Ruth Draper (born December 2, 1884, New York City - died December 30, 1956, New York, New York) was an American actress and dramatist. She specialized in character-driven monologues and monodrama. Her best known pieces include The Italian Lesson, Three Women and Mr. Clifford, Doctors and Diets, and A Church in Italy.

Such theatre legends as George Bernard Shaw, Thornton Wilder, John Gielgud, Katharine Hepburn, Maurice Chevalier, Laurence Olivier, and Uta Hagen were among those dazzled by Draper's artistry and talent, as were Henry James, Henry Adams, and Edith Wharton.

Draper died in 1956, aged 72, just hours after giving a performance on Broadway. A short biography of Draper is among several collected by the Anglo-Italian writer Iris Origo in her 1984 book, A Need to Testify. Read more on Last.fm. User-contributed text is available under the Creative Commons By-SA License; additional terms may apply.