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May Whitty

Dame May Whitty.jpg
Born
Mary Louise Whitty

(1865-06-19)19 June 1865
Liverpool, Lancashire, England
Died 29 May 1948(1948-05-29) (aged 82)
Occupation stage and screen Actress
Years active 1881–1948
Spouse(s)
Ben Webster
(m. 1892; died 1947)
Children 2, including Margaret

Dame Mary Louise Webster, DBE (née Whitty; 19 June 1865 – 29 May 1948), known professionally as May Whitty and later, for her charity work, Dame May Whitty, was an English stage and film actress. She was one of the first two women entertainers to become a Dame. The British actors' union Equity was established in her home. After a successful career she moved over to Hollywood films at the age of 72. She went to live in the United States, where she remained for the remainder of her life, appearing in films.

Background

Whitty was born in Liverpool, England, to William Alfred Whitty (circa 1837–1876), a newspaper proprietor, and Mary Louisa (née Ashton, circa 1837–1894). Her grandfather was Michael James Whitty, Chief Constable in Liverpool and founder of the Liverpool Daily Post. She made her first stage appearance in Liverpool in 1881, later moving to London to appear in the West End.

She married the actor-manager Ben Webster on 3 August 1892 in St Giles's Parish Church, London. In 1895 they visited the United States, where Whitty appeared on Broadway. Their first child, a son, died at birth. Their only surviving child, a daughter born in New York in 1905, Margaret Webster, was a producer who held dual US and UK citizenship. She was chair of the Actresses' Franchise League (AFL).

Whitty's stage career continued for the rest of her life. In March 1910, she made her transition to middle-aged and elderly character roles, playing Amelia Madras in Harley Granville-Barker's four-act comedy The Madras House. During World War I she was active in the AFL, working there to help organize the Women's Emergency Corps. In March 1922, she played the role of Mrs. Bennet before the Queen in a benefit performance of Pride and Prejudice. She acted opposite her husband, who played Mr. Darcy.

Honours

In the 1918 New Year Honours, she was made a Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire (DBE, gazetted under her legal married name Mary Louise Webster) in recognition of her charitable work during the First World War for the Three Arts Women's Employment Fund and the British Women's Hospitals Committee. She was the first stage and film actress to receive a damehood, along with the opera singer Nellie Melba, who was also thus honoured in 1918.

Film career and death

Whitty made her Hollywood film debut at the age of 72, recreating her 1935 stage role in the Hollywood film Night Must Fall (1937), which also starred Robert Montgomery and Rosalind Russell. She received an Oscar nomination. This led to several supporting roles in films, including that of the vanishing lady, Miss Froy, in Alfred Hitchcock's The Lady Vanishes (1938).

In 1939, Whitty permanently moved to the United States - although she never became a US citizen; and appeared both on stage and in Hollywood films, usually playing wealthy dowagers. It was one such part, as Lady Beldon in Mrs. Miniver (1942), that brought her a second Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress.

She continued to act for the remainder of her life, and died on 29 May 1948 in Beverly Hills, California, from cancer at the age of 82; her husband had died the previous year during surgery. She is commemorated with a plaque at St Paul's parish church in Covent Garden, London, alongside the plaque to her husband.

Stage roles

Dates are of the first performance.

