Biography
Ruth McDevitt (1895–1976) was an American stage, film, radio and television actress. Born Ruth Thane Shoecraft in Coldwater, Michigan, she trained at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts. After a period away from acting following her marriage to Patrick McDevitt in 1928, she returned to the stage following his death in 1934 and made her Broadway debut in 1940.
She appeared in numerous Broadway productions and succeeded Josephine Hull in roles including Arsenic and Old Lace and The Solid Gold Cadillac. Her film credits include The Parent Trap (1961) as Miss Inch and The Birds (1963) as Mrs. MacGruder. McDevitt was also a familiar face on television, with guest and recurring roles in series such as The Andy Griffith Show, Bewitched, I Dream of Jeannie, All in the Family and Kolchak: The Night Stalker.
