Lanchester in Naughty Marietta

Elsa Lanchester (October 28, 1902 - December 26, 1986 in Woodland Hills, California) was an Oscar-nominated English character actress who became a naturalized American citizen in 1950 along with her husband, actor Charles Laughton. She is best remembered for her role as the monster's wife in Bride of Frankenstein (1935). Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (1773x2200, 736 KB)Elsa Lanchester This work is a copyrighted publicity photograph of a person, product, or event that is known to have come from a press kit or similar source, for the purpose of reuse by the media. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (1773x2200, 736 KB)Elsa Lanchester This work is a copyrighted publicity photograph of a person, product, or event that is known to have come from a press kit or similar source, for the purpose of reuse by the media. ... October 28 is the 301st day of the year (302nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar, with 64 days remaining. ... 1902 (MCMII) was a common year starting on Wednesday (see link for calendar). ... is the 360th day of the year (361st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1986 (MCMLXXXVI) was a common year starting on Wednesday (link displays 1986 Gregorian calendar). ... Woodland Hills is a community within the City of Los Angeles. ... Academy Award The Academy Awards, popularly known as the Oscars, are the most prominent and most watched film awards ceremony in the world. ... Motto  2(French) God and my right Anthem God Save the Queen 3 United Kingdom() – on the European continent() – in the European Union() Capital London Largest conurbation (population) Greater London Urban Area Official languages English (de facto)4 Government  -  Monarch Queen Elizabeth II  -  Prime Minister Gordon Brown Formation  -  Acts of... A character actor is an actor, especially in motion pictures, who predominantly performs in similar roles throughout the course of a career. ... Naturalization is the process whereby a person becomes a national of a nation, or a citizen of a country, other than the one of his birth. ... Charles Laughton (1 July 1899 – 15 December 1962) was an English stage and film actor. ... This article or section does not cite any references or sources. ...

Early life

Lanchester was born Elizabeth Sullivan in London, England. Her parents, James Sullivan and Edith Lanchester, were considered Bohemian, and refused to legalize their union in any conventional way to satisfy the era's conservative society. Edith's parents even successfully sent her to an asylum for a while, as she refused to wed James even if she wanted to live with him. An older sibling, Waldo, completed the family. This article is about the capital of England and the United Kingdom. ... Motto (French) God and my right Anthem No official anthem - the United Kingdom anthem God Save the Queen is commonly used England() – on the European continent() – in the United Kingdom() Capital (and largest city) London (de facto) Official languages English (de facto) Unified  -  by Athelstan 927 AD  Area  -  Total 130... The term bohemian was first used in the nineteenth century to describe the non-traditional lifestyles of marginalized and impoverished artists, writers, musicians, and actors in major European cities. ...

As a child, Elsa studied dance in Paris under Isadora Duncan, whom she disliked. When the school was discontinued due to the start of First World War she returned to England. At that point (she was about twelve years of age) she considered herself capable to teach dancing in the Isadora Duncan style (despite her own scathing remarks about her former teacher's style) and, very enterprisingly, started to give classes to children of her South London neighbourhood, with which she earned a welcome bit of extra income in her household. Isadora Duncan Isadora Duncan (May 27, 1877 – September 14, 1927) was an American dancer. ... Ypres, 1917, in the vicinity of the Battle of Passchendaele. ...

Career

Lanchester married actor Charles Laughton in 1929, and one of her first screen appearances was opposite him in The Private Life of Henry VIII (as a highly comical Anne of Cleves). This and other appearances in British films helped her gain the title role in Bride of Frankenstein (1935). Charles Laughton (1 July 1899 – 15 December 1962) was an English stage and film actor. ... Year 1929 (MCMXXIX) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... The Private Life of Henry VIII is a 1933 film nominated for the Academy Award for Best Picture. ... Anne of Cleves, painted by Hans Holbein the Younger Queen Anne of England née Anne of Cleves (September 22, 1515–July 16, 1557) also known as The Flanders Mare (see below)—was the fourth queen consort of Henry VIII of England from January 6, 1540 to July 9, 1540. ... This article or section does not cite any references or sources. ...

