Norma Varden Shackleton (20 January 1898 – 19 January 1989), known professionally as Norma Varden, was an English-American actress with a long film career.

Life and career

Early life

Born in London, the daughter of a retired sea captain, Varden was a child prodigy. She trained as a concert pianist in Paris and performed in England before deciding to take up acting. She studied at the

Guildhall School of Music and Drama The Guildhall School of Music and Drama is a conservatoire and drama school located in the City of London, United Kingdom. Established in 1880, the school offers undergraduate and postgraduate training in all aspects of classical music and jazz ...

and made her first appearance as Mrs Darling in ''

Peter Pan Peter Pan is a fictional character created by List of Scottish novelists, Scottish novelist and playwright J. M. Barrie. A free-spirited and mischievous young boy who can fly and Puer aeternus, never grows up, Peter Pan spends his never-ending ...

''.

Theatre career

In England, Varden was a protege of actress Kate Rorke. She acted in

repertory theatre 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 withdrawing ...

and made her West End debut in ''The Wandering Jew'' in 1920. From Shakespeare to farce, she established herself as a regular member of the

Aldwych Theatre The Aldwych Theatre is a West End theatre, located in Aldwych in the City of Westminster, central London. It was listed Grade II on 20 July 1971. Its seating capacity is 1,200 on three levels. History Origins The theatre was constructed in th ...

company where she appeared in plays from 1929 to 1933. She began to appear in British films, usually in haughty upper-class roles.

Move to America and film career

Varden's English film roles led to offers from Hollywood, and she moved there at the start of World War II, beginning a long career of playing character and supporting roles. Notable films Varden appeared in include ''

Casablanca Casablanca, also known in Arabic as Dar al-Bayda ( ar, الدَّار الْبَيْضَاء, al-Dār al-Bayḍāʾ, ; ber, ⴹⴹⴰⵕⵍⴱⵉⴹⴰ, ḍḍaṛlbiḍa, : "White House") is the largest city in Morocco and the country's econom ...

'' (1942), ''

The Major and the Minor ''The Major and the Minor'' is a 1942 American comedy film starring Ginger Rogers and Ray Milland. It was the first American film directed by Billy Wilder. The screenplay credited to Wilder and Charles Brackett is "suggested by" the 1923 play '' ...

'' (1942), '' The White Cliffs of Dover'' (1944), ''

National Velvet ''National Velvet'' is a novel by Enid Bagnold (1889–1981), first published in 1935. It was illustrated by Laurian Jones, Bagnold's daughter, who was born in 1921. Plot summary ''National Velvet'' is the story of a 14-year-old girl named ...

'' (1944), ''

The Green Years ''The Green Years'' is a 1944 novel by A. J. Cronin which traces the formative years of an Irish orphan, Robert Shannon, who is sent to live with his draconian maternal grandparents in Scotland. An introspective child, Robert forms an attachme ...

'' (1946), '' Forever Amber'' (1947), '' Strangers on a Train'' (1951), '' Gentlemen Prefer Blondes'' (1953), ''

Jupiter's Darling ''Jupiter's Darling'' is a 1955 American Eastman Color musical film, musical romance film released by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, MGM and directed by George Sidney filmed in CinemaScope. It starred Esther Williams as the Roman woman Amytis, Howard Keel ...

'' (1955), and ''

Witness for the Prosecution In law, a witness is someone who has knowledge about a matter, whether they have sensed it or are testifying on another witnesses' behalf. In law a witness is someone who, either voluntarily or under compulsion, provides testimonial evidence, e ...

'' (1957). She played the housekeeper Frau Schmidt in ''

The Sound of Music ''The Sound of Music'' is a musical with music by Richard Rodgers, lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II, and a book by Howard Lindsay and Russel Crouse. It is based on the 1949 memoir of Maria von Trapp, '' The Story of the Trapp Family Singers''. Se ...

'' (1965). Two years later, she had a minor part as Lady Petherington in ''

Doctor Dolittle Doctor John Dolittle is the central character of a series of children's books by Hugh Lofting starting with the 1920 '' The Story of Doctor Dolittle''. He is a physician who shuns human patients in favour of animals, with whom he can speak in th ...

'' (1967).

