Ruth Adams

born: 17 June 1905
Trinidad, Colorado, California,
United States of America
died: 04 March 1972
San Francisco, California,
United States of America
(age 66)

Actress/stuntwoman; she was a stand-in for actress Thelma Todd. She picked the name "Ruth" just because she liked it, according to her niece Mary Cox.
Per the 1930 Census, her father was born in Pennsylvania, and her mother in Colorado. She was living in San Francisco at the time of Thelma Todd's death. Four months afterward, she married San Francisco engineer Ralph Waldo Fayle (1909-1978). She was awarded an interlocutory divorce decree from him on 2 December 1937, charging him with intoxication and cruelty.
In Aug of 1923 in Detroit, MI she married JOHN T. RAGLAND who was 10 years her senior.
In Jan of 1929 in LA she was granted a divorce based on the grounds that "HE WAS LAZY" since the first few months of marriage!

At least one source lists an incorrect birth date of 28 June 1905.
Real name: Teresa Irene Adams
Height: 5'8"
Films listed on this page: complete Hal Roach filmography.

6


1932
The Soilers
Woman in revolving door/
Stunts for Thelma Todd

1933
Asleep In The Feet
Girl at front desk

1933
Maids A La Mode
Thelma Todd's stand-in

1933
One Track Minds
Train passenger

1934
Four Parts
Nosey passer-by/Streetcar passenger

1934
Maid In Hollywood
Thelma's stand-in

Acknowledgements:
https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QKXL-C57H (Sept. 1929 airplane passenger list, line 10)
https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XCJB-4JD (1930 Census, line 37)
https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/132876335/ (Oakland Tribune, 2 Dec 1937)
https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:K982-8FM (1940 Census, line 22)
https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VGTM-KZX (CA Death Index)
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VGTM-KZX
1930 LACD: Adams Ruth slswn h5406 Lexington av
1932 LACD: Adams Ruth actor h5406 Lexington av
1934 LACD: Adams Ruth actor h823 Gower
1937 SF CD: Fayle Ralph (Ruth) r735 Baker
https://www.ancestry.com/family-tree/person/tree/90381848/person/322042805877/facts (MARY COX: niece)
https://search.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/sse.dll?dbid=1088&h=2710955&indiv=try&o_vc=Record:OtherRecord&rhSource=9093 (1915 KS State Census aged 10)
https://search.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/sse.dll?viewrecord=1&r=an&db=MI-Marriages&indiv=try&h=3030946 (1923 Marriage Detroit to RAGLAND)
https://www.newspapers.com/image/385460554/?terms=%22RUTH%2BRAGLAND%22 (1929 Jan Divorce LA.)
https://www.ancestry.com/imageviewer/collections/2469/images/15019570?pId=1135556296 (1935 CO step-Dad spiritualist medium)
https://www.newspapers.com/image/665180740/?terms=%22RALPH%2BFAYLE%22&match=2 (1936 Double for THELMA TODD)
Jesse Brisson (research notes and information; identification in One Track Minds, The Soilers, Maids A La Mode, Four Parts)
Jim Jarvis (research and information)
Mary Cox (Ruth Adams' niece) (information)

This page was last updated on: 13 June 2024