Hillary Brooke

Biography

Hillary Brooke was an American film actress who began as a model while studying at Columbia University and later spent a year in Britain, where she developed the accent she used in many Hollywood roles. Born in Astoria, Queens, she often portrayed English women, including in her only British film, The House Across the Lake (1954). She co-starred with Basil Rathbone and Nigel Bruce in three Sherlock Holmes movies: Sherlock Holmes and the Voice of Terror (1942), Sherlock Holmes Faces Death (1943) and The Woman in Green (1945). On television she played Roberta Townsend on My Little Margie from 1952 to 1955 and a tenant on The Abbott and Costello Show. Her other films included Jane Eyre (1943), Africa Screams (1949), Abbott and Costello Meet Captain Kidd (1952), Invaders from Mars (1953) and The Man Who Knew Too Much (1956). She retired from television in 1960 and died in 1999.

84years old at death

Born September 8, 1914Astoria
Died May 25, 1999Bonsall
Star sign: VirgoThe sign runs August 23 to September 22

Movie Career

Films: 21
Career span: 17 years1939 to 1956

Genres

Drama43%, 9 films
Romance33%, 7 films
Comedy29%, 6 films
Thriller24%, 5 films
Adventure19%, 4 films

First and latest

Did you know?!

About the name
Hillary Brooke launched her acting career in movies, and it was there that she adopted the name Hillary Brooke. Her reason, as she explained it, was that her own name struck her as "so long and so heavy".
Languages
Brooke spent a year in the United Kingdom and mastered an RP accent, which she used in several films and which led to her often playing English women in Hollywood.

Hillary Brooke movies on Netflix

The Man Who Knew Too Much1956IMDb rating 7.4as Jan Peterson
The House Across the Lake1954IMDb rating 6.0as Carol Forrest
Invaders from Mars1953IMDb rating 6.3as Mrs. Mary MacLean
The Maze1953IMDb rating 5.8as Peggy Lord
Abbott and Costello Meet Captain Kidd1952IMDb rating 5.7as Capt. Bonney
Lost Continent1951IMDb rating 3.5as Marla Stevens
Africa Screams1949IMDb rating 6.0as Diana Emerson
Strange Impersonation1946IMDb rating 6.3as Arline Cole
The Strange Woman1946IMDb rating 6.5as Meg Saladine
Road to Utopia1945IMDb rating 7.1as Kate
The Enchanted Cottage1945IMDb rating 7.5as Beatrice Alexander
The Woman in Green1945IMDb rating 6.6as Lydia Marlow
Ministry of Fear1944IMDb rating 7.1as Mrs. Bellane #2
Jane Eyre1943IMDb rating 7.4as Blanche Ingram
Sherlock Holmes Faces Death1943IMDb rating 6.9as Sally Musgrave
Sherlock Holmes and the Voice of Terror1942IMDb rating 6.4as Jill Grandis
Wake Island1942IMDb rating 6.6as Girl at the Inn
Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde1941IMDb rating 6.8as Mrs. Arnold
Two-Faced Woman1941IMDb rating 6.2as Dress Shop Clerk Hotel-Caller
The Philadelphia Story1940IMDb rating 7.8as Main Line Society Woman
Eternally Yours1939IMDb rating 5.6as Blonde on Stage

Best known for

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

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The Man Who Knew Too Much1956 Thrilleras Jan Peterson
IMDb rating 7.477K votes
The Woman in Green1945as Lydia Marlow
IMDb rating 6.67.9K votes
Ministry of Fear1944as Mrs. Bellane #2
IMDb rating 7.19.8K votes
Invaders from Mars1953as Mrs. Mary MacLean
IMDb rating 6.310K votes
Sherlock Holmes Faces Death1943as Sally Musgrave
IMDb rating 6.95.8K votes
Road to Utopia1945as Kate
IMDb rating 7.14.0K votes
Abbott and Costello Meet Captain Kidd1952as Capt. Bonney
IMDb rating 5.72.5K votes
Africa Screams1949as Diana Emerson
IMDb rating 6.04.3K votes

Most often with

George Cukor directed two of these films, Roy William Neill two and William Cameron Menzies two. Henry Daniell appears in four 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.

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Henry Daniell

Basil Rathbone

Mary Gordon

Nigel Bruce

Frederick Worlock

Bess Flowers

George CukorDirector, 2 films Roy William NeillDirector, 2 films William Cameron MenziesDirector, 2 films

