Alicia Rhett, the actress and portrait painter, is best remembered for her role as India Wilkes, the serious young sister of Ashley Wilkes, whose love for the dull and timid Charles Hamilton is spurned in favour of southern belle Scarlett O’Hara (Vivien Leigh) in the 1939 epic film “Gone with the Wind.” At the time of her death, Rhett was one of the oldest surviving credited cast members of the movie.
Early Life of Alicia Rhett
Mary Alicia Rhett was born on February 1, 1915, in Savannah, Georgia, to Isobel Murdoch, an immigrant from Liverpool, England, and Edmund M. Rhett, an American army officer and engineer. Her grandfather, Col. Alfred Moore Rhett, commanded the 1st South Carolina Artillery during the Civil War, and her great-grandfather, Robert Barnwell Rhett, was a prominent figure in the South. After her father’s death during World War I, Alicia and her mother moved to Charleston, South Carolina.
Alicia Rhett’s acting career began in Charleston, where she became a theatre actress. Her big break came during a performance of “The Recruiting Officer” in 1936, when Hollywood director George Cukor noticed her when he was scouting for an actress to play Scarlett O’Hara in the film adaptation of Margaret Mitchell’s novel “Gone with the Wind.” Although Rhett auditioned for the role of Melanie Hamilton, the part went to Olivia de Havilland. Instead, Rhett was offered the role of India Wilkes, the sister of Ashley Wilkes.
Rhett’s portrayal of India Wilkes in the 1939 epic film “Gone with the Wind” remains her most notable work. Despite the film’s success, Rhett left Hollywood and returned to South Carolina in 1941, citing a lack of suitable roles. She retired from acting and later became an accent coach for aspiring actors and a radio announcer at station WTMA in Charleston.
Alicia Rhett A Sketch Artist
Before her acting career, Rhett had shown talent as a sketch artist and portrait painter. During the filming of “Gone with the Wind,” she made sketches and drawings of her fellow actors. After returning to Charleston, she continued her work as a portrait painter, creating portraits of American servicemen in the Charleston area. Some of her notable works include portraits of Admiral Louis Emil Denfeld and librarian Estellene P. Walker. Rhett also illustrated several books, including “South Carolina Indians” (1965) by Beth Causey and Leila Darby.
Alicia Rhett lived a long and fulfilling life, passing away at the age of 98 on January 3, 2014, at the Bishop Gadsden Episcopal Retirement Community in Charleston.
Alicia Rhett on IMDB
