Elsa Lanchester

Biography

Elsa Lanchester was a British actress whose career took in theater, film, and television. Born in Lewisham, London, she studied dance as a child and after World War I worked in theater and cabaret, founding the Cave of Harmony nightclub. She began in silent films and played Anne of Cleves opposite Charles Laughton in The Private Life of Henry VIII (1933), then had minor Hollywood roles in Naughty Marietta (1935) and David Copperfield (1935). Her title role in Bride of Frankenstein (1935) brought recognition. Passport to Destiny (1944) gave her the only top billing of her Hollywood career, and supporting roles followed in The Spiral Staircase (1946) and The Razor's Edge (1946). Her Academy Award nominations as Best Supporting Actress came for Witness for the Prosecution (1957) and Come to the Stable (1949), and she won a Golden Globe for the former. Later credits included Mary Poppins (1964), Willard (1971), and Murder by Death (1976).

84years old at death

Born October 28, 1902Metropolitan Borough of Lewisham
Died December 26, 1986Woodland Hills
Star sign: ScorpioThe sign runs October 23 to November 21
Elsa Sullivan Lanchester (birth name)Also credited as Lanchester and Elsa Laughton

Movie Career

Films: 35
Career span: 81 years1933 to 2014

Genres

Drama51%, 18 films
Comedy49%, 17 films
Family23%, 8 films
Romance20%, 7 films
Fantasy17%, 6 films

First and latest

Did you know?!

First role
Lanchester made her first appearance on film in 1924, in an amateur production called The Scarlet Woman. Evelyn Waugh wrote it and took two roles in it himself.
A first
In 1944, Lanchester starred in Passport to Destiny. It was the only movie in her Hollywood career where she got top billing.

Elsa Lanchester movies on Netflix

Monster Madness: The Golden Age of the Horror Film2014IMDb rating 6.7as Mary Shelley / The Monster's Mate
Die Laughing1980IMDb rating 4.9as Sophie
Murder by Death1976IMDb rating 7.2as Jessica Marbles
Arnold1973IMDb rating 5.9as Hester
Willard1971IMDb rating 6.2as Henrietta Stiles
Me, Natalie1969IMDb rating 6.5as Miss Dennison
Rascal1969IMDb rating 6.4as Mrs. Satterfield
Blackbeard's Ghost1968IMDb rating 6.8as Emily Stowecroft
Easy Come, Easy Go1967IMDb rating 5.3as Madame Neherina
That Darn Cat!1965IMDb rating 6.8as Mrs. MacDougall
Mary Poppins1964IMDb rating 7.8as Katie Nanna
Pajama Party1964IMDb rating 5.0as Aunt Wendy
Bell, Book and Candle1958IMDb rating 6.8as Queenie Holroyd
Witness for the Prosecution1957IMDb rating 8.4as Miss Plimsoll
The Glass Slipper1955IMDb rating 6.4as Widow Sonder
3 Ring Circus1954IMDb rating 5.9as The Bearded Lady
Hell's Half Acre1954IMDb rating 6.3as Lida O'Reilly
Androcles and the Lion1952IMDb rating 6.0as Megaera
Mystery Street1950IMDb rating 7.2as Mrs. Smerrling
Come to the Stable1949IMDb rating 7.1as Amelia Potts
The Inspector General1949IMDb rating 6.7as Maria
The Secret Garden1949IMDb rating 7.5as Martha
The Big Clock1948IMDb rating 7.6as Louise Patterson
The Bishop's Wife1947IMDb rating 7.6as Matilda
The Razor's Edge1946IMDb rating 7.3as Miss Keith
The Spiral Staircase1946IMDb rating 7.3as Mrs. Oates
Lassie Come Home1943IMDb rating 7.1as Mrs. Helen Carraclough
Tales of Manhattan1942IMDb rating 7.3as Mrs. Smith
Ladies in Retirement1941IMDb rating 7.1as Emily Creed
Rembrandt1936IMDb rating 7.0as Hendrickje Stoffels
David Copperfield1935IMDb rating 7.3as Clickett
Naughty Marietta1935IMDb rating 6.5as Madame d'Annard
The Bride of Frankenstein1935IMDb rating 7.8as Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley / The Monster's Mate
The Ghost Goes West1935IMDb rating 6.7as Miss Shepperton
The Private Life of Henry VIII1933IMDb rating 7.0as Anne of Cleves

Best known for

The films on Netflix they are best known for, with the part played in each.