Date (year, month, day) Title Author(s) City Theatre Role
1890-02-14 The Home Feud Walter Frith London Comedy Helen Joliffe
1890-07-04 Vanity of Vanities Justin Huntly McCarthy London Shaftesbury Princess Nicholas
1891-01-07 Private Enquiry F. C. Burnand (based on Albert Valabrègue’s La Sécurité des Familles) London Royal Strand Mrs. Buckleigh
1891-02-14 Turned Up Mark Melford London Royal Strand Sabina Medway
1891-04-01 Linda Grey Sir Charles L. Young London Princes Lady Broughton
1891-04-15 Our Daughters T.G. Warren & Willie Edouin London Royal Strand Nellie Mayhew
1891-07-01 Mrs. Annesley J. F. Cooke London Criterion Estelle Brandreth
1891-07-27 Fate and Fortune, or, The Junior Partner James J. Blood London Princess's Grace Hasluck
1892-01-06 The Showman’s Daughter Frances Hodgson Burnett London Royalty Linda Hurst
1892-02-16 The Silver Shield Sydney Grundy London Vaudeville Lucy Preston
1892-05-10 A Caprice Justin Huntly McCarthy, adapted from Alfred de Musset's Un Caprice London Vaudeville Mathilde
1892-05-25 The Noble Art Eille Norwood London Terry's Gertie Fullalove
1892-05-26 In the Season Langdon Elwyn Mitchell London Vaudeville Sybil March
1892-09-14 Our Boys Henry James Byron London Vaudeville Mary Melrose
1893-01-28 The Guv’Nor Robert Reece (writing under the pseudonym E.G. Lankester) London Vaudeville Aurelia
1893-02-16 Flight Walter Frith London Terry's Mrs. Amherst
1893-06-09 The Younger Son R.S. Sievier London Gaiety Evelyn Brookfield
1893-06-19 The Adventures of a Night Meyrick Milton, adaptated from Los Empenos de Seis Horas by Pedro Calderón de la Barca London Royal Strand Donna Bianca
1893-12-21 Beauty’s Toils Charles S. Fawcett, founded on Her Fatal Beauty by W.B. Maxell London Royal Strand Ethel Cumming
1894-07-02 Our Flot Mrs. H. Musgrave London Royal Strand Margery Sylvester
1895-03-12 A Loving Legacy Fred W. Sidney London Royal Strand Kitty O'Rourke
1895-04-15 Fanny George Robert Sims and Cecil Raleigh London Royal Strand Grace Dormer
1895-04-15 The Backslider Osmond Shillingford London Royal Strand Mrs. Agatha Dolomite
1895-06-27 Louis XI Dion Boucicault, adaptated by Saimir Delavigne London Lyceum Marie
1895-07-12 The Lyons Mail Charles Reader, adaptation of Le Courrier de Lyon by Émile Moreau, Giraudin & Delacour London Lyceum Julie Lesurques
1895-07-15 The Corsican Brothers Dion Boucicault, adaptation of Alexandre Dumas's The Corsican Brothers London Lyceum Emelie de l'Esparre
1895-07-24 Macbeth William Shakespeare London Lyceum A gentlewoman
1896-12-03 A Princess of Orange Fred James London Lyceum Louise, Princess of Orange
1896-12-10 An Old Song Rev. Freeman Wills and A. Fitzmaurice King London Criterion Signora Sara Rosetti
1897-12-23 Secret Service: A Romance of the Southern Confederacy William Gillette London Adelphi Edith Varney
1898-12-03 Cupboard Love Henry V. Esmond London Court Rosamond Pilliner
1899-06-06 The Heather Field Edward Martyn London Terry's Grace Tyrrell
1899-09-04 The Last Chapter George H. Broadhurst London Royal Strand Katherine Blake
1901-05-11 Toff Jim Fred Wright London Apollo Primrose
1908-01-20 Irene Wycherley Anthony P. Wharton New York Astor Carrie Hardinge
1910-03-01 The Sentimentalists George Meredith London Duke of York's Dame Dresden
1910-03-10 The Madras House Harley Granville-Barker London Duke of York's Amelia Madras
1910-04-05 Trelawny of the Wells Arthur Wing Pinero London Duke of York's Miss Trafalgar Gower
1910-11-18 The Home Coming Cicely Hamilton London Aldwych Mrs. Daly
1911-05-08 The First Actress Christabel Marshall London Kingsway Peg Woffington
1911-05-12 The Baron’s Wager Charles Young London Playhouse Clothislde, Marquise de Marsay
1912-02-01 The Bear-Leaders R. C. Carton London Comedy Dowager Countess of Grimsdal
1912-02-09 Edith Elizabeth Baker London Princess's Mrs. Stott
1912-08-12 Ready Money James Montgomery London New Mrs. John Tyler
1913-03-31 A Matter of Money (first played in Glasgow under the title The Cutting of the Know) Cicely Hamilton London Little Mrs. Channing
