Constance Cummings
Constance Cummings
Biography
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.
Known For
Personal Info
Known For
Acting
Known Credits
42
Gender
Female
Birthday
1910-05-15 (115 years old)
Place of Birth
Seattle, Washington, USA
Acting

1986

Dead Man's Folly as Amy Folliatt

1985

Love Song as Dame Phillipa Hatchard

1983

Wings as Emily Stilson

1973

Long Day's Journey Into Night as Mary Tyrone

1970

Menace as Not available

1963

Late Summer as Helga

1963

In the Cool of the Day as Mrs. Nina Gellert

1963

Sammy Going South as Gloria van Imhoff

1962

Harold Lloyd's World of Comedy as (archive footage)

1960

The Battle of the Sexes as Angela Barrows

1956

The Bitter Waters as Louisa Pallant

1956

The Intimate Stranger as Kay Wallace

1955

John and Julie as Mrs. Davidson

1951

Schlitz Playhouse of Stars as Madge Haley

1950

Lux Video Theatre as Intermission Guest

1950

Into the Blue as Kate Fergusson

1945

Blithe Spirit as Ruth Condomine

1942

The Foreman Went to France as Anne Stafford

1941

This England as Ann

1940

Busman's Honeymoon as Harriet Vane

1938

Cyrano de Bergerac as Roxane

1936

Seven Sinners as Caryl Fenton

1935

Remember Last Night? as Carlotta Milburn

1934

Looking for Trouble as Ethel Greenwood

1934

Glamour as Linda Fayne

1934

This Man Is Mine as Francesca Harper

1933

Channel Crossing as Marion Slade

1933

The Billion Dollar Scandal as Doris Masterson

1933

Heads We Go as Betty Smith / Dorothy Kay

1933

The Mind Reader as Sylvia

1933

Broadway Thru a Keyhole as Joan Whelan

1932

Attorney for the Defense as Ruth Barry

1932

The Big Timer as Honey Baldwin

1932

American Madness as Helen

1932

Washington Merry-Go-Round as Alice Wylie

1932

Behind the Mask as Julie Arnold

1932

Movie Crazy as Mary Sears

1932

Night After Night as Miss Jerry Healy

1931

The Criminal Code as Mary Brady

1931

Traveling Husbands as Ellen Wilson

1931

The Guilty Generation as Maria Palmero

1931

The Last Parade as Molly Pearson