Margaret Rutherford
Acting
Biography
Dame Margaret Taylor Rutherford DBE (11 May 1892 – 22 May 1972) was an English character actress, who first came to prominence following World War II in the film adaptations of Noel Coward's Blithe Spirit, and Oscar Wilde's The Importance of Being Earnest. She is best-known for her 1960s performances as Miss Marple in several films based loosely on Agatha Christie's novels. Description above from the Wikipedia article Margaret Rutherford, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.
Born: May 11, 1892
Place of Birth: Balham, London, England, UK
Known For
Miss Robin Hood
In this delightful fantasy adventure, a mild-mannered writer of adventure stories for girls finds himself presented with an intriguing proposition from an elderly fan. She suggests that they conspire to steal a secret whiskey formula from ruthless distillers, who themselves stole it from her family in years gone by. With the recipe back in hand however, it's not long before they attract attention from the Inspectors of Scotland Yard.
Murder She Said
Miss Marple believes she's seen a murder in a passing-by train, yet when the police find no evidence she decides to investigate it on her own.
Chimes at Midnight
Henry IV usurps the English throne, sets in motion the factious War of the Roses and now faces a rebellion led by Northumberland scion Hotspur. Henry's heir, Prince Hal, is a ne'er-do-well carouser who drinks and causes mischief with his low-class friends, especially his rotund father figure, John Falstaff. To redeem his title, Hal may have to choose between allegiance to his real father and loyalty to his friend.
Curtain Up
In a small town in the 1950s a repertory company meets on Monday morning to start rehearsing the following week's play. This is a ghastly thing written by the aunt of one of the theatre's directors. The producer doesn't try to hide his annoyance about it, and is further exercised when the authoress herself arrives to help. The cast have to try and sort out real-life problems that keep intruding as they wrestle with the play's dire dialogue.
The Importance of Being Earnest
Two young gentlemen living in 1890s England use the same pseudonym ('Ernest') on the sly, which is fine until they both fall in love with women using that name, which leads to a comedy of mistaken identities.
Murder at the Gallop
Miss Marple and Mr. Stringer are witnesses to the death by heart attack of elderly, rich Mr. Enderby. Yet they have their doubts about what happened. The police don't believe them, thus leading Miss Marple to yet again investigate by herself.
Murder Most Foul
A murderer is brought to court and only Miss Marple is unconvinced of his innocence. Once again she begins her own investigation.
Murder Ahoy
During an annual board of trustees meeting, one of the trustees dies. Miss Marple thinks he’s been poisoned after finding a chemical on him. She sets off to investigate at the ship where he had just come from. The fourth and final film from the Miss Marple series starring Margaret Rutherford as the quirky amateur detective.
Arabella
A young woman uses her womanly wiles to seduce older men in order to aid her debt-ridden grandmother.
Big Fella
Singing Marseilles docker Joe is hired by wealthy English couple, the Oliphants, to find their missing son Gerald. When Joe finds him, he learns Gerald escaped of his own will and takes him to stay with a local singer, who offers a refuge from his repressed white parents.
Filmography
as Self (archive footage)
as Grandma (scenes deleted)
as Mother Goose (voice)
as Princess Ilaria
as Miss Gaulswallow
as Miss Jane Marple (uncredited)
as Mistress Quickly
as Miss Jane Marple
as Miss Jane Marple
as The Duchess of Brighton
as Miss Jane Marple
as Grand Duchess Gloriana XIII
as Self
as Miss Jane Marple
as Lady Vivian
as Aunt Dolly
as Mrs. Dooley
as Mrs. Fazackalee
as Prudence Croquet
as Clara Hilton
as Nurse Carey
as Miss Bacon
as Gwladys Inglott
as Miss Cynthia Beeston
as Heather Honey
as Miss Prism
as Miss Nicholson
as Catherine Beckwith / Jeremy St. Claire
as Lady Pond
as Mrs. Dotherington
as Muriel Whitchurch
as Professor Hatton-Jones
as Nurse Carey
as Madame Vernorel
as Dr. Winifred Frye
as Madame Arcati
as Lady Christabel Beauclerk
as Mrs. Towcester
as Rowena Ventnor
as Second Magistrate
as Aunt Bijou
as Nanny (uncredited)
as Mrs. Baldwin
as Evelyn Summers aka Miss Butterby