Catherine Lacey (6 May 1904 – 23 September 1979) was an English actress of stage and screen.

Stage

Lacey made her stage debut, performing with

Mrs Patrick Campbell Beatrice Rose Stella Tanner (9 February 1865 – 9 April 1940), better known by her stage name Mrs Patrick Campbell or Mrs Pat, was an English stage actress, best known for appearing in plays by Shakespeare, Shaw and Barrie. She also toured th ...

, in ''The Thirteenth Chair'' at the

West Pier The West Pier is a ruined pier in Brighton, England. It was designed by Eugenius Birch and opened in 1866. It was the first pier to be Grade I listed in England and Wales but has become increasingly derelict since its closure to the public ...

Brighton on 13 April 1925. Her first appearance in the West End was in July 1926 in ''Cock o' the Roost'' at the Garrick Theatre.John Parker (ed), ''Who's Who in the Theatre'' 15th edition, Pitman Publishing 1972 Her other West End credits included ''The Beetle'' (Strand Theatre 1928), '' The Venetian'' (Little Theatre 1931; her Broadway debut, at the Masque Theatre, followed in the same play the same year), ''

The Green Bay Tree ''The Green Bay Tree'' is a 1933 three-act drama written by Mordaunt Shairp that explores a "half-suggested homosexual relationship" between a man and his protégé or, in the words of one critic "a rich hot-house sybarite" and someone "he ado ...

'' (St Martin's Theatre 1933), '' After the Dance'' (St James' Theatre 1939), ''

The Late Edwina Black ''The Late Edwina Black'' (U.S. ''Obsessed'') is a 1951 British drama film, directed by Maurice Elvey and starring David Farrar, Geraldine Fitzgerald and Roland Culver. The film is a melodramatic murder mystery set in the Victorian era and was ...

'' (Ambassadors Theatre 1949), ''

Tiger at the Gates ''The Trojan War Will Not Take Place'' (french: La guerre de Troie n'aura pas lieu) is a play written in 1935 by French dramatist Jean Giraudoux. In 1955 it was translated into English by Christopher Fry with the title ''Tiger at the Gates''. The ...

'' (Apollo Theatre 1955; she appeared at the Plymouth Theatre on Broadway in the same play later the same year), ''

The Tiger and the Horse ''The Tiger and the Horse'' is a three-act play by Robert Bolt, written in 1960. Based on Bolt's own position as a member of the Committee of 100, a British anti-nuclear group, it deals with a university professor faced with choosing to sign a pet ...

'' (Queen's Theatre 1960) and ''

I Never Sang for My Father ''I Never Sang for My Father'' is a 1970 American drama film, based on the 1968 play of the same name. It tells the story of a widowed college professor who feels dominated by his aging father, yet still has regrets about his plan to leave him be ...

'' (Duke of York's Theatre 1970). Having acted at Stratford and the Old Vic in 1935/36, she returned to both companies in later years: to the Old Vic in 1951 (Clytemnestra in ''

Electra Electra (; grc, Ήλέκτρα) is one of the most popular mythological characters in tragedies.Evans (1970), p. 79 She is the main character in two Greek tragedies, '' Electra'' by Sophocles and '' Electra'' by Euripides. She is also the centra ...

'') and 1962 (Aase in ''

Peer Gynt ''Peer Gynt'' (, ) is a five- act play in verse by the Norwegian dramatist Henrik Ibsen published in 1876. Written in Norwegian, it is one of the most widely performed Norwegian plays. Ibsen believed '' Per Gynt'', the Norwegian fairy tale on ...

'', Emilia in ''

Othello ''Othello'' (full title: ''The Tragedy of Othello, the Moor of Venice'') is a tragedy written by William Shakespeare, probably in 1603, set in the contemporary Ottoman–Venetian War (1570–1573) fought for the control of the Island of Cyp ...

