1956) DVD
When a bank robbery pulled by the ex-Confederate Mason clan leaves a young boy dead, Gray Mason (Ben Cooper) is the only member of his family to feel any remorse. He returns to town and is taken in by John and Nora Willoughby (John Payne and Ruth Roman), unaware that they're the little boy's parents. When John discovers who Gray really is, will it lead to forgiveness or more bloodshed? J. Carrol Naish, John Smith also star in this searing western drama. 79 min. Standard; Soundtrack: English.
Bitter Victory (Amere Victorie) [DVD](1957) DVD
Director Nicholas Ray's acclaimed mix of war drama and character study stars Richard Burton as a WWII British army officer sent to North Africa to help major Curt Jurgens and his men execute a raid on Rommel's Libyan headquarters. Complicating matters is the fact that Burton had an affair with Jurgens' wife. Ruth Roman, Anthony Bushell, Christopher Lee also star. 102 min. Widescreen (Enhanced); Soundtrack: English Dolby Digital mono.
Love Has Many Faces [DVD](1965) DVD
Glossy drama stars Lana Turner as a millionairess on an Acapulco vacation with her husband (Cliff Robertson) when the body of one of her former lovers washes up on shore. Their marriage becomes strained as the police try to determine the cause of death, a beach gigolo (Hugh O'Brian) sets his sights on Turner, and Robertson begins to fall for the dead man's old girlfriend (Stefanie Powers). Ruth Roman co-stars. 105 min. Widescreen (Enhanced); Soundtrack: English Dolby Digital mono.
The Baby [DVD](1973) DVD
A social worker investigating a strange family is shocked when she uncovers the secret of Baby, a fully grown man kept as a diapered, playpen-bound infant by his demented mother, in this bizarre suspense tale. Anjanette Comer, Ruth Roman, and David Manzy star. 85 min. Standard; Soundtrack: English Dolby Digital stereo.
The Killing Kind [DVD](1973) DVD
Underrated horror classic concerns a young sex offender who returns to his mother's boarding house in Hollywood after he is released from prison. As he spends his time peeping on a pretty tenant, he becomes oblivious to the fact that another boarder in the home fancies him. But when his enemies start dying mysteriously, is he to blame for their deaths? John Savage, Ann Sothern, Ruth Roman, and Cindy Williams star. 95 min. Widescreen (Enhanced); Soundtrack: English Dolby Digital mono; interview.
Go Ask Alice [DVD](1973) DVD
Eager for attention, a shy high school girl takes up with drug users and is drawn into a world of narcotics, alcohol and prostitution. Based on the powerful "real-life diary" and shot in a cinema verite style, this acclaimed TV drama stars Jamie Smith-Jackson, Julie Adams, William Shatner, Jennifer Edwards, and Andy Griffith. 73 min. Soundtrack: English.
Day Of The Animals (Widescreen Version) [DVD](1977) DVD
A group of hikers exploring the Sierra Mountains learns that it's not nice to mess with Mother Nature, as ozone depletion turns the area's birds and beasts into savage man-eaters. Christopher George, Linda Day George, Leslie Nielsen, and Richard Jaeckel star. This special video edition also includes an alternate version of the film (under the title "Something Is Out There"). 97 min. Widescreen (Enhanced); Soundtracks: English Dolby Digital mono, Spanish Dolby Digital mono; audio commentary; interviews; photo gallery; theatrical trailer. Two-disc set.
The Sacketts [DVD](1979) DVD
From the pen of legendary Western author Louis L'Amour comes this sprawling saga of three brothers and their adventures in the American frontier after the Civil War. The superlative cast includes Tom Selleck, Sam Elliott, Jeff Osterhage, Glenn Ford, Ben Johnson, and Jack Elam. 193 min. on two discs. Standard; Soundtrack: English Dolby Digital mono; Subtitles: Spanish, French; featurette.