Television career

She had a recurring role in the 1960s

NBC The National Broadcasting Company (NBC) is an American English-language commercial broadcast television and radio network. The flagship property of the NBC Entertainment division of NBCUniversal, a division of Comcast, its headquarters are l ...

sitcom ''

Hazel The hazel (''Corylus'') is a genus of deciduous trees and large shrubs native to the temperate Northern Hemisphere. The genus is usually placed in the birch family Betulaceae,Germplasmgobills Information Network''Corylus''Rushforth, K. (1999). ...

'' as Harriet Johnson. She appeared on

CBS CBS Broadcasting Inc., commonly shortened to CBS, the abbreviation of its former legal name Columbia Broadcasting System, is an American commercial broadcast television and radio network serving as the flagship property of the CBS Entertainm ...

's ''

I Love Lucy ''I Love Lucy'' is an American television sitcom that originally aired on CBS from October 15, 1951, to May 6, 1957, with a total of 180 half-hour episodes, spanning six seasons. The show starred Lucille Ball, her husband, Desi Arnaz, along with ...

'' as Mrs. Benson, the neighbour with whom the Ricardos switch apartments after the birth of Little Ricky in 1953. In 1957, she guest-starred as Mrs. Weddington-Brown in '' Mr. Adams and Eve'' episode "The Social Crowd." She was cast as Mrs. Murdock in the 1961 episode "The Swedish Girl" on

ABC ABC are the first three letters of the Latin script known as the alphabet. ABC or abc may also refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Broadcasting * American Broadcasting Company, a commercial U.S. TV broadcaster ** Disney–ABC Television ...

's ''

The Real McCoys ''The Real McCoys'' is an American situation comedy starring Walter Brennan, Richard Crenna, and Kathleen Nolan. Co-produced by Danny Thomas's Marterto Productions in association with Walter Brennan and Irving Pincus's Westgate Company, it ...

''. She appeared on CBS's ''

Perry Mason Perry Mason is a fictional character, an American criminal defense lawyer who is the main character in works of detective fiction written by Erle Stanley Gardner. Perry Mason features in 82 novels and 4 short stories, all of which involve a c ...

'' as Winifred Wileen in the 1964 episode, "The Case of the Illicit Illusion". That same year, Varden, along with veteran character actress and comedienne

Kathleen Freeman Kathleen Freeman (February 17, 1923August 23, 2001) was an American actress. In a career that spanned more than 50 years, she portrayed acerbic maids, secretaries, teachers, busybodies, nurses, and battle-axe neighbors and relatives, almost in ...

were featured in a third season episode of ''

The Lucy Show ''The Lucy Show'' is an American sitcom that aired on CBS from 1962 to 1968. It was Lucille Ball's follow-up to ''I Love Lucy''. A significant change in cast and premise for the fourth season (1965–1966) divides the program into two distinct ...

'' entitled "Lucy Gets Her Maid". In that installment, Varden played yet another snooty socialite named Mrs. Van Vlack who hires Lucy Carmichael (

Lucille Ball Lucille Désirée Ball (August 6, 1911 – April 26, 1989) was an American actress, comedienne and producer. She was nominated for 13 Primetime Emmy Awards, winning five times, and was the recipient of several other accolades, such as the Golden ...

) as a maid. She also appeared on the seventh-season episode of ''

The Beverly Hillbillies ''The Beverly Hillbillies'' is an American television sitcom that was broadcast on CBS from 1962 to 1971. It had an ensemble cast featuring Buddy Ebsen, Irene Ryan, Donna Douglas, and Max Baer Jr. as the Clampetts, a poor, backwoods family from ...

'' "Problem Bear" as the snobby socialite, Mrs. Vanransenhoff, who went home with Granny to get gossip on Mrs. Drysdale. Varden played Mrs. Dumont in a 1966 (Season 3, Ep.11) episode of ''

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 typic ...

'' entitled "Oedipus Hex", sitting on a "Ways & Means" charity committee with Samantha Stephens to raise funds for a children's playground. Varden played Mrs. Hermione Monteagle in episode 13 of the ''

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 Detective Comics 27, the 27th issue of the comic book ''Detective Comics'' on ...

'' series of the 1960s.

