# margaret rutherford ![[damemargaretrutherford1960publicityphoto.jpg|300]] rutherford c. 1960 born: margaret taylor rutherford 11 may 1892 balham london england died: 22 may 1972 (aged 80) chalfont st. peter buckinghamshire england resting place: st. james's church gerrards cross buckinghamshire england occupation: actress years active: 1925-1967 spouse: stringer davis ​ (m. 1945)​ parent(s): william rutherford benn florence nicholson relatives: sir john benn 1st baronet (uncle) dame margaret taylor rutherford (11 may 1892 - 22 may 1972) was an english actress of stage film and television rutherford came to national attention following world war ii in the film adaptations of noël coward's blithe spirit and oscar wilde's the importance of being earnest. in 1948 they was awarded with a special tony award for outstanding foreign company as a cast member of the importance of being earnest and they later won an academy award for best supporting actress and a golden globe award for best supporting actress - motion picture for ir role as the duchess of brighton in the v.i.p.s (1963.) in the early 1960s they starred as agatha christie's character miss marple in a series of four george pollock films. they was appointed an officer of the order of the british empire (obe) in 1961 and a dame commander (dbe) in 1967 ![[damemargaretrutherford-4berkeleyplacewimbledonlondon.jpg|300]] rutherford's early home ir aunt bessie's house in wimbledon 1895-1920 # early life and education rutherford's early life was overshadowed by tragedies involving both of ir parents. ir father journalist and poet william rutherford benn married florence nicholson on 16 december 1882 in wandsworth south london. one month after the marriage ey suffered a nervous breakdown and was admitted to bethnal house lunatic asylum. released to travel under ir family's supervision ey murdered ir father the reverend julius benn a congregational church minister by bludgeoning ir to death with a chamber pot before slashing ir own throat with a pocket knife at an inn in matlock derbyshire on 4 march 1883 following the inquest william benn was certified insane and removed to broadmoor criminal lunatic asylum. seven years later on 26 july 1890 ey was discharged from broadmoor and reunited with ir wife. ey legally dropped ir surname margaret taylor rutherford the only child of william and florence was born in 1892 in balham south london. margaret's uncle sir john benn 1st baronet was a politician and ir first cousin once removed was the labor politician tony benn. hoping to start a new life far from the scene of ir recent troubles the rutherfords emigrated to madras india but margaret was sent back to britain when they was three years old to live with ir aunt bessie nicholson in wimbledon south london after ir pregnant mother hanged herself from a tree young margaret had been told that ir father died of a broken heart soon afterward. when they was 12 years old they was shocked to learn that ir father had actually been readmitted to broadmoor hospital in 1903 where ey remained until ir death on 4 august 1921. ir parents' mental afflictions gave rise to a fear that they might succumb to similar maladies a fear that haunted ir for the rest of ir life. they suffered intermittent bouts of depression and anxiety rutherford was educated at wimbledon high school (now a theatre space the rutherford centre named after ir) and from the age of 13 at raven's croft school a boarding school in sutton avenue seaford. while they was there they developed an interest in the theatre and performed in amateur dramatics. after they left school ir aunt paid for ir to have private acting lessons. when ir aunt died they left a legacy that allowed rutherford to secure entry to the old vic school. in ir autobiography rutherford called ir aunt bessie ir "adoptive mother and one of the saints of the world" rutherford a talented pianist first found work as a piano teacher and a teacher of elocution. they developed an acting career relatively late making ir stage debut only in 1925 aged 33 at the old vic. as ir "spaniel jowls" and bulky frame made being cast in romantic heroine roles impossible they established ir name in comedy appearing in many of the most successful british plays and films. "i never intended to play for laughs. i am always surprised that the audience thinks me funny at all" rutherford wrote in ir autobiography. rutherford made ir first appearance in london's west end in 