The Silver Screen Oasis

Ann Codeé is haunting me. It seems almost every movie I turn on, this Belgian-born actress appears. She's playing the piano for Kathryn Grayson in That Midnight Kiss, she's yelling Judy Garland's message from the bus window in The Clock. Often she's a grande dame or dowager, but she's a cleaning lady in An American in Paris. With her beautiful accent, she's often called upon to play the French. She must have had a long career... At least I've found her aging beautifully in movies from the 1950's when she revealed a distinguished silver in her tresses. She was the shocked head of the League in Can Can that was released in 1960; yet she was also Madame Poullard, whose couture scandalized New Orleans when Miss Julie wore her red dress to the Olympus Ball in Jezebel in 1938.

Anyone know her story?

Marco,

Ann Codee was a friend of Joan Davis and I think they died within a few days of each other. Very strange.
I remember getting back from university in Germany in April 1961 and a few weeks later going to Joan Davis' funeral and hearing that Ann Codee had also just died.
I saw her on the set of "Kiss Me Kate" but didn't know her.
I think, but am not sure, that she was a friend of Lillian Burns, whom many thought really ran MGM!! I think Lillian got Ann work there over the years but what films, I don't know.

Larry

Larry, I was hoping you'd respond with personal anecdotes regarding Mme. Codeé. She seems to have worked at many studios; I wonder if she even had a contract? Maybe they all shared her whenever they needed someone who spoke french. I wonder if she ever spoke flemish on screen?

Your memory does not fail, by the way: Ann Codeé and Joan Davis died just a few days apart in 1961.

Hi again Marco,

I remember a big dinner party that my grandmother threw for Joan Davis, when "I Married Joan" was launched. Nell financed that TV show because she adored Joan and detested Lucille Ball. That's how a lot of things got off the ground in Hollywood.....
Anyway, Ann Codee and her husband (can't remember his name??) came to that dinner (it must have been around 1953).....
Nell and Ann spoke French to each other and Joan was getting a little antsy & worried, so I translated for her. They were talking about the differences between Antwerp and Brussels. Nell favoured Brussels and Ann picked Antwerp. Joan told me Ann was born there and then said, "Is that all the boring conversation is about; I thought they were raking somebody over the coals!!" I told her they were earlier, "The King!!" (I guess they both thought old ex-King Leopold was a dirty Nazi sympathizer).........

Larry

Vecchiolarry wrote:Anyway, Ann Codee and her husband (can't remember his name??) came to that dinner (it must have been around 1953).....

She was married to Frank Orth, who had his own lengthy career as a character actor. I wonder if they ever shared a scene? Apparently they were a successful vaudeville team before they hit the big screen. They enjoyed a long marriage, that was only interrupted by her passing.

This doesn't really answer your question, Marco, but I just wanted to comment on how good I think she is in Daddy Long Legs. (She plays the proprietress of the orphanage where Leslie Caron's character grew up.) The scenes she plays with Fred Astaire (telling him about Caron and about the fabric they must use to clothe all the orphans) are very natural and warmly humorous.

You're so right, Chris; she's swell in Daddy Long Legs. I've found that I'm always delighted to discover her in a movie; it's like bumping into an old friend.

By the way, Ann Codeé and her husband Frank Orth were featured in a series of early sound shorts. This was the beginning of their Hollywood careers. After this series they mainly worked separately in their character roles. But in 1941, over at MGM they were both in Come Live With Me. This Hedy Lamarr/Jimmy Stewart vehicle featured Ann as the housemaid and Frank as the milkman. With these roles, I'd imagine they probably shared a scene or two. Has anyone seen this comedy?