Judy Nugent, Younger Actress on ‘The Ruggles’ and ‘Adventures of Superman,’ Dies at 83

Judy Nugent, who portrayed one of many twins on the early TV sitcom The Ruggles and a lady who flies world wide within the arms of the Man of Metal on a heartwarming Adventures of Superman episode, has died. She was 83. 

Nugent died on Thursday “surrounded by household at her Montana ranch after a brief battle with most cancers,” in line with a household assertion shared by her daughter-in-law and Battlestar Galactica and Chicago Hearth actress Anne Lockhart (the older daughter of Lassie and Misplaced in Area star June Lockhart).

The youthful daughter of a prop man at MGM, Nugent additionally appeared in two movies directed by Douglas Sirk: as a wise-cracking tomboy who tries to get a blinded widow (Jane Wyman) to snap out of it in Magnificent Obsession (1954), and as one of many daughters of Fred MacMurray and Joan Bennett’s characters in There’s All the time Tomorrow (1956).

Nugent additionally performed Annette Funicello‘s pal Jet Maypen on the 1958 serial Annette, which aired throughout third-season episodes of ABC’s The Mickey Mouse Membership.

When she was 9, Nugent was employed to painting Donna Ruggles reverse Jimmy Hawkins (It’s a Great Life) as her brother Donald on The Ruggles, which aired stay from 1949-52 on ABC as one of many first TV reveals to emanate not from New York however from Hollywood. 

Nugent, nonetheless, might be greatest recognized for her flip as Ann Carson, a blind lady who enters and wins a Every day Planet contest, on the episode “Across the World With Superman,” which aired on March 13, 1954, because the second-season finale (and final black-and-white installment) of the syndicated collection. 

After an operation restores her sight — Superman (George Reeves) had noticed a bit of glass lodged close to her optic nerve! — Ann will get a tremendous hen’s eye view of the planet whereas being whisked round by a superhero.

“That was high secret. I used to be instructed by no means to inform anybody about how George Reeves flew,” she recalled in an undated interview for the web site Western Clippings.

“Anyway, they put George on this cement factor and dressed him over it, form-fitting as much as his chest. That they had an enormous fan that made his cape fly out. The particular results individuals did the ups and downs. There was a ladder beneath — I’d sit on the ladder and he’d maintain me up. Regardless that I used to be nonetheless little, I received awfully heavy.”

Judy Ann Nugent was born in Los Angeles on Aug. 22, 1940. Her father was Carl Nugent, who propped up the Cowardly Lion’s tail in The Wizard of Oz (1939). 

“He put my image and my [older] sister Carol’s image on the facet of his prop field,” she mentioned. “We have been seen and provided an element in [1943’s] The Man From Down Beneath with Charles Laughton.” 

Her mom, Lucille, then managed her daughters’ appearing careers.

The ladies appeared as youthful variations of Ginger Rogers’ character in It Needed to Be You (1947) earlier than Judy labored on The Massive Clock (1948), additionally starring Laughton, Metropolis Throughout the River (1949) and Angels within the Outfield (1949).

She and her sister labored collectively once more in Right here Comes the Groom (1951), starring Wyman and Bing Crosby, then performed siblings in Ma and Pa Kettle at Dwelling (1954), directed by Charles Lamont.

When authentic Mouseketeer Darlene Gillespie was dropped from the Lamont-helmed Annette, additionally starring Tim Considine, Nugent got here on because the ranch lady Jet. (Nugent described herself as a tomboy who cherished to trip horses, and she or he did some stunt work later in her profession.)

She additionally dealt with TV visitor pictures on The Lone Ranger, Annie Oakley (she portrayed one other blind lady in a reunion with Hawkins), The Lifetime of Riley, Lassie, The Danny Thomas Present, Sugarfoot, The Millionaire, 77 Sundown Strip, Rawhide and The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis.

Whereas making Magnificent Obsession at Common, she and Rock Hudson “have been strolling across the studio when Cary Grant walks by,” she recalled. “Rock launched me, and in that nice Cary Grant voice, Cary mentioned, ‘Judy, Judy, Judy!’ It was so cool, I’ve by no means forgotten that. I’m not often impressed with actors, however that was a standout! Actually cute!”

Her movie résumé additionally included Cecil B. DeMille’s The Best Present on Earth (1952), the Gene Autry-starring Night time Stage to Galveston (1952), Down Laredo Approach (1953), Navy Spouse (1956), the Jane Powell-starring The Woman Most Probably (1957) and Excessive Faculty Caesar (1960).

After recurring on the 1960-62 NBC collection The Tall Man, starring Barry Sullivan and Clu Gulager, Nugent gave up appearing to boost a household together with her husband, Buck Taylor. She was married to the Gunsmoke actor — and son of famous character actor Dub Taylor — from March 1961 till their 1983 divorce.

“She was mom to a daughter, Tiffany, and three boys, Adam, Matt and Cooper, and grandmother to youngsters of Adam (1966-1994) and Anne Lockhart, Carlyle and Zane,” a household assertion mentioned. Matt and Cooper have labored as stunt performers and stunt coordinators. Adam died at age 27 in a bike accident.

Nugent’s sister, Carol, performed one of many Gilbreth youngsters in Cheaper by the Dozen (1950) and its sequel, Belles on Their Toes (1952). The primary of her two marriages was to The Insurgent star Nick Adams, who died of a prescription drug overdose in 1968 at age 36.