She appeared again with her husband in the screen version of Agatha Christie's play Witness for the Prosecution (1957), for which both received Academy Award nominations -- she for Best Supporting Actress, and Laughton for Best Actor. Neither won. However, Lanchester did win the Golden Globe for Best Supporting Actress for the film. Lanchester was previously nominated for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress, for Come to the Stable, in 1950. Agatha Mary Clarissa, Lady Mallowan, DBE (15 September 1890—12 January 1976), also known as Dame Agatha Christie, was an English crime fiction writer. ... Witness for the Prosecution is a 1957 crime film based on a short story (and later play) by Agatha Christie. ... Although he never won an Oscar for any of his movie performances, the comedian Bob Hope received two honorary Oscars for his contributions to cinema. ... The Golden Globe Awards are American awards for motion pictures and television programs, given out each year during a formal dinner. ... Come to the Stable is a 1949 film which tells the story of two French nuns who come to a small New England town and involve the townsfolk in helping them to build a childrens hospital. ...

Lanchester is also known for her appearances in a few Walt Disney films including: Mary Poppins, That Darn Cat! and Blackbeard's Ghost. She also had a memorable guest role in a classic I Love Lucy episode in 1956. For the company founded by Disney, see The Walt Disney Company. ... For the 2004 stage musical, see Mary Poppins (musical) Mary Poppins is a 1964 American musical film produced by Walt Disney, based on the Mary Poppins series of childrens books written by P. L. Travers and illustrated by Mary Shepard. ... That Darn Cat! is a 1965 Walt Disney feature film, directed by Robert Stevenson, and starring the young Hayley Mills. ... Blackbeards Ghost is a live-action Disney film starring Peter Ustinov, Dean Jones and Susan Pleschette. ... I Love Lucy is a television situational comedy aired on CBS in the 1950s. ...

Lanchester and Boris Karloff in "The Bride of Frankenstein"

Lanchester continued to act, making occasional film appearances such as the departing nanny, Katie Nanna, in the opening scenes of Mary Poppins, the mother in the original version of Willard and a sleuth based on 'Jane Marple' in the 1976 murder mystery spoof, Murder by Death. Bride of Frankenstein This is a screenshot of a copyrighted movie or television program. ... Bride of Frankenstein This is a screenshot of a copyrighted movie or television program. ... Boris Karloff (born William Henry Pratt) (London, November 23, 1887 – February 2, 1969) was an English actor, who immigrated to Canada in the 1910s, best known for his roles in horror films and the creation of Frankensteins monster in 1931s Frankenstein. ... Bride of Frankenstein 1999 release DVD cover Bride of Frankenstein is a horror film released April 22, 1935, which is a sequel to the 1931 film Frankenstein. ... For the 2004 stage musical, see Mary Poppins (musical) Mary Poppins is a 1964 American musical film produced by Walt Disney, based on the Mary Poppins series of childrens books written by P. L. Travers and illustrated by Mary Shepard. ... Willard is a 1971 horror film starring Bruce Davison and Ernest Borgnine, directed by Daniel Mann. ... Margaret Rutherford as Miss Marple Jane Marple, usually known as Miss Marple, is a fictional character appearing in twelve of Agatha Christies crime novels. ... Murder by Death is a 1976 ensemble comedy movie, written by Neil Simon and directed by Robert Moore. ...

Private life

Following Laughton's death in 1962, she wrote a book alleging that they never had children because Laughton was actually a homosexual. Actress Maureen O'Hara, a friend and co-star of Laughton, firmly refuted this. She claimed that Laughton had told her that his biggest regret was never having had children of his own. He also told her that the reason he and his wife never had children was because of a botched abortion she had early in her career while performing burlesque. Miss Lanchester mentioned in her own biography "Elsa Lanchester Herself" having had two abortions in her youth (one of them, a child from Charles), though she doesn't mention whether this left her uncapable of becoming pregnant again or not. Since its coinage, the word homosexuality has acquired multiple meanings. ... Maureen OHara Maureen OHara (born Maureen FitzSimons) on August 17, 1920 is an Irish film actress. ...

She died on Dec 26, 1986 from pneumonia. Pneumonia is an illness of the lungs and respiratory system in which the alveoli (microscopic air-filled sacs of the lung responsible for absorbing oxygen from the atmosphere) become inflamed and flooded with fluid. ...

