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Elspeth Dudgeon

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Elspeth Dudgeon
Colored shot of Elspeth Dudgeon from the film in Becky Sharp
Dudgeon in Becky Sharp (1935)
Born(1871-12-04)4 December 1871
Died11 December 1955(1955-12-11) (aged 84)
Resting placeChapel Of The Pines Crematory
Other namesJohn Dudgeon
OccupationActress
Years active1916–1955

Elspeth Dudgeon (4 December 1871 – 11 December 1955) was a Scottish character actress. With a career spanning nearly two decades, she was involved in 67 films, only 14 of which included her name in the credits.[1]

Her best known appearances includes The Old Dark House and Becky Sharp (1935). She also acted in Bride of Frankenstein (1935), The Last Outpost (1935), Show Boat (1936), The Prince and the Pauper (1937), The Story of Vernon & Irene Castle (1939), Bulldog Drummond's Secret Police (1939), Calling Dr. Kildare (1939), Pride and Prejudice (1940), Foreign Correspondent (1940), Now, Voyager (1942), The Canterville Ghost (1944), and The Secret Garden (1949).

Early life

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Dudgeon was born on 4 December 1871[2] in Edinburgh, Scotland and developed an interest in theatrics as a young girl. After joining a well known amateur organisation, she became notable for character roles.[3]

Career

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Her first break came while she was still in Scotland, when actor-manager Osmond Tearle heard of her ability and booked her to appear in various Shakesperian plays.[3] Before this, she was already well known around Glasgow, such as in her part of a housekeeper in the 1916 play Doorsteps, where her performance was described as "extremely artistic".[4]

During World War I, Dudgeon was part of Lena Ashwell's company, performing for soldiers near the English front, occasionally joined by male soldiers on leave.[5] She also worked for Lydia Yvorska's company. Following her emigration to America, she joined Mr Clive's company as the Copyley Theatre.[3] She first appeared in an uncredited part in Waterloo Bridge (1931), before which she had a long and not very successful career as a theatrical actress.[6][7]

Elspeth Dudgeon and Miriam Hopkins in Becky Sharp (1935)

One of her earlier best remembered appearances was in the role of Sir Roderick Femm in the 1932 film The Old Dark House. Director James Whale needed someone to portray a centenarian and Dudgeon was the oldest actress he knew of, despite her being just 60 at the time.[8] A beard was pasted onto her and she delivered her lines in her own, high voice.[8] Having played the part of a man, she was credited as John Dudgeon, with actress Gloria Stuart later commenting that none of the cast at the time were aware Dudgeon was actually a female actress until the cast party. Whale was reported to have enjoyed keeping her real gender a secret, although Dudgeon would later work for him again several years later under her own name and gender.[9] She was also known as playing Miss Pinkerton in Becky Sharp (1935).[10] She featured in some other hit films of the following years, such as Camille (1936), Pride and Prejudice (1940) and a supporting role alongside Charles Laughton in The Canterville Ghost (1944).[11] She is also remembered by horror film buffs for her startling transformation scene in the cult comedy-thriller Sh! The Octopus (1937).

Personal life

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She lived in California for 23 years.[12] She was 5 feet 7 inches (1.70 m).[13]

Death

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She died on 11 December 1955, one week after her 84th birthday, in Los Angeles, California. Her remains are buried at Chapel Of The Pines Crematory.[12]

