Constance Cummings, CBE (born Constance Cummings Halverstadt,[1] May 15, 1910 – November 23, 2005) was an American-born British actress, known for her work on both screen and stage.
Early years[edit]
Cummings was born in Seattle, Washington, the only daughter and younger child[2] of Kate Logan (née Cummings), a concert soprano, and Dallas Vernon Halverstadt, a lawyer.[3] After her parents separated when she was 10 years old, she never saw her father. She attended St. Nicholas Girls' School in Seattle.[2]
Career[edit]
The San Diego Stock Company gave Cummings her initial acting opportunity in a "walk-on part" playing a prostitute in a 1926 production of Seventh Heaven.[2]
She debuted on Broadway as a chorus girl,[4] a member of the ensemble[5] in Treasure Girl (1928) by the age of 18.
While appearing on Broadway, she was discovered by Samuel Goldwyn, who brought her to Hollywood in 1931. Between 1931 and 1934, Cummings appeared in more than 20 films, including Movie Crazy opposite Harold Lloyd, and American Madness, directed by Frank Capra.[6]
She was married to the playwright and screenwriter Benn Levy from July 3, 1933[2] until his death in 1973.[7] As Levy was from Britain, Cummings moved there and continued acting, both in films and on the stage, in Britain. Few of her films were hits in the US, although Blithe Spirit, adapted from the Noël Coward play, was popular. Levy went on to write and direct films for Cummings, such as The Jealous God (1939); he also served in the UK Parliament from 1945-50 as the Labour MP for Eton and Slough. They had a son and a daughter.[citation needed]
She played Mary Tyrone in the Royal National Theatre's production of Eugene O'Neill's Long Day's Journey into Night opposite Laurence Olivier, and later recreated the role for television. She also originated the role of Martha in Edward Albee's Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf in its London debut.[citation needed]
Recognition[edit]
In 1979, Cummings won the Tony Award for Best Actress in a Play for her performance as Emily Stilson in the drama Wings (1978–79) (written by Arthur Kopit), a play about a former aviator (Stilson) who has suffered a stroke, from which she struggles to recover.[6] This role also brought her Obie and Drama Desk awards and an Olivier nomination.[8] In 1982, she was nominated for a Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Actress in a Play for her work in The Chalk Garden.[9]
She received an Evening Standard Best Actress Award for her performance in Long Day's Journey into Night.[10]
On January 1, 1974, Cummings, who resided in Britain for many decades until her death, was made a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) for her contributions to the British entertainment industry.
She was a committee member of the Royal Court Theatre and the Arts Council. She has a star in the Motion Pictures section on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 6201 Hollywood Boulevard. It was dedicated on February 8, 1960.[11]
Death[edit]
Constance Cummings Levy died in Wardington, Oxfordshire, England, on November 23, 2005, aged 95,[7] from natural causes.
Complete filmography[edit]
- The Criminal Code (1931) as Mary Brady
- The Last Parade (1931) as Molly Pearson
- Lover Come Back (1931) as Connie Lee
- Traveling Husbands (1931) as Ellen Wilson
- The Guilty Generation (1931) as Maria Palmero
- Behind the Mask (1932) as Julie Arnold
- The Big Timer (1932) as Honey Baldwin
- Attorney for the Defense (1932) as Ruth Barry
- American Madness (1932) as Helen
- Movie Crazy (1932) as Mary Sears
- The Last Man (1932) as Marian
- Washington Merry-Go-Round (1932) as Alice
- Night After Night (1932) as Miss Jerry Healy
- The Billion Dollar Scandal (1933) as Doris Masterson
- The Mind Reader (1933) as Sylvia
- Heads We Go (1933) as Betty Smith / Dorothy Kay
- Channel Crossing (1933) as Marion Slade
- Broadway Through a Keyhole (1933) as Joan Whelan
- Looking for Trouble (1934) as Ethel Greenwood
- Glamour (1934) as Linda Fayne
- This Man Is Mine (1934) as Francesca Harper
- Remember Last Night? (1935) as Carlotta Milburn
- Seven Sinners (1936) as Caryl Fenton
- Strangers on Honeymoon (1936) as October
- Cyrano de Bergerac (1938, TV Movie) as Roxane
- Busman's Honeymoon (1940) as Harriet Vane
- This England (1941) as Ann
- The Foreman Went to France (1942) as Anne Stafford, the American girl
- Blithe Spirit (1945) as Ruth Condomine
- Into the Blue (1950) as Mrs. Kate Fergusson
- Trial and Error (1953, TV Movie) as Andrea
- John and Julie (1955) as Mrs. Davidson
- The Intimate Stranger (1956) as Kay Wallace
- The Trial of Mary Dugan (1957, TV Movie) as Mary Dugan, known as Mona Tree
- Craig's Wife (1957, TV Movie) as Harriet Craig
- The Battle of the Sexes (1960) as Angela Barrows
- Sammy Going South (1963) as Gloria van Imhoff
- In the Cool of the Day (1963) as Mrs. Nina Gellert
- Love Song (1985, TV Movie) as Dame Philippa Hatchard
- Dead Man's Folly (1986, TV Movie) as Amy Folliat
