Leona Roberts (born Leona Celinda Doty; July 26, 1879 – January 29, 1954) was an American stage and film actress.
Life and career Roberts was born in Monroe Center, Ashtabula County, Ohio. She made her debut on Broadway in 1926 and appeared there in about 40 productions between 1926 and 1945, mostly in supporting roles.
Roberts started her film career in 1926 as the lead in Poor Mrs. Jones, produced by the United States Department of Agriculture. She went to Hollywood in 1937 and played in over 40 films, mostly in motherly supporting roles. She portrayed "society gossip" Mrs. Meade in Gone with the Wind (1939).
Roberts also appeared with Cary Grant and Katharine Hepburn in the screwball comedy Bringing Up Baby (1938) as the house servant Mrs. Gogarty, as well in Of Human Hearts (1938) with James Stewart and The Blue Bird (1940) with Shirley Temple.
In 1941, she returned to Broadway, where she worked until the mid-1940s. Subsequently, Roberts worked again in Hollywood and made a few last films there, including a small part in The Loves of Carmen (1948). She made her last film in 1949.
Personal life and death Roberts had been a regular parishioner of the Catholic church. After retiring, she dedicated the last years of her life to charitable and religious causes until her death. Roberts died in 1954, age 74. She was the mother of actress Josephine Hutchinson.
Filmography
Poor Mrs. Jones! (1926) – Lane Jones Border Cafe (1937) – Mrs. Emily Whitney Super-Sleuth (1937) – Mrs. Effington (uncredited) There Goes the Groom (1937) – Martha Fight for Your Lady (1937) – Cleaning Woman Quick Money (1937) – Gossiping Woman (uncredited) Crashing Hollywood (1938) – Extra Assigned to Stage 6 (uncredited) Everybody's Doing It (1938) – Woman at Bar (uncredited) Of Human Hearts (1938) – Sister Clarke Bringing Up Baby (1938) – Mrs. Gogarty Condemned Women (1938) – Kate Holt This Marriage Business (1938) – Mrs. Platt Having Wonderful Time (1938) – Mrs. Shaw Crime Ring (1938) – Mrs. Wharton The Affairs of Annabel (1938) – Mrs. Hurley I Stand Accused (1938) – Mrs. Davis Kentucky (1938) – Grace Goodwin Boy Slaves (1939) – Farm Woman (uncredited) Persons in Hiding (1939) – Ma Bronson They Made Her a Spy (1939) – Ella Bachelor Mother (1939) – Old Lady Outside Orphanage (uncredited) The Spellbinder (1939) – Mrs. Jenkins (uncredited) The Escape (1939) – Aunt Mamie Qualen Three Sons (1939) – Woman in Store (uncredited) Sued for Libel (1939) – Mrs. Trent Gone with the Wind (1939) – Mrs. Meade Swanee River (1939) – Mrs. Foster Thou Shalt Not Kill (1939) – Mrs. Stevens The Man Who Wouldn't Talk (1940) – (uncredited) The Blue Bird (1940) – Mrs. Berlingot Abe Lincoln in Illinois (1940) – Mrs. Rutledge Ski Patrol (1940) – Mother Ryder Flight Angels (1940) – Mrs. Hutchinson Gangs of Chicago (1940) – Mrs. Whitaker Anne of Windy Poplars (1940) – (uncredited) Queen of the Mob (1940) – Mrs. Greenough Golden Gloves (1940) – Mrs. Parker (uncredited) Comin' Round the Mountain (1940) – Aunt Polly Watters Wildcat Bus (1940) – Emma 'Ma' Talbot Blondie Plays Cupid (1940) – Aunt Hannah Week-End in Havana (1941) – Passenger Dixie (1943) – Woman in Restaurant (uncredited) The Madonna's Secret (1946) – Mrs. Corbin Boomerang! (1947) – Mrs. Crossman (uncredited) The Loves of Carmen (1948) – Ancient Old Gypsy (uncredited) Chicago Deadline (1949) – Maggie (uncredited) (final film role)
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