Actor
Jane Darwell
Born 15 October 1879 · Palmyra, Missouri, USA — died 13 August 1967
Jane Darwell (1879–1967) was an American character actress who appeared in over 100 films across five decades. She often played stern but warm maternal figures. Her best-known roles are Ma Joad in The Grapes of Wrath and the Bird Woman in Mary Poppins.
Key films
The Grapes of Wrath (1940)
Her defining role as Ma Joad, which won her the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress.
Gone with the Wind (1939)On Cinespective
Appeared in the landmark Civil War epic, one of the most celebrated Hollywood productions.
The Ox-Bow Incident (1943)
Featured in a respected Western drama about mob justice, showing her range beyond motherly roles.
My Darling Clementine (1946)
Part of John Ford's acclaimed Western, reflecting her long association with the director.
Mary Poppins (1964)
Her memorable late-career turn as the Bird Woman introduced her to a new generation.
Key awards
- 1941 Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress (The Grapes of Wrath)
On Cinespective
Full filmography · 171
- 1914The Only Son · as Mrs. BrainerdActor
- 1914Brewster's Millions · as Mrs. Dan De MilleActor
- 1914The Rose of the Rancho · as Señora Castro Kenton, Juanita's MotherActor
- 1914Ready Money · as Mrs. TylerActor
- 1914The Master Mind · as Milwaukee SadieActor
- 1915Hypocrites · as Madam (uncredited)Actor
- 1915After Five · as Mrs. Russell - Aunt DiddyActor
- 1915The Goose Girl · as IrmaActor
- 1915The Rug Maker's Daughter · as Mrs. Van BurenActor
- 1920The Restless Sex · as Housekeeper (uncredited)Actor
- 1923Little Church Around the Corner · as Anxious Woman at Mine Disaster (uncredited)Actor
- 1930Tom Sawyer · as Widow DouglasActor
- 1931Huckleberry Finn · as Widow DouglasActor
- 1931Ladies of the Big House · as Mrs. TurnerActor
- 1932Hot Saturday · as Mrs. BrockActor
- 1932Back Street · as Mrs. Adolph SchmidtActor
- 1932Young America · as School Teacher (Uncredited)Actor
- 1932Washington Merry-Go-Round · as Alice's AuntActor
- 1932Women Won't Tell · as Mrs. Walter RobinsonActor
- 1933Design for Living · as Curtis' HousekeeperActor
- 1933Murders in the Zoo · as Banquet Guest (uncredited)Actor
- 1933Roman Scandals · as Roman Spa Proprietress (uncredited)Actor
- 1933Bed of Roses · as Mrs. Webster -- Head Prison Matron (uncredited)Actor
- 1933Ann Vickers · as Mrs. Gage (uncredited)Actor
- 1933Before Dawn · as Mrs. MarbleActor
- 1933One Sunday Afternoon · as Mrs. LindActor
- 1933Only Yesterday · as Mrs. LaneActor
- 1933Air Hostess · as Ma KearnyActor
- 1933Emergency Call · as Nurse Brown (uncredited)Actor
- 1933The Girl in 419 · as Nurse EsmondActor
- 1933Child of Manhattan · as Mrs. McGonagleActor
- 1933Aggie Appleby, Maker of Men · as Mrs. Spence - Landlady (uncredited)Actor
- 1933Jennie Gerhardt · as Boardinghouse Keeper (uncredited)Actor
- 1933King for a Night · as Mrs. WilliamsActor
- 1933He Couldn't Take It · as Mrs. CaseActor
- 1933Bondage · as Mrs. Elizabeth WhartonActor
- 1933The Past of Mary HolmesActor
- 1934The Scarlet Empress · as Miss Cardell, Sophia's Nurse (uncredited)Actor
- 1934Bright Eyes · as Mrs. HigginsActor
- 1934Fashions of 1934 · as Customer at Maison Elegance (uncredited)Actor
