Mary Forbes
Biography
Mary Forbes, born Ethel Louise Young, was a British-American film actress born in Hornsey, England. Based in the United States in her latter years, she died on July 22, 1974. Forbes made her first public appearance on the concert platform giving recitals, and her acting debut occurred in 1908 on the London stage at the Aldwych Theatre. Her American stage debut took place in Romance at Maxine Elliott's Theatre in 1913. She took over management of the Ambassadors Theatre in 1913 and accumulated several years of stage experience in Britain and America prior to her work in Hollywood films. Active in the film industry, she appeared in more than 130 films between 1919 and 1958.
Career overview
Mary Forbes was a British-American film actress who was born as Ethel Louise Young in Hornsey, England. Her career spanned decades, during which she appeared in more than 130 films between 1919 and 1958, and she was based in the United States in her latter years, where she eventually died.
Before her work in Hollywood films, Forbes gained years of experience on stage in Britain and America. She made her first public appearance on the concert platform giving recitals, followed by her acting debut in 1908 on the London stage at the Aldwych Theatre. Her American stage debut took place in 1913 in Romance at Maxine Elliott's Theatre, and that same year she took over the management of the Ambassadors Theatre.
Her filmography includes appearances in works such as Ninotchka, Alfred Hitchcock Presents, and You Only Live Once. Throughout her long career, she established herself as a prolific performer across both stage and screen before her final film appearances in the late 1950s.
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Frequent co-stars
Career timeline
Full Filmography
108 titles- Houseboat (1958) as British Society Woman (uncredited)
- Suspicion (1957) as Mrs. Merton
- Alfred Hitchcock Presents (1955) as Mrs. Herbert Winthrop
- Les Miserables (1952) as Nun (uncredited)
- You Gotta Stay Happy (1948) as Aunt Martha
- The Black Arrow (1948) as Nun (uncredited)
- Cigarette Girl (1947) as Mrs. Halstead
- The Exile (1947) as Second Court Lady
- It Had to Be You (1947) as Mrs. Kimberly (uncredited)
- The Judge Steps Out (1947) as Margaret (uncredited)
- Ivy (1947) as Lady Crail (uncredited)
- Terror by Night (1946) as Lady Margaret Carstairs
- The Picture of Dorian Gray (1945) as Lady Agatha
- Lady on a Train (1945)
- Earl Carroll Vanities (1945) as Queen Mother Elena
- I'll Remember April (1945) as Mrs. Barrington
- Tender Comrade (1944) as Jo's Mother (uncredited)
- Jane Eyre (1943) as Mrs. Eshton
- Mr. Lucky (1943) as War Relief Worker (uncredited)
- Sherlock Holmes in Washington (1943) as Mrs. Pettibone
- Two Tickets to London (1943) as Dame Dunne Hartley
- Dangerous Blondes (1943) as Isabel Fleming (uncredited)
- Twin Beds (1942)
- This Above All (1942) as Vicar's Wife
- The Great Impersonation (1942) as Lady Leslie Clayfair
- Almost Married (1942) as Mrs. Marvin
- Klondike Fury (1942) as Mrs. Langton
- Back Street (1941) as Mrs. Williams
- Nothing but the Truth (1941) as Mrs. Ralston
- All This, and Heaven Too (1940) as Lady at the Theatre (uncredited)
- South of Suez (1940) as Mrs. Putnam
- Private Affairs (1940) as Mrs. Stanley
- Florian (1940) as Grandmother
- Laddie (1940) as Mrs. Anna Pryor
- Blame It on Love (1940) as Mrs. Wadsworth
- Ninotchka (1939) as Lady Lavenham (uncredited)
- The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes (1939) as Lady Conyngham
- I Stole a Million (1939) as Flower Shop Customer (uncredited)
- Three Smart Girls Grow Up (1939) as Mrs. Withers
- You Can't Cheat an Honest Man (1939) as Mrs. Bel-Goodie
- These Glamour Girls (1939) as Mrs. Van Reichton (uncredited)
- Hollywood Cavalcade (1939) as Mrs. Gaynes
- The Ice Follies of 1939 (1939) as Lady Hilda (uncredited)
- Fast and Loose (1939) as Mrs. Torrent
- Risky Business (1939) as Mrs. Jameson
- The Sun Never Sets (1939) as Mrs. Randolph
- Outside These Walls (1939) as Gertrude Bishop
- You Can't Take It with You (1938) as Mrs. Anthony Kirby
- Three Loves Has Nancy (1938) as Mrs. Hanson
