Alison Skipworth (born Alison Mary Elliott Margaret Groom; 25 July 18635 July 1952) was an English stage and screen actress.
Early years
Skipworth was born in London. She was the daughter of Dr. Richard Ebenezer Groom and Elizabeth Rodgers, and she had a private education.
Stage
Alison Skipworth made her first stage appearance at Daly's Theatre in London in 1894, in '' A Gaiety Girl''. Her first American performance came the following year at the
Broadway Theatre
Broadway theatre,Although ''theater'' is generally the spelling for this common noun in the United States (see American and British English spelling differences), 130 of the 144 extant and extinct Broadway venues use (used) the spelling ''T ...
in New York City. She sang in light opera in '' An Artist's Model''. In this production she served as understudy to Marie Tempest. After performing in two London plays, Skipworth returned to the United States, and made it her home. She joined the company of Daniel Frohman at the Lyceum. There she made her debut as ''Mrs. Ware'' in ''
The Princess and the Butterfly
''The Princess and The Butterfly: or, The Fantastics'' is a comedy in five acts by Arthur Wing Pinero first produced at London’s St. James's Theatre on March 25, 1897 and in New York at the Lyceum Theatre on November 23, 1897. The New York ...
'' in 1897.
In 1905 and 1906 Skipworth toured with Viola Allen in three productions of Shakespeare, '' Cymbeline'', '' Twelfth Night'', and '' As You Like It''. In the following years she played with James K. Hackett and John Drew, Jr., among other theatre celebrities. Productions in which she was featured are ''
The Torch-Bearers
''The Torch-Bearers'' is a 1922 stage play by George Kelly about a housewife who becomes an actress (the original actress became a widow and withdrew) while her husband is away on business, with Act I being the rehearsal at their home, Act II is ...
'', ''The Swan'', ''The Enchanted April'', ''The Grand Duchess and the Waiter'', ''Mrs. Dane's Defence'' and ''Marseilles''.
Film
Skipworth appeared in her first film in 1912, ''A Mardi Gras Mix-Up''. The same year she performed in ''The Pilgrimage'', ''Into the Jungle'', and ''A Political Kidnapping''. In 1930 she made her first talkie, ''Strictly Unconventional''. Skipworth appeared opposite
W. C. Fields
William Claude Dukenfield (January 29, 1880 – December 25, 1946), better known as W. C. Fields, was an American comedian, actor, juggler, and writer. Fields's comic persona was a misanthropic and hard-drinking egotist who remained a sympathet ...
as his foil in four films: '' If I Had a Million'' (1932), '' Tillie and Gus'' (1933), '' Alice in Wonderland'' (1933), and '' Six of a Kind'' (1934). Her film career continued until 1938 with many major supporting roles. Her later screen credits include ''
The Casino Murder Case
''The Casino Murder Case'' is a 1934 novel written by S. S. Van Dine in the series about fictional detective Philo Vance
Philo Vance is a fictional amateur detective originally featured in 12 crime novels by S. S. Van Dine in the 1920s and 19 ...
'', '' The Girl from 10th Avenue'', ''King of the Newsboys'', ''Wide Open Faces'', and ''Ladies in Distress''.
Personal life
In 1882, Skipworth married Frank Markham Skipworth, an artist for whom she modeled; they later divorced. Nicknamed "Skippy", Skipworth resided in an ordinary Hollywood flat, drove a Ford, and drank tea daily in her own garden each afternoon when she was not working.
Death
Skipworth died of natural causes on 5 July 1952 at her home in New York City.
Filmography
* ''A Mardi Gras Mix-Up'' (1912, Short) - The Doctor's Wife
* ''The Pilgrimage'' (1912, Short) - William's Mother
* ''Into the Jungle'' (1912, Short)
* ''A Political Kidnapping'' (1912, Short)
* '' 39 East'' (1920) - Mrs. de Mailly
* '' Handcuffs or Kisses'' (1921) - Miss Strodd
* '' Big Pal'' (1925) - Agatha Briggs, truant officer (*uncredited)
* '' Strictly Unconventional'' (1930) - Lady Catherine Champion-Chene
* '' Raffles'' (1930) - Lady Kitty Melrose
* ''
Outward Bound
Outward Bound (OB) is an international network of outdoor education organizations that was founded in the United Kingdom by Lawrence Holt and Kurt Hahn in 1941. Today there are organizations, called schools, in over 35 countries which are att ...
