Elsa Lanchester

Elsa Lanchester

10/28/1902 – 12/26/1986Lewisham, London, England, UK

Elsa Sullivan Lanchester (October 28, 1902 – December 26, 1986) was a British actress with a long career in theatre, film and television and former dancer. Lanchester studied dance as a child and after the First World War began performing in theatre and cabaret, where she established her career over the following decade. She met the actor Charles Laughton in 1927, and they were married two years later. She began playing small roles in British films, including the role of Anne of Cleves with Laughton in The Private Life of Henry VIII (1933). Laughton's success in American films resulted in the couple moving to Hollywood, where Lanchester played small film roles. Her role as the bride in Bride of Frankenstein (1935), brought her recognition, and came to be one of the roles most closely associated with her throughout her life. Lanchester played supporting roles through the 1940s and 1950s. She was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for Come to the Stable (1949) and Witness for the Prosecution (1957), the last of twelve films in which she appeared with Laughton. Following Laughton's death in 1962, Lanchester resumed her career with appearances in such Disney films as Mary Poppins (1964), That Darn Cat! (1965) and Blackbeard's Ghost (1968). The horror film, Willard, (1971) was highly successful and one of her last roles was in Murder By Death (1976). Description above from the Wikipedia article Elsa Lanchester, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia

Filmography (112 titles)

Scotty and the Secret History of Hollywood5.9Movie

Scotty and the Secret History of Hollywood

Self (archive footage) · 2018

Monster Madness: The Golden Age of the Horror Film7.5Movie

Monster Madness: The Golden Age of the Horror Film

Mary Shelley / The Monster's Mate (archive footage) · 2014

Famous Monster: Forrest J Ackerman9.0Movie

Famous Monster: Forrest J Ackerman

Self (archive footage) · 2007

The American Nightmare6.8Movie

The American Nightmare

Self · 2000

Universal Horror7.1Movie

Universal Horror

(archive footage) · 1998

Turnabout: The Story of the Yale Puppeteers7.0Movie

Turnabout: The Story of the Yale Puppeteers

Self · 1993

Commercial Entertainment Product8.7Movie

Commercial Entertainment Product

The Monster's Bride · 1992

6.3Movie

Frankenstein: A Cinematic Scrapbook

Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley / The Monster's Mate · 1991

Hollywood Scandals and TragediesMovie

Hollywood Scandals and Tragedies

(archive footage) (uncredited) · 1988

Hollywood Out-takes and Rare Footage7.0Movie

Hollywood Out-takes and Rare Footage

Self (archive footage) (uncredited) · 1983

Die Laughing4.9Movie

Die Laughing

Sophie · 1980

Murder by Death7.2Movie

Murder by Death

Jessica Marbles · 1976

Arnold5.3Movie

Arnold

Hester · 1973

Terror in the Wax Museum5.2Movie

Terror in the Wax Museum

Julia Hawthorn · 1973

Willard6.1Movie

Willard

Henrietta Stiles · 1971

Night Gallery7.8Show

Night Gallery

1970

Nanny and the Professor6.7Show

Nanny and the Professor

Aunt Henrietta · 1970

In Name Only7.0Movie

In Name Only

Gertrude Caruso · 1969

My Dog, the Thief6.8Movie

My Dog, the Thief

Mrs. Formby · 1969

Then Came Bronson5.2Show

Then Came Bronson

Hattie Calter · 1969

The Bill Cosby Show5.5Show

The Bill Cosby Show

Mrs. Wochuk · 1969

Me, Natalie5.6Movie

Me, Natalie

Miss Dennison · 1969

Rascal6.0Movie

Rascal

Mrs. Satterfield · 1969

Here's Lucy6.7Show

Here's Lucy

Mumsie Westcott · 1968

The Dick Cavett Show6.8Show

The Dick Cavett Show

Self - Guest · 1968

Blackbeard's Ghost6.7Movie

Blackbeard's Ghost

Emily Stowecroft · 1968

Mannix6.8Show

Mannix

Portia Penhaven · 1967

Mondo Hollywood6.7Movie

Mondo Hollywood

1967

Easy Come, Easy Go6.0Movie

Easy Come, Easy Go

Madame Neherina · 1967

That Darn Cat!6.6Movie

That Darn Cat!

Mrs. MacDougall · 1965