Elsa Lanchester

Elsa Lanchester

Date of Birth:

Oct 28, 1902

Place of Birth:

Lewisham, London, England, UK

Elsa Sullivan Lanchester  (28 October 1902 – 26 December 1986) was an English-American character actress with a long career in theatre, film and television.

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). 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).

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filmography:

Daydreams Daydreams

1928

3 Ring Circus 3 Ring Circus

1954

Forever and a Day Forever and a Day

1943

The Tonic The Tonic

1928

Comets Comets

1930

The Officers' Mess The Officers' Mess

1931

Bride of Frankenstein Bride of Frankenstein

1935

That Darn Cat! That Darn Cat!

1965

Alice in Wonderland Alice in Wonderland

1955

The Constant Nymph The Constant Nymph

1928

David Copperfield David Copperfield

1935

In Name Only In Name Only

1969

Passport to Destiny Passport to Destiny

1944

Die Laughing Die Laughing

1980

Blue Bottles Blue Bottles

1928

Thumbs Up Thumbs Up

1943

Frenchie Frenchie

1950

Vessel of Wrath Vessel of Wrath

1938

Potiphar's Wife Potiphar's Wife

1931

The Stronger Sex The Stronger Sex

1931

Terror in the Aisles Terror in the Aisles

1984

Hollywood Out-takes and Rare Footage Hollywood Out-takes and Rare Footage

1983

Ashes Ashes

1930

The American Nightmare The American Nightmare

2000

One of the Best One of the Best

1927

Monster Madness: The Golden Age of the Horror Film Monster Madness: The Golden Age of the Horror Film

2014

Frankenstein: A Cinematic Scrapbook Frankenstein: A Cinematic Scrapbook

1991

Scotty and the Secret History of Hollywood Scotty and the Secret History of Hollywood

2018

The Love Habit The Love Habit

1931

Universal Horror Universal Horror

1998

Cinema's Exiles: From Hitler to Hollywood Cinema's Exiles: From Hitler to Hollywood

2009

Commercial Entertainment Product Commercial Entertainment Product

1992

Cavalcade of the Academy Awards Cavalcade of the Academy Awards

1940

The Scarlet Woman: An Ecclesiastical Melodrama The Scarlet Woman: An Ecclesiastical Melodrama

1924

Turnabout: The Story of the Yale Puppeteers Turnabout: The Story of the Yale Puppeteers

1993

Famous Monster: Forrest J Ackerman Famous Monster: Forrest J Ackerman

2007

The Flood The Flood

1962

Terror in the Wax Museum Terror in the Wax Museum

1973

The Glass Slipper The Glass Slipper

1955

The Secret Garden The Secret Garden

1949

Witness for the Prosecution Witness for the Prosecution

1957

The Private Life of Henry VIII The Private Life of Henry VIII

1933

Naughty Marietta Naughty Marietta

1935

Son of Fury: The Story of Benjamin Blake Son of Fury: The Story of Benjamin Blake

1942

Buccaneer's Girl Buccaneer's Girl

1950

My Dog the Thief My Dog the Thief

1969

Blackbeard's Ghost Blackbeard's Ghost

1968

Willard Willard

1971

Ladies in Retirement Ladies in Retirement

1941

Murder by Death Murder by Death

1976

Lassie Come Home Lassie Come Home

1943

Bell, Book and Candle Bell, Book and Candle

1958

The Spiral Staircase The Spiral Staircase

1946

Tales of Manhattan Tales of Manhattan

1942

Hell's Half Acre Hell's Half Acre

1954

The Inspector General The Inspector General

1949

Easy Come, Easy Go Easy Come, Easy Go

1967

Androcles and the Lion Androcles and the Lion

1952

Northwest Outpost Northwest Outpost

1947

The Girls of Pleasure Island The Girls of Pleasure Island

1953

Come to the Stable Come to the Stable

1949

The Petty Girl The Petty Girl

1950

The Ghost Goes West The Ghost Goes West

1935

Me, Natalie Me, Natalie

1969

Arnold Arnold

1973

Les Miserables Les Miserables

1952

Honeymoon Hotel Honeymoon Hotel

1964

Dreamboat Dreamboat

1952

The Bishop's Wife The Bishop's Wife

1947

Mystery Street Mystery Street

1950

Rembrandt Rembrandt

1936

The Big Clock The Big Clock

1948

Rascal Rascal

1969

The Razor's Edge The Razor's Edge

1946

Pajama Party Pajama Party

1964

Mary Poppins Mary Poppins

1964

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