**Dorris Bowdon (1907-2005)** was an American actress primarily known for her intense portrayal of Rose of Sharon Joad in John Ford's classic, *The Grapes of Wrath* (1940). Her film career was relatively brief, concentrated between the late 1930s and early 1940s.

Bowdon distinguished herself through roles of simple, straightforward women, often resilient and kind-hearted, capable of expressing strength and dignity in adversity. Her Rose of Sharon is emblematic of this type, embodying hope and resilience in the face of despair. Among her other films are *Young Mr. Lincoln* (1939) and *Chad Hanna* (1940). After marrying screenwriter and director Nunnally Johnson, Bowdon largely retired from acting to focus on her family.