Eily Malyon (born Eily Sophie Lees-Craston; 30 October 1879 – 26 September 1961) was an English character actress from about 1900 to the 1940s. She had a stage career in Britain, Australia and America before moving to Hollywood to perform in motion pictures.

History

The daughter of Harry Craston, a master boot and lawn tennis shoe manufacturer, and his wife, Malyon was born in the

London London is the capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary dow ...

district of

Islington Islington () is a district in the north of Greater London, England, and part of the London Borough of Islington. It is a mainly residential district of Inner London, extending from Islington's High Street to Highbury Fields, encompassing the ...

in 1879. Her parents divorced in 1882, and she accompanied her mother, the actress Agnes Thomas, touring the world. Consequently she received much of her education in convent schools in Belgium, England and America. She so enjoyed her stay at the Ursuline convents near

Liège Liège ( , , ; wa, Lîdje ; nl, Luik ; german: Lüttich ) is a major city and municipality of Wallonia and the capital of the Belgian province of Liège. The city is situated in the valley of the Meuse, in the east of Belgium, not far fro ...

and

Visé Visé (; nl, Wezet, ; wa, Vizé) is a city and municipality of Wallonia, located on the river Meuse in the province of Liège, Belgium. The municipality consists of the following districts: Argenteau, Cheratte, Lanaye, Lixhe, Richelle ...

that she resolved to become a nun, but changed her mind after experience as

understudy In theater, an understudy, referred to in opera as cover or covering, is a performer who learns the lines and blocking or choreography of a regular actor, actress, or other performer in a play. Should the regular actor or actress be unable to a ...

to her mother at

Drury Lane Drury Lane is a street on the eastern boundary of the Covent Garden area of London, running between Aldwych and High Holborn. The northern part is in the borough of Camden and the southern part in the City of Westminster. Notable landmarks T ...

. She gained further experience in

repertory A repertory theatre is a theatre in which a resident company presents works from a specified repertoire, usually in alternation or rotation. United Kingdom Annie Horniman founded the first modern repertory theatre in Manchester after withdrawin ...

with the

Stage Society The Incorporated Stage Society, commonly known as the Stage Society, was an English theatre society with limited membership which mounted private Sunday performances of new and experimental plays, mainly at the Royal Court Theatre (whose Vedrenne- ...

in London. She spent some time in Australia, initially as a member of Ethel Irving's company, brought to Melbourne in 1911 by J. C. Williamson to play '' The Witness for the Defence'', then played for Williamson in an English comedy company touring '' Milestones'', in the role of Rose Sibley. She played in repertory and at the

Little Theatre Little Theatre or Little Theater may refer to: Australia * Little Theatre, Adelaide, South Australia * Little Theatre, Sydney, former name of the Royal Standard Theatre, Sydney, New South Wales * Melbourne Little Theatre, an amateur theatre compan ...

for Frederick Ward in Sydney 1915–1916 and for

Gregan McMahon Gregan McMahon, CBE (2 March 1874 – 30 August 1941)Allan Ashbolt,McMahon, Gregan (1874–1941), Australian Dictionary of Biography, Volume 10, MUP, 1986, pp 336–337. Retrieved 2 October 2009 was an Australian actor and theatrical director ...

in Melbourne 1916–1918. She left Australia for a career on the American stage in September 1925.

Personal life

Malyon married Joshua Plumpton Wilson in Melbourne, Australia, on 9 December 1911. They divorced in May 1922.

Partial filmography

*'' Born to Love'' (1931) - Nurse (uncredited) *''

Lovers Courageous ''Lovers Courageous'' is a 1932 American pre-Code drama film directed by Robert Z. Leonard and written by Frederick Lonsdale. The film stars Robert Montgomery, Madge Evans, Roland Young, Frederick Kerr, Reginald Owen and Beryl Mercer. The ...

'' (1932) - Landlady (uncredited) *''

The Wet Parade ''The Wet Parade'' is a 1932 American pre-Code drama film directed by Victor Fleming and starring Robert Young, Myrna Loy, Walter Huston, Lewis Stone and Jimmy Durante. It is based on the 1931 novel by Upton Sinclair. The film shows how two fa ...

'' (1932) - Irish Drunk's Wife (uncredited) *'' Night Court'' (1932) - Hungry Woman in Court (uncredited) *'' Rasputin and the Empress'' (1932) - Woman Yelling 'Blessed Among Women!' (uncredited) *''

Today We Live ''Today We Live'' is a 1933 American pre-Code romance drama film produced and directed by Howard Hawks and starring Joan Crawford, Gary Cooper, Robert Young and Franchot Tone.

