Hermione Youlanda Ruby Clinton-Baddeley (13 November 1906 – 19 August 1986) was an English actress of theatre, film and television. She typically played brash, vulgar characters, often referred to as "brassy" or "blowsy".Folkart, Burt, "Noted Actress Hermione Baddeley Dies", ''Los Angeles Times'', 21 August 1986. She found her milieu in revue, in which she played from the 1930s to the 1950s, co-starring several times with the English actress Hermione Gingold. Baddeley was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for her performance in '' Room at the Top'' (1959) and a Tony Award for Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Play for '' The Milk Train Doesn't Stop Here Anymore'' in 1963. She portrayed Mrs Cratchit in the 1951 film '' Scrooge'' and Ellen the maid in the 1964 Disney film ''

Mary Poppins It may refer to: * ''Mary Poppins'' (book series), the original 1934–1988 children's fantasy novels that introduced the character. * Mary Poppins (character), the nanny with magical powers. * ''Mary Poppins'' (film), a 1964 Disney film star ...

''. She voiced Madame Adelaide Bonfamille in the 1970 Disney animated film, '' The Aristocats''. In 1975, she won a

Golden Globe Award The Golden Globe Awards are accolades bestowed by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association beginning in January 1944, recognizing excellence in both American and international film and television. Beginning in 2022, there are 105 members of ...

for Best Supporting Actress in a Television Series for her portrayal of Nell Naugatuck on the TV series '' Maude''.

Early life

Baddeley was born in

Broseley Broseley is a market town in Shropshire, England, with a population of 4,929 at the 2011 Census and an estimate of 5,022 in 2019. The River Severn flows to its north and east. The first The Iron Bridge, iron bridge in the world was built in 17 ...

Shropshire Shropshire (; alternatively Salop; abbreviated in print only as Shrops; demonym Salopian ) is a landlocked historic county in the West Midlands region of England. It is bordered by Wales to the west and the English counties of Cheshire to ...

, to W.H. Clinton-Baddeley and Louise Bourdin who was French. Baddeley was a descendant of British

American War of Independence The American Revolutionary War (April 19, 1775 – September 3, 1783), also known as the Revolutionary War or American War of Independence, was a major war of the American Revolution. Widely considered as the war that secured the independence of t ...

General Sir Henry Clinton. Her elder sister, Angela Baddeley, was also an actress. Her half-brother, William Baddeley, was a

Church of England The Church of England (C of E) is the established Christian church in England and the mother church of the international Anglican Communion. It traces its history to the Christian church recorded as existing in the Roman province of Brit ...

clergyman who became Dean of Brisbane and Rural Dean of Westminster. An early stage appearance came in 1923 when she appeared in

Charles McEvoy Charles McEvoy (1879–1929) was a British playwright and stage director. He was originally a journalist before switching to creative writing in 1907, becoming known for his realism. His 1923 play ''The Likes of Her'' was adapted into a 1931 fil ...

's play '' The Likes of Her'' in London's West End.

Career

Baddeley was known for supporting performances in such films as '' Passport to Pimlico'' (1949), ''

Tom Brown's Schooldays ''Tom Brown's School Days'' (sometimes written ''Tom Brown's Schooldays'', also published under the titles ''Tom Brown at Rugby'', ''School Days at Rugby'', and ''Tom Brown's School Days at Rugby'') is an 1857 novel by Thomas Hughes. The stor ...

'' and '' Scrooge'' (both 1951), ''

The Pickwick Papers ''The Posthumous Papers of the Pickwick Club'' (also known as ''The Pickwick Papers'') was Charles Dickens's first novel. Because of his success with '' Sketches by Boz'' published in 1836, Dickens was asked by the publisher Chapman & Hall to ...