1913-03-11 Open Windows A.E.W. Mason London St. James's Lady Cluffe
1913-10-04 The Grand Seigneur Edward Ferris and Bertram P. Matthews London Savoy Comtesse Malise
1914-09-08 The Impossible Woman C. Haddon Chambers London Savoy Mrs. Talcot
1915-04-15 The Green Flag Keble Howard London Vaudeville Mrs. Kesteven
1915-10-16 Iris Intervenes John Hastings Turner London Kingsway Mary Cumbers
1916-02-28 The Arm of the Law Arthur Bourchier, adapted from La Robe Rouge by Eugène Brieux London His Majesty's Mme. Vagret
1916-05-28 The Eternal Snows Michael Orme [pseudonym of Alix Augusta Grein] London Criterion Mary Chartwell
1917-04-09 The Passing of the Third Floor Back Jerome K. Jerome London Playhouse Cheat, Mrs. Sharpe, Lady of the House
1917-07-27 Trelawny of the Wells Arthur W. Pinero London New Miss Trafalgar Gower
1917-09-07 Trelawny of the Wells Arthur W. Pinero London New Miss Trafalgar Gower
1922-03-01 The Enchanted Cottage Arthur Pinero London Duke of York's Mrs. Corsellis
1922-03-24 Pride and Prejudice Eileen H.A. Squire & J.C. Squire, adapted from Jane Austen's novel London Palace Mrs. Bennett
1922-05-18 Life's a Game Michael Orme [pseud. Alix Augusta Grein] London Kingsway Lady Raunds
1922-12-04 Destruction Agnese de Llana London Royalty Ella Singleton
1924-09-18 The Fool Channing Pollock London Apollo Mrs. Henry Gilliam
1925-05-11 My Lady's Dress Edward Knblock London Adelphi La Grisa
1925-06-22 March Hares (The Temperamentalists) Harry Wagstaff Gribble London Little Mrs. Janet Rodney
1925-09-22 The Last of Mrs. Cheyney Frederick Lonsdale London St. James's Mrs. Ebley
1927-12-27 Sylvia James Dyrenforth London Vaudeville Mrs. Considine
1928-04-19 Come With Me Basil Dean and Margaret Kennedy London New Lady Alethea Zaidner
1929-06-01 Sybarites H. Dennis Bradley London Arts Lady Byfleet
1929-07-24 Gentlemen of the Jury Francis A. Campton London Arts Lady Blakeney
1929-09-05 Dear Brutus J. M. Barrie London Playhouse Mrs. Coade
1929-12-03 The Major Explains W.R. Walkes London Prince of Wales [unnamed role]
1929-12-03 The Amorists H. Dennis Bradley London Royalty Lady Byfleet
1930-12-26 A Business Marriage Anonymous London Court Mrs. Mabley Jones
1931-10-12 There's Always Juliet John Van Druten London Apollo Florence
1931-10-12 There's Always Juliet John Van Druten New York Empire Florence
1932-08-16 Behold, We Live John van Druten London St. James's Dame Frances Evers
1932-10-02 Please Don’t Be Nervous Ann Stephenson London Shaftesbury Mother
1933-08-08 In Vino Veritas Walter Hudd London Arts Oakley
1933-08-08 The Long Christmas Dinner Thornton Wilder London Arts Mother Bayard
1933-08-01 The Lake Dorothy Massingham (with Murray Macdonald) London Arts Mildred Surrege
1933-08-01 The Lake Dorothy Massingham (with Murray Macdonald) London Westminster Mildred Surrege
1933-11-29 Man Proposes Warren Chetham-Strode London Wyndham's Mary Railton
1934-05-03 The Voysey Inheritance Harley Granville-Barker London Sadler's Wells Mrs. Voysey
1934-06-14 Meeting At Night Marjorie Sharp London Globe Mrs. Crowborough
1934-07-04 The Maitlands Ronald Mackenzie London Wyndham's May Maitland
1934-11-08 It Happened To Adam David Boehm London Duke of York's Mrs. Sloane
1935-03-11 Ringmaster Keith Winter London Shaftesbury Mrs. West
1935-04-07 One Must Go On George Porter London Comedy Mrs. John Brown
1935-05-31 Night Must Fall Emlyn Williams London Duchess Mrs. Bramson
1935-12-01 Farm of Three Echoes Noel Langley London Wyndham's Ouma Gerart
1936-09-28 Night Must Fall Emlyn Williams New York Ethel Barrymore Mrs. Bramson
1938-01-10 Your Obedient Husband Horace Jackson New York Broadhurst Mrs. Scurlock
1938-05-23 Here's To Our Enterprise Edward Knoblock London Lyceum [herself]
1940-05-09 Romeo and Juliet William Shakespeare New York 51st Street Nurse to Juliet
1941-04-08 The Trojan Women Euripides New York Cort Hecuba
1945-10-09 Therese Thomas Job, based on Thérèse Raquin by Émile Zola New York Biltmore Madame Raquin