- 1934Wonder Bar · as Baroness (uncredited)Actor
- 1934One Night of Love · as Mrs. Barrett - Mary's MotherActor
- 1934Heat Lightning · as GladysActor
- 1934Finishing School · as Maude (uncredited)Actor
- 1934Journal of a Crime · as Dinner Guest (uncredited)Actor
- 1934Once to Every Woman · as Mrs. Wood (uncredited)Actor
- 1934Change of Heart · as Mrs. McGowanActor
- 1934Most Precious Thing in Life · as Mrs. O'DayActor
- 1934Happiness Ahead · as Mrs. Davis - The LandladyActor
- 1934Desirable · as Frederick's MotherActor
- 1934The White Parade · as SailorActor
- 1934Gentlemen Are Born · as LandladyActor
- 1934Cross Country Cruise · as Mrs. O'Hara (Uncredited)Actor
- 1934Blind Date · as Ma TaylorActor
- 1934David Harum · as Mrs. Woolsey (uncredited)Actor
- 1934Embarrassing Moments · as Mrs. StuckelbergerActor
- 1934Tomorrow's Youth · as Mary O'BrienActor
- 1934Let's Talk It Over · as Mrs. O'KeefeActor
- 1934Million Dollar Ransom · as Ma McGarry (Uncredited)Actor
- 1935Curly Top · as Mrs. DenhamActor
- 1935The Gilded Lily · as Woman in Crowd at Southampton (uncredited)Actor
- 1935One More Spring · as Mary SweeneyActor
- 1935We're Only Human · as Mrs. WalshActor
- 1935Navy Wife · as Mrs. Louise KeatsActor
- 1935Metropolitan · as GrandmaActor
- 1935Life Begins at Forty · as Ida HarrisActor
- 1935Wig-Wag · as Mrs. Winchell - Jack's MotherActor
- 1935McFadden´s Flats · as Nora McFaddenActor
- 1936Captain January · as Eliza CroftActor
- 1936Poor Little Rich Girl · as WoodwardActor
- 1936Craig's Wife · as Mrs. HaroldActor
- 1936Private Number · as Mrs. FrisbyActor
- 1936The Country Doctor · as Mrs. GrahamActor
- 1936White Fang · as Maud MahoneyActor
- 1936Little Miss Nobody · as Eva BradleyActor
- 1936Paddy O'Day · as DoraActor
- 1936Star for a Night · as Mrs. Martha LindActor
- 1936Laughing at Trouble · as Glory BradfordActor
- 1936The First Baby · as Mrs. EllisActor
- 1937Love Is News · as Mrs. FlahertyActor
- 1937Slave Ship · as Mrs. MarloweActor
- 1937Dangerously Yours · as Aunt Cynthia BartonActor
- 1937The Singing Marine · as Ma MarineActor
- 1937The Great Hospital Mystery · as Nurse Sarah KeatsActor
- 1937Wife, Doctor and Nurse · as Mrs. KruegerActor
- 1937Nancy Steele Is Missing! · as Mrs. Mary FlahertyActor
- 1937Lest We Forget · as Archive FootageActor
- 1937Fifty Roads to Town · as Mrs. HenryActor
- 1938Little Miss Broadway · as Miss HutchinsActor
- 1938Three Blind Mice · as Mrs. KilianActor
- 1938Battle of Broadway · as Mrs. RogersActor
- 1938Five of a Kind · as Nurse WaldronActor
- 1938Time Out for Murder · as Polly, Helen's supervisorActor
- 1938The Jury's Secret · as Mrs. Sheldon, Bill's MotherActor
- 1938Change of Heart · as Mrs. ThompsonActor
- 1938Up the River · as Mrs. GrahamActor
- 1939Gone with the Wind · as Mrs. MerriwetherActor
- 1939Jesse James · as Mrs. SamuelsActor
- 1939The Rains Came · as Aunt Phoebe SmileyActor
- 1939Miracle on Main Street · as Mrs. HermanActor
- 193920,000 Men a Year · as Mrs. AllenActor
- 1939Unexpected Father · as Mrs. CallahanActor
- 1939The Zero Hour · as SophieActor
- 1939Inside Story · as Aunt Mary PerkinsActor
- 1939Grand Jury Secrets · as Mrs. KeefeActor
