Place of Birth: Seattle, Washington, USA
Constance Cummings
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.
Movie | Cast | Year |
---|---|---|
American Madness | Helen | 1932 |
Dead Man's Folly | Amy Folliatt | 1986 |
The Last Parade | Molly Pearson | 1931 |
Behind the Mask | Julie Arnold | 1932 |
Sammy Going South | Gloria van Imhoff | 1963 |
The Criminal Code | Mary Brady | 1931 |
The Battle of the Sexes | Angela Barrows | 1960 |
Love Song | Dame Phillipa Hatchard | 1985 |
Blithe Spirit | Ruth Condomine | 1945 |
Night After Night | Miss Jerry Healy | 1932 |
Seven Sinners | Caryl Fenton | 1936 |
Movie Crazy | Mary Sears | 1932 |
Remember Last Night? | Carlotta Milburn | 1935 |
Finger of Guilt | Kay Wallace | 1956 |
Cyrano de Bergerac | Roxane | 1938 |
The Foreman Went to France | Anne Stafford | 1942 |
The Mind Reader | Sylvia | 1933 |
Busman's Honeymoon | Harriet Vane | 1940 |
Looking for Trouble | Ethel Greenwood | 1934 |
In the Cool of the Day | Mrs. Nina Gellert | 1963 |
Broadway Thru a Keyhole | Joan Whelan | 1933 |
Channel Crossing | Marion Slade | 1933 |
This Man Is Mine | Francesca Harper | 1934 |
The Guilty Generation | Maria Palmero | 1931 |
John and Julie | Mrs. Davidson | 1955 |
Attorney for the Defense | Ruth Barry | 1932 |
This England | Ann | 1941 |
The Big Timer | Honey Baldwin | 1932 |
Traveling Husbands | Ellen Wilson | 1931 |
Long Day's Journey Into Night | Mary Tyrone | 1973 |
Washington Merry-Go-Round | Alice Wylie | 1932 |
Late Summer | Helga | 1963 |
Glamour | Linda Fayne | 1934 |
Into the Blue | Kate Fergusson | 1950 |
Heads We Go | Betty Smith / Dorothy Kay | 1933 |
The Billion Dollar Scandal | Doris Masterson | 1933 |
Wings | Emily Stilson | 1983 |
The Bitter Waters | Louisa Pallant | 1956 | Series | Cast | Year |
Lux Video Theatre | Intermission Guest | 1950 |
Schlitz Playhouse of Stars | Madge Haley | 1951 |
Menace | 1970 |