Filmography

  • Enoch Arden (1914) as Miriam Lane
  • The Little Minister (1915) as Nanny Webster
  • Colonel Newcombe, the Perfect Gentleman (1920) as Mrs. Mackenzie
  • Keep Your Seats, Please (1936) as Aunt Georgina Withers (uncredited)
  • Night Must Fall (1937) as Mrs. Bramson
  • Conquest (1937) as Maria Letizia Buonaparte
  • I Met My Love Again (1938) as Aunt William
  • Parnell (1938, TV movie) as Aunt Caroline
  • The Lady Vanishes (1938) as Miss Froy
  • Mary Rose (1939, TV movie) as Mrs. Morland
  • The Royal Family of Broadway (1939, TV movie) as Fanny Cavendis
  • Rake's Progress (1939, TV movie) as Mrs. Mead, Wilkes's mother-in-law
  • Raffles (1939) as Lady Melrose
  • Return to Yesterday (1940) as Mrs. Truscott
  • A Bill of Divorcement (1940) as Aunt Hester Fairfield
  • One Night in Lisbon (1941) as Florence
  • Suspicion (1941) as Mrs. Martha McLaidlaw
  • Mrs. Miniver (1942) as Lady Beldon
  • Thunder Birds (1942) as Lady Jane Stackhouse
  • Forever and a Day (1943) as Mrs. Lucy Trimble
  • Slightly Dangerous (1943) as Baba
  • Crash Dive (1943) as Grandmother
  • The Constant Nymph (1943) as Lady Constance Longborough
  • Stage Door Canteen (1943) as Herself
  • Lassie Come Home (1943) as Dally
  • Flesh and Fantasy (1943) as Lady Pamela Hardwick (Episode 2)
  • Madame Curie (1943) as Madame Eugene Curie
  • Gaslight (1944) as Miss Bessie Thwaites
  • The White Cliffs of Dover (1944) as Nanny
  • My Name Is Julia Ross (1945) as Mrs. Hughes
  • Devotion (1946) as Lady Thornton
  • Green Dolphin Street (1947) as Mother Superior
  • This Time for Keeps (1947) as Grandmother Cambaretti
  • If Winter Comes (1947) as Mrs. Perch
  • The Sign of the Ram (1948) as Clara Brastock
  • The Return of October (1948) as Aunt Martha Grant (final film role)

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: May Whitty para niños

  • List of actors with Academy Award nominations

Works consulted

  • Casson, Lewis (2004). "Webster, Benjamin (1864–1947)". Oxford Dictionary of National Biography. DOI:10.1093/ref:odnb/36806. 
  • Gaye, Freda, ed. (1967). Who's Who in the Theatre (fourteenth ed.). London: Sir Isaac Pitman and Sons. OCLC 5997224.
  • Nissen, Axel (2007). Actresses of a Certain Character: forty familiar Hollywood faces from the thirties to the fifties. Jefferson, NC: McFarland & Co.. p. 209. ISBN 978-0786427468. https://books.google.com/books?id=IbpwDl1nt0MC.
  • Parker, John, ed. (1922). Who's Who in the Theatre (fourth ed.). London: Sir Isaac Pitman and Sons. OCLC 473894893.
  • Wearing, J.P. (1976). The London Stage, 1890–1899: a Calendar of Plays and Players. Metuchen, NJ: Scarecrow Press. ISBN 9780810809109. https://archive.org/details/londonstage189010001wear.
  • Wearing, J.P. (1981). The London Stage, 1900–1909: a Calendar of Plays and Players. Metuchen, NJ: Scarecrow Press. ISBN 9780810814035.
  • Wearing, J.P. (1982). The London Stage, 1910–1919: a Calendar of Plays and Players. Metuchen, NJ: Scarecrow Press. ISBN 9780810815964.
  • Wearing, J.P. (1984). The London Stage, 1920–1929: a Calendar of Plays and Players. Metuchen, NJ: Scarecrow Press. ISBN 9780810817159.
  • Wearing, J.P. (1990). The London Stage, 1930–1939: a Calendar of Plays and Players. Metuchen, NJ: Scarecrow Press. ISBN 9780810823495.
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