Biography
Mary Margaret Wood was an American actress of stage, film, and television. She is best remembered for her performance as the title character in the CBS television series Mama, for which she was nominated for a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series; her starring role as Naomi, Ruth's mother-in-law, in The Story of Ruth; and her final screen appearance as Mother Abbess in The Sound of Music, for which she was nominated for an Academy Award and a Golden Globe Award. Wood studied voice in France with the legendary soprano Emma Calve - the greatest exponent of the role of CARMEN in the first half of the 20th century. Upon returning to the U.S., Wood was an early member of the Actors' Equity Association, spending nearly 50 years on the stage, beginning in the chorus and becoming known as a Broadway singer and star. She made her stage debut in 1910, as part of the chorus for Naughty Marietta. In 1917, she starred in Maytime, in which she introduced the song "Will You Remember". She starred in several other musicals before playing the role of Portia in a 1928 production of The Merchant of Venice. From the late 1920s until the late 1930s, Wood had lead roles i…
Movies & TV Shows
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The Sound of Music (1965) — Mother Abbess
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A Star Is Born (1937) — Miss Phillips
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The Story of Ruth (1960) — Naomi
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Welcome to Woop Woop (1998) — Mother Superior (archive footage) (uncredited)
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The Ed Sullivan Show (1948) — Self
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The Dick Cavett Show (1968) — Self - Guest
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Dr. Kildare (1961) — Katie Harris
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Magnificent Doll (1946) — Mrs. Payne
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The Merv Griffin Show (1962) — Self
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Dick Powell's Zane Grey Theatre (1956) — Sarah Jolland
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The Mike Douglas Show (1961) — Self
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The Bride Wore Boots (1946) — Grace Apley
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Dream Girl (1948) — Lucy Allerton
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The Philco Television Playhouse (1948) — Mrs. Oliver Jordan
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The Right to Live (1935) — Nurse Weyland
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Jalna (1935) — Meg Whiteoaks
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Wonder of Women (1929) — Brigitte
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The Housekeeper's Daughter (1939) — Olga
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Main Street to Broadway (1953) — Self (uncredited)
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Call It a Day (1937) — Ethel Francis
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Handy Andy (1934) — Ernestine Yates
- Mama (1949) — Marta Hansen
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Almost a Husband (1919) — Eva McElwyn