''), and to the

Royal Shakespeare Company The Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC) is a major British theatre company, based in Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire, England. The company employs over 1,000 staff and produces around 20 productions a year. The RSC plays regularly in London, St ...

in 1967, playing Volumnia in ''

Coriolanus ''Coriolanus'' ( or ) is a tragedy by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written between 1605 and 1608. The play is based on the life of the legendary Roman leader Caius Marcius Coriolanus. Shakespeare worked on it during the same yea ...

'' and the Countess of Rousillon in ''

All's Well That Ends Well ''All's Well That Ends Well'' is a play by William Shakespeare, published in the '' First Folio'' in 1623, where it is listed among the comedies. There is a debate regarding the dating of the composition of the play, with possible dates rangi ...

''.

Screen

She made her film debut in 1938 as the secretive nun who wears high heels in

Alfred Hitchcock Sir Alfred Joseph Hitchcock (13 August 1899 – 29 April 1980) was an English filmmaker. He is widely regarded as one of the most influential figures in the history of cinema. In a career spanning six decades, he directed over 50 featur ...

's '' The Lady Vanishes'', in which she was credited as Catherine Lacy. Her film credits include '' I Know Where I'm Going!'' (1945), ''

The October Man ''The October Man'' is a 1947 mystery film/film noir starring John Mills and Joan Greenwood, written by novelist Eric Ambler, who also produced. A man is suspected of murder, and the lingering effects of a brain injury he sustained in an earlier ...

'' (1947), '' Whisky Galore!'' (1949), ''

The Servant A servant is a person working within an employer's household. Servant or servants may refer to: Places * Servant, Puy-de-Dôme, France Arts, entertainment, and media Films * ''The Servant'' (1963 film), a British drama * ''The Servant'' (1989 ...

'' (1963) and '' The Fighting Prince of Donegal'' (1966), in which she played

Queen Elizabeth I Elizabeth I (7 September 153324 March 1603) was Queen of England and Ireland from 17 November 1558 until her death in 1603. Elizabeth was the last of the five House of Tudor monarchs and is sometimes referred to as the "Virgin Queen". Eli ...

. In 1966/67 she played a malevolent fortune-teller in ''

The Mummy's Shroud ''The Mummy's Shroud'' is a 1967 British DeLuxe colour horror film made by Hammer Film Productions which was directed by John Gilling. It stars André Morell and David Buck as explorers who uncover the tomb of an ancient Egyptian mummy. It als ...

'' and

Boris Karloff William Henry Pratt (23 November 1887 – 2 February 1969), better known by his stage name Boris Karloff (), was an English actor. His portrayal of Frankenstein's monster in the horror film ''Frankenstein'' (1931) (his 82nd film) established ...

's insane wife in Michael Reeves' ''

The Sorcerers ''The Sorcerers'' is a 1967 British science fiction/horror film directed by Michael Reeves, starring Boris Karloff, Catherine Lacey, Ian Ogilvy, and Susan George. The original story and screenplay was conceived and written by John Burke. ...

''. For the latter, she won a 'Silver Asteroid' award as Best Actress at the Trieste Science Fiction Film Festival in 1968.Jonathan Rigby, 'British Horror Classics – The Sorcerers', ''Hammer Horror'' no 4, June 1995 Eight years earlier, she received the Guild of TV Producers and Directors award as Actress of the Year. Her television debut in 1938 was in a BBC production of '' The Duchess of Malfi''. Her last appearance in 1973 was in the ''

Play for Today ''Play for Today'' is a British television anthology drama series, produced by the BBC and transmitted on BBC1 from 1970 to 1984. During the run, more than three hundred programmes, featuring original television plays, and adaptations of stage ...

'' installment ''Mrs Palfrey at the Claremont''.

Personal life

She was married to and divorced from the British actors

Roy Emerton Roy Emerton (9 October 1892 – 30 November 1944) was a British film actor. Earlier in his life, he was a sailor, stoker, docker, railway worker, and miner and served in the First World War. He played in a great number of popular London stage p ...

and Geoffrey Clark.