Top

Witness for the Prosecution1957 Crime, Drama, Mystery, Thrilleras Miss Plimsoll
IMDb rating 8.4164K votes
Mary Poppins1964 Comedy, Family, Fantasyas Katie Nanna
IMDb rating 7.8200K votes
The Bride of Frankenstein1935as Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley / The Monster's Mate
IMDb rating 7.860K votes
Murder by Death1976as Jessica Marbles
IMDb rating 7.246K votes
The Bishop's Wife1947as Matilda
IMDb rating 7.624K votes
Bell, Book and Candle1958as Queenie Holroyd
IMDb rating 6.815K votes
Blackbeard's Ghost1968as Emily Stowecroft
IMDb rating 6.87.6K votes
Willard1971as Henrietta Stiles
IMDb rating 6.26.6K votes

Most often with

Robert Stevenson directed three of these films, Henry Koster three and Fred M. Wilcox two. Charles Laughton appears in six of them, more than any other actor. Pick a number on the chart or a name in the list to see the films they share.

Top

Charles Laughton

Roddy McDowall

Una O'Connor

Boris Karloff

David Niven

Regis ToomeyRobert StevensonDirector, 3 films Henry KosterDirector, 3 films Fred M. WilcoxDirector, 2 films

Films together

Charles Laughton6 films together, 1933 to 2014
Charles Laughton's page
- Monster Madness: The Golden Age of the Horror Film2014IMDb rating 6.7Lanchester as Mary Shelley / The Monster's MateLaughton as Dr. Moreau
- Witness for the Prosecution1957IMDb rating 8.4Lanchester as Miss PlimsollLaughton as Sir Wilfrid Roberts
- The Big Clock1948IMDb rating 7.6Lanchester as Louise PattersonLaughton as Earl Janoth
- Tales of Manhattan1942IMDb rating 7.3Lanchester as Mrs. SmithLaughton as Charles Smith
- Rembrandt1936IMDb rating 7.0Lanchester as Hendrickje StoffelsLaughton as Rembrandt van Rijn
- The Private Life of Henry VIII1933IMDb rating 7.0Lanchester as Anne of ClevesLaughton as Henry VIII
Roddy McDowall3 films together, 1943 to 1973
Roddy McDowall's page
- Arnold1973IMDb rating 5.9Lanchester as HesterMcDowall as Robert
- That Darn Cat!1965IMDb rating 6.8Lanchester as Mrs. MacDougallMcDowall as Gregory Benson
- Lassie Come Home1943IMDb rating 7.1Lanchester as Mrs. Helen CarracloughMcDowall as Joe Carraclough
Una O'Connor3 films together, 1935 to 1957
Una O'Connor's page
- Witness for the Prosecution1957IMDb rating 8.4Lanchester as Miss PlimsollO'Connor as Janet MacKenzie
- David Copperfield1935IMDb rating 7.3Lanchester as ClickettO'Connor as Mrs. Gummidge
- The Bride of Frankenstein1935IMDb rating 7.8Lanchester as Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley / The Monster's MateO'Connor as Minnie
Boris Karloff2 films together, 1935 to 2014
Boris Karloff's page
- Monster Madness: The Golden Age of the Horror Film2014IMDb rating 6.7Lanchester as Mary Shelley / The Monster's MateKarloff as Various roles
- The Bride of Frankenstein1935IMDb rating 7.8Lanchester as Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley / The Monster's MateKarloff as The Monster
David Niven2 films together, 1947 to 1976
David Niven's page
- Murder by Death1976IMDb rating 7.2Lanchester as Jessica MarblesNiven as Dick Charleston
- The Bishop's Wife1947IMDb rating 7.6Lanchester as MatildaNiven as Henry Brougham
Regis Toomey2 films together, 1947 to 1949