'' (1933) - Wendy, the Maid (uncredited) *''

Looking Forward ''Looking Forward'' is the third and final studio album by Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young and their fifth, overall. It is the fourteenth and final album when conflated with releases by the trio of Crosby, Stills & Nash. It was released on Reprise ...

'' (1933) - Mrs. Munsey (uncredited) *'' Eight Girls in a Boat'' (1934) - Teacher (uncredited) *'' Nana'' (1934) - Nana's First Employer (uncredited) *''

His Greatest Gamble ''His Greatest Gamble'' is a 1934 American drama film directed by John Robertson from a screenplay by Sidney Buchman and Harry Hervey, based on a story by Salisbury Field. The film stars Richard Dix, Dorothy Wilson, Bruce Cabot, and Erin O'Br ...

'' (1934) - Jenny *''

Great Expectations ''Great Expectations'' is the thirteenth novel by Charles Dickens and his penultimate completed novel. It depicts the education of an orphan nicknamed Pip (Great Expectations), Pip (the book is a ''bildungsroman''; a coming-of-age story). It ...

'' (1934) - Sarah Pocket *'' Limehouse Blues'' (1934) - Woman Who Finds Pug (uncredited) *''

Forsaking All Others ''Forsaking All Others'' is a 1934 American romantic comedy-drama film directed by W.S. Van Dyke, and starring Robert Montgomery, Joan Crawford and Clark Gable. The screenplay was written by Joseph L. Mankiewicz, which was based upon a 1933 ...

'' (1934) - Mrs. Gordon - Customer (uncredited) *'' The Little Minister'' (1934) - Evalina *'' Romance in Manhattan'' (1935) - Miss Evans *'' Clive of India'' (1935) - Mrs. Clifford *'' The Florentine Dagger'' (1935) - Frau Fredericka *''

Les Misérables ''Les Misérables'' ( , ) is a French historical novel by Victor Hugo, first published in 1862, that is considered one of the greatest novels of the 19th century. In the English-speaking world, the novel is usually referred to by its origin ...

'' (1935) - Mother Superior *''

Mark of the Vampire ''Mark of the Vampire'' (also known as ''Vampires of Prague'') is a 1935 American horror film, starring Lionel Barrymore, Elizabeth Allan (British actress), Elizabeth Allan, Bela Lugosi, Lionel Atwill, and Jean Hersholt, and directed by Tod Br ...

'' (1935) - Sick Woman (scenes deleted) *''

The Flame Within ''The Flame Within'' is Stream of Passion's second studio album released on May 27, 2009, by Napalm Records. It is the follow-up to their debut album, ''Embrace the Storm''. It is the first album with guitarists Eric Hazebroek and Stephan Schul ...

'' (1935) - Murdock, Lillian's Housekeeper *''

The Farmer Takes a Wife ''The Farmer Takes a Wife'' is a 1934 play by Frank B. Elser and Marc Connelly based on the 1929 novel '' Rome Haul'' by Walter D. Edmonds. It was well-received upon its opening night on Broadway on October 30, 1934, at the 46th Street Theatre ...

'' (1935) - Angus' Wife (uncredited) *''

Diamond Jim ''Diamond Jim'' is a 1935 biographical film based on the published biography ''Diamond Jim Brady'' by Parker Morell. It follows the life of legendary entrepreneur James Buchanan Brady, including his romance with entertainer Lillian Russell, and s ...

'' (1935) - Organist (uncredited) *'' The Melody Lingers On'' (1935) - Sister Maria *''

I Found Stella Parish ''I Found Stella Parish'' is a 1935 melodrama starring Kay Francis as a beloved actress whose dark secret is revealed to the world.. Plot In London, Stella Parish (Kay Francis) has her greatest stage triumph in a play produced and directed by Ste ...

'' (1935) - Ship's Clothing Clerk (uncredited) *'' Kind Lady'' (1935) - Mrs. Edwards *''

Ah, Wilderness! ''Ah, Wilderness!'' is a comedy by American playwright Eugene O'Neill that premiered on Broadway at the Guild Theatre on October 2, 1933. It differs from a typical O'Neill play in its happy ending for the central character, and depiction of a ...

