BIO

May Whitty was born Mary Whitty in Liverpool, England, in 1865.   Her father was a newspaper editor.

She made her first stage appearance in Liverpool in 1881 before moving to London to appear in West End theatre.   Whitty made her Broadway debut in 1908, at the age of 43.   By this time, she was already an established star in England and returned within a couple of months to the London stage.   Whitty returned to appear on Broadway in 6 productions between 1932 and 1945, including a starring role in Therese (1945).

Whitty appeared in her first British film in 1914, at the age of 49, for Neptune Films.   She made only three silent films during her career.

In 1918, Whitty was bestowed the title of Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire in recognition of her charitable work during World War I and was the first film or stage actress so recognized.

It was not until 1936 that Whitty, at the age of 71, returned to films with a small part in a British picture produced by Associated Talking Pictures.   She made her first major Hollywood film appearance, recreating her stage role in Night Must Fall in 1937 and received a nomination for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress.   She received a second Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress in Mrs. Miniver.   Whitty’s last film was in 1948.

She married the actor-manager Ben Webster in 1892.   He passed away in 1947.   Their child was the stage actress and writer Margaret Webster (1905-1972).

Whitty died of cancer in Beverly Hills, California in 1948, at the age of 82.

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Additional biographical information is available at:

NOTED FILMS