Regis Toomey's page
- Come to the Stable1949IMDb rating 7.1Lanchester as Amelia PottsToomey as Monsignor Talbot
- The Bishop's Wife1947IMDb rating 7.6Lanchester as MatildaToomey as Mr. Miller
Robert StevensonDirector, 3 films, 1964 to 1968
All films by Robert Stevenson
- Blackbeard's Ghost1968IMDb rating 6.8Lanchester as Emily Stowecroft
- That Darn Cat!1965IMDb rating 6.8Lanchester as Mrs. MacDougall
- Mary Poppins1964IMDb rating 7.8Lanchester as Katie Nanna
Henry KosterDirector, 3 films, 1947 to 1949
All films by Henry Koster
- Come to the Stable1949IMDb rating 7.1Lanchester as Amelia Potts
- The Inspector General1949IMDb rating 6.7Lanchester as Maria
- The Bishop's Wife1947IMDb rating 7.6Lanchester as Matilda
Fred M. WilcoxDirector, 2 films, 1943 to 1949
All films by Fred M. Wilcox
- The Secret Garden1949IMDb rating 7.5Lanchester as Martha
- Lassie Come Home1943IMDb rating 7.1Lanchester as Mrs. Helen Carraclough
Also two films together29 more actors
- Reginald OwenMary Poppins (1964) and The Secret Garden (1949)
- Gene LockhartAndrocles and the Lion (1952) and The Inspector General (1949)
- Herbert MarshallThe Secret Garden (1949) and The Razor's Edge (1946)
- James GleasonThe Bishop's Wife (1947) and Tales of Manhattan (1942)
- Rhys WilliamsThe Inspector General (1949) and The Spiral Staircase (1946)
- Walter PidgeonRascal (1969) and The Glass Slipper (1955)
- Tyrone PowerWitness for the Prosecution (1957) and The Razor's Edge (1946)
- Erville AldersonThe Bishop's Wife (1947) and The Spiral Staircase (1946)
- Eugene PalletteTales of Manhattan (1942) and The Ghost Goes West (1935)
- Richard DeaconBlackbeard's Ghost (1968) and That Darn Cat! (1965)
- Loretta YoungCome to the Stable (1949) and The Bishop's Wife (1947)
- Dean JonesBlackbeard's Ghost (1968) and That Darn Cat! (1965)
- Jesse WhitePajama Party (1964) and Hell's Half Acre (1954)
- Gladys CooperThe Secret Garden (1949) and The Bishop's Wife (1947)
- Maureen O'SullivanThe Big Clock (1948) and David Copperfield (1935)
- Isobel ElsomThe Secret Garden (1949) and Ladies in Retirement (1941)
- Norma VardenWitness for the Prosecution (1957) and The Secret Garden (1949)
- Evelyn KeyesHell's Half Acre (1954) and Ladies in Retirement (1941)
- J. Pat O'MalleyWillard (1971) and Lassie Come Home (1943)
- Lowell GilmoreAndrocles and the Lion (1952) and The Secret Garden (1949)
- Estelle WinwoodMurder by Death (1976) and The Glass Slipper (1955)
- Almira SessionsWillard (1971) and The Bishop's Wife (1947)
- Robert DonatThe Ghost Goes West (1935) and The Private Life of Henry VIII (1933)
- Ed WynnThat Darn Cat! (1965) and Mary Poppins (1964)
- Henri LetondalThe Big Clock (1948) and The Razor's Edge (1946)
- Colin CliveMonster Madness: The Golden Age of the Horror Film (2014) and The Bride of Frankenstein (1935)
- Everley GreggThe Ghost Goes West (1935) and The Private Life of Henry VIII (1933)
- Lawrence HanrayRembrandt (1936) and The Private Life of Henry VIII (1933)
- Herbert LomasRembrandt (1936) and The Ghost Goes West (1935)
When several people share the same number of films, the ones with the most films on Netflix are in the chart.