Virginia Patton was an actress who is best remembered for playing the sister-in-law of Jimmy Stewart’s George Bailey in the holiday classic “It’s a Wonderful Life.”
- Died: Thursday, August 18, 2022. (Who else died on August 18?)
- Details of death: Died at an assisted living facility in Georgia at the age of 97.
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It’s a Wonderful Life
Virginia Patton moved to Los Angeles to become an actress after she graduated from high school. After signing with Warner Brothers, she made her movie debut in the 1943 musical “Thank Your Lucky Stars.” She appeared in a few other minor roles and attended college at USC. Patton read for legendary director Frank Capra for his movie “It’s a Wonderful Life,” and won the role of Ruth Dakin Bailey, the sister-in-law of George Bailey, played by Jimmy Stewart. The 1946 movie has become a holiday classic. She had lead roles in “The Burning Cross” and “Black Eagle” and a supporting role in 1949’s “The Lucky Stiff.” After that movie, she married and retired from acting. She was a niece of General George Patton.
Notable Quote
I was dressed as a young matron. I had a hat, a suit and white gloves, I was coming to meet my new in-laws.” “And I was going to eat buttered popcorn with white gloves? “We rehearsed it, and Frank didn’t say anything about it, his assistant didn’t say anything about it, the cameraman didn’t say anything about it. I was sitting there, ‘What am I going to do? I’m going to get the popcorn all over those gloves.’ … I thought, ‘Well, I’ll just pretend everybody eats buttered popcorn with their gloves on, and they all get butter on them.’” – 2013 interview with St. Nicholas Institute
Tributes to Virginia Patton
Full Obituary: The Hollywood Reporter