'' (1935) - Nora - the Maid (uncredited) *''

A Tale of Two Cities ''A Tale of Two Cities'' is a historical novel published in 1859 by Charles Dickens, set in London and Paris before and during the French Revolution. The novel tells the story of the French Doctor Manette, his 18-year-long imprisonment in ...

'' (1935) - Mrs. Cruncher *'' The Widow from Monte Carlo'' (1935) - Lady Maynard *''

Little Lord Fauntleroy ''Little Lord Fauntleroy'' is a novel by Frances Hodgson Burnett. It was published as a serial in ''St. Nicholas Magazine'' from November 1885 to October 1886, then as a book by Scribner's (the publisher of ''St. Nicholas'') in 1886. The ill ...

'' (1936) - Landlady *'' Dracula's Daughter'' (1936) - Miss Peabody - Nurse (uncredited) *'' One Rainy Afternoon'' (1936) - President of Purity League *'' The White Angel'' (1936) - Sister Colomba *''

The Devil-Doll ''The Devil-Doll'' (1936) is a horror film directed by Tod Browning and starring Lionel Barrymore and Maureen O'Sullivan. The film was adapted from the novel ''Burn Witch Burn!'' (1932) by Abraham Merritt. It has become a cult film.Paul Simpson, ...

'' (1936) - Laundry Proprietress (uncredited) *''

Anthony Adverse ''Anthony Adverse'' is a 1936 American epic historical drama film directed by Mervyn LeRoy and starring Fredric March and Olivia de Havilland. The screenplay by Sheridan Gibney draws elements of its plot from eight of the nine books in Herve ...

'' (1936) - Mother Superior *'' A Woman Rebels'' (1936) - Miss Piper (uncredited) *'' Three Men on a Horse'' (1936) - Miss Burns *'' Camille'' (1936) - Therese - Maid in Country House (uncredited) *'' Career Woman'' (1936) - Miss Brinkerhoff *'' God's Country and the Woman'' (1937) - Mrs. Higgenbottom (uncredited) *'' That I May Live'' (1937) - Cally Plivens (uncredited) *'' Night Must Fall'' (1937) - Nurse *'' Parnell'' (1937) - Irish Woman with Dead Child (uncredited) *'' Another Dawn'' (1937) - Mrs. Farnold *''

Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm ''Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm'' is a classic American 1903 children's novel by Kate Douglas Wiggin that tells the story of Rebecca Rowena Randall and her aunts, one stern and one kind, in the fictional village of Riverboro, Maine. Rebecca's jo ...

'' (1938) - Mrs. Turner *''

Kidnapped Kidnapped may refer to: * subject to the crime of kidnapping Literature * ''Kidnapped'' (novel), an 1886 novel by Robert Louis Stevenson * ''Kidnapped'' (comics), a 2007 graphic novel adaptation of R. L. Stevenson's novel by Alan Grant and Cam ...

'' (1938) - Mrs. Campbell *'' The Young in Heart'' (1938) - Sarah *'' The Little Princess'' (1939) - Cook *''

The Hound of the Baskervilles ''The Hound of the Baskervilles'' is the third of the four crime novels by British writer Arthur Conan Doyle featuring the detective Sherlock Holmes. Originally serialised in ''The Strand Magazine'' from August 1901 to April 1902, it is set ...

'' (1939) - Mrs. Barryman *'' The Night Riders'' (1939) - Aunt Martha (uncredited) *'' Confessions of a Nazi Spy'' (1939) - Mrs. McLaughlin *'' On Borrowed Time'' (1939) - Demetria Riffle *''

Sabotage Sabotage is a deliberate action aimed at weakening a polity, effort, or organization through subversion, obstruction, disruption, or destruction. One who engages in sabotage is a ''saboteur''. Saboteurs typically try to conceal their identitie ...

'' (1939) - Woman Standing Behind Henry and Laura *'' We Are Not Alone'' (1939) - Archdeacon's Wife *''

Barricade Barricade (from the French ''barrique'' - 'barrel') is any object or structure that creates a barrier or obstacle to control, block passage or force the flow of traffic in the desired direction. Adopted as a military term, a barricade denot ...

'' (1939) - Mrs. Little - Head of Mission *'' Young Tom Edison'' (1940) - Miss Lavina Howard, School Teacher *'' Untamed'' (1940) - Mrs. Sarah McGavity *''

Foreign Correspondent A correspondent or on-the-scene reporter is usually a journalist or commentator for a magazine, or an agent who contributes reports to a newspaper, or radio or television news, or another type of company, from a remote, often distant, locat ...

