Mary Clare Absalom was born 17th July in 1892, the second of five daughters, to George Alfred Absalom and Annie Louise Austin. Mary Absalom first worked in an office but a loan of £50 allowed her to train at a dramatic school and she began her thespian career as Mary Clare on the London stage at the age of 18 in 1910. In the theatre, she became one of Noël Coward's "leading ladies" appearing in several of his plays.
She started appearing in films during the silent era of the 1920’s until her first major sound movie - the 1931 Hindle Wakes, as Mrs Jeffcote; a role which she was to repeat in the 1952 remake. She appeared in two Alfred Hitchcock films, Young and Innocent, (1937) playing a nightmare of an aunt who demands that everyone enjoy themselves at her young daughter's birthday party, and The Lady Vanishes, (1938) in which she played the sinister baroness (1st photo). Two of the actors who featured alongside her, basil Radford and Naunton Wayne – went on to appear with her in the 1942 British WW2 propaganda film Next of Kin – she played the part of Mrs Ma Webster (2nd photo) a matronly Nazi Spy.
Other films that she appeared in during her long career include: The Constant Nymph 1933, Lorna Doone 1934, The Mill on the Floss 1937, in the title roles of Mrs Pym at Scotland Yard 1939 and Miss Grant Goes to the Door 1940, Old Bill and Son 1941, London Town 1946, Oliver Twist 1948, Moulin Rouge 1952 and The Price of Silence 1959.
She died 29th August 1970.
She started appearing in films during the silent era of the 1920’s until her first major sound movie - the 1931 Hindle Wakes, as Mrs Jeffcote; a role which she was to repeat in the 1952 remake. She appeared in two Alfred Hitchcock films, Young and Innocent, (1937) playing a nightmare of an aunt who demands that everyone enjoy themselves at her young daughter's birthday party, and The Lady Vanishes, (1938) in which she played the sinister baroness (1st photo). Two of the actors who featured alongside her, basil Radford and Naunton Wayne – went on to appear with her in the 1942 British WW2 propaganda film Next of Kin – she played the part of Mrs Ma Webster (2nd photo) a matronly Nazi Spy.
Other films that she appeared in during her long career include: The Constant Nymph 1933, Lorna Doone 1934, The Mill on the Floss 1937, in the title roles of Mrs Pym at Scotland Yard 1939 and Miss Grant Goes to the Door 1940, Old Bill and Son 1941, London Town 1946, Oliver Twist 1948, Moulin Rouge 1952 and The Price of Silence 1959.
She died 29th August 1970.
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