Anita Sharp-Bolster (28 August 1895 – 1 June 1985) was an Irish actress who appeared in 88 films and 12 TV series from 1928 to 1978. She was sometimes billed as Anita Bolster.

Early life

She was born 28 August 1895 in Glenlohane, Kanturk, County Cork, Ireland.

Career

Stage

Sharp-Bolster's Broadway credits include ''Kathleen'', '' Pygmalion'', and ''

Lady in Waiting A lady-in-waiting (alternatively written lady in waiting) or court lady is a female personal assistant at a court, attending on a royal woman or a high-ranking noblewoman. Historically, in Europe, a lady-in-waiting was often a noblewoman but ...

''.

Film

Sharp-Bolster debuted in the British film '' What Money Can Buy'' (1928). Her American film debut came in 1942 in '' Saboteur'', directed by

Alfred Hitchcock Sir Alfred Joseph Hitchcock (13 August 1899 – 29 April 1980) was an English film director. 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 featu ...

. In a 2013 book, one writer described her as "one of the most riveting human gargoyles in Hollywood films." She worked steadily in character roles throughout her movie career.

Radio

Sharp-Bolster worked with the BBC in the UK.

Television

Billed as Anita Bolster, she appeared in three episodes of ''

Dark Shadows ''Dark Shadows'' is an American Gothic fiction, Gothic soap opera that aired weekdays on the American Broadcasting Company, ABC television network from June 27, 1966, to April 2, 1971. The show depicted the lives, loves, trials, and tribulatio ...

'' in March 1968. Bolster portrayed a witch named Bathia Mapes who failed to remove a curse of vampirism from Barnabas Collins.

Personal life

Sharp-Bolster was married to Jacob Schwartz. She died in North Miami, Florida.

Selected filmography

*'' What Money Can Buy'' (1928) - Cleaner *'' S.O.S.'' (1928) - Mme. Karensky *'' Would You Believe It!'' (1929) - Presbyterian *''

Number, Please Number, Please may refer to: * '' Number, Please (film)'', a 1931 British crime film * '' Number, Please? (film)'', a 1920 American short comedy film * '' Number Please (game show)'', a 1960s American game show See also * '' Your Number Please ...

'' (1931) *'' The Bells'' (1931) *'' Mr. Bill the Conqueror'' (1932) *'' Strip! Strip! Hooray!!!'' (1932) - Bit Part (uncredited) *'' The Temperance Fete'' (1932) - Teacher *'' Lassie from Lancashire'' (1938) - Woman in Audience (uncredited) *'' The Villiers Diamond'' (1938) - Mlle. Dulac (uncredited) *'' Saboteur'' (1942) - Lorelei - Circus Troupe *'' This Above All'' (1942) - Tea Shop Customer (uncredited) *''

I Married an Angel ''I Married an Angel'' is a 1938 musical comedy by Rodgers and Hart. It was adapted from a play by Hungarian playwright János Vaszary, entitled ''Angyalt Vettem Felesegul''. The book was by Richard Rodgers and Lorenz Hart, with music by Rodger ...

'' (1942) - Mrs. Kipper (uncredited) *''

The Pride of the Yankees ''The Pride of the Yankees'' is a 1942 American sports drama film produced by Samuel Goldwyn, directed by Sam Wood, and starring Gary Cooper, Teresa Wright, and Walter Brennan. It is a tribute to the legendary New York Yankees first baseman Lou ...

'' (1942) - Sasha's Mother (uncredited) *''

Nightmare A nightmare, also known as a bad dream, Retrieved 11 July 2016. is an unpleasant dream that can cause a strong emotional response from the mind, typically fear but also despair, anxiety, disgust or sadness. The dream may contain situations o ...

