Ruth McDevitt

Ruth Thane McDevitt ( Shoecraft; September 13, 1895 – May 27, 1976) was an American film, stage, radio, and television actress.

Career The daughter of John Barnabas Shoecraft and Elizabeth Imber Shoecraft, McDevitt was born in Coldwater, Michigan, but grew up in Ohio. After attending the American Academy of Dramatic Arts, she married Patrick McDevitt on December 10, 1928,

McDevitt also acted on radio, portraying the title character's mother in Keeping up with Rosemary and Jane in This Life Is Mine.

On television, McDevitt portrayed Bessie Thatcher in the DuMont drama A Woman to Remember (1949). She played Mom Peepers in the 1950s sitcom Mister Peepers and Grandma Hanks on CBS's Pistols 'n' Petticoats. She was a regular on The Everly Brothers Show and the NBC soap Bright Promise from September 1969 to June 1970. McDevitt also had a regular role as Emily Cowles on Kolchak: the Night Stalker, starring Darren McGavin.

McDevitt guest starred in such series as Suspense, Cosmopolitan Theatre, Decoy, The United States Steel Hour, Westinghouse Studio One, The Alfred Hitchcock Hour (2 episodes), The Andy Griffith Show (2 episodes), The Debbie Reynolds Show, The Ghost & Mrs. Muir, Mayberry R.F.D., I Dream of Jeannie, Bewitched (3 episodes), The Courtship of Eddie's Father, Love, American Style, That Girl, Nanny and the Professor, Room 222, Mannix (2 episodes), Here's Lucy, Gunsmoke, Marcus Welby, M.D., Phyllis, Little House on the Prairie, The Streets of San Francisco, Naked City, and All in the Family (on which she had a recurring role during 1974 and 1975).

Her film debut was in The Guy Who Came Back (1951), followed by memorable roles in The Parent Trap (as camp counselor Miss Inch), Alfred Hitchcock's The Birds (as Mrs. MacGruder, the pet store saleslady), Boys' Night Out, Dear Heart, The Shakiest Gun in the West, Angel in My Pocket, The Love God?, Change of Habit, The War Between Men and Women, and Mixed Company.

Death McDevitt died, aged 80, in Hollywood, Los Angeles, California and is interred in Westwood Village Memorial Park Cemetery.

Filmography FilmYearTitleRoleNotes 1951 The Guy Who Came Back Grandma 1953 The Long, Long Trailer Mrs. Vagabond Uncredited 1961 The Parent Trap Miss Inch 1962 Boys Night Out Beulah Partridge1963 The Birds Mrs. MacGruder, bird shop employee Love Is a Ball Mathilda, grandmother 1964 Dear Heart Miss Tait 1968 The Shakiest Gun in the West Mrs. Olive Heywood with film's star Don Knotts1969 Angel in My Pocket Nadine with Andy Griffith The Love God? Miss Keezy with film's star Don Knotts Change of Habit Lily 1972 The War Between Men and Women Old woman1974 Mame Cousin Fan Homebodies Mrs. Loomis Mixed Company Miss Bergquist TelevisionYearTitleRoleNotes 1949 A Woman to Remember Bessie Thatcher Unknown episodes1958 Harbourmaster Mrs. Markham 1 episode Omnibus Ewa 1 episode 1961 Naked City Mrs. Abbie Dobbins 1 episode1962 The Nurses Miss Dillion 1 episode Dr. Kildare Adele Fromm, RN 1 episode 1963 The Alfred Hitchcock Hour Mrs. Fister Season 2 Episode 8: "The Cadaver"1964 The Alfred Hitchcock Hour Miss Emmy Wright Season 2 Episode 24: "The Gentleman Caller" Route 66 Mrs. Harris 1 episode The Doctors Mrs. McMurtrie Unknown episodes 1966–1967 Pistols 'n' Petticoats Grandma Effie Hanks 26 episodes 1967 Bewitched The Queen Ticheba / Mrs Parsons / Aunt Millicent 3 episodes 1968 The Andy Griffith Show Mrs. Pendleton 2 episodes1969 The Debbie Reynolds Show Mrs. Patterson 1 episode Bright Promise Clara Ryan September 29, 1969 to June 19701970 The Courtship of Eddie's Father Miss Bristol 1 episode That Girl Aunt Belle 1 episode1971 The New Andy Griffith Show Mrs. Gossage 3 episodes Nanny and the Professor Mrs. Rumble 1 episode In Search of America Grandma Rose ABC Movie of the Week 1972 Room 222 Miss Brown/Vivian Higgins 2 episodes1973 The New Dick Van Dyke Show Mrs. Ferguson 1 episode The Girl Most Likely to... Housemistress made-for-TV movie1974 Kojak Mrs. Farenkrug 12 episodes Gunsmoke Grandma Boggs "The Tainted Badge" (S20E9) McCloud Landlady 1 episode 1974 Little House on the Prairie Maddie Elder 1 Episode 1973-1975 All In the Family Josephine "Jo" Nelson 3 episodes 1974–1975 Kolchak: The Night Stalker Emily Cowles 12 episodes 1975 Phyllis Miss McDermott 1 episode1975 Ellery Queen Zelda Van Dyke 1 episode Medical Center Alice 1 episode

She also appeared in a The Streets of San Francisco episode "Winterkill" from season 2 on December 13, 1973. She also appeared in a I Dream of Jeannie episode "The Blood of Jeannie" from season 5 on Oct 28, 1969 episode 7.