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ruth roman photos and posters available

filmography

This listing is mostly complete but does not include all television appearances and uncredited film performances:
FILM
Echoes, aka Living Nightmare (1983) with Gale Sondergaard and Mercedes McCambridge
Willow B: Women in Prison (1980) with Carol Lynley and Sally Kirkland
The Sacketts (1979) with Sam Elliot, Gilbert Roland, Tom Selleck, Glenn Ford, and Mercedes McCambridge
Day of the Animals (1977) with Christopher George, Lynda Day George, Leslie Nielsen, Michael Ansara, Paul Mantee, and Andrew Stevens
Impulse (1974) with William Shatner and Harold Sakata
A Knife for the Ladies (1974) with Jack Elam
Punch and Jody (1974) with Glenn Ford and Parley Baer
The Baby (1973) with Anjanette Comer and Marianna Hill
The Killing Kind (1973) with Ann Sothern, Luana Anders, John Savage, and Cindy Williams
Go Ask Alice (1973) with William Shatner, Julie Adams, Robert Carradine, Andy Griffith, and Mackenzie Phillips
Incident in San Francisco (1971) with Leslie Nielsen and Richard Kiley
The Old Man Who Cried Wolf (1970) with Edward G. Robinson, Diane Baker, and Martin Balsam
Love Has Many Faces (1965) with Lana Turner, Hugh O'Brian, Cliff Robertson, Virginia Grey, and Stefanie Powers
Milagro a los cobardes (1962)
Look in Any Window (1961) with Alex Nicol, Paul Anka, Jack Cassidy, and Gigi Perreau
Bitter Victory (1958) with Richard Burton and Christopher Lee
5 Steps to Danger (1957) with Sterling Hayden, Werner Klemperer, and Jeanne Cooper
Jungle Safari (1956)
Rebel in Town (1956) with John Payne, John Smith, and J. Carrol Naish
Great Day in the Morning (1956) with Virginia Mayo, Robert Stack, Raymond Burr, and Alex Nicol
The Bottom of the Bottle (1956) with Van Johnson, Joseph Cotten, Bruce Bennett, and Jim Davis
Joe MacBeth (1955) with Paul Douglas
The Sinner (1955) with Akim Tamiroff
The Far Country (1954) with James Stewart, Corinne Calvet, Walter Brennan, and Steve Brodie
Down Three Dark Streets (1954) with Martha Hyer, Broderick Crawford, and Max Showalter
The Shanghai Story (1954) with Edmond O'Brien and Whit Bissell
Tanganyika (1954) with Van Heflin, Jeff Morrow, and Howard Duff
Blowing Wild (1953) with Gary Cooper and Barbara Stanwyck
Invitation (1952) with Van Johnson, Dorothy McGuire, and Ray Collins
Young Man with Ideas (1952) with Glenn Ford, Denise Darcel, Nina Foch, and Mary Wickes
Mara Maru (1952) with Errol Flynn and Raymond Burr
Lightning Strikes Twice (1951) with Richard Todd, Mercedes McCambridge, and Zachary Scott
Tomorrow Is Another Day (1951) with Steve Cochran and Lurene Tuttle
Strangers on a Train (1951) with Farley Granger, Robert Walker, Kasey Rogers, and Patricia Hitchcock
Dallas (1950) with Gary Cooper, Steve Cochran, Leif Erickson, Raymond Massey, and Barbara Payton
Three Secrets (1950) with Patricia Neal, Eleanor Parker, and Leif Erickson
Colt .45 (1950) with Randolph Scott, Zachary Scott, and Lloyd Bridges
Barricade (1950) with Dane Clark and Raymond Massey
Always Leave Them Laughing (1949) with Virginia Mayo, Milton Berle, Jerome Cowan, and Max Showalter
Beyond the Forest (1949) with Bette Davis, Joseph Cotten, and David Brian
The Window (1949) with Barbara Hale and Bobby Driscoll
Champion (1949) with Kirk Douglas and Marilyn Maxwell
Belle Starr's Daughter (1948) with George Montgomery and Rod Cameron
Good Sam (1948) with Gary Cooper and Ann Sheridan
Jungle Queen (1945) with Edward Norris and Eddie Quillan
Harmony Trail (1944) with Ken Maynard, Max Terhune, and Glenn Strange
Stage Door Canteen (1943) with an all-star cast

TELEVISION SERIES
Knots Landing, 1979-1993 CBS TV series. Roman portrayed Sylvia Lean during the 1986-1987 season
The Long, Hot Summer, 1965-1966 ABC TV series. Roman portrayed Minnie Littlejohn

