Ann Flood

Biography: Ann Flood was born Maryanne Ott on November 12, 1934 in Jamaica, New York. She graduated from Bay Shore High School in Brightwater, Long Island. She received a scholarship to study fashion coordination and merchandising but was drawn to acting after becoming involved in a local theatre group. While spending the summer working at a Brightwater beach club Ann met director/writer (LIFE STORY OF EMILE ZOLA) Geza Herczeg who recognized her talent and encouraged her to pursue an acting career. This led to her becoming a student of acting coach Claudia Franck. Ann's first television appearance came in 1952 when she debuted as lead actress opposite Peter Cookson in a live Broadway TV production of THE FORTUNE HUNTER for five performances on WOR-TV in NYC. This led to a second role in the play IT'S A BOY which also marked the TV debut of her co-star Orson Bean. Ann got a job working as an NBC tour guide at Radio City where she met her future husband TV executive Herb Granath whom she married on November 22. The 5' 7" blue-eyed and auburn haired beauty soon began appearing in walk-ons and bit parts as well as live commercial ads on many "golden age" live TV programs emanating from NYC. This soon led to lead roles for Ann on such series as SERGEANT BILKO, THE WEB, STUDIO ONE, ARMSTRONG CIRCLE THEATRE, PHILCO PLAYHOUSE and KRAFT THEATRE. Ann also made her Broadway debut in 1954 in KISMET and later appeared on Broadway in 1957 opposite Don Ameche in HOLIDAY FOR LOVERS. In the mid-1950's Ann Flood played several lead roles on the daytime anthology series MODERN ROMANCES based on the magazine of the same name. In 1958 Ann won and created the lead role of "Liz Fraser Allen" on the NBC soap opera FROM THESE ROOTS and also became a mother for the first time when oldest son Kevin was born. Ann played this role from 1958 through 1961 which was the entire run of the series. Interestingly, this show is where Ann Flood worked with many other performers who would become her future co-stars on her next role which was the part of EDGE OF NIGHT heroine "Nancy Pollock Karr". While appearing on FROM THESE ROOTS Ann worked with Millette Alexander, Barbara Berjer, Leon Janney, Audra Lindley, Frank Marth, Robert Mandan, Charlotte Rae, Helen Shields and Billie Lou Watt. All of whom also played roles on EDGE OF NIGHT after FROM THESE ROOTS was cancelled. Ann joined the cast of EDGE OF NIGHT on March 24, 1962 as reporter "Nancy Pollock". In the story "Nancy" interviewed widower "Mike Karr" played by Laurence Hugo (the second actor to portray the lead role) whom she fell in love with and eventually married on April 19, 1963. "Nancy" became a very loving step-mother for "Mike's" very young daughter "Laurie Ann" played by Kathleen Bracken. The role of "Laurie Ann Karr" was originally played by John Larkin's (the first actor to portray attorney "Mike Karr") real-life daughter Victoria and later played by Bracken, Kathy Cody, Emily Prager, Jeanne Ruskin and Linda Cook during Ann's tenure on the show. The "Karrs" also adopted a young orphan named "Timmy Faraday" in 1977 played by Doug McKeon. Ann's TV family also included "Nancy's" parents "Joe Pollock" (Editor of THE MONTICELLO NEWS) and "Rose Pollock" (Dean of a women's college) as well as brother "Lee Pollock" (an architect), his wife "Gerry McGrath Pollock", their son "Kelly McGrath", her younger sister "Cookie Pollock Thomas Christopher" and her husbands "Malcolm Thomas" and "Ron Christopher". "Nancy" was also mother-in-law to "Laurie Ann's" husbands "Vic Lamont" and "Johnny Dallas" and grandmother to baby "John Victor Dallas". Ann portrayed the role of "Nancy" for 22 years becoming the longest running actress to appear on the series during it's 28 year run. EDGE OF NIGHT debuted on CBS-TV in 1956 and later moved to ABC-TV in 1975 and completed it's run on December 28, 1984 with Ann appearing in the final episode. During her time on EDGE OF NIGHT, Ann became a mother three more times to Brian, Peter and Karen. It's interesting to note that Ann herself came from a family of siblings that consisted of 3 boys and a girl. Ann also found time (in addition to being a mom to four children and busy TV actress) to devote to her hobbies of painting, sculpture, needlework, interior decorating and piano. She also remained interested in fashion which was her initial course of study in college. While appearing on EDGE OF NIGHT Ann was nominated for an Emmy award twice. In 1981-82 and in 1983-84 season Ann was up for "outstanding actress in a daytime drama series" for her lead role as reporter/novelist/TV newscaster "Nancy Karr". In 1976 Ann also made EON history when she appeared with co-star Forrest Compton ("Mike Karr" #3) in a "two-hand" episode of the show with their characters being the only actors appearing in the entire episode. It is often said that the tone of a soap opera is set by it's leading lady and Ann Flood was admired by one and all for being a lovely lady willing to mentor new cast members. One of Ann's longtime co-stars; the award-winning actor Lester Rawlins ("Orin Hillyer"/1966-73) once said that "Ann Flood is an absolute angel who arrives at the studio in the morning looking just as beautiful as the lady you later see appearing on-camera." After EON ended in 1984 Ann went on to appear in some of the final episodes of SEARCH FOR TOMORROW in a role that was quite a departure from her heroine status as "Nancy". She menaced SFT's leading lady Mary Stuart ("Jo") as a cigar-smoking villainess named "Ella Hobbs". Later she joined the cast of ANOTHER WORLD as "Rose Livingston" (1986-87) and from there went on to play "Bitsy Davidson" from 1988 through 1989 on ALL MY CHILDREN. In 1991 Ann appeared on ONE LIFE TO LIVE in the role of "Mrs. Guthrie". Ann then joined former EON co-stars Forrest Compton and Linda Cook on AS THE WORLD TURNS as "Ruth Mansfield". In 1988 Ann Flood also made a prime time TV appearance on THE COSBY SHOW followed by a role in the Julia Roberts film MYSTIC PIZZA where she played "mom" to a very young Matt Damon. One of Ann Flood's greatest fans has to be Frances Nonenmacher who was the devoted and tireless president of THE EDGE OF NIGHT International Fan Club for many years.… Expand