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Elsa Lanchester
Actor

Elsa Lanchester

28 Oct 1902Born
26 Dec 1986Died
84Age at death
95Credits

Biography

Elsa Sullivan Lanchester (October 28, 1902 – December 26, 1986) was a British actress with a long career in theatre, film and television and former dancer.

Lanchester studied dance as a child and after the First World War began performing in theatre and cabaret, where she established her career over the following decade. She met the actor Charles Laughton in 1927, and they were married two years later. She began playing small roles in British films, including the role of Anne of Cleves with Laughton in The Private Life of Henry VIII (1933).

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Laughton's success in American films resulted in the couple moving to Hollywood, where Lanchester played small film roles.

Her role as the bride in Bride of Frankenstein (1935), brought her recognition, and came to be one of the roles most closely associated with her throughout her life. Lanchester played supporting roles through the 1940s and 1950s. She was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for Come to the Stable (1949) and Witness for the Prosecution (1957), the last of twelve films in which she appeared with Laughton. Following Laughton's death in 1962, Lanchester resumed her career with appearances in such Disney films as Mary Poppins (1964), That Darn Cat! (1965) and Blackbeard's Ghost (1968). The horror film, Willard, (1971) was highly successful and one of her last roles was in Murder By Death (1976).

Description above from the Wikipedia article Elsa Lanchester, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia

Known for

Filmography

The 80 most recent of 95 credits.

  1. 2014Monster Madness: The Golden Age of the Horror FilmFilm: Mary Shelley / The Monster's Mate (archive footage)
  2. 1998Universal HorrorFilm: (archive footage)
  3. 1992Commercial Entertainment ProductFilm: The Monster's Bride
  4. 1991Frankenstein: A Cinematic ScrapbookFilm: Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley / The Monster's Mate
  5. 1988Hollywood Scandals and TragediesFilm: (archive footage) (uncredited)
  6. 1980Die LaughingFilm: Sophie
  7. 1976Murder by DeathFilm: Jessica Marbles
  8. 1973ArnoldFilm: Hester
  9. 1973Terror in the Wax MuseumFilm: Julia Hawthorn
  10. 1971WillardFilm: Henrietta Stiles
  11. 1970Night GallerySeries (1 episode)
  12. 1970Nanny and the ProfessorSeries: Aunt Henrietta (3 episodes)
  13. 1969In Name OnlyFilm: Gertrude Caruso
  14. 1969My Dog, the ThiefFilm: Mrs. Formby
  15. 1969Then Came BronsonSeries: Hattie Calter (1 episode)
  16. 1969The Bill Cosby ShowSeries: Mrs. Wochuk (2 episodes)
  17. 1969Me, NatalieFilm: Miss Dennison
  18. 1969RascalFilm: Mrs. Satterfield
  19. 1968Here's LucySeries: Mumsie Westcott (1 episode)
  20. 1968Blackbeard's GhostFilm: Emily Stowecroft
  21. 1967MannixSeries: Portia Penhaven, Edna Barrington (1 episode)
  22. 1967Mondo HollywoodFilm
  23. 1967Easy Come, Easy GoFilm: Madame Neherina
  24. 1965That Darn Cat!Film: Mrs. MacDougall
  25. 1965The John Forsythe ShowSeries: Margaret Culver (29 episodes)
  26. 1964Mary PoppinsFilm: Katie Nanna
  27. 1964Pajama PartyFilm: Aunt Wendy
  28. 1964The Man from U.N.C.L.E.Series: Dr. Agnes Dabree (1 episode)
  29. 1964Honeymoon HotelFilm: Chambermaid
  30. 1963Burke's LawSeries: Mrs. Ormsby, Bessie Mopes (1 episode)
  31. 1962The Alfred Hitchcock HourSeries: Aggie McGregor (1 episode)
  32. 1962Noah and the FloodFilm: Noah's wife
  33. 1961Ben CaseySeries (1 episode)
  34. 1961Follow the SunSeries (1 episode)
  35. 1959Adventures in ParadiseSeries: Miss Creshaw (1 episode)
  36. 1958Bell, Book and CandleFilm: Aunt Queenie Holroyd
  37. 1958Shirley Temple's StorybookSeries: Mother Goose (1 episode)
  38. 1957Witness for the ProsecutionFilm: Miss Plimsoll
  39. 1955Alice in WonderlandFilm: Red Queen
  40. 1955The 20th Century Fox HourSeries (1 episode)
  41. 1955HeidiFilm: Fräulein Rottenmeier
  42. 1955The Glass SlipperFilm: Widow Sonder
  43. 19543 Ring CircusFilm: The Bearded Lady
  44. 1954The Wonderful World of DisneySeries: Mrs. Formby (1 episode)
  45. 1954Hell's Half AcreFilm: Lida O'Reilly
  46. 1953The Girls of Pleasure IslandFilm: Thelma
  47. 1953General Electric TheaterSeries: Hanna Winters (1 episode)
  48. 1952Androcles and the LionFilm: Megaera
  49. 1952The Ford Television TheatreSeries: Rosie Bowker (1 episode)
  50. 1952Les MiserablesFilm: Madame Magloire
  51. 1952DreamboatFilm: Mathilda Coffey
  52. 1951Hallmark Hall of FameSeries: Red Queen (1 episode)
  53. 1951I Love LucySeries: Edna Grundy (1 episode)
  54. 1951Schlitz Playhouse of StarsSeries: Betsey Monk, the Widow (1 episode)
  55. 1950FrenchieFilm: Countess
  56. 1950Lux Video TheatreSeries: Emily, Miss Mabel (1 episode)
  57. 1950The Petty GirlFilm: Dr. Crutcher
  58. 1950Mystery StreetFilm: Mrs. Smerrling
  59. 1950Buccaneer's GirlFilm: Madame Brizar
  60. 1950Robert Montgomery PresentsSeries (1 episode)
  61. 1949The Inspector GeneralFilm: Maria
  62. 1949Come to the StableFilm: Amelia Potts
  63. 1949The Secret GardenFilm: Martha
  64. 1948Studio OneSeries: Jenny Pratt (1 episode)
  65. 1948The Big ClockFilm: Louise Patterson
  66. 1947The Bishop's WifeFilm: Matilda
  67. 1947Northwest OutpostFilm: Princess 'Tanya' Tatiana
  68. 1946The Razor's EdgeFilm: Miss Keith
  69. 1946The Spiral StaircaseFilm: Mrs. Oates
  70. 1944Passport to DestinyFilm: Ella Muggins
  71. 1943Lassie Come HomeFilm: Mrs. Helen Carraclough
  72. 1943Thumbs UpFilm: Emily "Emmy" Ffinch
  73. 1943Forever and a DayFilm: Mamie
  74. 1942Tales of ManhattanFilm: Mrs. Smith
  75. 1942Son of Fury: The Story of Benjamin BlakeFilm: Bristol Isabel
  76. 1941Ladies in RetirementFilm: Emily Creed
  77. 1938Vessel of WrathFilm: Martha Jones
  78. 1936RembrandtFilm: Hendrickje Stoffels
  79. 1935The Ghost Goes WestFilm: Miss Shepperton
  80. 1935Bride of FrankensteinFilm: Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley / The Monster's Mate

Biography and credits from TMDB. This website uses TMDB and the TMDB APIs but is not endorsed, certified, or otherwise approved by TMDB.