Evans, Dame Edith

Evans, Dame Edith

▪ British actress
in full  Dame Edith Mary Evans  
born Feb. 8, 1888, London, Eng.
died Oct. 14, 1976, Cranbrook, Kent
 one of the finest actresses of the English-speaking stage during the 20th century.

      Evans made her professional debut in 1912 as Cressida in Shakespeare's Troilus and Cressida, directed by William Poel. Preferring interesting and difficult portrayals to starring roles, she turned down the lead in Somerset Maugham's Our Betters in 1923 for a minor part in George Bernard Shaw's Back to Methuselah. In 1925 she joined the Old Vic theatre company, with which she continued to act for many years.

      In her long career Evans acted in a variety of parts and produced a number of plays. Some of her more notable stage roles included Judith Bliss in Noel Coward's Hay Fever; Mrs. Millamant in William Congreve's Way of the World; the Countess in The Dark Is Light Enough, which Christopher Fry wrote for her; Gertrude in Hamlet; the nurse in Romeo and Juliet; and, her most famous role, Lady Bracknell in Oscar Wilde's The Importance of Being Earnest. Her last stage performance was in a one-woman show in 1974. Her memorable films include The Importance of Being Earnest (1952), Look Back in Anger (1959), The Nun's Story (1959), Tom Jones (1963), The Chalk Garden (1964), Young Cassidy (1965), The Whisperers (1967), and Crooks and Coronets (1969). She was made a Dame of the British Empire in 1946.

Additional Reading
Bryan Forbes, Ned's Girl (also published as Dame Edith Evans, 1978), is an authorized biography.

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Universalium. 2010.

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  • Evans, Dame Edith (Mary) — born Feb. 8, 1888, London, Eng. died Oct. 14, 1976, Cranbrook, Kent British actress. She made her stage debut as Cressida in William Shakespeare s Troilus and Cressida (1912) and joined the Old Vic company in 1925. One of the finest actresses of… …   Universalium

  • Evans, Dame Edith (Mary) — (8 feb. 1888, Londres, Inglaterra–14 oct. 1976, Cranbrook, Kent). Actriz británica. Debutó en el teatro con el papel de Cressida en Troilo y Cressida (1912) de William Shakespeare, y se unió a la compañía Old Vic en 1925. Fue una de las más… …   Enciclopedia Universal

  • Evans — Evans, Arthur John Evans, Herbert * * * (as used in expressions) Mary Ann Evans Marian Evans Evans, Bill William John Evans Evans, Dame Edith (Mary) Evans, Frederick H(enry) Evans, George Henry Evans, Maurice (Herbert) Evans, Oliver Evans, Sir… …   Enciclopedia Universal

  • Edith Evans — Not to be confused with Edith Corse Evans. Dame Edith Evans DBE Born Edith Mary Evans 8 February 1888(1888 02 08) London …   Wikipedia

  • Evans — /ev euhnz/, n. 1. Sir Arthur John, 1851 1941, English archaeologist. 2. Dame Edith, 1888 1976, English actress. 3. Herbert McLean /meuh klayn /, 1882 1971, U.S. embryologist and anatomist. 4. Mary Ann. See Eliot, George. 5. Maurice, born 1901,… …   Universalium

  • Edith — /ee dith/, n. a female given name: from Old English words meaning rich, happy and war. Also, Edithe. * * * (as used in expressions) Edith Margaret Emily Ashcroft Cavell Edith Louisa Evans Dame Edith Mary Hamilton Edith Head Edith Marsh Dame Edith …   Universalium

  • Edith — (as used in expressions) Edith Margaret Emily Ashcroft Cavell, Edith (Louisa) Evans, Dame Edith (Mary) Hamilton, Edith Head, Edith Marsh, Dame (Edith) Ngaio Piaf, Edith Edith Giovanna Gassion Edith Anna Oenone Somerville y Violet Florence Martin… …   Enciclopedia Universal

  • dame — /daym/, n. 1. (cap.) (in Britain) a. the official title of a female member of the Order of the British Empire, equivalent to that of a knight. b. the official title of the wife of a knight or baronet. 2. (formerly) a form of address to any woman… …   Universalium

  • Dame — (as used in expressions) Andrews, Dame Julie Ashcroft, Dame Peggy Christie, Dame Agatha (Mary Clarissa) Compton Burnett, Dame Ivy Cooper, Dame Gladys De Valois, Dame Ninette Dench, Dame Judi(th Olivia) Evans, Dame Edith (Mary) Fields, Dame Gracie …   Enciclopedia Universal

  • Edith Evans — Dame Edith Evans (1973) Dame Edith Evans, DBE (* 8. Februar 1888 in London; † 14. Oktober 1976 in Cranbrook, Kent) war eine britische Theater und Filmschauspielerin. Evans stand seit Anfang des 20. Jahrhun …   Deutsch Wikipedia

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