Ethel Griffies

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Ethel Griffies (born April 26, 1878 in Sheffield , Yorkshire , England as Ethel Woods , † September 9, 1975 in London , England) was a British actress .

Life

Griffies was the daughter of theater manager Samuel Rupert Woods and actress Lillie Roberts. So she was on stage for the first time at the age of three. She made her theatrical debut in London in 1899, but not on Broadway until 1924 at the age of 46. From 1917, the actress was seen in numerous British and American films. Especially in the 1930s and 1940s she played regularly in Hollywood films, often as an English country lady. She embodied the role of Grace Poole in two versions of Jane Eyre and was seen as the diabolical housekeeper in John Ford's Schlagende Wetter , which spreads bad rumors with serious consequences. She played her best-known role as the stubborn ornithologist Mrs. Bundy in Alfred Hitchcock's The Birds , for which she appeared again in a film after 13 years. In total, Griffies appeared in over 100 film and television shows by 1966.

Griffies was married twice, first until 1910, then from 1917 until his death in 1956 to the actor Edward Cooper. She played theater in London until her death and, at 97, was the oldest active British actress. She died after a stroke.

Filmography (selection)

Web links

personal data
SURNAME Griffies, Ethel
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Woods, Ethel (maiden name)
BRIEF DESCRIPTION British actress
DATE OF BIRTH April 26, 1878
PLACE OF BIRTH Sheffield , Yorkshire , England , UK
DATE OF DEATH September 9, 1975
Place of death London , England , UK