Actress Ann Springer reflects on a life in the spotlight and a treasured Hollywood memory
DOWNERS GROVE, Ill. — When news of Robert Redford’s passing broke, Oak Trace senior living community resident and lifelong actress Ann Springer found herself smiling at a memory that has glowed for decades.
While working on the film Ordinary People, which Redford directed in the late ‘70’s, early ‘80’s, Ann shared a lighthearted moment with the Hollywood legend. “At the end of filming one day, he kissed me on the cheek,” she recalled. “I ended up on the cutting room floor, but I never washed my face again. I just let it glow and glow.”
For Ann, that memory is one of many highlights in a career filled with laughter, stage lights, and unforgettable encounters.
A Life on Stage and Screen
From her first big laugh as Captain Hook in her eighth-grade production of Peter Pan, Ann knew she was destined for the stage. Her path led her from the Goodman School of Drama to Drury Lane in Chicago, where she performed with Darren McGavin and Van Johnson, and even to Traverse City, where she worked alongside Leonard Nimoy.
As a proud member of Actors’ Equity, the Screen Actors Guild, and AFTRA, Ann built a career that included theater, film, and television commercials, including working the famously finicky feline, Morris the Cat.
Life Beyond Hollywood
Offstage, Ann’s life was equally rich. She raised her children as a single mother, later sharing 45 years of marriage with her husband, Jack. After his passing, she embraced a new beginning at Oak Trace senior living community in Downers Grove, Illinois.
“When I moved here, my son was so relieved,” Ann said. “That first night, I slept like a rock. All my worry was over.”
A New Stage at Oak Trace
Today, Ann continues to shine at Oak Trace, trading scripts and spotlights for concerts, friendships, and spirited games of chair volleyball. “We scream and holler; it’s wonderful fun,” she said.
Looking back, she reflects on the joy of a life built around creativity and connection. “Acting was a wonderful way to live,” Ann said. “It was fun, it was rich, and I got to be so many different people. But most of all, it made people laugh. And that first laugh I got as Captain Hook? That’s what kept me going.”
Now, Ann has found a new audience and a new stage. “I’ve always lived for laughter and connection, and I’ve found that here all over again.”