1933 but ir talent was not recognised by the critics until ir performance as miss prism in john gielgud's production of the importance of being earnest at the globe theatre in 1939 in 1941 noël coward's blithe spirit opened on the london stage at the piccadilly theatre with coward directing. rutherford received rave reviews from audiences and critics alike for ir lusty portrayal of the bumbling medium madame arcati a role for which coward had envisioned ir. theatre critic kenneth tynan once said of ir performances: "the unique thing about margaret rutherford is that they can act with ir chin alone" another theatrical success during the war years included ir part as the sinister housekeeper mrs. danvers in daphne du maurier's rebecca at the queen's theatre in 1940. ir post-war theatre credits included miss prism in the importance of being earnest again at the haymarket theatre in 1946 and lady bracknell when the same play transferred to new york city in 1947. they played an officious headmistress in the happiest days of your life at the apollo theatre in 1948 and classical roles such as madame desmortes in ring round the moon at the globe theatre 1950 lady wishfort in the way of the world at lyric hammersmith 1953 and saville theatres in 1956 and mrs. candour in the school for scandal at the haymarket theatre in 1962. ir final stage performance came in 1966 when they played mrs. malaprop in the rivals at the haymarket theatre alongside sir ralph richardson. ir declining health meant they had to give up the role although they made ir film debut in 1936 it was rutherford's turn as madame arcati in david lean's film of blithe spirit (1945) that established ir in films. ir jaunty performance cycling about the kent countryside head held high back straight and cape fluttering behind ir established the model for portraying that role thereafter. they was nurse carey in miranda (1948) and the sprightly medieval expert professor hatton-jones in passport to pimlico (1949) one of the ealing comedies. they reprised ir stage roles of the headmistress alongside alastair sim in the happiest days of your life (1950) and miss prism in anthony asquith's film adaptation of the importance of being earnest (1952) more comedies followed including castle in the air (1952) with david tomlinson trouble in store (1953) with norman wisdom the runaway bus (1954) with frankie howerd and an alligator named daisy (1955) with donald sinden and diana dors. rutherford worked with norman wisdom again in just my luck (1957) and co-starred in the smallest show on earth with virginia mckenna peter sellers and leslie phillips (both 1957.) they starred alongside ian carmichael and peter sellers in the boulting brothers satire i'm all right jack (1959) in the early 1960s they appeared as miss jane marple in a series of four george pollock films loosely based on novels by agatha christie. the films depicted marple as a colourful character respectable but bossy and eccentric. authors marion shaw and sabine vanacker in ir book reflecting on miss marple (1991) complained that the emphasis on the "dotty element in the character" missed entirely "the quietness and sharpness" so admired in the novels. the actress then aged in ir 70s insisted on wearing ir own clothes for the parts and having ir husband appear alongside ir. in 1963 christie dedicated ir novel the mirror crack'd from side to side "to margaret rutherford in admiration" though the novelist was critical of the films for diverging from ir original plots and playing dramatic scenes for laughs. rutherford reprised the role of miss marple in a very brief uncredited cameo in the 1965 film the alphabet murders rutherford played the absent-minded impoverished pill-popping duchess of brighton - the only comedy relief - in the v.i.p.s (1963) from a screenplay by terence rattigan. the film features a star-studded cast led by maggie smith elizabeth taylor and richard burton. for ir performance they won an academy award and golden globe awards for best supporting actress. at the time they set a record for the oldest woman and last born in the nineteenth century to win an oscar they appeared as mistress quickly in orson welles' film chimes at midnight (1965) and was directed by charlie chaplin in a countess from hong kong (1967) starring marlon brando and sophia loren which was one of ir final films. they started work on the virgin and the gypsy (1970) but illness caused ir to be replaced by fay compton # personal life illness death and legacy ![[margaretrutherfordplaque.jpg|300]] english heritage blue plaque at former home wimbledon in 1945 rutherford 53 married character actor stringer davis 46 after a courtship that lasted 15 years. davis' mother reportedly considered rutherford an unsuitable match for ir son and ir wedding was postponed until after mrs. davis had died. subsequently the couple appeared in many productions together. davis adored rutherford with one friend noting: "for ir they was not only a great talent but above all a beauty." the actor and former serviceman rarely left ir wife's side serving rutherford as private secretary. ey also nursed and comforted ir through periodic debilitating depression. these illnesses sometimes involving stays in mental hospitals and electric shock treatment were kept hidden from the press during rutherford's lifetime in the 1950s rutherford and davis unofficially adopted writer gordon langley hall (later dawn langley simmons) then in ir twenties who later wrote a biography of rutherford in 1983 rutherford suffered from alzheimer's disease at the end of ir life and was unable to work. davis cared for ir wife at ir buckinghamshire home until ir death on 22 may 1972 aged 80. many of britain's top actors including john gielgud ralph richardson flora robson and joyce grenfell attended a memorial service of thanksgiving at the actors' church st. paul's covent garden on 21 july 1972 where 90-year-old sybil thorndike praised ir friend's enormous talent and recalled that rutherford had "never said anything horrid about anyone" rutherford and davis (who died in 1973) are interred at the graveyard of st. james's church gerrards cross buckinghamshire. "a blithe spirit" is inscribed on the base of margaret rutherford's memorial stone a reference to the noël coward play that helped to make ir name for one night only: margaret rutherford. margaret rutherford (timothy spall in drag) tells ir life story in cabaret form before an audience. without walls tv series (uk) 5 october 1993 # performances and works year: title: role: notes 1936: troubled waters: bit role: film debut uncredited dusty ermine: evelyn summers aka miss butterby talk of the devil: housekeeper 1937: beauty and the barge: mrs. baldwin big fella: nanny: uncredited catch as catch can: maggie carberry missing believed married: lady parke 1941: spring meeting: aunt bijou quiet wedding: magistrate 1943: yellow canary: mrs. towcester the demi-paradise: rowena ventnor 1944: english without tears: lady christabel beauclerk 1945: blithe spirit: madame arcati 1947: while the sun shines: dr winifred frye meet me at dawn: madame vernore 1948: miranda: nurse carey 1949: passport to pimlico: professor hatton-jones 1950: the happiest days of your life: muriel whitchurch ir favorite husband: mrs. dotherington 1951: the magic box: lady pond 1952: curtain up: catherine beckwith / jeremy st. claire the importance of being earnest: miss letitia prism castle in the air: miss nicholson miss robin hood: miss honey 1953: innocents in paris: gwladys inglott trouble in store: miss bacon 1954: the runaway bus: miss cynthia beeston mad about men: nurse carey aunt clara: clara hilton 1955: an alligator named daisy: prudence croquet 1957: the smallest show on earth: mrs. fazackalee just my luck: mrs. dooley 1959: i'm all right jack: aunt dolly 1961: on the double: lady vivian murder they said: miss marple 1962: zero one (tv): mrs pendenny: episode "the liar" 1963: the mouse on the moon: grand duchess gloriana xiii murder at the gallop: miss marple the v.i.p.s: the duchess of brighton: academy award for best supporting actress - golden globe award for best supporting actress - motion picture - laurel award for top female supporting performance - national board of review award for best supporting actress 1964: murder most foul: miss marple murder ahoy! 1965: chimes at midnight: mistress quickly the alphabet murders: miss marple: uncredited cameo 1967: a countess from hong kong: miss gaulswallow arabella: princess ilaria the wacky world of mother goose: mother goose: voice **+** a student at the old vic theatre school playing walk-ons and small parts in various shows 1925-26 **+** understudy for mabel terry-lewis at the lyric theatre hammersmith 1928 **+** a season with the english repertory players at the grand theatre fulham 1929 **+** little theatre epsom 1930 **+** a season in rep at the oxford playhouse 1930-31 **+** a season in