Actress
The Resume
(March 30, 1898-February 28, 1993)
Born in London, United Kingdom
Birth name was Joyce Lawrence
Known for her appearances in Noel Coward plays, including 'Easy Virtue,' 'Tonight at 8:30,' 'This Happy Breed,' 'Blithe Spirit,' 'Present Laughter,' 'Quadrille' and 'Nude with Violin'
Appeared in the films 'In Which We Serve' (1942), 'Brief Encounter' (1945), 'London Belongs to Me' (1948), 'Cry, the Beloved Country' (1951), 'The End of the Affair' (1954), 'Libel' (1959), 'The V.I.P.s' (1963) and 'The Black Windmill' (1974)
Received the Order of the British Empire (OBE, 1982)
Why she might be annoying
She made her debut in an all-female production of Henry V.
She ended her career typecast as 'confidential aunts, twittering spinsters and sympathetic mothers.'
She served as Coward's beard, appearing as his date at premieres and other social events.
Why she might not be annoying
In addition to Coward's light comedies, she had a large repertory of Shakespearean roles.
She wrote a successful play, Sweet Aloes (1934).
Coward was reportedly jealous of her success and discouraged her from further writing.
She continued acting well into her 80s, making her last stage appearance opposite Peter O'Toole in 'Pygmalion' (1984) and her last TV performance in Michael Palin's 'Number 27' (1988).
Credit: C. Fishel
Share this link with a friend:
Year In Review:
For 2009, as of last week, Out of 12 Votes: 16.67% Annoying
Featured in the following Annoying Collections:
|