- The Understanding (1986, TV Movie) as Acton (final film role)
Theatre[edit]
| Year | Play | Character | Type | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1926 | Seventh Heaven | prostitute | Stage debut in Seattle, WA | |
| 1928 | Treasure Girl | chorus ensemble | Musical comedy | Broadway debut |
| 1930 | June Moon | Miss Rixey | Tin Pan Alley comedy | [12] |
| 1930 | This Man's Town | Carrie | Drama | |
| 1934 | Sour Grapes | first appearance on London stage. | ||
| 1934 | Accent on Youth | Linda Brown | Comedy | |
| 1936 | Young Madame Conti | Nella Conti | Melodrama | |
| 1937 | Madame Bovary Revival | Emma Bovary | Restoration Comedy | |
| 1938 | If I Were You | Nellie Blunt | Farce | |
| 1938 | Goodbye, Mr Chips | Katherine | Drama | |
| 1939 | The Jealous God | |||
| 1939–1940 | Romeo and Juliet | Juliet | Tragedy | |
| 1939–1940 | Old Vic Theatre Season | |||
| 1939 | Joan of Arc | Joan | Drama | |
| 1939 | The Good Natur'd Man | Miss Richland | Drama | |
| April 22, 1940 | Shakespeare Birthday Festival | |||
| 1942 | Skylark | Lydia | Drama | |
| 1943 | The Petrified Forest | Gabby | Drama | |
| 1945 | One Man Show | Racine Gardner | Drama | |
| 1946 | Clutterbuck | Comedy | ||
| 1948 | Don't Listen Ladies | Farce | ||
| 1949 | Before the Party | Laura | Comedy | |
| 1950 | Return to Tyassi | |||
| 1952 | Winter's Journey | |||
| 1953 | The Shrike | Drama | ||
| 1957 | Lysistrata | Greek Comedy | ||
| 1957 | The Rape of the Belt | Antiope | played at Piccadilly Theatre (1957), and then Martin Beck Theatre, NY (1960).[13] | |
| 1961 | J.B. | Sarah | ||
| 1962 | Social Success | |||
| 1964 | Huis Clos | Inez | Drama | |
| 1965 | Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? | Martha | ||
| 1966 | Public and Confidential | |||
| 1967 | Fallen Angels | Jane Banbury | Comedy | |
| 1969 | Hamlet | Gertrude | Shakespearean Tragedy | |
| 1969 | The Milk Train Doesn't Stop Here Anymore | Mrs Flora Goforth | Tragedy | |
| 1970 | The Visit | Claire Zachanassian | Tragi-comedy | |
| 1971 | Amphitryon 38 | Leda | Greek Drama | |
| 1971 | Long Day's Journey into Night | Mary Tyrone | Royal Shakespeare Theatre, Stratford, UK with Lawrence Oliver as James Tyrone | |
| 1971–1972 | National Theatre, London, Repertoire Season | Classical drama | ||
| 1972–1973 | National Theatre, London, Repertoire Season | |||
| 1973 | The Cherry Orchard | Madame Ranevsky | ||
| 1974 | National Theatre, London, Repertoire Season | |||
| 1974 | Children | |||
| 1979 | Wings | Emily Stilson | Tony Award, Obie Award, Drama Desk Award | |
| 1979 | National Theatre, London, Repertoire Season | |||
| 1980 | Hay Fever | Comedy | ||
| 1981 | The Golden Age | |||
| 1985 | The Glass Menagerie | |||
| 1986 | Fanny Kemble at Home | |||
| 1992 | The Chalk Garden | Mrs St Maugham | Her last appearance on Broadway | |
| 1996–1999 | Uncle Vanya | Maman | Her last stage appearance. |
References[edit]
- ^ Room, Adrian (2012). Dictionary of Pseudonyms: 13,000 Assumed Names and Their Origins, 5th ed. McFarland. p. 127. ISBN 9780786457632. Retrieved December 29, 2017.
- ^ a b c d Goldman, Lawrence (March 7, 2013). Oxford Dictionary of National Biography 2005-2008. OUP Oxford. pp. 274–76. ISBN 9780199671540.
- ^ Profile, filmreference.com; accessed April 30, 2018.
- ^ Monush, Barry (2003). Screen World Presents the Encyclopedia of Hollywood Film Actors: From the silent era to 1965. Hal Leonard Corporation. p. 163. ISBN 9781557835512. Retrieved December 29, 2017.
- ^ "("Constance Cummings" search results)". Internet Broadway Database. The Broadway League. Archived from the original on December 29, 2017. Retrieved December 29, 2017.
- ^ a b Shorter, Eric (November 25, 2005). "Obituary: Constance Cummings". The Guardian. Retrieved June 6, 2018.
- ^ a b Willis, John; Hodges, Ben (July 1, 2008). Theatre World 2005-2006: The Most Complete Record of the American Theatre. Hal Leonard Corporation. p. 341. ISBN 9781557837080.
- ^ Kennedy, Dennis (2003). Oxford Encyclopedia of Theatre and Performance. New York: Oxford University Press Inc. p. 338. ISBN 978-0-19-860672-7.
- ^ "("Constance Cummings" search results)". Drama Desk. Archived from the original on December 29, 2017. Retrieved December 29, 2017.
- ^ Strachan, Alan (November 26, 2005). "Constance Cummings". Independent. Archived from the original on December 29, 2017. Retrieved December 29, 2017.
- ^ "Constance Cummings". Hollywood Walk of Fame. Archived from the original on December 29, 2017. Retrieved December 29, 2017.
- ^ "Obituary of Constance Cummings". November 26, 2006. Retrieved June 1, 2017.
- ^ "Obituary of Constance Cummings". November 26, 2006. Retrieved June 1, 2017.
External links[edit]
- Constance Cummings at the Internet Broadway Database
- Constance Cummings on IMDb
- Constance Cummings at Find a Grave
- "Constance Cummings Pictures and Images". Getty Images.com. Retrieved June 1, 2017.
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