TELEVISION GUEST APPEARANCES
Murder, She Wrote, episode Town Father, originally aired December 17, 1989
Murder, She Wrote, episode The Sins of Castle Cove, originally aired April 9, 1989
Murder, She Wrote, episode If It's Thursday, It Must Be Beverly, originally aired November 8, 1987
Fantasy Island, episode My Fair Pharaoh/The Power, originally aired May 10, 1980
Police Woman, episode Disco Killer, originally aired January 25, 1977
Harry O, episode Death Certificate, originally aired April 29, 1976
Cannon, episode Flashpoint, originally aired March 13, 1974
Kung Fu, episode A Dream Within a Dream, originally aired January 17, 1974
Hec Ramsey, episode A Hard Road to Vengeance, originally aired November 25, 1973
Faraday and Company, episode Say Hello to a Dead Man, originally aired September 26, 1973
Mod Squad, episode Belinda, End of Little Miss Bubble Gum, originally aired December 7, 1972
The Sixth Sense, episode Once Upon a Chilling, originally aired October 28, 1972
Ironside, episode Gentle Oaks, originally aired November 30, 1971
Gunsmoke, episode Waste: Parts 1 and 2, originally aired September 27 and October 4, 1971
The Virginian, episode The Angus Killer, originally aired February 10, 1971
Mannix, episode The Judas Touch, originally aired January 16, 1971
Marcus Welby, M.D., episode Diagnosis: Fear, originally aired December 30, 1969
Gunsmoke, episode Coreyville, originally aired October 6, 1969
The Outcasts, episode The Town That Wouldn't, originally aired March 31, 1969
Mission: Impossible, episode The Elixir, originally aired November 24, 1968
The Name of the Game, episode Witness, originally aired September 27, 1968
Premiere, episode Crisis, originally aired January 1, 1968
I Spy, episode Let's Kill Karlovassi, originally aired September 11, 1967
Tarzan, episode The Ultimatum, originally aired March 31, 1967
The Girl from U.N.C.L.E., episode The Furnace Flats Affair, originally aired February 21, 1967
The F.B.I., episode The Courier, originally aired January 15, 1967
The Bing Crosby Show, episode Real Estate Venture, originally aired March 15, 1965
Dr. Kildare, episode A Candle in the Window , originally aired November 5, 1964
The Outer Limits, episode Moonstone, originally aired March 9, 1964
Bob Hope Presents the Chrysler Theatre, episode The Candidate, originally aired December 6, 1963
Breaking Point, episode Who Is Mimi, What Is She?, originally aired December 2, 1963
The Eleventh Hour, episode Four Feet in the Morning, originally aired November 27, 1963
Dr. Kildare, episode Four Feet in the Morning, originally aired November 21, 1963
Burke's Law, episode Who Killed Harris Crown?, originally aired October 11, 1963
The Greatest Show on Earth, episode Silent Love, Secret Love, originally aired September 24, 1963
Route 66, episode In the Closing of a Trunk, originally aired March 8, 1963
The Eleventh Hour, episode Advice to the Lovelorn and Shopworn, originally aired January 23, 1963
Sam Benedict, episode Green Room, Grey Morning, originally aired January 19, 1963
The Alfred Hitchcock Hour, episode What Really Happened, originally aired January 11, 1963
The Defenders, episode The Voices of Death, originally aired September 15, 1962
Bus Stop, episode Turn Home Again, originally aired January 28, 1962
The Untouchables, episode Man Killer, originally aired December 7, 1961
Naked City, episode The Human Trap, originally aired November 30, 1960
G.E. True Theater, episode The Book of Silence, originally aired March 6, 1960
Bonanza, episode The Magnificent Adah, originally aired November 14, 1959
Jane Wyman Presents The Fireside Theatre, episode He Came for the Money, originally aired February 13, 1958
The Ford Television Theatre, episode Panic, originally aired June 14, 1956
Celebrity Playhouse, episode A Letter from the Past, originally aired April 17, 1956
Climax!, episode Spin Into Darkness, originally aired April 5, 1956
G.E. True Theater, episode Into the Night, originally aired May 8, 1955
Producers' Showcase, episode Darkness at Noon, originally aired May 2, 1955
The Ford Television Theatre, episode The Lilac Bush, originally aired March 3, 1955
The Red Skelton Hour, episode Queen of Mars, originally aired February 1, 1955
Lux Video Theatre, episode The Chase, originally aired December 30, 1954