'' (1952), '' The Belles of St Trinian's'' (1954), ''

'' (as Ellen, the

maid A maid, or housemaid or maidservant, is a female domestic worker. In the Victorian era domestic service was the second largest category of employment in England and Wales, after agricultural work. In developed Western nations, full-time maids ...

servant), and '' The Unsinkable Molly Brown'' (both 1964), although she first began making films back in the 1920s. One of her more important roles was in '' Brighton Rock'' (1947), in which she played Ida, one of the main characters, whose personal investigation into the disappearance of a friend threatens the anti-hero Pinkie. Baddeley also had numerous stage credits. She had a long professional relationship with

Noël Coward Sir Noël Peirce Coward (16 December 189926 March 1973) was an English playwright, composer, director, actor, and singer, known for his wit, flamboyance, and what ''Time'' magazine called "a sense of personal style, a combination of cheek and ...

, appearing in many of his plays throughout the 1940s and 1950s. The most successful was her teaming with Hermione Gingold in Coward's comedy '' Fallen Angels'', though the two women were reportedly "no longer on speaking terms" by the end of the run. Mary_Poppins12

Baddeley was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for her portrayal of Simone Signoret's best friend in Jack Clayton's '' Room at the Top'' (1959). With 2 minutes and 19 seconds of screen time, her role is the shortest ever to be nominated for an Academy Award. In 1960 she played prostitute Doll Tearsheet in the BBC's series of Shakespeare history plays '' An Age of Kings'', acting alongside her sister Angela as

Mistress Quickly Mistress Nell Quickly is a fictional character who appears in several plays by William Shakespeare. She is an inn-keeper, who runs the Boar's Head Tavern, at which Sir John Falstaff and his disreputable cronies congregate. The character appe ...

. In 1963, she was nominated for Broadway's

Tony Award The Antoinette Perry Award for Excellence in Broadway Theatre, more commonly known as the Tony Award, recognizes excellence in live Broadway theatre. The awards are presented by the American Theatre Wing and The Broadway League at an annual c ...

as Best Actress (Dramatic) for '' The Milk Train Doesn't Stop Here Anymore''. She was known to American audiences for roles in ''

Bewitched ''Bewitched'' is an American fantasy sitcom television series that originally aired for eight seasons on ABC from September 17, 1964, to March 25, 1972. It is about a witch who marries an ordinary mortal man and vows to lead the life of a typ ...

'', '' The Cara Williams Show'', '' Camp Runamuck'', ''

Batman Batman is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. The character was created by artist Bob Kane and writer Bill Finger, and debuted in the 27th issue of the comic book ''Detective Comics'' on March 30, 1939. I ...

'', ''

Wonder Woman Wonder Woman is a superhero created by the American psychologist and writer William Moulton Marston (pen name: Charles Moulton), and artist Harry G. Peter. Marston's wife, Elizabeth, and their life partner, Olive Byrne, are credited as bein ...

'', '' $weepstake$'', ''

Little House on the Prairie The ''Little House on the Prairie'' books is a series of American children's novels written by Laura Ingalls Wilder (b. Laura Elizabeth Ingalls). The stories are based on her childhood and adolescence in the American Midwest (Wisconsin, Kansas, ...

'', and '' Maude'' (playing the title character's second housekeeper, Nell Naugatuck). Toward the end of her career, Baddeley was also a voice-over actress, including roles in '' The Aristocats'' (1970) and '' The Secret of NIMH'' (1982).

Personal life

In 1928 Baddeley married English aristocrat and socialite

David Tennant David John Tennant (''né'' McDonald; born 18 April 1971) is a Scottish actor. He rose to fame for his role as the tenth incarnation of the Doctor (2005–2010 and 2013) in the BBC science-fiction TV show ''Doctor Who'', reprising the rol ...

(third son of

Edward Tennant, 1st Baron Glenconner Edward Priaulx Tennant, 1st Baron Glenconner (31 May 1859 – 21 November 1920), known as Sir Edward Tennant, 2nd Baronet, from 1906 to 1911, was a Scottish Liberal politician. In 1911 he was raised to the peerage as Baron Glenconner. Origin ...

). She arrived an hour late for the wedding, having misremembered the time booked for the ceremony. They rented Teffont Evias Manor, which became known for their boisterous parties (including mixed naked bathing in the goldfish pond). She had a daughter, Pauline Laetitia Tennant (born 6 February 1927 – died 6 December 2008); the couple divorced in 1937. In 1940 Baddeley married Major John Henry ("Dozey") Willis, of the 12th Lancers, son of Major-General Edward Willis,

Lieutenant Governor of Jersey The Lieutenant Governor of Jersey (, Jèrriais: ''Gouvèrneux d'Jèrri'') is the representative of the British monarch in the Bailiwick of Jersey, a Crown dependency of the British Crown. The Lieutenant Governor has his own flag in Jersey, ...