'' (1942) - Mrs. McDonald - Housekeeper *'' Journey for Margaret'' (1942) - Woman with Cat (uncredited) *'' London Blackout Murders'' (1943) - Mrs. Pringle *'' Forever and a Day'' (1943) - Mrs. Garrow *'' Flesh and Fantasy'' (1943) - Relative (uncredited) *'' Thumbs Up'' (1943) - Mrs. Smithers, the Landlady (uncredited) *'' Heaven Can Wait'' (1943) - Mrs. Cooper-Cooper (uncredited) *'' Henry Aldrich Haunts a House'' (1943) - Mrs. Norris (uncredited) *'' The Lodger'' (1944) - Wiggy - Barfly (uncredited) *''

Passport to Destiny ''Passport to Destiny'' is a 1944 RKO Radio Pictures war film, starring Elsa Lanchester as an English charwoman who, believing herself invulnerable by being protected by a magic eye amulet, travels to Nazi Germany to personally assassinate Adol ...

'' (1944) - Agnes *''

Going My Way ''Going My Way'' is a 1944 American musical comedy drama film directed by Leo McCarey and starring Bing Crosby and Barry Fitzgerald. Written by Frank Butler and Frank Cavett, based on a story by McCarey, the film is about a new young priest ...

'' (1944) - Mrs. Hattie Quimp (uncredited) *''

The White Cliffs of Dover The White Cliffs of Dover are the region of English coastline facing the Strait of Dover and France. The cliff face, which reaches a height of , owes its striking appearance to its composition of chalk accented by streaks of black flint, depos ...

'' (1944) - Miller (uncredited) *''

The Doughgirls ''The Doughgirls'' is a 1944 American comedy film directed by James V. Kern based on the 1942 hit Broadway play written by Joseph Fields. The film works around three newlywed couples, focusing on the Halstead couple, played by Jane Wyman and J ...

'' (1944) - Maid (uncredited) *'' Our Hearts Were Young and Gay'' (1944) - Stewardess (uncredited) *''

The Picture of Dorian Gray ''The Picture of Dorian Gray'' is an 1890 philosophical fiction and Gothic fiction, Gothic horror fiction, horror novel by Irish writer Oscar Wilde. A shorter novella-length version was published in the July 1890 issue of the American period ...

'' (1945) - Lady Harborough (uncredited) *'' Kitty'' (1945) - Mullens *'' My Name Is Julia Ross'' (1945) - Sparkes *''

The Lost Weekend ''The Lost Weekend'' is a 1945 American drama film noir directed by Billy Wilder, and starring Ray Milland and Jane Wyman. It was based on Charles R. Jackson's 1944 novel about an alcoholic writer. The film was nominated for seven Academy Aw ...

'' (1945) - Mrs. Foley *''

Scarlet Street ''Scarlet Street'' is a 1945 American film noir directed by Fritz Lang. The screenplay concerns two criminals who take advantage of a middle-aged painter in order to steal his artwork. The film is based on the French novel ''La Chienne'' (liter ...

'' (1945) - Mrs. Michaels *''

The Thin Man Goes Home ''The Thin Man Goes Home'' is a 1944 American comedy mystery film directed by Richard Thorpe. It is the fifth of the six '' Thin Man'' films starring William Powell and Myrna Loy as Dashiell Hammett's dapper ex-private detective Nick Charles a ...

'' (1945) - Hilda *'' Dressed to Kill'' (1946) - Teacher on Museum Tour (uncredited) *'' The Two Mrs. Carrolls'' (1947) - Christine *'' Dark Passage'' (1947) - Woman (uncredited) *'' Love From a Stranger'' (1947) - Ethel *'' The Judge Steps Out'' (1947) - Martha, the Maid *'' The Woman in White'' (1948) - Mrs. Todd *'' The Perfect Woman'' (1949) - Lady Diana *'' Saints and Sinners'' (1949) - (uncredited) *'' Waterfront'' (1950) - Mrs. Simon (uncredited) *'' Talk of a Million'' (1951) - Miss Rafferty *'' Madame Louise'' (1951) - Cafe Proprietress *''

Botany Bay Botany Bay (Dharawal language, Dharawal: ''Kamay'') is an open oceanic embayment, located in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, south of the Sydney central business district. Its source is the confluence of the Georges River at Taren Point a ...

'' (1952) - Moll Cudlip *'' The Final Test'' (1953) - Daisy (uncredited) *'' Raising a Riot'' (1955) - Mrs. Buttons *''

The Hornet's Nest ''The Hornet's Nest'' is a 2014 American documentary film about the Afghanistan war, directed and produced by David Salzberg and Christian Tureaud. The film follows two journalists, Mike Boettcher and Carlos Boettcher (a father and son), embedde ...

