Actress Virginia Patton, who appeared in the Christmas classic It’s Beautiful to Live! (1946), by Frank Capra, she died last Thursday at the age of 97, according to various US media. In the film she played Ruth Dakin Bailey, sister-in-law of the main character played by James Stewart, a modest and honest citizen who, after the disappearance of a large sum of money that was going to leave him bankrupt, decides to commit suicide. But when he is about to do so, something extraordinary happens.
Moss was the last surviving adult cast member of the acclaimed drama that was up for five Oscar nominations. Her death took place at an Albany hospice facility.
Born on June 25, 1925 in Cleveland, Virginia, she was the niece of General George Patton – a fundamental figure in World War II – and had been retired from the cinema since 1950. It was at that time that she raised a family and founded the company Patton Corp, dedicated to real estate. “I became exactly what I always dreamed of, a neighbor from a small town, where I work hard for others,” she said in an interview.
While studying at the University of Southern California, Virginia began to participate in plays and auditions for films. She played several minor roles before she was chosen by Capra to play Ruth. In her short career, she also collaborated with great filmmakers such as Michael Curtiz (Janie, 1944) or Raoul Walsh (A Trumpet Call at Midnight, 1945).