. They divorced in 1946. She had a relatively brief relationship with actor

Laurence Harvey Laurence Harvey (born Zvi Mosheh Skikne; 1 October 192825 November 1973) was a Lithuanian-born British actor and film director. He was born to Lithuanian Jewish parents and emigrated to South Africa at an early age, before later settling in th ...

, 22 years her junior. Although Harvey proposed marriage to her, Baddeley thought the age difference was too great and declined. Baddeley was known for her devotion to animals. She dedicated her autobiography, ''The Unsinkable Hermione Baddeley'', to her pet dog. She continued to work in film and television until shortly before the end of her life. She died following a series of strokes on 19 August 1986, aged 79, at

Cedars-Sinai Medical Center Cedars-Sinai Medical Center is a nonprofit, tertiary, 886-bed teaching hospital and multi-specialty academic health science center located in Los Angeles, California. Part of the Cedars-Sinai Health System, the hospital employs a staff of over ...

in Los Angeles. Her remains were returned to the United Kingdom. She was survived by two children, Pauline Tennant and David, from her first marriage.

Filmography

* ''

A Daughter in Revolt ''A Daughter in Revolt'' is a 1927 British silent comedy film directed by Harry Hughes and starring Mabel Poulton, Edward O'Neill and Lilian Oldland.Goble p.730 Cast * Mabel Poulton as Aimee Scroope * Edward O'Neill as Lord Scroope * ...

'' (1927) as Calamity Kate * '' The Guns of Loos'' (1928) as Mavis * ''

Caste Caste is a form of social stratification characterised by endogamy, hereditary transmission of a style of life which often includes an occupation, ritual status in a hierarchy, and customary social interaction and exclusion based on cultur ...

'' (1930) as Polly Eccles * ''

Royal Cavalcade ''Royal Cavalcade'', also known as ''Regal Cavalcade'', is a 1935 British, black-and-white, drama film directed by six separate directors: Thomas Bentley (Supervising Director), Herbert Brenon, Norman Lee, Walter Summers, W. P. Kellino and Mar ...

'' (1935) as Barmaid * '' Kipps'' (1941) as Miss Mergle * '' It Always Rains on Sunday'' (1947) as Mrs. Spry * '' Brighton Rock'' (1948) as Ida Arnold * '' No Room at the Inn'' (1948) as Mrs. Waters * ''

Quartet In music, a quartet or quartette (, , , , ) is an ensemble of four singers or instrumental performers; or a musical composition for four voices and instruments. Classical String quartet In classical music, one of the most common combinations o ...

'' (1948) as Beatrice Sunbury (segment "The Kite") * '' Passport to Pimlico'' (1949) as Edie Randall * ''

Dear Mr. Prohack ''Dear Mr. Prohack'' is a 1949 British comedy film directed by Thornton Freeland. It is a modern-day version of Arnold Bennett's 1922 novel, ''Mr Prohack'', as adapted in the play by Edward Knoblock. It stars Cecil Parker, Glynis Johns and Dir ...

'' (1949) as Eve Prohack * ''

The Woman in Question ''The Woman in Question'' (released in the United States as ''Five Angles on Murder'') is a 1950 British Murder-mystery film directed by Anthony Asquith and starring Jean Kent, Dirk Bogarde and John McCallum. After a woman is murdered, the com ...

'' (1950) as Mrs. Finch * ''

Hell Is Sold Out ''Hell Is Sold Out'' is a 1951 British drama film directed by Michael Anderson and starring Mai Zetterling, Herbert Lom and Richard Attenborough. The film is based on the novel of the same name by Maurice Dekobra. Plot A Swedish-born woman, V ...

