 ann harding (august 7, 1902 â september 1, 1981) was an american theatre, motion picture, radio, and television actress. ==early years== born dorothy walton gatley at fort sam houston in san antonio, texas, to george g. gatley and elizabeth "bessie" crabb. the daughter of a career army officer, she traveled often during her early life. her father was born in maine and served in the american expeditionary force in world war i. he died in san francisco, california in 1931. she grew up in east orange, new jersey and graduated from east orange high school.percy, eileen. "durante will be made an m. g. m. star; 'schnozzle; has ste record for saving pictures.", the milwaukee sentinel, october 26, 1932. "ann harding began hers 15 years ago in a dramatic class at east orange high school." harding attended bryn mawr college in bryn mawr, pa, on the pennsylvania main line outside philadelphia. ==career== following school, she found employment as a script reader. she began acting and made her broadway debut in 1921. she soon became a leading lady, who kept in shape by using the services of sylvia of hollywood.hollywood undressed: observations of sylvia as noted by her secretary (1931) brentanoâs. she was a prominent actress in pittsburgh theatre for a time, performing with the sharp company and later starting the nixon players with harry bannister.conner, lynne (2007). pittsburgh in stages: two hundred years of theater. university of pittsburgh press. pp. 105â106. isbn 978-0-8229-4330-3. retrieved 2011-06-06. in 1929, she made her film debut in paris bound, opposite fredric march. in 1931, she was nominated for the academy award for best actress for holiday. first under contract to pathÃ©, which was subsequently absorbed by rko studio, harding (who was promoted as the studio's 'answer' to mgm's superstar norma shearer), co-starred with ronald colman, laurence olivier, myrna loy, herbert marshall, leslie howard, richard dix, and gary cooper, often on loan 
1902_births 1981_deaths 20th-century_American_actresses Actresses_from_San_Antonio,_Texas American_film_actresses American_radio_actresses American_stage_actresses American_television_actresses Bryn_Mawr_College_alumni Burials_at_Forest_Lawn_Memorial_Park_(Hollywood_Hills) People_from_East_Orange,_New_Jersey People_from_San_Antonio,_Texas