Personal life

She became a naturalised United States citizen on 28 January 1949. Varden died of heart failure in

Santa Barbara, California Santa Barbara ( es, Santa Bárbara, meaning "Saint Barbara") is a coastal city in Santa Barbara County, California, of which it is also the county seat. Situated on a south-facing section of coastline, the longest such section on the West Coas ...

, on the day before her 91st birthday. She never married.

Complete filmography

* '' The Glorious Adventure'' (1922) as Court Lady (uncredited) * '' The Chance of a Night Time'' (1931) as Mrs. Rashley-Butcher (uncredited) * '' A Night Like This'' (1932) as Mrs. Tuckett (uncredited) * ''

Crime on the Hill ''Crime on the Hill'' is a 1933 British mystery film directed by Bernard Vorhaus and starring Sally Blane, Nigel Playfair and Lewis Casson. The plot was based on a successful play by Jack de Leon and Jack Celestin. It was made by British Intern ...

'' (1933) as Editor's Secretary (uncredited) * '' Happy'' (1933) as Miss Stone, Secretary with Glasses (uncredited) * '' Turkey Time'' (1933) as Ernestine Stoatt * ''

Evergreen In botany, an evergreen is a plant which has foliage that remains green and functional through more than one growing season. This also pertains to plants that retain their foliage only in warm climates, and contrasts with deciduous plants, which ...

'' (1934) as Barmaid (uncredited) * '' The Iron Duke'' (1934) as Duchess of Richmond * '' Dirty Work'' (1934) as Tiara Customer (uncredited) * ''

The Student's Romance ''The Student's Romance'' is a 1935 British musical film directed by Otto Kanturek and starring Grete Natzler, Patric Knowles and Carol Goodner.Wood p.88 It was based on the musical '' I Lost My Heart in Heidelberg'', and was part of a trend of ...

'' (1935) as Dora Streudelmeier, Karl's Aunt * '' Boys Will Be Boys'' (1935) as Lady Dorking * '' Stormy Weather'' (1935) as Mrs. Dulcie Bullock * ''

Foreign Affaires ''Foreign Affaires'' is a 1935 British comedy film directed by and starring Tom Walls. It also features Ralph Lynn, Robertson Hare, Norma Varden and Cecil Parker. The screenplay is by Ben Travers, and the cast included cast members from the Wal ...

'' (1935) as Mrs. Hardy Hornett * ''

Get Off My Foot ''Get Off My Foot'' is a 1935 British comedy film, directed by William Beaudine and starring Max Miller and Chili Bouchier. It is classed as a lost film.

'' (1935) as Mrs. Rawlingcourt * ''

Music Hath Charms ''Music Hath Charms'' is a 1935 British musical comedy film directed by Thomas Bentley, Walter Summers, Arthur B. Woods and Alexander Esway. It stars Henry Hall with the BBC Dance Orchestra, Carol Goodner and Arthur Margetson. It was given a tr ...

'' (1935) as Bit (uncredited) * '' The Amazing Quest of Ernest Bliss'' (1936) (uncredited) * '' Where There's a Will'' (1936) as Lady Margaret Wimpleton * '' East Meets West'' (1936) as Lady Mallory * ''

Windbag the Sailor ''Windbag the Sailor'' is a 1936 British comedy film directed by William Beaudine and starring Will Hay. The film marked the first appearance of Hay with Graham Moffatt and Moore Marriott acting as his straight men, however both Moffatt and Ma ...

'' (1936) as Olivia Potter-Porter * ''

Fire Over England ''Fire Over England'' is a 1937 London Film Productions film drama, notable for providing the first pairing of Laurence Olivier and Vivien Leigh. It was directed by William K. Howard and written by Clemence Dane from the 1936 novel ''Fire Over ...

'' (1937) as Elena's Governess (uncredited) * ''

Wanted! ''Wanted!'' is a 1937 British comedy film directed by George King and starring Zasu Pitts, Claude Dampier and Mark Daly. It was made at Shepperton Studios as a quota quickie.Chibnall p.298 Premise The Oatfields, a married couple, are mistaken f ...

'' (1937) as Mrs. Smithers * ''

The Lilac Domino ''Der lila Domino'' (''The Lilac Domino'') is an operetta in three acts composed by Charles Cuvillier. The original German libretto is by Emmerich von Gatti and Bela Jenbach, about a gambling count who falls in love at a masquerade ball with a n ...