Filmography

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Year Title Role Notes
1931 Waterloo Bridge Elegante Dowager (uncredited)
1932 The Man Who Played God Would-be Ticket Buyer (uncredited)
1932 The Impatient Maiden Neighbor (uncredited)
1932 Vanity Fair Sir Pitt's Housekeeper
1932 A Successful Calamity Musicale Guest (uncredited)
1932 The Crash Solitarie Player (uncredited)
1932 The Old Dark House Sir Roderick Femm (credited as John Dudgeon)
1932 Cynara Mrs. Weeks (uncredited)
1933 Zoo in Budapest Woman Whose Skunk Was Stolen (uncredited)
1933 Looking Forward Old Servant (uncredited)
1933 Stage Mother Music Store Customer (uncredited)
1934 Stand Up and Cheer! Reformer (uncredited)
1934 The Moonstone Betteredge, Housekeeper
1935 The Night Is Young Duchess of Reidheim (uncredited)
1935 Vanessa: Her Love Story Vera Trent
1935 Becky Sharp Miss Pinkerton
1935 Bride of Frankenstein Gypsy mother (uncredited)
1935 The Girl Friend English Lady (uncredited)
1935 The Last Outpost Head Nurse (uncredited)
1935 I Found Stella Parish Second Waiting Woman (uncredited)
1935 Kind Lady Lady Emily (uncredited)
1935 Sylvia Scarlett Older Woman (uncredited)
1936 Show Boat Mother Superior (uncredited)
1936 Counterfeit Mrs. Martin (uncredited)
1936 The White Angel Second Lady Disapproving of Florence (uncredited)
1936 Give Me Your Heart Alice Dodd
1936 A Woman Rebels Lord Gaythorne's Maid (uncredited)
1936 Camille Fireplace Attendant (uncredited)
1937 The Prince and the Pauper John Canty's Mother
1937 The Great Garrick Old Witch in Audience (uncredited)
1937 Sh! The Octopus Nanny
1938 Fools for Scandal Cynthia (uncredited)
1938 Mystery House Aunt Lucy Kingery
1938 The Crowd Roars Old Witch in Audience (uncredited)
1939 Midnight Stephanie's Party Guest with Dog (uncredited)
1939 Raffles School Mistress (uncredited)
1939 The Story of Vernon & Irene Castle Lady Bolton (uncredited)
1939 Bulldog Drummond's Secret Police Mrs. Thomas, Housekeeper (uncredited)
1939 Calling Dr. Kildare Old Lady in Hall (uncredited)
1940 Pride and Prejudice Mrs King (uncredited)
1942 Now, Voyager Aunt Hester (uncredited)
1942 Nightmare Angus' Wife
1943 Family Troubles Aunt Aurelia
1943 Footlight Glamour Frances (uncredited)
1944 The Heavenly Body Lady Behind Vicky at Concert (uncredited)
1944 Bathing Beauty Miss Travers (uncredited)
1944 The Canterville Ghost Aged Woman at Party (uncredited)
1944 Abroad with Two Yanks Stuart's Party Guest (uncredited)
1944 Reckless Age Miss Ferris (uncredited)
1944 Three Sisters of the Moors Townswoman (uncredited)
1944 The Suspect Pauline Barlow (uncredited)
1945 The Woman Who Came Back Old Woman in Bus / Jezebel Trister (uncredited)
1946 Song of Arizona Ella (uncredited)
1946 Devotion Elderly Reader of 'Jane Eyre' (uncredited)
1946 Till the Clouds Roll By Katie (uncredited)
1947 Yankee Fakir Scrubwoman
1947 Time Out of Mind Guest (uncredited)
1947 Monsieur Verdoux Old Woman (uncredited)
1947 Bulldog Drummond Strikes Back Nanny
1947 The Paradine Case Second Matron (uncredited)
1947 If Winter Comes Mrs. Ward (uncredited)
1948 B.F.'s Daughter Mrs. Marbey (uncredited)
1948 Julia Misbehaves Woman in Pawn Shop (uncredited)
1949 The Secret Garden Dickon's Mother (uncredited)
1949 Lust for Gold Martha Bannister (uncredited)
1949 The Great Sinner Fearful Old Gambling Woman (uncredited)
1952 Anything Can Happen Grandma (uncredited)
1955 Moonfleet Granny Walker - Old Woman in Church (uncredited)

References

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  1. ^ Hans J. Wollstein. "Elspeth Dudgeon". AllMovie. Retrieved 9 February 2014.
  2. ^ "Elspeth Dudgeon in the California, U.S., Death Index". Retrieved 22 July 2022 – via Ancestry.com.
  3. ^ a b c "Osmond Tearle gave copley actress her first chance". The Boston Globe. 16 November 1924. p. 60.
  4. ^ "Doorsteps at the Grand Theatre, Hanley". Staffordshire Sentinel. 9 February 1916. p. 4.
  5. ^ "Miss Dudgeon in Familiar Scene". Los Angeles Evening Post. 20 December 1932. p. 4.
  6. ^ "'The Oyster At The Copley'". Movienews Weekly. Boston, Massachusetts. 18 May 1926. p. 2. Retrieved 31 August 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  7. ^ "'A Bride But A Few Weeks Time'". Movienews Weekly. Los Angeles, California. 3 December 1933. p. 2. Retrieved 31 August 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  8. ^ a b Soister, John T. (2010). Of Gods and Monsters: A Critical Guide to Universal Studios' Science Fiction, Horror and Mystery Films, 1929-1939. McFarland Incorporated Publishers. p. 45. ISBN 9780786462551.
  9. ^ Mank, Gergory William (2010). Thirteen Horror Films from the Genre's Golden Age. McFarland Incorporated Publishers. p. 45. ISBN 9780786462551.
  10. ^ "'Classic Film: The Old Dark House'". Movienews Weekly. Los Angeles, California. 15 October 1995. p. 2. Retrieved 31 August 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  11. ^ Svehla, Gary (1996). Guilty Pleasures of the Horror Film. BearManor Media. p. 53.
  12. ^ a b "Miss Elspeth Dudgeon funeral services". Los Angeles Times. 15 December 1955. p. 61.
  13. ^ "Elizabeth Johnston Dudgeon in the Massachusetts, U.S., Arriving Passenger and Crew Lists". Retrieved 12 November 2022 – via Ancestry.com.
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