---
name: "Ruth Terry"
canonical: "https://film.one/person/ruth-terry"
roles: []
born: "21 October 1920"
died: "11 March 2016"
reviewed_on_fi1m: 1
average_over: 1
updated: "2026-09-19T23:48:43.541453+00:00"
licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL."
---

# Ruth Terry

Actor. Born 21 October 1920 in Benton Harbor, Michigan, USA. Died 11 March 2016.

## Details

- **Born:** 21 October 1920, Benton Harbor, Michigan, USA
- **Died:** 11 March 2016
- **Also known as:** Ruth Mae McMahon, Ruth Mae Terry
- **Elsewhere:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ruth_Terry, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q7383237, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0856074/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/34449

## Biography

Ruth Terry (born Ruth Mae McMahon) was an American actress and singer. She was born on 21 October 1920 in Benton Harbor, Michigan, and died on 11 March 2016.

She began her career as a singer in nightclubs and radio before signing with 20th Century Fox. Her film roles include Ruby in *Alexander's Ragtime Band* (1938), Betsy Ann in *The Hound of the Baskervilles* (1939), and appearances in several westerns for Republic Pictures with Gene Autry and Roy Rogers. She later worked in television, including an episode of *Maverick* (1957).

Her stage name was suggested by columnist Walter Winchell. She was active in film and television from 1937 to 1964.

*Sources: en.wikipedia.org, imdb.com, watch.plex.tv.*

## On Fi1m (1)

- *Alexander's Ragtime Band* (1938), Fi1m 70, as Ruby — [page](https://film.one/film/alexanders-ragtime-band.md)

## Complete filmography (39)

Every credit, newest first. Titles without a page can be requested for review on the HTML page.

- *Hand of Death* (1962), as Woman with Packages
- *Coronado 9* (1960), series, Actor
- *77 Sunset Strip* (1958), series, Actor
- *Behind Closed Doors* (1958), series, as Sally Anderson
- *The Donna Reed Show* (1958), series, Actor
- *The Real McCoys* (1957), series, Actor
- *Maverick* (1957), series, as Librarian
- *Smoky River Serenade* (1947), as Sue Greeley
- *Tell It to a Star* (1945), as Carol Lambert
- *The Cheaters* (1945), as Therese Pidgeon
- *Steppin' in Society* (1945), as Lola Forrest
- *Lake Placid Serenade* (1944), as Susan Cermak
- *My Buddy* (1944), as Lola
- *Sing, Neighbor, Sing* (1944), as Virginia Blake
- *Three Little Sisters* (1944), as Hallie Scott
- *Goodnight, Sweetheart* (1944), as Caryl Martin
- *Jamboree* (1944), as Ruth Cartwright
- *Hands Across the Border* (1944), as Kim Adams
- *Pistol Packin' Mama* (1943), as Vicki Norris / Sally Benson
- *Mystery Broadcast* (1943), as Jan Cornell
- *Man from Music Mountain* (1943), as Laramie Winters
- *Heart of the Golden West* (1942), as Mary Lou Popen
- *Youth on Parade* (1942), as Patty Flynn / Betty Reilly
- *Call of the Canyon* (1942), as Katherine "Kit" Carson
- *The Affairs of Jimmy Valentine* (1942), as Bonnie Forbes
- *Sleepytime Gal* (1942), as Sugar Caston
- *Appointment for Love* (1941), as Edith Meredith
- *Rookies on Parade* (1941), as Lois Rogers
- *Blondie Goes Latin* (1941), as Singer
- *Sing, Dance, Plenty Hot* (1940), as Irene
- *An Angel from Texas* (1940), as Valerie Blayne
- *Slightly Honorable* (1939), as Anne Seymour
- *Hotel for Women* (1939), as Craig's Receptionist
- *The Hound of the Baskervilles* (1939), as Betsy Ann
- *Wife, Husband and Friend* (1939), as Carol
- *Hold That Co-ed* (1938), as Edie
- *Alexander's Ragtime Band* (1938), as Ruby — Fi1m 70, [page](https://film.one/film/alexanders-ragtime-band.md)
- *International Settlement* (1938), as Vera Dale
- *Love and Hisses* (1937), as Hawaiian Specialty Singer

## Gallery

- ![American actress Ruth Terry (1940)](https://film.one/media/person/1230564/gallery-ad76e5be3be4.jpg) American actress Ruth Terry (1940) — Whitey Schafer, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons (https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/7f/Ruth_Terry_by_A._L._Whitey_Schafer.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail_unscaled)
- ![Ruth Terry](https://film.one/media/person/1230564/gallery-33db2e2ba51a.jpg) Ruth Terry — Publisher Dell Publishing Company, inc.
Year 1940
Pages 1078
Possible copyright status Library of Congress has determined that this item is not in copyright
Language English
Call number PN1993 .M334
Digitizing sponsor Library of Congress, Motion Picture, Broadcasting and Recorded Sound Division

Book contributor Library of Congress, MBRS, Moving Image Section, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons (https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/bd/Ruth_Terry.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail_unscaled)
- ![Ruth Terry](https://film.one/media/person/1230564/gallery-0f804778a091.jpg) Ruth Terry — Image via TMDB

---
© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/person/ruth-terry