- 1940The Grapes of Wrath · as Ma JoadActor
- 1940Brigham Young · as Eliza KentActor
- 1940Untamed · as Mrs. Maggie MoriartyActor
- 1940Chad Hanna · as Mrs. Bettina HuguenineActor
- 1940Youth Will Be Served · as Supervisor StormerActor
- 1941All That Money Can Buy · as Ma StoneActor
- 1941Thieves Fall Out · as Grandma AllenActor
- 1941Small Town Deb · as KatieActor
- 1941Private Nurse · as Miss AdamsActor
- 1942The Battle of Midway · as Narrator (voice)Actor
- 1942All Through the Night · as Mrs. DonahueActor
- 1942The Loves of Edgar Allan Poe · as Mariah ClemmActor
- 1942The Great Gildersleeve · as Aunt Emma ForresterActor
- 1942It Happened in Flatbush · as Mrs. MaguireActor
- 1942Highways by Night · as Grandma FogartyActor
- 1942On the Sunny Side · as AnnieActor
- 1942Men of Texas · as Mrs.Scott aka Aunt HattieActor
- 1942Young America · as Grandmother Nora CampbellActor
- 1943The Ox-Bow Incident · as Ma GrierActor
- 1943Stage Door Canteen · as Jane DarwellActor
- 1943Government Girl · as Miss Trask (uncredited)Actor
- 1943Gildersleeve's Bad Day · as Aunt Emma ForresterActor
- 1943Family Feud · as The MotherActor
- 1944Tender Comrade · as Mrs. HendersonActor
- 1944The Impatient Years · as Minister's wifeActor
- 1944Music in Manhattan · as Mrs. PearsonActor
- 1944She's a Sweetheart · as MomActor
- 1944Reckless Age · as Mrs. ConnorsActor
- 1945I Live in Grosvenor Square · as Mrs. PattersonActor
- 1945Captain Tugboat Annie · as Tugboat AnnieActor
- 1946My Darling Clementine · as Kate NelsonActor
- 1946Three Wise Fools · as Sister Mary BrigidActor
- 1946The Dark Horse · as Aunt HattieActor
- 1947The Red Stallion · as Aggie CurtisActor
- 1947Keeper of the Bees · as Mrs. FerrisActor
- 19483 Godfathers · as Miss FlorieActor
- 1948Train to Alcatraz · as Aunt EllaActor
- 1949Red Canyon · as Aunt JaneActor
- 1950Wagon Master · as Sister LedyardActor
- 1950Caged · as Isolation MatronActor
- 1950Three Husbands · as Mrs. WurdemanActor
- 1950Surrender · as Molly HaleActor
- 1950The Second Face · as Mrs. LockridgeActor
- 1950The Daughter of Rosie O'Grady · as Mrs. MurphyActor
- 1950Redwood Forest Trail · as Hattie HickoryActor
- 1950Father's Wild Game · as Minerva BobbinActor
- 1951The Lemon Drop Kid · as 'Nellie Thursday' ReganActor
- 1951Excuse My Dust · as Mrs. BeldenActor
- 1951Journey Into Light · as MackActor
- 1952We're Not Married! · as Mrs. BushActor
- 1953The Bigamist · as Mrs. ConnelleyActor
- 1953The Sun Shines Bright · as Aurora RatchittActor
- 1953Affair with a Stranger · as Ma StantonActor
- 1953It Happens Every Thursday · as Mrs. SpatchActor
- 1955A Life at Stake · as LandladyActor
- 1955Hit the Deck · as JennyActor
- 1956There's Always Tomorrow · as Mme RogersActor
- 1956Girls in Prison · as Matron JamiesonActor
- 1956Sincerely, Willis Wade · as Mrs. JacobyActor
- 1956Prima Donna · as LenaActor
- 1957The Greer Case · as Annie JacksonActor
- 1957Three Men on a Horse · as Lady on BusActor
- 1958The Last Hurrah · as DeliaActor
- 1959Hound-Dog Man · as Grandma WilsonActor
- 1964Mary Poppins · as Bird WomanActor
- 1986Disney's Greatest Lullabies Volume 2 · as (archive footage)Actor
Filmography data from TMDB. The profile text is a draft written for Cinespective.