Athene Seyler
Born: 1889-05-31 in Hackney, London, England, UK
Died: 1990-09-12
Known For: Acting
Biography
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Athene Seyler, CBE (31 May 1889 – 12 September 1990) was an English actress. Although better known as a stage actress - she first appeared on the stage in 1909 - she made her film debut in 1921, and became known for playing slightly dotty old ladies in many British films from the 1930s to the 1960s. Her most memorable stage credits included Mrs. Malaprop in The Rivals, Lady Bracknell in The Importance of Being Earnest, and a double-act, with her good friend Dame Sybil Thorndike, as the murderous spinster sisters in Arsenic and Old Lace. Her film and television career lasted into the 1960s, and included roles in The Citadel (1938), Night of the Demon (1957), and The Avengers (1964, 1965). She was also a regular cast member in screen adaptations of Charles Dickens' novels. She virtually retired from acting after 1970, but continued making public appearances until well into the 1980s. In 1990, at the age of 101, she appeared at the National Theatre, talking about her long life and career. Athene Seyler was President of the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA) from 1950, and a member of the Theatrical Ladies' Guild. She also wrote The Craft of Comedy. She was appointed a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in 1959.
Filmography
1966
- Don't Utter a Note as Nellie Pringle
1965
- BBC Play of the Month as Lucy Amorest
- The World of Wooster as Aunt Isbel
1963
- The Invasion as Lady Corm
- Nurse on Wheels as Miss Farthingale
1962
- Satan Never Sleeps as Sister Agness
- I Thank a Fool as Aunt Heather Chandler
- Two and Two Make Six as Aunt Phoebe Tonks
- The Girl on the Boat as Mrs Adelaide Hignett
1961
- The Avengers
- Francis of Assisi as Aunt Buona
1960
- Make Mine Mink as Dame Beatrice Appleby
- A Woman of No Importance as Lady Hunstanton
- Visa to Canton as Mao Tai Tai
- A French Mistress as Beatrice Peake
1959
1958
- The Inn of the Sixth Happiness as Jeannie Lawson
- A Tale of Two Cities as Miss Pross
- Happy Is the Bride as Aunt Harriet
1957
- How to Murder a Rich Uncle as Grannie (Victoria Clitterbern)
- Campbell's Kingdom as Miss Abigail
- Doctor at Large as Lady Hawkins
- Night of the Demon as Mrs. Karswell
1956
- Yield to the Night as Miss Bligh
1955
- As Long as They're Happy as Mrs. Arbuthnot
1954
- For Better, for Worse as Miss Mainbrace
- The Weak and the Wicked as Millie Williams
1953
- The Beggar's Opera as Mrs. Trapes
1952
- Secret People as Mrs. Reginald Kellick
- Treasure Hunt as Consuelo Howard
- Made in Heaven as Miss Honeycroft
- The Pickwick Papers as Miss Witherfield
1951
- The Franchise Affair as Aunt Lin
- Young Wives' Tale as Nanny Gallop
1949
- The Queen of Spades as Princess Ivashin
1948
- The First Gentleman as Miss Knight
1947
- Jassy
- The Life and Adventures of Nicholas Nickleby as Miss La Creevy
1943
- Dear Octopus as Aunt Belle
1941
- Quiet Wedding as Aunt Mary
- Letter from Home as Mrs Ashford
1939
- The Saint in London as Mother Buckley
- Young Man's Fancy as Milliner
1938
- The Citadel as Lady Raebank
- The Ware Case as Mrs Pinto
- Jane Steps Out as Grandma
- Sailing Along as Victoria Gulliver
1937
- The Mill on the Floss as Mrs. Pullet
- The Sky’s the Limit as Miss Prinny
- Non-Stop New York as Aunt Veronica
- The Lilac Domino as Madame Alary
1936
- Sensation as Madame Henry
- Southern Roses as Mrs. Rowland
- It's Love Again as Mrs. Durland
1935
- Scrooge as Scrooge's Charwoman
- Drake of England as Queen Elizabeth
1934
- Blossom Time as Archduchess Maria Victoria
- Moscow Nights as Madame Anna Sabine
- The Private Life of Don Juan as Theresa, the Innkeeper, a Middle Aged Lady of Young Sentiment
1933
- Early to Bed as Frau Waiser
1932
- Tell Me Tonight as Mrs. Pategg
1931
- The Perfect Lady as Lady Westhaven
1921
- The Adventures of Mr. Pickwick as Rachel Wardle