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, in ''The Thirteenth Chair'' at the West Pier 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'' (St Martin's Theatre 1933), '' After the Dance'' (St James' Theatre 1939), '' The Late Edwina Black'' (Ambassadors Theatre 1949), '' Tiger at the Gates'' (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'' (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'') and 1962 (Aase in ''

Peer Gynt ''Peer Gynt'' (, ) is a five-act (drama), act play (theatre), play in verse (poetry), verse by the Norwegian dramatist Henrik Ibsen published in 1876. Written in Norwegian language, Norwegian, it is one of the most widely performed Norwegian pla ...

'', 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 in 1967, playing Volumnia in '' Coriolanus'' 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 rang ...

''.

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'' (1947), '' Whisky Galore!'' (1949), '' The Servant'' (1963) and ''

The Fighting Prince of Donegal ''The Fighting Prince of Donegal'' is a 1966 adventure film starring Peter McEnery and Susan Hampshire, based on the novel ''Red Hugh: Prince of Donegal'' by Robert T. Reilly. It was released by the Buena Vista Distribution Company. Plot Set in ...

'' (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'' 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 Michael Reeves (17 October 1943 – 11 February 1969) was an English film director and screenwriter. He is best remembered for the 1968 film '' Witchfinder General'' (known in the US as ''Conqueror Worm''). A few months after the film's re ...

' ''

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. R ...

''. 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 stag ...

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

Personal life

She was married to and divorced from the British actors Roy Emerton and Geoffrey Clark.

Partial filmography

* '' The Lady Vanishes'' (1938) - The Nun * '' Poison Pen'' (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'' (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 ...

'' (1946) - Florrie Raeburn * '' The October Man'' (1947) - Miss Selby * '' The White Unicorn'' (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 Green ...

'' (1957) - Mary's Mother * '' Innocent Sinners'' (1958) - Angela Chesney * ''The Solitary Child'' (1958) - Mrs. Evans * '' Rockets Galore!'' (1958) - Mrs. Waggett * '' Crack in the Mirror'' (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 * '' The Servant'' (1963) - Lady Mounset * ''

'' (1966) - (uncredited) * '' The Mummy's Shroud'' (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