Anne Seymour, the daughter of a copper expert William Stanley Eckert and an actress and museum curator May Davenport, was born on September 11, 1909, in New York City. She was the seventh generation of a theatrical family that traced its roots back to Ireland in 1740.
Her great-uncle was the renowned character actor Harry Davenport, and her two older brothers were writer James Seymour, known for his work on 42nd Street (1933),and actor John Seymour, who appeared in The Sporting Club (1971).
Anne trained for the stage at the American Laboratory Theatre School, where she was mentored by Richard Boleslawski and Maria Ouspenskaya. She began her career with The Jitney Players, eventually adopting her mother's maiden name, Seymour, like her brothers.
After touring throughout New England, Anne made her New York debut in Mr. Moneypenny in 1928. She went on to appear in several Broadway shows, including At the Bottom (1930) and A School for Scandal (1931).
In the late 1940s, Anne transitioned to film, making her debut as Lucy Stark in the Oscar-winning picture All the King's Men (1949). Although her film appearances were sporadic and relatively minor, she was a solid, capable player during the golden age of television, appearing in shows such as Studio One (1948) and Robert Montgomery Presents (1950).
Anne's rather hawkish, matronly features, which contrasted with her smooth, modulated tones, often cast her in benevolent roles as concerned relatives and professionals in the background.
In 1958, Anne earned strong marks for her portrayal of Sara Delano Roosevelt alongside Tony-winning Ralph Bellamy's FDR in "Sunrise at Campobello" on Broadway. She lost the 1960 movie role to Ann Shoemaker.
Throughout her career, Anne was actively involved on the SAG and AFTRA boards. Unmarried, she passed away in 1988 of natural causes, having completed a small part in the popular film Field of Dreams (1989).