Films together

Henry Daniell4 films together, 1940 to 1945
Henry Daniell's page
- The Woman in Green1945IMDb rating 6.6Brooke as Lydia MarlowDaniell as Prof. Moriarty
- Jane Eyre1943IMDb rating 7.4Brooke as Blanche IngramDaniell as Henry Brocklehurst
- Sherlock Holmes and the Voice of Terror1942IMDb rating 6.4Brooke as Jill GrandisDaniell as Sir Anthony Lloyd
- The Philadelphia Story1940IMDb rating 7.8Brooke as Main Line Society WomanDaniell as Sidney Kidd
Basil Rathbone3 films together, 1942 to 1945
Basil Rathbone's page
- The Woman in Green1945IMDb rating 6.6Brooke as Lydia MarlowRathbone as Sherlock Holmes
- Sherlock Holmes Faces Death1943IMDb rating 6.9Brooke as Sally MusgraveRathbone as Sherlock Holmes
- Sherlock Holmes and the Voice of Terror1942IMDb rating 6.4Brooke as Jill GrandisRathbone as Sherlock Holmes
Mary Gordon3 films together, 1942 to 1945
Mary Gordon's page
- The Woman in Green1945IMDb rating 6.6Brooke as Lydia MarlowGordon as Mrs. Hudson
- Sherlock Holmes Faces Death1943IMDb rating 6.9Brooke as Sally MusgraveGordon as Mrs. Hudson
- Sherlock Holmes and the Voice of Terror1942IMDb rating 6.4Brooke as Jill GrandisGordon as Mrs. Hudson
Nigel Bruce3 films together, 1942 to 1945
Nigel Bruce's page
- The Woman in Green1945IMDb rating 6.6Brooke as Lydia MarlowBruce as Dr. Watson
- Sherlock Holmes Faces Death1943IMDb rating 6.9Brooke as Sally MusgraveBruce as Doctor Watson
- Sherlock Holmes and the Voice of Terror1942IMDb rating 6.4Brooke as Jill GrandisBruce as Doctor Watson
Frederick Worlock3 films together, 1941 to 1945
Frederick Worlock's page
- The Woman in Green1945IMDb rating 6.6Brooke as Lydia MarlowWorlock as Onslow
- Sherlock Holmes Faces Death1943IMDb rating 6.9Brooke as Sally MusgraveWorlock as Geoffrey Musgrave
- Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde1941IMDb rating 6.8Brooke as Mrs. ArnoldWorlock as Dr. Heath
Bess Flowers2 films together, 1945 to 1953
Bess Flowers's page
- The Maze1953IMDb rating 5.8Brooke as Peggy Lord
- The Woman in Green1945IMDb rating 6.6Brooke as Lydia MarlowFlowers as Bar Patron (seen in mirror)
George CukorDirector, 2 films, 1940 to 1941
All films by George Cukor
- Two-Faced Woman1941IMDb rating 6.2Brooke as Dress Shop Clerk Hotel-Caller
- The Philadelphia Story1940IMDb rating 7.8Brooke as Main Line Society Woman
Roy William NeillDirector, 2 films, 1943 to 1945
All films by Roy William Neill
- The Woman in Green1945IMDb rating 6.6Brooke as Lydia Marlow
- Sherlock Holmes Faces Death1943IMDb rating 6.9Brooke as Sally Musgrave
William Cameron MenziesDirector, 2 films, 1953
All films by William Cameron Menzies
- Invaders from Mars1953IMDb rating 6.3Brooke as Mrs. Mary MacLean
- The Maze1953IMDb rating 5.8Brooke as Peggy Lord
Also two films together21 more actors
- James StewartThe Man Who Knew Too Much (1956) and The Philadelphia Story (1940)
- Fred AldrichThe Strange Woman (1946) and The Woman in Green (1945)
- Alan NapierThe Strange Woman (1946) and Ministry of Fear (1944)
- Frank BakerThe Strange Woman (1946) and Ministry of Fear (1944)
- C. Aubrey SmithDr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (1941) and Eternally Yours (1939)
- Bobby BarberAfrica Screams (1949) and Road to Utopia (1945)
- Billy BevanJane Eyre (1943) and Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (1941)
- Lou CostelloAbbott and Costello Meet Captain Kidd (1952) and Africa Screams (1949)
- Bud AbbottAbbott and Costello Meet Captain Kidd (1952) and Africa Screams (1949)
- Leif EricksonInvaders from Mars (1953) and Abbott and Costello Meet Captain Kidd (1952)
- Matthew BoultonThe Woman in Green (1945) and Ministry of Fear (1944)
- Frank AlbertsonThe Man Who Knew Too Much (1956) and Wake Island (1942)
- Olaf HyttenSherlock Holmes Faces Death (1943) and Sherlock Holmes and the Voice of Terror (1942)
- Sara AllgoodJane Eyre (1943) and Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (1941)
- Milburn StoneInvaders from Mars (1953) and Sherlock Holmes Faces Death (1943)
- Dennis HoeyThe Strange Woman (1946) and Sherlock Holmes Faces Death (1943)
- Hugh BeaumontLost Continent (1951) and Wake Island (1942)
- Roland YoungTwo-Faced Woman (1941) and The Philadelphia Story (1940)
- Gavin MuirSherlock Holmes Faces Death (1943) and Sherlock Holmes and the Voice of Terror (1942)
- David ClydeMinistry of Fear (1944) and The Philadelphia Story (1940)
- Olive BlakeneyThe Strange Woman (1946) and Two-Faced Woman (1941)
When several people share the same number of films, the ones with the most films on Netflix are in the chart.

Box office

What Hillary Brooke's films earned in cinemas worldwide.

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Combined worldwide box office

$22.4 million

5 of the 21 films have a worldwide figure.

5Worldwide figure
1US gross only
15Figure not found

Top grosser

The Man Who Knew Too Much1956Jan Peterson$11.3 million

Highest grossing

The five biggest films earned 100% of the total. The bars are drawn to scale.

1
The Man Who Knew Too Much1956as Jan Peterson
$11M50.3% of the total
2
Jane Eyre1943as Blanche Ingram
$3.5M15.8% of the total
3
The Philadelphia Story1940as Main Line Society Woman
$3.3M14.7% of the total
4
The Strange Woman1946as Meg Saladine
$2.8M12.5% of the total
5
Africa Screams1949as Diana Emerson
$1.5M6.7% of the total