Biography
May Whitty was an English stage and film actress. Born Mary Louise Whitty in Liverpool, she made her stage debut in 1881 and became a leading West End performer. She was created a Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire in 1918, one of the first two women entertainers to receive the honour, for her wartime services. The actors' union Equity was founded in her home in 1930.
Whitty appeared in a small number of British silent films from 1914. She made her Hollywood debut at the age of 72, recreating her stage role as Mrs Bramson in Night Must Fall (1937). She remained in the United States from 1939, playing supporting roles in films including The Lady Vanishes (1938) as Miss Froy, Suspicion (1941), Mrs Miniver (1942) as Lady Beldon, Lassie Come Home (1943), Gaslight (1944) and My Name Is Julia Ross (1945). She received Academy Award nominations for Night Must Fall and Mrs Miniver. She died in Beverly Hills, California, in 1948.