'' (1951) as Mme. Louise Menstrier * '' There Is Another Sun'' (1951) as Sarah * '' Scrooge'' (1951) as Mrs. Cratchit * ''

'' (1951) as Sally Harrowell * ''

Song of Paris ''Song of Paris'' is a 1952 British comedy film directed by John Guillermin and starring Dennis Price, Anne Vernon and Hermione Baddeley. It was shot at Walton Studios outside London. It was distributed in the United States by Lippert Pictures ...

'' (1952) as Mrs. Ibbetson * ''

Time Gentlemen, Please! ''Time Gentlemen, Please!'' is a 1952 British comedy film directed by Lewis Gilbert and starring Eddie Byrne, Jane Barrett and Raymond Lovell. It was produced by Group 3 Films with funding from the NFFC and distributed by ABPC. It was shot ...

'' (1952) as Emma Stebbins * ''

'' (1952) as Mrs. Bardell * ''

Cosh Boy ''Cosh Boy'' (released in the United States as ''The Slasher'') is a 1953 British film noir directed by Lewis Gilbert and starring James Kenney and Joan Collins. It was made at Riverside Studios in Hammersmith. Plot Based on an original play by ...

'' (1953) as Mrs. Collins * '' Counterspy'' (1953) as Madame Del Mar * ''

The Belles of St. Trinian's ''The Belles of St Trinian's'' is a 1954 British comedy film, directed by Frank Launder, co-written by Launder and Sidney Gilliat, and starring Alastair Sim, Joyce Grenfell, George Cole, Hermione Baddeley. Inspired by British cartoonist R ...

'' (1954) as Miss Drownder * '' Women Without Men'' (1956) as Grace * '' Room at the Top'' (1959) as Elspeth * ''

Jet Storm ''Jet Storm'' (also known as ''Jet Stream'' or ''Killing Urge'') is a 1959 British thriller film directed and co-written by Cy Endfield. Richard Attenborough stars with Stanley Baker, Hermione Baddeley and Diane Cilento. The film is a precurso ...

'' (1959) as Mrs. Satterly * '' Expresso Bongo'' (1959) as Penelope * '' Let's Get Married'' (1960) as Mrs. O'Grady * '' Midnight Lace'' (1960) as Dora Hammer * '' Rag Doll'' (1961) as Princess * '' Information Received'' (1961) as Maudie * '' The Unsinkable Molly Brown'' (1964) as Buttercup Grogan * ''

'' (1964) as Ellen, The Domestic * ''

Harlow Harlow is a large town and local government district located in the west of Essex, England. Founded as a new town, it is situated on the border with Hertfordshire and London, Harlow occupies a large area of land on the south bank of the uppe ...

'' (1965) as Marie Dressler * ''

Marriage on the Rocks ''Marriage on the Rocks'' is a 1965 comedy film starring Frank Sinatra, Deborah Kerr, and Dean Martin about a businessman's wife who ends up divorced by mistake and then married to his best friend by an even bigger mistake. The film was written by ...

'' (1965) as Jeannie MacPherson * '' Do Not Disturb'' (1965) as Vanessa Courtwright * '' The Adventures of Bullwhip Griffin'' (1967) as Miss Irene Chesney * '' The Happiest Millionaire'' (1967) as Mrs. Worth * '' The Aristocats'' (1970) as Madame Adelaide Bonfamille (voice) * ''

Up the Front ''Up the Front'' is a 1972 British comedy film directed by Bob Kellett and starring Frankie Howerd, Bill Fraser, and Hermione Baddeley. It is the third film spin-off from the television series ''Up Pompeii!'' (the previous films being ''Up th ...

'' (1972) as Monique * '' The Black Windmill'' (1974) as Hetty * '' South Riding (TV adaptation)'' (1974) as Mrs. Beddows * ''

C.H.O.M.P.S. ''C.H.O.M.P.S.'' is a 1979 American comic science fiction family film produced by Hanna-Barbera Productions and directed by Don Chaffey. Plot Brian Foster ( Wesley Eure), a young inventor, creates a robotic dog for use as part of a home protect ...

'' (1979) as Mrs. Flower * '' There Goes the Bride'' (1980) as Daphne Drimond * '' The Secret of NIMH'' (1982) as Auntie Shrew

References

External links