Partial filmography

• The Scarlet Woman: An Ecclesiastical Melodrama (1925)
• The Private Life of Henry VIII (1933)
• David Copperfield (1935)
• The Ghost Goes West (1935)
• The Bride of Frankenstein (1935)
• Rembrandt (1937)
• Ladies in Retirement (1941)
• Tales of Manhattan (1942)
• Forever and a Day (1943)
• The Spiral Staircase (1946)
• The Razor's Edge (1946)
• Northwest Outpost (1947)
• The Bishop's Wife (1947)
• The Big Clock (1948)
• Come to the Stable (1949)
• The Secret Garden (1949)
• The Inspector General (1949)
• Buccaneer's Girl (1949)
• Mystery Street (1950)
• Girl of the Year (1950)
• Frenchie (1950)
• Dreamboat (1952)
• 3 Ring Circus (1954)
• Hell's Half Acre (1954)
• Witness for the Prosecution (1957)
• Bell, Book and Candle (1958)
• Mary Poppins (1964)
• That Darn Cat! (1965)
• Blackbeard's Ghost (1968)
• Rascal (1969)
• My Dog, the Thief (TV) (1969)
• Willard (1971)
• Terror in the Wax Museum (1973)
• Arnold (1973)
• Murder by Death (1975)
• Die Laughing (1980)

The Private Life of Henry VIII is a 1933 film nominated for the Academy Award for Best Picture. ... The Personal History, Adventures, Experience, & Observation of David Copperfield the Younger (aka David Copperfield) is a 1935 film based upon the Charles Dickens novel. ... The Ghost Goes West is a 1935 British comedy/fantasy/romance film. ... Bride of Frankenstein 1999 release DVD cover Bride of Frankenstein is a horror film released April 22, 1935, which is a sequel to the 1931 film Frankenstein. ... Rembrandt was a 1936 British film about the life of 17th century Dutch painter Rembrandt van Rijn, played by Charles Laughton. ... Ladies in Retirement is a 1941 film starring Ida Lupino and Louis Hayward. ... Tales of Manhattan is a 1942 black-and-white anthology film directed by Julien Duvivier. ... Forever and a Day is the debut album of Idols winner Karin Kortje. ... Dorothy McGuire and Kent Smith in The Spiral Staircase The Spiral Staircase is a Hollywood thriller from 1946 directed by Robert Siodmak and starring Dorothy McGuire, Kent Smith, George Brent, Rhonda Fleming, Elsa Lanchester, and Ethel Barrymore. ... The Razors Edge is the first film version of W. Somerset Maughams 1944 novel. ... The Bishops Wife is a 1947 romantic comedy film which tells the story of an angel who comes to earth to help a bishop to reconnect with his family. ... The Big Clock is a 1948 film noir thriller set in New York City based on the novel by Kenneth Fearing. ... Come to the Stable is a 1949 film which tells the story of two French nuns who come to a small New England town and involve the townsfolk in helping them to build a childrens hospital. ... For other uses, see Secret Garden (disambiguation). ... The Inspector General is a 1949 musical comedy film. ... Jan Sterling in the film noir Mystery Street (1950) Mystery Street is 1950 black-and-white film directed by John Sturges with cinematography by famed lensman John Alton. ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged with Quebecois. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... 3 Ring Circus was filmed from February 17 - March 31, 1954. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... Witness for the Prosecution is a 1957 crime film based on a short story (and later play) by Agatha Christie. ... For the religious phrase, see Bell, book, and candle. ... For the 2004 stage musical, see Mary Poppins (musical) Mary Poppins is a 1964 American musical film produced by Walt Disney, based on the Mary Poppins series of childrens books written by P. L. Travers and illustrated by Mary Shepard. ... That Darn Cat! is a 1965 Walt Disney feature film, directed by Robert Stevenson, and starring the young Hayley Mills. ... Blackbeards Ghost is a live-action Disney film starring Peter Ustinov, Dean Jones and Susan Pleschette. ... This article is about the film. ... Willard is a 1971 horror film starring Bruce Davison and Ernest Borgnine, directed by Daniel Mann. ... Murder by Death is a 1976 ensemble comedy movie, written by Neil Simon and directed by Robert Moore. ...

External links

• Elsa Lanchester at the Internet Movie Database
• Elsa Lanchester at the TCM Movie Database
• Elsa Lanchester at the Internet Broadway Database
• Elsa Lanchester at the BFI's Screenonline
• Obituary
• Cult Sirens: Elsa Lanchester