'' (1937) (uncredited) * '' Strange Adventures of Mr. Smith'' (1937) as Mrs. Broadbent * '' Make-Up'' (1937) as Hostess * ''

Rhythm Racketeer ''Rhythm Racketeer'' is a 1937 British musical film directed by James Seymour and starring Harry Roy, Princess Pearl and James Carew. It was made at Rock Studios, Elstree, by the independent producer Joe Rock.Wood p.96 Cast * Harry Roy as Harry ...

'' (1937) as Della Nash * ''

Fools for Scandal ''Fools for Scandal'' is a 1938 screwball comedy film starring Carole Lombard and Fernand Gravet, featuring Ralph Bellamy, Allen Jenkins, Isabel Jeans, Marie Wilson and Marcia Ralston, and produced and directed by Mervyn LeRoy. It was writ ...

'' (1938) as Cicely Trevel (uncredited) * ''

You're the Doctor ''You're the Doctor'' is a 1938 British comedy film directed by Roy Lockwood and starring Barry K. Barnes, Googie Withers and Norma Varden. The screenplay concerns a young woman who pretends to be ill to avoid going on a cruise with her paren ...

'' (1938) as Lady Beatrice * '' Everything Happens to Me'' (1938) as Mrs. Prodder * ''

Little Ladyship ''Little Ladyship'' is a 1939 comedy play by the British writer Ian Hay. It premiered at the King's Theatre, Glasgow before beginning its West End run at the Strand Theatre and later transferring to the Aldwych Theatre. The original West End r ...

'' (1939, TV Movie) as Mrs. Cynthia Bigley * '' Home from Home'' (1939) as Mrs. Fairweather * ''

Shipyard Sally ''Shipyard Sally'' is a 1939 British musical comedy film directed by Monty Banks and starring Gracie Fields, Sydney Howard and Norma Varden. The film is notable for the song " Wish Me Luck as You Wave Me Goodbye", which became a major hit. Pl ...

'' (1939) as Lady Patricia Randall * ''

The Earl of Chicago ''The Earl of Chicago'' is a 1940 American drama film directed by Richard Thorpe and starring Robert Montgomery, Edward Arnold, Reginald Owen and Edmund Gwenn. It is the first MGM film in the 1940s. Plot To remedy the ill doings of his past, Ro ...

'' (1940) as Maureen Kilmount * ''

Waterloo Bridge Waterloo Bridge () is a road and foot traffic bridge crossing the River Thames in London, between Blackfriars Bridge and Hungerford Bridge and Golden Jubilee Bridges. Its name commemorates the victory of the British, Dutch and Prussians at t ...

'' (1940) as Hostess at Restaurant (uncredited) * ''

Hit Parade of 1941 ''Hit Parade of 1941'' is a 1940 American film written by Bradford Ropes, F. Hugh Herbert and Maurice Leo and directed by John H. Auer. It was nominated for the Oscar for Best Song at the 13th Academy Awards with the song "Who Am I?", with mu ...

'' (1940) (uncredited) * '' The Mad Doctor'' (1940) as Minor Role (uncredited) * ''

Scotland Yard Scotland Yard (officially New Scotland Yard) is the headquarters of the Metropolitan Police, the territorial police force responsible for policing Greater London's 32 boroughs, but not the City of London, the square mile that forms London's ...

'' (1941) as Lady Heathcote * '' Road to Zanzibar'' (1941) as Clara Kimble (uncredited) * '' Glamour Boy'' (1941) as Mrs. Lee * ''

We Were Dancing ''We Were Dancing'' is a short comic play in two scenes by Noël Coward. It is one of ten short plays that make up '' Tonight at 8.30'', a cycle written to be performed in groups of three plays across three evenings. The original production, ...

'' (1942) as Mrs. Bryce-Carew * ''

Flying with Music ''Flying with Music'' is a 1942 American musical film directed by George Archainbaud and written by Louis S. Kaye and M. Coates Webster. The film stars Marjorie Woodworth, George Givot, William Marshall, Edward Gargan, Jerry Bergen and Norma Va ...

