Elsa Lanchester

Elsa Lanchester

Acting
Born 1902-10-28 - Died 1986-12-26Lewisham, London, England, UK

Biography

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

Movies (79)

Witness for the Prosecution
8.2

Witness for the Prosecution

1957Movie8.2
Mary Poppins
7.5

Mary Poppins

1964Movie7.5
Bride of Frankenstein
7.5

Bride of Frankenstein

1935Movie7.5
Murder by Death
7.1

Murder by Death

1976Movie7.1
Lassie Come Home
6.7

Lassie Come Home

1943Movie6.7
Willard
6.1

Willard

1971Movie6.1
Bell, Book and Candle
6.6

Bell, Book and Candle

1958Movie6.6
Mystery Street
6.8

Mystery Street

1950Movie6.8
The Big Clock
7.3

The Big Clock

1948Movie7.3
That Darn Cat!
6.6

That Darn Cat!

1965Movie6.6
Blackbeard's Ghost
6.7

Blackbeard's Ghost

1968Movie6.7
The Bishop's Wife
7.1

The Bishop's Wife

1947Movie7.1
The Razor's Edge
6.9

The Razor's Edge

1946Movie6.9
Passport to Destiny
5.3

Passport to Destiny

1944Movie5.3
Scotty and the Secret History of Hollywood
5.9

Scotty and the Secret History of Hollywood

2018Movie5.9
Universal Horror
7.1

Universal Horror

1998Movie7.1
The Inspector General
6.6

The Inspector General

1949Movie6.6
Ashes
10.0

Ashes

1930Movie10.0
Hollywood Out-takes and Rare Footage
7.0

Hollywood Out-takes and Rare Footage

1983Movie7.0
Androcles and the Lion
5.9

Androcles and the Lion

1952Movie5.9
Me, Natalie
5.6

Me, Natalie

1969Movie5.6
David Copperfield
6.7

David Copperfield

1935Movie6.7
Naughty Marietta
5.5

Naughty Marietta

1935Movie5.5
The Secret Garden
7.1

The Secret Garden

1949Movie7.1
Easy Come, Easy Go
6.0

Easy Come, Easy Go

1967Movie6.0
Northwest Outpost
8.0

Northwest Outpost

1947Movie8.0
Mondo Hollywood
6.7

Mondo Hollywood

1967Movie6.7
Pajama Party
4.8

Pajama Party

1964Movie4.8
In Name Only
7.0

In Name Only

1969Movie7.0
Commercial Entertainment Product
8.7

Commercial Entertainment Product

1992Movie8.7
Son of Fury: The Story of Benjamin Blake
7.2

Son of Fury: The Story of Benjamin Blake

1942Movie7.2
Cavalcade of the Academy Awards
6.3

Cavalcade of the Academy Awards

1940Movie6.3
Blue Bottles
7.3

Blue Bottles

1928Movie7.3
The Private Life of Henry VIII
6.4

The Private Life of Henry VIII

1933Movie6.4
Buccaneer's Girl
5.8

Buccaneer's Girl

1950Movie5.8
Forever and a Day
7.5

Forever and a Day

1943Movie7.5
Tales of Manhattan
6.4

Tales of Manhattan

1942Movie6.4
Frenchie
6.0

Frenchie

1950Movie6.0
The American Nightmare
6.8

The American Nightmare

2000Movie6.8
Monster Madness: The Golden Age of the Horror Film
7.5

Monster Madness: The Golden Age of the Horror Film

2014Movie7.5
Terror in the Wax Museum
5.2

Terror in the Wax Museum

1973Movie5.2
Thumbs Up
7.0

Thumbs Up

1943Movie7.0
Arnold
5.3

Arnold

1973Movie5.3
The Spiral Staircase
7.0

The Spiral Staircase

1946Movie7.0
Charmed Lives: A Family Romance

Charmed Lives: A Family Romance

2028Movie
3 Ring Circus
5.6

3 Ring Circus

1954Movie5.6
Honeymoon Hotel
4.6

Honeymoon Hotel

1964Movie4.6
Les Miserables
5.5

Les Miserables

1952Movie5.5
The Tonic
8.5

The Tonic

1928Movie8.5
Ladies in Retirement
6.5

Ladies in Retirement

1941Movie6.5
Rembrandt
6.8

Rembrandt

1936Movie6.8
Dreamboat
6.1

Dreamboat

1952Movie6.1
Die Laughing
4.6

Die Laughing

1980Movie4.6
The Ghost Goes West
6.7

The Ghost Goes West

1935Movie6.7
Frankenstein: A Cinematic Scrapbook
6.3

Frankenstein: A Cinematic Scrapbook

1991Movie6.3
Hell's Half Acre
5.5

Hell's Half Acre

1954Movie5.5
Rascal