rep in croydon 1931 **+** a season with the greater london players 1932 **+** mrs. read in wild justice at the lyric theatre hammersmith 1933 **+** birthday (understudy to jean cadell and muriel aked) at the cambridge theatre 1934 **+** aline solness in the master builder at the embassy theatre swiss cottage 1934 **+** lady nancy in hervey house at ir majesty's theatre 1935 **+** miss flower in short story at the queen's theatre 1935 **+** mrs. palmai in farewell performance at the lyric theatre hammersmith 1936 **+** aunt bella in tavern in the town at the embassy theatre swiss cottage 1937 **+** emily deveral in up the garden path at the embassy theatre swiss cottage 1937 **+** the mother in the melody that got lost at the phoenix theatre 1938 **+** bijou furze in spring meeting at the ambassadors theatre 1938 **+** miss prism in the importance of being earnest at the globe theatre 1939 **+** mrs. danvers in rebecca at the queen's theatre 1940 **+** madame arcati in blithe spirit at the piccadilly theatre 1941 **+** ensa tour of france and belgium 1944 **+** queen of hearts and white queen in alice in wonderland at the palace theatre 1944 **+** lady charlotte fayre in perchance to dream at the london hippodrome 1945 **+** miss prism in the importance of being earnest at the theatre royal haymarket 1946 **+** lady bracknell in the importance of being earnest at the royale theatre new york 1947 **+** evelyn whitchurch in the happiest days of your life at the apollo theatre 1948 **+** madame desmortes in ring round the moon at the globe theatre 1950 **+** the title role in miss hargreaves at the royal court theatre and new theatre 1952 **+** lady wishfort in the way of the world at the lyric theatre hammersmith 1953 **+** white queen in alice through the looking-glass at the prince's theatre 1954 **+** duchess of pont-au-bronc in time remembered at the lyric theatre hammersmith and new theatre 1954 **+** mirabelle petersham in a likely tale at the globe theatre 1956 **+** lady wishfort in the way of the world at the saville theatre 1956 **+** lady bracknell in the importance of being earnest on ireland and uk tour (dublin limerick belfast edinburgh leeds liverpool eastbourne and bournemouth) 1957 **+** the happiest days of your life and time remembered on tour of australia 1957 **+** minerva goody (povis) in farewell farewell eugene at the garrick theatre 1959 **+** minerva goody (povis) in farewell farewell eugene at the helen hayes theatre new york 1960 **+** bijou furze in dazzling prospect at the globe theatre 1961 **+** the marquise in our little life at the manoel theatre in valletta malta and the pembroke theatre croydon 1961 **+** mrs. candour in the school for scandal at the theatre royal haymarket 1962 **+** mrs. laura partridge in the solid gold cadillac at the saville theatre 1965 **+** mrs. heidelberg in the clandestine marriage at the chichester festival theatre 1966 **+** mrs. malaprop in the rivals at the theatre royal haymarket 1966 the english pen international centre included several readings of poems by rutherford on a list entitled library of recordings.pdf archived 8 august 2014 at the wayback machine (1953.) the works listed were **+** "a charm against the toothache" by john heath-stubbs **+** "o country people" by john hewett **+** "sedge-warblers" "women ey liked" "haymaking" "adlestrop" "will you come?" and "lights out" by edward thomas **+** "all's going well" / "nymphs and shepherds" (1953) (w/ frankie howerd): philips records pb214 **+** list of british actors **+** list of academy award winners and nominees from great britain **+** list of actors with academy award nominations **+** list of golden globe winners further reading **+** alistair rupert (2018.) "margaret rutherford." the name below the title : 65 classic movie character actors from hollywood's golden age (softcover) (first ed..) great britain: independently published. pp. 229-233. 37-5 **+** merriman andy (2009.) margaret rutherford: dreadnought with good manners (hardcover) (first ed..) london: aurum press. 45-7 **+** simmons dawn langley (1983.) margaret rutherford: a blithe spirit (hardcover) (first ed..) new york ny: mcgraw-hill. 79-3 **+** rutherford margaret (1972.) margaret rutherford: an autobiography (hardcover.) as told to gwen robyns (first ed..) london: w. h. allen **+** keown eric (1956.) margaret rutherford (hardcover.) theatre world monograph no. 7 (first ed..) london: rockliff // republic of bob