'' (1942) as Miss Mullens * ''

The Glass Key ''The Glass Key'' is a novel by American writer Dashiell Hammett. First published as a serial in '' Black Mask'' magazine in 1930, it then was collected in 1931 (in London; the American edition followed 3 months later). It tells the story of a ga ...

'' (1942) as Henrys' Dinner Guest (uncredited) * ''

'' (1942) as Mrs. Osborne * ''

'' (1942) as Wife of Pickpocketed Englishman (uncredited) * ''

Random Harvest ''Random Harvest'' is a novel written by James Hilton, first published in 1941. Like previous Hilton works, including '' Lost Horizon'' and '' Goodbye, Mr. Chips'', the novel was immensely popular, placing second on ''Publishers Weekly'' li ...

'' (1942) as Julia * ''

Johnny Doughboy ''Johnny Doughboy'' is a 1942 American black-and-white musical comedy film directed by John H. Auer for Republic Pictures. It stars Jane Withers in a dual role as a 16-year-old actress who is sick of playing juvenile roles, and her lookalike fan ...

'' (1942) as Miss Penticott (uncredited) * ''

Slightly Dangerous ''Slightly Dangerous'' is a 1943 American romantic comedy film starring Lana Turner and Robert Young. The screenplay concerns a bored young woman in a dead-end job who runs away to New York City and ends up impersonating the long-lost daughter of ...

'' (1943) as Opera Singer (uncredited) * ''

Dixie Dixie, also known as Dixieland or Dixie's Land, is a nickname for all or part of the Southern United States. While there is no official definition of this region (and the included areas shift over the years), or the extent of the area it cover ...

'' (1943) as Mrs. LaPlant (uncredited) * ''

The Good Fellows ''The Good Fellows'' is a 1943 American comedy film directed by Jo Graham and written by Hugh Wedlock Jr. and Howard Snyder. The film stars Cecil Kellaway, Helen Walker, Mabel Paige, James Brown, Patti Hale and Kathleen Lockhart. The film was r ...

'' (1943) as Mrs. Drayton * ''

Sherlock Holmes Faces Death ''Sherlock Holmes Faces Death'' is the sixth film in the Basil Rathbone/Nigel Bruce series of Sherlock Holmes films. Made in 1943, it is a loose adaptation of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's Holmes 1893 story "The Adventure of the Musgrave Ritual." I ...

'' (1943) as Gracie, Barmaid (uncredited) * ''

My Kingdom for a Cook ''My Kingdom for a Cook'' is a 1943 American comedy film directed by Richard Wallace, which stars Charles Coburn, Marguerite Chapman, and Bill Carter. Synopsis A visiting British emissary on a goodwill tour of the United States struggles to re ...

'' (1943) as Margaret, Morley's Cook (uncredited) * '' The Beautiful Cheat'' (1943) as Miss Timmons * '' The White Cliffs of Dover'' (1944) as Mrs. Bland * '' Mademoiselle Fifi'' (1944) as The Wholesaler's Wife * ''

'' (1944) as Miss Sims * '' Bring on the Girls'' (1945) as Aunt Martha * '' Those Endearing Young Charms'' (1945) as Mrs. Woods, Hall's Floor Lady * '' The Cheaters'' (1945) as Mattie (uncredited) * ''

Girls of the Big House ''Girls of the Big House'' is a 1945 American drama film directed by George Archainbaud and starring Lynne Roberts, Virginia Christine and Marion Martin.LoBrutto p.449 The film's sets were designed by the art director Gano Chittenden. Plot A c ...

'' (1945) as Mrs. Thelma Holt * ''

Hold That Blonde ''Hold That Blonde'' is a 1945 American comedy crime film directed by George Marshall and starring Eddie Bracken, Veronica Lake and Albert Dekker. Plot Bracken plays a kleptomaniac who unwittingly becomes involved with a gang of jewel thieves, i ...

'' (1945) as Flora Carteret * ''

'' (1946) as Mrs. Bosomley * ''

The Searching Wind ''The Searching Wind'' is a 1946 American feature film directed by William Dieterle and starring Robert Young, Sylvia Sidney, and Ann Richards. It is based on the play of the same name by Lillian Hellman. It had originally been planned for prod ...