'' (1940) - College Arms Hotel Cashier (uncredited) *'' Flowing Gold'' (1940) - Cashier (uncredited) *'' Arkansas Judge'' (1941) - Widow Smithers *'' Reaching for the Sun'' (1941) - Landlady *'' Man Hunt'' (1941) - Lyme Regis Postmistress *'' Hit the Road'' (1941) - Cathy Crookshank *''You're Telling Me'' (1942) - Mrs. Appleby *'' The Man in the Trunk'' (1942) - Abbie Addison *''

Scattergood Survives a Murder ''Scattergood Survives a Murder'' is a 1942 American mystery film directed by Christy Cabanne from a screenplay by Michael L. Simmons, based on the series of short stories about "Scattergood Baines", penned by Clarence Budington Kelland. Cast * ...

'' (1942) - Mrs. Grimes *''

I Married a Witch ''I Married a Witch'' is a 1942 American fantasy romantic comedy film, directed by René Clair, and starring Veronica Lake as a witch whose plan for revenge goes comically awry, with Fredric March as her foil. The film also features Robert Benchl ...

'' (1942) - Tabitha Wooley *'' The Undying Monster'' (1942) - Mrs. Walton (uncredited) *'' Shadow of a Doubt'' (1943) - Mrs. Cochran (uncredited) *'' Above Suspicion'' (1943) - Walmer Hotel Proprietess (uncredited) *''

The Man from Down Under ''The Man from Down Under'' is an American 1943 drama film starring Charles Laughton as a man who raises two war orphans. It was called "Hollywood's first full-length film dealing exclusively with Australia and Australians". Plot After the end ...

'' (1943) - Sarah - Aggie's Maid (uncredited) *''

Jane Eyre ''Jane Eyre'' ( ; originally published as ''Jane Eyre: An Autobiography'') is a novel by the English writer Charlotte Brontë. It was published under her pen name "Currer Bell" on 19 October 1847 by Smith, Elder & Co. of London. The first ...

'' (1943) - Mrs. Skatcher (uncredited) *'' Going My Way'' (1944) - Mrs. Carmody *''

The Seventh Cross ''The Seventh Cross'' (german: Das siebte Kreuz) is a novel by Anna Seghers, one of the better-known examples of German literature circa World War II. It was first published in Mexico by ''El Libro Libre'' In 1942. The English translation came ...

'' (1944) - Fraulein Bachmann *''

Grissly's Millions ''Grissly's Millions'' is a 1945 American mystery film directed by John English and written by Muriel Roy Bolton. The film stars Paul Kelly, Virginia Grey, Don Douglas, Elisabeth Risdon, Robert Barrat and Clem Bevans. The film was released o ...

'' (1945) - Mattie *''

Roughly Speaking ''Roughly Speaking'' is the sixteenth studio album by the Canadian rock band April Wine, released in November 2006. The album was recorded without computerized modern digital recording techniques. Instead, the group employed the same type of a ...

'' (1945) - The Dean (uncredited) *''

Son of Lassie ''Son of Lassie'' (also known as ''Laddie, Son of Lassie'') is a 1945 American Technicolor feature film produced by MGM based on characters created by Eric Knight, and starring Peter Lawford, Donald Crisp, June Lockhart and Pal (credited as L ...

'' (1945) - Washwoman *'' Scared Stiff'' (1945) - Mrs. Cooke *'' Paris Underground'' (1945) - Madame Martin *''

She Wouldn't Say Yes ''She Wouldn't Say Yes'' is a 1945 screwball comedy film directed by Alexander Hall and starring Rosalind Russell and Lee Bowman. Plot A psychiatrist, Dr. Susan Lane, is leaving a military hospital after spending two weeks working with patients ...

'' (1945) - Spinster on Train (uncredited) *'' Devotion'' (1946) - Mrs. Thornton's Friend at the Ball (uncredited) *'' She-Wolf of London'' (1946) - Hannah *'' The Secret Heart'' (1946) - Miss Hunter *'' The Challenge'' (1948) - Kitty Fyffe (final film role)

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Malyon, Eily 1879 births 1961 deaths Deaths from cancer in California English film actresses Actresses from London Actresses from Pasadena, California 20th-century American actresses 20th-century English actresses British expatriate actresses in the United States British expatriate actresses in Australia