'' (1955) - Miss Anderson *''

Reluctant Bride ''The Reluctant Bride'' (U.S. title: ''Two Grooms for a Bride'') is a 1955 British comedy film directed by Henry Cass and starring John Carroll and Virginia Bruce. Plot summary Jeff Longstreet and Laura Weeks are paired together to take care ...

'' (1955) - Mrs. Fogarty *'' Tears for Simon'' (1956) - Miss Gill *''

The Rising of the Moon "The Rising of the Moon" is an Irish ballad recounting a battle between the Society of United Irishmen, United Irishmen, led by Wolfe Tone, against British forces during the Irish Rebellion of 1798. Description The ballad's singer is told th ...

'' (1957) - Colonel Frobisher's Wife (2nd Episode) *'' Stormy Crossing'' (1958) - First Nurse *'' The Man Who Liked Funerals'' (1959) - Lady Hunter *'' Alive and Kicking'' (1959) - Postmistress *'' School for Scoundrels'' (1960) - Maid *''

The Day They Robbed the Bank of England ''The Day They Robbed the Bank of England'' is a 1960 British crime film directed by John Guillermin and starring Aldo Ray, Elizabeth Sellars and Peter O'Toole. It was written by Howard Clewes and Richard Maibaum and based upon the 1959 The Day ...

'' (1960) - Maid (uncredited) *'' The House in Marsh Road'' (1960) - Mrs. O'Brien *'' The Hands of Orlac'' (1960) - Volchett's Assistant (uncredited) *''

Payroll A payroll is a list of employment, employees of a company who are entitled to receive compensation as well as other work benefits, as well as the amounts that each should obtain. Along with the amounts that each employee should receive for time ...

'' (1961) - Landlady (uncredited) *'' On the Beat'' (1962) - Hair-Salon Customer (uncredited) *'' The List of Adrian Messenger'' (1963) - Mrs. Slattery (uncredited) *'' Father Came Too!'' (1964) - Mrs. Trumper *''

Promise Her Anything ''Promise Her Anything'' is a 1965 romantic comedy film directed by Arthur Hiller and starring Warren Beatty and Leslie Caron. The screenplay by William Peter Blatty is based on a story by Arne Sultan and Marvin Worth. The supporting cast fea ...

'' (1966) - Mrs. Egan - Baby Sitter (uncredited) *'' The Boy Cried Murder'' (1966) - Mrs. Wetherall *'' Craze'' (1974) - Woman at will reading. (uncredited) *'' The Adventure of Sherlock Holmes' Smarter Brother'' (1975) - Old lady (uncredited) *''

Jabberwocky "Jabberwocky" is a Nonsense verse, nonsense poem written by Lewis Carroll about the killing of a creature named "the Jabberwock". It was included in his 1871 novel ''Through the Looking-Glass'', the sequel to ''Alice's Adventures in Wonderland' ...

'' (1977) - Old Crone / Woman with Stone (uncredited)

Television

* '' Educated Evans'' (1957, 1 episode) * '' The Larkins'' (1959) as Gran Foskett in ep Total Welfare * '' The Saint'' (TV show, Season 1, Episode 2, 1962) as Ada Harmer * ''

'' (1968, 3 episodes) as Bathia Mapes * ''

Jude the Obscure ''Jude the Obscure'' is a novel by Thomas Hardy which began as a magazine serial in December 1894 and was first published in book form in 1895 (though the title page says 1896). The protagonist, Jude Fawley, is a working-class young man; he i ...

'' (1971) as Mrs Trott * '' Skiboy'' (1973) as Mountain Witch * '' Thriller'' (1976, 1 episode).

References

External links

* *
Anita Sharp-Bolster
at the

British Film Institute The British Film Institute (BFI) is a film and television charitable organisation which promotes and preserves filmmaking and television in the United Kingdom. The BFI uses funds provided by the National Lottery to encourage film production, ...

* 1895 births 1985 deaths Irish film actresses Irish radio actresses Irish stage actresses Irish television actresses Irish expatriate actresses in the United States People from Kanturk 20th-century American actresses Actors from County Cork {{Ireland-bio-stub