'' (1946) as Mrs. Hayworth * ''

Millie's Daughter ''Millie's Daughter'' is a 1947 American drama film directed by Sidney Salkow, from a screenplay by Edward Huebsch, based on the novel of the same name by Donald Henderson Clarke. The film stars Gladys George, Gay Nelson, and Paul Campbell, a ...

'' (1947) as Mrs. Sarah Harris * '' The Trouble with Women'' (1947) as Mrs. Wilmer Dawson * ''

Ivy ''Hedera'', commonly called ivy (plural ivies), is a genus of 12–15 species of evergreen climbing or ground-creeping woody plants in the family Araliaceae, native to western, central and southern Europe, Macaronesia, northwestern Africa and ...

'' (1947) as Joan Rodney (uncredited) * '' Thunder in the Valley'' (1947) as Lady Eleanor (uncredited) * '' Forever Amber'' (1947) as Mrs. Abbott (uncredited) * '' Where There's Life'' (1947) as Mabel Jones * '' Mr. Ashton Was Indiscreet'' (1947) as Woman at Banquet (uncredited) * ''

My Own True Love ''My Own True Love'' is a 1949 American drama film directed by Compton Bennett and written by Arthur Kober, Josef Mischel and Theodore Strauss. The film stars Phyllis Calvert, Melvyn Douglas, Wanda Hendrix, Philip Friend, Binnie Barnes and Alan ...

'' (1948) as Red Cross Nurse (uncredited) * ''

The Amazing Mr. X ''The Amazing Mr. X'', also known as ''The Spiritualist'', is a 1948 American Horror film, horror Thriller film, thriller film noir directed by Bernard Vorhaus with cinematography by John Alton. The film tells the story of a phony spiritualist ra ...

'' (1948) as Wealthy-Looking Woman (uncredited) * '' The Scar'' (1948) as Mrs. Gerry (uncredited) * ''

Let's Live a Little ''Let's Live a Little'' is a 1948 American romantic comedy film directed by Richard Wallace and starring Hedy Lamarr and Robert Cummings. Written by Howard Irving Young, Edmund L. Hartmann, Albert J. Cohen, and Jack Harvey, the film is about an o ...

'' (1948) as Nurse Brady * ''

Adventure in Baltimore ''Adventure in Baltimore '' is a 1949 American drama film directed by Richard Wallace and starring Robert Young and Shirley Temple. Dinah Sheldon ( Shirley Temple) is a student at an exclusive girls' school who starts campaigning for women's ...

'' (1949) as H. H. Hamilton * ''

The Secret Garden ''The Secret Garden'' is a novel by Frances Hodgson Burnett first published in book form in 1911, after serialisation in '' The American Magazine'' (November 1910 – August 1911). Set in England, it is one of Burnett's most popular novels an ...

'' (1949) as Nurse * '' Fancy Pants'' (1950) as Lady Maude * '' Strangers on a Train'' (1951) as Mrs. Cunningham * ''

Thunder on the Hill ''Thunder on the Hill'' is a 1951 American film noir crime film directed by Douglas Sirk and starring Claudette Colbert and Ann Blyth. The picture was made by Universal-International Pictures and produced by Michael Kraike from a screenplay b ...

'' (1951) as Pierce * '' The Highwayman'' (1951) as Dowager at Ball (uncredited) * ''

Washington Story ''Washington Story'' is a 1952 American drama film directed by Robert Pirosh and starring Van Johnson and Patricia Neal. The screenplay concerns a reporter in search of government corruption who falls for a congressman. Plot On her first trip to ...

'' (1952) (uncredited) * '' Les Miserables'' (1952) as Madame Courbet (uncredited) * ''

Something for the Birds ''Something for the Birds'' is a 1952 film directed by Robert Wise and starring Victor Mature and Patricia Neal. Plot Johnnie Adams, an engraver in Washington, uses some of the invitations his firm makes to crash Washington parties. He gets to ...

'' (1952) as Congresswoman Bates (uncredited) * ''

Young Bess ''Young Bess'' is a 1953 Technicolor biographical film made by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer about the early life of Elizabeth I, from her turbulent childhood to the eve of her accession to the throne of England. It stars Jean Simmons as Elizabeth and Ste ...

'' (1953) as Lady Tyrwhitt * ''

Loose in London ''Loose in London'' is a 1953 comedy film starring The Bowery Boys. The film was released on May 24, 1953 by Allied Artists and is the thirtieth film in the series. Plot Sach receives notice that a dying British earl is his long-lost relative. ...

