‘Gone With the Wind’ Star Ann Rutherford Dies at 94

Ann Rutherford, one of the last surviving cast members of the legendary film “Gone with the Wind,” has died according to the Los Angeles Times. She was 94.

Already a star thanks to her recurring role as Mickey Rooney’s girlfriend in the popular series of “Andy Hardy” films, Rutherford rose to even greater heights of fame as Carreen, Scarlett O’Hara’s younger sister in “Gone with the Wind.”

Though her career continued into the early 1970s, with appearances on stage, screen and television, Rutherford remained most associated with “Gone with the Wind.” And that was fine with her; a huge fan of Margaret Mitchell’s novel, Rutherford became a regular on the “Gone with the Wind” convention circuit in recent years.

“She loved it,” close friend Anne Jeffreys told the Associated Press. “It really stimulated the last years of her life, because she got thousands of emails from fans. She was in great demand.”

Born in Canada, Rutherford moved with her family to California and began her acting career at the age of five. By fifteen, she was a regular in film and remained in show business until retiring in the mid-1970s; in 1997, she passed on the role of Gloria in “Titanic,” preferring to stay retired.

Rutherford, who reportedly was suffering from heart problems, is survived by a daughter and two grandchildren.

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