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Constance Cummings

Known For
Acting

Known Credits
51

Gender
Female

Birthday
May 15, 1910 (116 years old)

Place of Birth
Seattle, Washington, USA

Constance Cummings

Biography

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Constance Cummings, CBE (May 15, 1910 – November 23, 2005) was an American-born British actress, known for her work on both screen and stage.

Born Constance Halverstadt in Seattle, Washington to Dallas Halverstadt and Kate Cummings, she began as a stage actress, landing her first role on Broadway by the age of 18. While appearing on Broadway, she was discovered by Sam Goldwyn, who brought her to Hollywood in 1931.

Between 1931 and 1934, Cummings appeared in 21 films, most notably the Harold Lloyd picture Movie Crazy and American Madness, directed by Frank Capra. She was married to the playwright and screenwriter Benn Levy MBE from 1933 until his death in 1973. Levy went on to write and direct films for Cummings, such as The Jealous God (1939); he also served in the United Kingdom Parliament from 1945-50 as the Labour MP for Eton and Slough. They had a son and a daughter.

Cummings was uncomfortable in Hollywood and moved to England, where she continued acting, both in movies and on the stage. Few of these films became popular in America, although included amongst those that did is Blithe Spirit, adapted from a play by Sir Noël Coward.

In 1974, Cummings, who resided in the UK for many decades, was made a Commander of the Order of the British Empire for her contributions to the British entertainment industry.

She played Mary Tyrone in the Royal National Theatre's production of Eugene O'Neill's Long Day's Journey into Night opposite Sir Laurence Olivier, to great acclaim. She later recreated the role for a television version. In 1979, she won a Tony Award for Best Actress for her performance in the role in the play Wings (written by Arthur Kopit) of Emily Stilson, a former aviator who has suffered a stroke, from which she struggles to recover.

She was a committee member of the Royal Court Theatre and the Arts Council. Despite her truncated career in the U.S., she has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 6211 Hollywood Blvd.

Constance Cummings Levy died on November 23, 2005 at the age of 95.

Description above from the Wikipedia article Constance Cummings, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.

Known For

Acting

1986Dead Man's Follyas Amy Folliatt
1985Love Songas Dame Phillipa Hatchard
1983Wingsas Emily Stilson
1982American Playhouseas Emily Stilson
1973Away from It Allas Lady Grania Stewart
1973Long Day's Journey Into Nightas Mary Tyrone
1970Menaceas Rose
1969ITV Saturday Night Theatreas Mary Tyrone
1967ITV Playhouseas Liza Foote
1967ITV Playhouseas Lola
1963Late Summeras Helga
1963In the Cool of the Dayas Mrs. Nina Gellert
1963Sammy Going Southas Gloria van Imhoff
1962Harold Lloyd's World of Comedyas (archive footage)
1960The Battle of the Sexesas Angela Barrows
1956The Bitter Watersas Louisa Pallant
1956Armchair Theatreas Helga
1956The Intimate Strangeras Kay Wallace
1955John and Julieas Mrs. Davidson
1951Schlitz Playhouse of Starsas Madge Haley
1950Into the Blueas Kate Fergusson
1950Lux Video Theatreas Intermission Guest
1945Blithe Spiritas Ruth Condomine
1942The Foreman Went to Franceas Anne Stafford
1941This Englandas Ann
1940Busman's Honeymoonas Harriet Vane
1938Cyrano de Bergeracas Roxane
1936Strangers on Honeymoonas October
1936Seven Sinnersas Caryl Fenton
1935Remember Last Night?as Carlotta Milburn
1934This Man Is Mineas Francesca Harper
1934Glamouras Linda Fayne
1934Looking for Troubleas Ethel Greenwood
1933Broadway Thru a Keyholeas Joan Whelan
1933Channel Crossingas Marion Slade
1933Heads We Goas Betty Smith / Dorothy Kay
1933The Mind Readeras Sylvia
1933The Billion Dollar Scandalas Doris Masterson
1932Night After Nightas Miss Jerry Healy
1932Washington Merry-Go-Roundas Alice Wylie
1932Movie Crazyas Mary Sears
1932The Last Manas Marian
1932American Madnessas Helen
1932Attorney for the Defenseas Ruth Barry
1932The Big Timeras Honey Baldwin
1932Behind the Maskas Julie Arnold
1931The Guilty Generationas Maria Palmero
1931Traveling Husbandsas Ellen Wilson
1931Lover Come Backas Connie Lee
1931The Last Paradeas Molly Pearson
1931The Criminal Codeas Mary Brady

Production