- The Rage of Paris (1938) as Woman in Opera Box (uncredited)
- Always Goodbye (1938) as Aunt Martha Marshall
- Everybody Sing (1938) as Miss Colvin
- What Do You Think? (Number Three) (1938) as Mrs. Dosier - John's Mother (uncredited)
- Outside of Paradise (1938) as Mrs. Stonewall
- Another Dawn (1937) as Mrs. Lydia Benton
- The Awful Truth (1937) as Mrs. Vance
- Stage Door (1937) as Cast of Stage Play
- One Hundred Men and a Girl (1937) as Concert Hall Patron
- Wee Willie Winkie (1937) as Mrs. MacMonachie
- Women of Glamour (1937) as Mrs. Stark
- The Life of the Party (1937) as Mrs. Saunders
- The White Angel (1936) as Lady Disapproving of Florence #1 (uncredited)
- Wedding Present (1936) as Mrs. Dodacker
- Theodora Goes Wild (1936) as Mrs. Wyatt (uncredited)
- Captain Blood (1935) as Mrs. Steed
- Anna Karenina (1935) as Princess Sorokina
- Les Misérables (1935) as Mlle. Baptiseme
- Roberta (1935) as (uncredited)
- Rendezvous (1935) as Lady Cavendish (uncredited)
- Laddie (1935) as Mrs. Anna Pryor
- The Perfect Gentleman (1935) as Lady Clyffe-Pembrook
- Stranded (1935) as Grace Dean (uncredited)
- The Widow from Monte Carlo (1935) as Lady Holloway
- Dizzy Dames (1935) as Mrs. Stokes
- British Agent (1934) as Lady Catherine Trehearne
- A Lost Lady (1934) as Mrs. Hardy (uncredited)
- She Was a Lady (1934) as Lady Diana Vane
- Sadie McKee (1934) as Mrs. Alderson (uncredited)
- Happiness Ahead (1934) as Mrs. Travis
- Most Precious Thing in Life (1934) as Mrs. Kelsey
- We Live Again (1934) as Mrs. Kortchagin
- Blind Date (1934) as Mrs. Hartwell
- Shock (1934) as Lady Heatherly
- Two Heads on a Pillow (1934) as Mrs. Caroline Devonshire
- You Can't Buy Everything (1934) as Kate Farley
- Cavalcade (1933) as Duchess of Churt (uncredited)
- Bombshell (1933) as Mrs. Middleton
- A Farewell to Arms (1932) as Miss Van Campen
- Vanity Fair (1932) as Mrs. Sedley
- The Silent Witness (1932) as Lady Howard
- Working Girls (1931) as Mrs. Johnstone
- Born to Love (1931) as The Duchess (uncredited)
- The Man Who Came Back (1931) as Mrs. Gaynes
- Chances (1931) as Mrs. Ingleside
- The Brat (1931) as Mrs. Forester
- Abraham Lincoln (1930) as Actress (uncredited)
- So This Is London (1930) as Lady Worthing
- The Devil to Pay! (1930) as Mrs. Hope (uncredited)
- Strictly Unconventional (1930) as Mrs. Anna Shenstone
- Holiday (1930) as Mrs. Pritchard Ames (uncredited)
- East Is West (1930) as Mrs. Benson
- Her Private Life (1929) as Ladu Wildering
- The Thirteenth Chair (1929) as Lady Alice Crosby
- The Trespasser (1929) as Mrs. Ferguson
- Sunny Side Up (1929) as Mrs. Cromwell
- The Lady Clare (1919) as Lady Julia Medwin
- Women Who Win (1919)
- The Woman's Portion (1918) as Lizzie
Frequently Asked Questions
What movies or TV shows is Mary Forbes best known for?
Mary Forbes is widely recognized for notable roles and projects including Houseboat (1958), Noroi: The Curse (2005), Alfred Hitchcock Presents (1955), Les Miserables (1952).
When and where was Mary Forbes born?
Mary Forbes was born on December 30, 1882 in Hornsey, Middlesex [now in Haringey, London], England, UK. They passed away on July 22, 1974.
How many credits does Mary Forbes have?
Mary Forbes has accumulated over 108 film and television credits across a career spanning from 1929 to 1958.
What is Mary Forbes's background in cinema and television?
Mary Forbes, born Ethel Louise Young, was a British-American film actress born in Hornsey, England. Based in the United States in her latter years, she died on July 22, 1974. Forbes made her first public appearance on the concert platform giving recitals, and her acting debut occurred in 1908 on the London stage at the...
Mary Forbes by the numbers
Age in their best-rated roles
- Alfred Hitchcock Presents (1955) as Mrs. Herbert Winthrop — aged about 72
- Ninotchka (1939) as Lady Lavenham (uncredited) — aged about 56
- You Can't Take It with You (1938) as Mrs. Anthony Kirby — aged about 55
- Mr. Lucky (1943) as War Relief Worker (uncredited) — aged about 60
- The Awful Truth (1937) as Mrs. Vance — aged about 54
- The Picture of Dorian Gray (1945) as Lady Agatha — aged about 62
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