Ethel Griffies

Biography

Ethel Griffies was a British actress whose career on stage and screen lasted more than eight decades. Born in Sheffield to an actor-manager father and an actress mother, she was taken onstage as a small child and made her stage debut in East Lynne before she was three. She acted on stages in Britain and the United States, joined Cissie Moxon's company in 1898, and began working in American theater in 1924. After early film cameos from 1917, she launched a full screen career around 1930 with Old English and went on to more than 90 film and television roles, retiring in 1967. She played Grace Poole in the 1934 and 1943 versions of Jane Eyre. One of her well-known late roles was the ornithologist Mrs. Bundy in The Birds (1963), Alfred Hitchcock's classic, and she also appeared in Billy Liar (1963). She died in 1975.

97years old at death

Born April 26, 1878Sheffield
Died September 9, 1975London
Star sign: TaurusThe sign runs April 20 to May 20

Movie Career

Films: 16
Career span: 32 years1931 to 1963

Genres

Comedy50%, 8 films
Drama50%, 8 films
Romance44%, 7 films
Crime13%, 2 films
Fantasy13%, 2 films

First and latest

Did you know?!

First role
Griffies first appeared onstage as Little Willie in East Lynne when she was 2 years and 10 months old, and she kept acting for another 86 years.

Ethel Griffies movies on Netflix

Billy Liar1963IMDb rating 7.2as Grandma Florence
The Birds1963IMDb rating 7.6as Mrs. Bundy
Molly and Me1945IMDb rating 6.9as Mrs. Lamb
The Horn Blows at Midnight1945IMDb rating 6.6as Lady Stover
It Happened Tomorrow1944IMDb rating 7.0as Mrs. O'Connor
Time to Kill1942IMDb rating 6.5as Mrs. Murdock
A Yank in the R.A.F.1941IMDb rating 6.3as Lady Fitzhugh
Great Guns1941IMDb rating 6.1as Aunt Agatha
How Green Was My Valley1941IMDb rating 7.7as Mrs. Nicholas
Stranger on the Third Floor1940IMDb rating 6.8as Mrs. Kane
Anna Karenina1935IMDb rating 7.0as Mme. Kartasoff
Werewolf of London1935IMDb rating 6.3as Mrs. Whack
The Painted Veil1934IMDb rating 6.5as Lady Coldchester
Love Me Tonight1932IMDb rating 7.5as Second Aunt
Union Depot1932IMDb rating 7.1as Cross Woman at Magazine Stand
Waterloo Bridge1931IMDb rating 7.4as Mrs. Hobley

Best known for

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

Top

The Birds1963 Horror, Thrilleras Mrs. Bundy
IMDb rating 7.6222K votes
Billy Liar1963 Comedy, Drama, Romanceas Grandma Florence
IMDb rating 7.27.8K votes
Stranger on the Third Floor1940as Mrs. Kane
IMDb rating 6.85.2K votes
Love Me Tonight1932as Second Aunt
IMDb rating 7.55.2K votes
Waterloo Bridge1931as Mrs. Hobley
IMDb rating 7.43.5K votes
Werewolf of London1935as Mrs. Whack
IMDb rating 6.37.5K votes
Anna Karenina1935as Mme. Kartasoff
IMDb rating 7.06.3K votes
Great Guns1941as Aunt Agatha
IMDb rating 6.11.8K votes

Most often with

Reginald Gardiner appears in three 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

Reginald Gardiner

Irving Bacon

Roddy McDowall

George Chandler

Charles Halton

Doris Lloyd

Films together

Reginald Gardiner3 films together, 1941 to 1945
Reginald Gardiner's page
- Molly and Me1945IMDb rating 6.9Griffies as Mrs. LambGardiner as Harry Phillips…
- The Horn Blows at Midnight1945IMDb rating 6.6Griffies as Lady StoverGardiner as Composer / Archie Dexter
- A Yank in the R.A.F.1941IMDb rating 6.3Griffies as Lady FitzhughGardiner as Roger Pillby
Irving Bacon2 films together, 1932 to 1941
Irving Bacon's page
- Great Guns1941IMDb rating 6.1Griffies as Aunt AgathaBacon as Postman
- Union Depot1932IMDb rating 7.1Griffies as Cross Woman at Magazine StandBacon as Depot Hotel Waiter
Roddy McDowall2 films together, 1941 to 1945
Roddy McDowall's page
- Molly and Me1945IMDb rating 6.9Griffies as Mrs. LambMcDowall as Jimmy Graham
- How Green Was My Valley1941IMDb rating 7.7Griffies as Mrs. NicholasMcDowall as Huw
George Chandler2 films together, 1932 to 1944
George Chandler's page
- It Happened Tomorrow1944IMDb rating 7.0Griffies as Mrs. O'ConnorChandler as Bob
- Union Depot1932IMDb rating 7.1Griffies as Cross Woman at Magazine StandChandler as Panhandler Wanting One Dollar
Charles Halton2 films together, 1940 to 1944
Charles Halton's page
- It Happened Tomorrow1944IMDb rating 7.0Griffies as Mrs. O'ConnorHalton as Doctor
- Stranger on the Third Floor1940IMDb rating 6.8Griffies as Mrs. KaneHalton as Albert Meng
Doris Lloyd2 films together, 1931 to 1945
Doris Lloyd's page
- Molly and Me1945IMDb rating 6.9Griffies as Mrs. LambLloyd as Mrs. Graham
- Waterloo Bridge1931IMDb rating 7.4Griffies as Mrs. HobleyLloyd as Kitty
Also two films together12 more actors
- Paul HarveyThe Horn Blows at Midnight (1945) and Great Guns (1941)
- Guy KibbeeThe Horn Blows at Midnight (1945) and Union Depot (1932)
- Greta GarboAnna Karenina (1935) and The Painted Veil (1934)
- Paul GuilfoyleIt Happened Tomorrow (1944) and Time to Kill (1942)
- Frederick WorlockA Yank in the R.A.F. (1941) and How Green Was My Valley (1941)
- Lester MatthewsA Yank in the R.A.F. (1941) and Werewolf of London (1935)
- Warner OlandWerewolf of London (1935) and The Painted Veil (1934)
- Robert DudleyIt Happened Tomorrow (1944) and Stranger on the Third Floor (1940)
- Ralph ByrdTime to Kill (1942) and A Yank in the R.A.F. (1941)
- Mary DoranLove Me Tonight (1932) and Union Depot (1932)
- Richard FraserA Yank in the R.A.F. (1941) and How Green Was My Valley (1941)
- Morton LowryA Yank in the R.A.F. (1941) and How Green Was My Valley (1941)
When several people share the same number of films, the ones with the most films on Netflix are in the chart.