'' (1953) as Aunt Agatha * '' Gentlemen Prefer Blondes'' (1953) as Lady Beekman * ''

Elephant Walk ''Elephant Walk'' is a 1954 American drama film produced by Paramount Pictures, directed by William Dieterle, and starring Elizabeth Taylor, Dana Andrews, Peter Finch and Abraham Sofaer.It is based upon the 1948 novel ''Elephant Walk'' by "Robe ...

'' (1954) as Shop Customer (uncredited) * '' Three Coins in the Fountain'' (1954) as Woman at Cocktail Party (uncredited) * ''Dynamite, the Story of Alfred Nobel'' (1954, TV Movie) * ''

The Silver Chalice ''The Silver Chalice'' is a 1952 English language historical novel by Thomas B. Costain. It is the fictional story of the making of a silver chalice to hold the Holy Grail (itself here conflated with the Holy Chalice) and includes 1st century b ...

'' (1954) as Roman Matron (uncredited) * ''

'' (1955) as Fabia * ''

The Birds and the Bees The talk about sex, often colloquially referred to as "the birds and the bees" or "the facts of life", is generally the occasion in most children's lives when their parents explain what sex is and how to do it. According to tradition, "the bird ...

'' (1956) as Passenger (uncredited) * ''

'' (1957) as Mrs. Emily Jane French * ''

In the Money In finance, moneyness is the relative position of the current price (or future price) of an underlying asset (e.g., a stock) with respect to the strike price of a derivative, most commonly a call option or a put option. Moneyness is firstly a thr ...

'' (1958) as Mrs. Smythe-Chumley (uncredited) * '' The Buccaneer'' (1958) as Madame Hilaire * '' The Miracle'' (1959) as Mrs. MacGregor (uncredited) * '' Five Minutes to Live'' (1961) as Priscilla Auerbach * ''

Rome Adventure ''Rome Adventure'', also known as ''Lovers Must Learn'', is a 1962 romantic drama film, based on the 1932 novel ''Lovers Must Learn'' by Irving Fineman. It was directed by Delmer Daves and stars Troy Donahue, Angie Dickinson, and Suzanne Pleshet ...

'' (1962) as Dean of Briarcroft College for Women (uncredited) * '' 13 Frightened Girls'' (1963) as Miss Pittford * '' Island of Love'' (1963) as Wife in Nightclub (uncredited) * ''

Kisses for My President ''Kisses for My President'' is a 1964 comedy film directed by Curtis Bernhardt and starring Fred MacMurray and Polly Bergen. Leslie McCloud (Bergen) makes history when she is elected the first female president of the United States. However, her ...

'' (1964) as Miss Dinsendorff (uncredited) * ''

'' (1965) as Frau Schmidt, housekeeper * ''

A Very Special Favor ''A Very Special Favor'' is a 1965 romantic comedy film directed by Michael Gordon and starring Rock Hudson and Leslie Caron. Plot Paul Chadwick (Hudson) is a wealthy American oilman who is in a Parisian court, where he is up against the oppo ...

'' (1965) as Mother Plum * ''Two's Company'' (1965, TV Movie) as Lady Ordering Drink at Party (uncredited) * ''

'' (1967) as Lady Petherington * ''

The Impossible Years ''The Impossible Years'' is a 1965 comedy play written by Robert Fisher and Arthur Marx, son of comedian Groucho Marx. After two previews, the Broadway production, directed by Arthur Storch, opened on October 13, 1965, at the Playhouse Theatre, w ...

'' (1968) as Dr. Jenkins (uncredited) * ' (1968, TV Movie) as Englishwoman * ''Doc'' (1969, TV Movie) as Mrs. Dobson (final film role)

References

External links

* * * * *
Norma Varden obituary, ''New York Times'', January 22, 1989
{{DEFAULTSORT:Varden, Norma 1898 births 1989 deaths Alumni of the Guildhall School of Music and Drama Actresses from London American television actresses American stage actresses American film actresses English television actresses English stage actresses English film actresses British emigrants to the United States 20th-century American actresses 20th-century English actresses Burials at Santa Barbara Cemetery