The Unexpected Father
''The Unexpected Father'' is a 1932 American comedy film directed by Thornton Freeland and starring Slim Summerville, Zasu Pitts, and Cora Sue Collins.Stumpf p. 136
The film's sets were designed by the art director Thomas F. O'Neill.
Plot
C ...
Tonight Is Ours
''Tonight Is Ours'' is a 1933 American Pre-Code drama film directed by Stuart Walker and starring Claudette Colbert, Fredric March and Alison Skipworth. Made by Paramount Pictures, it is based on the play '' The Queen Was in the Parlour'' by Noà ...
'' (1933) - Grand Duchess Emilie
* '' He Learned About Women'' (1933) - Mme. Vivienne Pompadour
* ''
A Lady's Profession
''A Lady's Profession'' is a 1933 American pre-Code comedy film directed by Norman Z. McLeod and written by Malcolm Stuart Boylan, Walter DeLeon and Nina Wilcox Putnam. The film stars Alison Skipworth, Roland Young, Sari Maritza, Kent Taylo ...
Wharf Angel
''Wharf Angel'' is a 1934 American drama film directed by William Cameron Menzies and George Somnes and starring Victor McLaglen, Dorothy Dell, David Landau, and Preston Foster. ''Wharf Angel'' was the first screenplay of Stephen Morehouse Ave ...
'' (1934) - Mother Bright
* '' Shoot the Works'' (1934) - The Countess
* ''
The Notorious Sophie Lang
''The Notorious Sophie Lang'' is a 1934 American crime drama film directed by Ralph Murphy and starring Gertrude Michael, Paul Cavanagh and Alison Skipworth.The Captain Hates the Sea'' (1934) - Mrs. Yolanda Magruder
* '' Here is My Heart'' (1934) - Countess Rostova
* ''
The Casino Murder Case
''The Casino Murder Case'' is a 1934 novel written by S. S. Van Dine in the series about fictional detective Philo Vance
Philo Vance is a fictional amateur detective originally featured in 12 crime novels by S. S. Van Dine in the 1920s and 19 ...
Becky Sharp
Rebecca "Becky" Sharp, later describing herself as Rebecca, Lady Crawley, is the main protagonist of William Makepeace Thackeray's 1847–48 novel '' Vanity Fair''. She is presented as a cynical social climber who uses her charms to fascinate a ...
'' (1935) - Miss Crawley
* ''
Doubting Thomas
A doubting Thomas is a skeptic who refuses to believe without direct personal experience — a reference to the Gospel of John's depiction of the Apostle Thomas, who, in John's account, refused to believe the resurrected Jesus had appeared t ...
'' (1935) - Mrs. Pampinelli
* ''
Shanghai
Shanghai (; , , Standard Chinese, Standard Mandarin pronunciation: ) is one of the four Direct-administered municipalities of China, direct-administered municipalities of the China, People's Republic of China (PRC). The city is located on the ...
'' (1935) - Aunt Jane
* '' Dangerous'' (1935) - Mrs. Williams
* ''
Hitch Hike Lady
''Hitch Hike Lady'' is a 1935 American comedy film directed by Aubrey Scotto and written by Gordon Rigby and Lester Cole. The film stars Alison Skipworth, Mae Clarke, Arthur Treacher, James Ellison, Warren Hymer and Beryl Mercer. The film was ...
'' (1935) - Mrs. Amelia Blake
* ''
The Princess Comes Across
''The Princess Comes Across'' is a 1936 mystery/ comedy film directed by William K. Howard and starring Carole Lombard and Fred MacMurray, the second of the four times they were paired together. Lombard, playing an actress from Brooklyn pretend ...
'' (1936) - Lady Gertrude
* '' Satan Met a Lady'' (1936) - Madame Barabbas
* ''
The Gorgeous Hussy
''The Gorgeous Hussy'' is a 1936 American period film directed by Clarence Brown, and starring Joan Crawford and Robert Taylor. The screenplay was written by Stephen Morehouse Avery and Ainsworth Morgan, which was based on a 1934 novel by Samue ...
Ladies in Distress
''Ladies in Distress'' is a 1938 American drama film directed by Gus Meins and written by Dorrell McGowan and Stuart E. McGowan. The film stars Alison Skipworth, Polly Moran, Robert Livingston, Virginia Grey, Max Terhune and Berton Churchill. T ...
The New York Times
''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid ...
'', "Alison Skipworth, actress, Dies at 88", 7 July 1952, page 21.
* '' Winnipeg Free Press'', "Lyceum", 23 January 1936, page 24.