Moyna MacGill

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Moyna Macgill 1945

Moyna MacGill (real name Charlotte Lillian McIldowie * December 10, 1895 in Belfast , † November 25, 1975 in Los Angeles ) was an Irish actress and mother of the famous actress Angela Lansbury .

Moyna MacGill (r.) With her daughter Angela .

Private life

Charlotte Lillian McIldowie was the daughter of a lawyer who also served as the director of the Belfast Opera. MacGill was married twice in total. First in 1919 with the author Reginald Denham. The marriage lasted until 1924 and it resulted in a daughter, Isolde (* 1919, † 1987), the first wife of Sir Peter Ustinov . In 1924 she married Edgar Lansbury, a timber merchant. With him she had three children, Angela (* 1925) and the twins Bruce (* 1930 † 2017) and Edgar Lansbury jr. (* 1930). Edgar Lansbury died in 1934 with his family. Monya Macgill died of lung cancer in 1975 a few days before her 80th birthday. Their ashes were scattered across the English Channel .

Career as an actress

MacGill made his debut in London's West End in 1918 . Her manager Gerald du Maurier recommended that she use the stage name Moyna MacGill.

After many years in the theater, after the early death of her second husband, she emigrated with her children to the United States of America . It was from there that her film career began. Her roles were mostly limited to supporting roles. She was u. a. seen alongside stars like Joan Fontaine, Margaret Hamilton and Guy Madison . In 1945 she played with her daughter in the film The Portrait of Dorian Gray . For the later film, television and musical star, this meant the big breakthrough and the second Oscar nomination . From the 1950s she was seen mainly in one-off appearances in various television series.

MacGill was last seen in the movie My fair Lady before she retired.

Filmography (selection)

useful information

In the series Murder Is Her Hobby , there was a character from West End actress Emma McGill , played by Angela Lansbury. This character first appeared on the 40th anniversary of Angela Lansbury's screen debut.

Web links

Commons : Moyna MacGill  - Collection of Images