Partial filmography

* '' The Lady Vanishes'' (1938) - The Nun * ''

Poison Pen A poison pen letter is a letter or note containing unpleasant, abusive, or malicious statements or accusations about the recipient or a third party. It is usually sent anonymously. In the term "poison pen" (or poisoned pen), the word poison is u ...

'' (1939) - Connie Fateley * '' The House of the Arrow'' (1940) - Francine Rollard * '' Cottage to Let'' (1941) - Mrs. Stokes * '' I Know Where I'm Going!'' (1945) - Mrs. Robinson * ''

Pink String and Sealing Wax ''Pink String and Sealing Wax'' is a 1945 British drama film directed by Robert Hamer and starring Mervyn Johns. It is based on a play with the same name by Roland Pertwee. It was the first feature film Robert Hamer directed on his own. The ti ...

'' (1945) - Miss Porter * ''

Carnival Carnival is a Catholic Christian festive season that occurs before the liturgical season of Lent. The main events typically occur during February or early March, during the period historically known as Shrovetide (or Pre-Lent). Carnival t ...

'' (1946) - Florrie Raeburn * ''

'' (1947) - Miss Selby * ''

The White Unicorn ''The White Unicorn'' is a 1947 British drama film directed by Bernard Knowles and starring Margaret Lockwood, Joan Greenwood, Ian Hunter and Dennis Price. Kyra Vayne appeared as the singer. It was made at Walton Studios by the independent p ...

'' (1947) - Miss Cater * '' When the Bough Breaks'' (1947) - Almoner * '' Whisky Galore!'' (1949) - Mrs. Waggett * ''Another Sky'' (1954) - Selena Prouse * ''

The Man in the Sky ''The Man in the Sky'' (released in the U.S. as ''Decision Against Time'') is a 1957 thriller drama film starring Jack Hawkins and produced by Ealing Films, Michael Balcon's new company, set up after Rank had sold Ealing Studios in Ealing Gree ...

'' (1957) - Mary's Mother * ''

Innocent Sinners ''Innocent Sinners'' is a 1958 British black and white film directed by Philip Leacock and starring Flora Robson. It was based on the 1955 novel '' An Episode of Sparrows'' by Rumer Godden. Plot Olivia Chesney is too sick to leave home, som ...

'' (1958) - Angela Chesney * ''The Solitary Child'' (1958) - Mrs. Evans * ''

Rockets Galore! ''Rockets Galore!'' is a 1957 British comedy film directed by Michael Relph and starring Jeannie Carson, Donald Sinden and Roland Culver. The sequel to '' Whisky Galore!'', it was much less successful than its predecessor. It was based on the n ...

'' (1958) - Mrs. Waggett * ''

Crack in the Mirror ''Crack in the Mirror'' is a 1960 drama film directed by Richard Fleischer. The three principal actors, Orson Welles, Juliette Gréco, and Bradford Dillman, play dual roles in two interconnected stories as the participants in two love triangles. ...

'' (1960) - Mother Superior * ''

The Shadow of the Cat ''The Shadow of the Cat'' is a 1961 British horror film directed by John Gilling for Hammer Film Productions. It stars André Morell and Barbara Shelley. It was photographed in black-and-white by Arthur Grant. It was released in May 1961 on a ...

'' (1961) - Ella Venable * ''

'' (1963) - Lady Mounset * '' The Fighting Prince of Donegal'' (1966) - (uncredited) * ''

'' (1967) - Haiti * ''

'' (1967) - Estelle / Estelle Monserrat * ''Journey to Midnight'' (1968) - Miss Sarah Prinn (episode 'The Indian Spirit Guide') * '' The Private Life of Sherlock Holmes'' (1970) - Woman in Wheelchair

References

External links

* * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Lacey, Catherine Best Actress BAFTA Award (television) winners English film actresses English television actresses 1904 births 1979 deaths Actresses from London 20th-century English actresses 20th-century British businesspeople