6.0

Rascal

1969Movie6.0
Hollywood Scandals and Tragedies

Hollywood Scandals and Tragedies

1988Movie
The Girls of Pleasure Island
5.8

The Girls of Pleasure Island

1953Movie5.8
The Glass Slipper
6.3

The Glass Slipper

1955Movie6.3
Come to the Stable
6.7

Come to the Stable

1949Movie6.7
The Constant Nymph
10.0

The Constant Nymph

1928Movie10.0
Comets
7.0

Comets

1930Movie7.0
The Stronger Sex
10.0

The Stronger Sex

1931Movie10.0
Heidi

Heidi

1955Movie
Alice in Wonderland
5.2

Alice in Wonderland

1955Movie5.2
My Dog, the Thief
6.8

My Dog, the Thief

1969Movie6.8
Famous Monster: Forrest J Ackerman
9.0

Famous Monster: Forrest J Ackerman

2007Movie9.0
The Petty Girl
4.3

The Petty Girl

1950Movie4.3
Vessel of Wrath
6.9

Vessel of Wrath

1938Movie6.9
The Scarlet Woman: An Ecclesiastical Melodrama

The Scarlet Woman: An Ecclesiastical Melodrama

1924Movie
Potiphar's Wife
8.0

Potiphar's Wife

1931Movie8.0
Noah and the Flood

Noah and the Flood

1962Movie
The Officers' Mess
9.0

The Officers' Mess

1931Movie9.0
Mr. Smith Wakes Up

Mr. Smith Wakes Up

1929Movie
One of the Best
9.0

One of the Best

1927Movie9.0
The Love Habit
8.0

The Love Habit

1931Movie8.0
Daydreams
9.0

Daydreams

1928Movie9.0
Turnabout: The Story of the Yale Puppeteers
7.0

Turnabout: The Story of the Yale Puppeteers

1993Movie7.0

TV Shows (34)

The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson
7.5

The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson

1962Series7.5
Golden Globe Awards
7.0

Golden Globe Awards

1944Series7.0
I Love Lucy
7.9

I Love Lucy

1951Series7.9
The Alfred Hitchcock Hour
7.9

The Alfred Hitchcock Hour

1962Series7.9
The Merv Griffin Show
6.8

The Merv Griffin Show

1962Series6.8
Robert Montgomery Presents
6.0

Robert Montgomery Presents

1950Series6.0
Mannix
6.8

Mannix

1967Series6.8
Night Gallery
7.8

Night Gallery

1970Series7.8
Omnibus
7.0

Omnibus

1952Series7.0
The Dick Cavett Show
6.8

The Dick Cavett Show

1968Series6.8
Studio One
5.4

Studio One

1948Series5.4
Tonight Starring Jack Paar
7.5

Tonight Starring Jack Paar

1957Series7.5
Burke's Law
6.3

Burke's Law

1963Series6.3
Ben Casey
5.9

Ben Casey

1961Series5.9
The Ed Sullivan Show
6.8

The Ed Sullivan Show

1948Series6.8
The Man from U.N.C.L.E.
7.2

The Man from U.N.C.L.E.

1964Series7.2
Here's Lucy
6.7

Here's Lucy

1968Series6.7
The 20th Century Fox Hour
6.0

The 20th Century Fox Hour

1955Series6.0
Adventures in Paradise
6.1

Adventures in Paradise

1959Series6.1
The Ford Television Theatre
7.8

The Ford Television Theatre

1952Series7.8
The Dinah Shore Chevy Show
6.4

The Dinah Shore Chevy Show

1956Series6.4
Nanny and the Professor
6.7

Nanny and the Professor

1970Series6.7
Startime
6.8

Startime

1959Series6.8
Shirley Temple's Storybook
6.5

Shirley Temple's Storybook

1958Series6.5
The Bill Cosby Show
5.5

The Bill Cosby Show

1969Series5.5
Lux Video Theatre
6.7

Lux Video Theatre

1950Series6.7
Then Came Bronson
5.2

Then Came Bronson

1969Series5.2
The Wonderful World of Disney
7.9

The Wonderful World of Disney

1954Series7.9
The Ed Wynn Show
7.7

The Ed Wynn Show

1949Series7.7
General Electric Theater
6.8

General Electric Theater

1953Series6.8
The John Forsythe Show
7.5

The John Forsythe Show

1965Series7.5
Follow the Sun
8.0

Follow the Sun

1961Series8.0
Schlitz Playhouse of Stars
7.2

Schlitz Playhouse of Stars

1951Series7.2
Hallmark Hall of Fame
8.8

Hallmark Hall of Fame

1951Series8.8