Sarah Padden was a character actress in theater and vaudeville from Chicago Illinois She performed on stage in the early 20th century She is noted for her expressive voice and for her psychological studies of the characters she portrayed Her finest singleact performance was in The Clod a stage production in which she played an uneducated woman who lived on a farm during the American Civil War Padden was a featured player on the Orpheum Circuit Inc She had a role in His Grace de Grammont a romantic comedy by Clyde Fitch which came to the Park Theatre in Boston Massachusetts in September 1905 The production starred Skinner and was based on the life of a chevalier in the court of Charles II Padden appeared again with Skinner in a fouract play produced by Charles Frohman The Honor of the Family by Emile Fabre which was presented in New Rochelle New York in September 1907 Another of her theatrical parts was in HellBent Fer Heaven a Pulitzer Prizewinning play by Hatcher Hughes It was performed at the Wilkes Orange Grove Theater Majestic Theater 845 South Broadway Los Angeles in November 1925 She was also an active screen actress from 1926 to 1958 appearing in 178 films and TV shows In 1938 she played Ma Thayer in MGMs Rich Man Poor Girl directed by Reinhold Schunzel and starring Robert Young Ruth Hussey and Lana Turner Bill Harrison Robert Young a wealthy young businessman moves in with secretary girlfriend Joan Thayers Ruth Hussey eccentric family to convince her they can make their marriage work In 1941 she played wealthy spinster Aunt Cassandra Cassie Hildegarde Denham in Murder by Invitation directed by Phil Rosen and starring Wallace Ford and Marian Marsh In this closed room murder comedy after they unsuccessfully attempt to have her declared legally insane to gain control of her fortune her nephews and nieces are invited to a weeks visit at her mansion where they are murdered one by one
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