Norma Varden
Biography
Norma Varden was an English-American actress whose long career began on the British stage and later moved to Hollywood. Born in London, she trained as a concert pianist and attended the Guildhall School of Music and Drama. She acted in repertory theater in England, her West End debut came in 1920 with The Wandering Jew, and she was a regular with the Aldwych Theatre company from 1929 to 1933, often playing haughty upper-class roles in British films. Offers from Hollywood led her to move to the United States at the start of World War II. She appeared in films including The Major and the Minor (1942), National Velvet (1944), Strangers on a Train (1951), Gentlemen Prefer Blondes (1953), and Witness for the Prosecution (1957). She played Frau Schmidt in The Sound of Music (1965) and Lady Petherington in Doctor Dolittle (1967). On television, she had a recurring role as Harriet Johnson in Hazel.
90years old at death
- Born London
- Died Santa Barbara
- Star sign: AquariusFirst day of the sign, on the Capricorn cusp
- Also credited as Norma Varden Shackleton
Movie Career
- Films
- 20
- Career span
- 31 years1936 to 1967
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A change of course
Norma Varden studied to be a concert pianist in Paris and played in England. She then chose to become an actor.
Beyond film
Varden acted with the Aldwych Theatre company as a regular player, taking roles in its productions from 1929 to 1933, in work ranging from Shakespeare to farce.
Norma Varden movies on Netflix
Doctor Dolittleas Lady Fetherington
The Sound of Musicas Frau Schmidt
13 Frightened Girlsas Miss Pittford
Five Minutes to Liveas Priscilla Auerbach
Witness for the Prosecutionas Mrs. Emily Jane French
Three Coins in the Fountainas Woman at Cocktail Party
Gentlemen Prefer Blondesas Lady Beekman
Strangers on a Trainas Mrs. Cunningham
Thunder on the Hillas Pierce
Adventure in Baltimoreas Helen Hadley Hamilton
The Secret Gardenas Nurse
The Amazing Mr. Xas Wealthy-Looking Woman
National Velvetas Miss Sims
The White Cliffs of Doveras Mrs. Bland
Sherlock Holmes Faces Deathas Gracie the Barmaid
Random Harvestas Julia
The Major and the Minoras Mrs. Osborne
Road to Zanzibaras Clara Kimble
The Amazing Quest of Ernest Bliss
Windbag the Sailoras Olivia Potter-Porter
Best known for
The films on Netflix they are best known for, with the part played in each.
- Witness for the Prosecution1957 Crime, Drama, Mystery, Thrilleras Mrs. Emily Jane French
IMDb rating 8.4164K votes
Most often with
Billy Wilder directed two of these films, Clarence Brown two. Five actors appear in three of them each. Pick a number on the chart or a name in the list to see the films they share.









Films together
Reginald Owen3 films together, 1942 to 1949
Reginald Owen's page The Secret Garden1949IMDb rating 7.5Varden as NurseOwen as Ben Weatherstaff
National Velvet1944IMDb rating 7.3Varden as Miss SimsOwen as Farmer Ede
Random Harvest1942IMDb rating 7.9Varden as JuliaOwen as 'Biffer'
Gladys Cooper3 films together, 1944 to 1951
Gladys Cooper's page Thunder on the Hill1951IMDb rating 6.8Varden as PierceCooper as Mother Superior
The Secret Garden1949IMDb rating 7.5Varden as NurseCooper as Mrs. Medlock
The White Cliffs of Dover1944IMDb rating 7.0Varden as Mrs. BlandCooper as Jean Ashwood
Matthew Boulton3 films together, 1944 to 1949
Matthew Boulton's page The Secret Garden1949IMDb rating 7.5Varden as NurseBoulton as Mr. Bromley
National Velvet1944IMDb rating 7.3Varden as Miss SimsBoulton as Entry Official
The White Cliffs of Dover1944IMDb rating 7.0Varden as Mrs. BlandBoulton as Immigration Officer
Dennis Hoey3 films together, 1943 to 1949
Dennis Hoey's page The Secret Garden1949IMDb rating 7.5Varden as NurseHoey as Mr. Pitcher
National Velvet1944IMDb rating 7.3Varden as Miss SimsHoey as Mr. Greenford
Sherlock Holmes Faces Death1943IMDb rating 6.9Varden as Gracie the BarmaidHoey as Inspector Lestrade
Aubrey Mather3 films together, 1942 to 1949
Aubrey Mather's page The Secret Garden1949IMDb rating 7.5Varden as NurseMather as Dr. Griddlestone
National Velvet1944IMDb rating 7.3Varden as Miss SimsMather as Entry Official
Random Harvest1942IMDb rating 7.9Varden as JuliaMather as Sheldon
Elsa Lanchester2 films together, 1949 to 1957
Elsa Lanchester's page Witness for the Prosecution1957IMDb rating 8.4Varden as Mrs. Emily Jane FrenchLanchester as Miss Plimsoll
The Secret Garden1949IMDb rating 7.5Varden as NurseLanchester as Martha
Billy WilderDirector, 2 films, 1942 to 1957
All films by Billy Wilder Witness for the Prosecution1957IMDb rating 8.4Varden as Mrs. Emily Jane French
The Major and the Minor1942IMDb rating 7.3Varden as Mrs. Osborne
Clarence BrownDirector, 2 films, 1944
All films by Clarence Brown National Velvet1944IMDb rating 7.3Varden as Miss Sims
The White Cliffs of Dover1944IMDb rating 7.0Varden as Mrs. Bland
Also two films together11 more actors
- Billy BevanThe Secret Garden (1949) and National Velvet (1944)
- Peter LawfordThe White Cliffs of Dover (1944) and Sherlock Holmes Faces Death (1943)
- Una O'ConnorWitness for the Prosecution (1957) and Random Harvest (1942)
- Howard St. JohnThree Coins in the Fountain (1954) and Strangers on a Train (1951)
- Gavin MuirThunder on the Hill (1951) and Sherlock Holmes Faces Death (1943)
- Jill EsmondThe White Cliffs of Dover (1944) and Random Harvest (1942)
- Charles SmithAdventure in Baltimore (1949) and The Major and the Minor (1942)
- Peter GawthorneThe Amazing Quest of Ernest Bliss (1936) and Windbag the Sailor (1936)
- Arthur MargetsonSherlock Holmes Faces Death (1943) and Random Harvest (1942)
- Moore MarriottThe Amazing Quest of Ernest Bliss (1936) and Windbag the Sailor (1936)
- Portia NelsonDoctor Dolittle (1967) and The Sound of Music (1965)
When several people share the same number of films, the ones with the most films on Netflix are in the chart.
Box office
What Norma Varden's films earned in cinemas worldwide.
Combined worldwide box office
$333 million
8 of the 20 films have a worldwide figure.
Of the 20 films: 8 worldwide figure; 12 figure not found.
- 8Worldwide figure
- 12Figure not found
Highest grossing
The eight biggest films earned 100% of the total. The bars are drawn to scale.
- 1$286M85.9% of the total
- 2$9.0M2.7% of the total
- 3$9.0M2.7% of the total
- 4$8.1M2.4% of the total
- 5$7.0M2.1% of the total
- 6$5.8M1.8% of the total
- 7$5.3M1.6% of the total
- 8$2.5M0.8% of the total
Online
Official profiles and reference pages.










