Known For
Acting
Known Credits
51
Gender
Female
Birthday
May 15, 1910 (116 years old)
Place of Birth
Seattle, Washington, USA
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.
| 1986 | Dead Man's Follyas Amy Folliatt | |
| 1985 | Love Songas Dame Phillipa Hatchard | |
| 1983 | Wingsas Emily Stilson | |
| 1982 | American Playhouseas Emily Stilson | |
| 1973 | Away from It Allas Lady Grania Stewart | |
| 1973 | Long Day's Journey Into Nightas Mary Tyrone | |
| 1970 | Menaceas Rose | |
| 1969 | ITV Saturday Night Theatreas Mary Tyrone | |
| 1967 | ITV Playhouseas Liza Foote | |
| 1967 | ITV Playhouseas Lola | |
| 1963 | Late Summeras Helga | |
| 1963 | In the Cool of the Dayas Mrs. Nina Gellert | |
| 1963 | Sammy Going Southas Gloria van Imhoff | |
| 1962 | Harold Lloyd's World of Comedyas (archive footage) | |
| 1960 | The Battle of the Sexesas Angela Barrows | |
| 1956 | The Bitter Watersas Louisa Pallant | |
| 1956 | Armchair Theatreas Helga | |
| 1956 | The Intimate Strangeras Kay Wallace | |
| 1955 | John and Julieas Mrs. Davidson | |
| 1951 | Schlitz Playhouse of Starsas Madge Haley | |
| 1950 | Into the Blueas Kate Fergusson | |
| 1950 | Lux Video Theatreas Intermission Guest | |
| 1945 | Blithe Spiritas Ruth Condomine | |
| 1942 | The Foreman Went to Franceas Anne Stafford | |
| 1941 | This Englandas Ann | |
| 1940 | Busman's Honeymoonas Harriet Vane | |
| 1938 | Cyrano de Bergeracas Roxane | |
| 1936 | Strangers on Honeymoonas October | |
| 1936 | Seven Sinnersas Caryl Fenton | |
| 1935 | Remember Last Night?as Carlotta Milburn | |
| 1934 | This Man Is Mineas Francesca Harper | |
| 1934 | Glamouras Linda Fayne | |
| 1934 | Looking for Troubleas Ethel Greenwood | |
| 1933 | Broadway Thru a Keyholeas Joan Whelan | |
| 1933 | Channel Crossingas Marion Slade | |
| 1933 | Heads We Goas Betty Smith / Dorothy Kay | |
| 1933 | The Mind Readeras Sylvia | |
| 1933 | The Billion Dollar Scandalas Doris Masterson | |
| 1932 | Night After Nightas Miss Jerry Healy | |
| 1932 | Washington Merry-Go-Roundas Alice Wylie | |
| 1932 | Movie Crazyas Mary Sears | |
| 1932 | The Last Manas Marian | |
| 1932 | American Madnessas Helen | |
| 1932 | Attorney for the Defenseas Ruth Barry | |
| 1932 | The Big Timeras Honey Baldwin | |
| 1932 | Behind the Maskas Julie Arnold | |
| 1931 | The Guilty Generationas Maria Palmero | |
| 1931 | Traveling Husbandsas Ellen Wilson | |
| 1931 | Lover Come Backas Connie Lee | |
| 1931 | The Last Paradeas Molly Pearson | |
| 1931 | The Criminal Codeas Mary Brady |