Mona Washbourne

Mona Washbourne

1903-11-27 – 1988-11-15 (age 84) Solihull, Warwickshire, England, UK
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Biography

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Mona Lee Washbourne (27 November 1903 – 15 November 1988) was an English actress of stage, film, and television. Her most critically acclaimed role was in the film Stevie (1978), late in her career, for which she was nominated for a Golden Globe Award and a BAFTA Award.

Mona Washbourne was born in Solihull, Warwickshire and began her entertaining career training as a concert pianist.

In 1948, after several years acting professionally on stage, and numerous stage musical performances, she began appearing in films. Her film credits include the horror movie The Brides of Dracula (1960), Billy Liar (1963), and The Collector (1965). She is probably best known to American audiences for her role as housekeeper Mrs. Pearce in My Fair Lady (1964). She also appeared as the stern and caustic Mrs. Bramson in the remake of Night Must Fall (also 1964), and the matron in the film If.... (1968).

She appeared at both the Royal Court Theatre in London and on Broadway in 1970 in David Storey's Home. She was nominated for the Tony Award for Best Performance by a Featured Actress in a Play. In 1975 she appeared on the West End stage with James Stewart in a revival of Mary Chase's play Harvey, in the role originally taken by Josephine Hull. Washbourne won the 1981 New York Film Critics' Circle Awards for Best Supporting Actress in Stevie (1978).

In 1981 Washbourne appeared in Granada Television's TV miniseries adaptation of Evelyn Waugh's novel Brideshead Revisited as Nanny Hawkins. One of her last television appearances was in Where's the Key? (1983), a BBC play about Alzheimer's disease.

Mona Washbourne was married to actor Basil Dignam (1905-1979), whom she wed in 1940.

She died in 1988, aged 84, in London.

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Known For

Casino Royale
Casino Royale

1967

as Tea Lady (uncredited)

My Fair Lady
My Fair Lady

1964

as Mrs. Pearce

The Million Pound Note
The Million Pound Note

1954

as Mum with Pram

Betrayed
Betrayed

1954

as Waitress (uncredited)

Identikit
Identikit

1974

as Mrs. Helen Fiedke

The Collector
The Collector

1965

as Aunt Annie

if....
if....

1968

as Matron

The Brides of Dracula
The Brides of Dracula

1960

as Helga Lang

O Lucky Man!
O Lucky Man!

1973

as Neighbour / Usher / Sister Hallett

The Bed Sitting Room
The Bed Sitting Room

1969

as Mother

🎦
Probation Officer

1950

as Mrs. Mead

The London Connection
The London Connection

1979

as Aunt Lydia

Pygmalion
Pygmalion

1981

as Mrs. Pearce

Home
Home

1972

as Kathleen

The Blue Bird
The Blue Bird

1976

as Grandmother

Billy Liar
Billy Liar

1963

as Alice Fisher

Yield to the Night
Yield to the Night

1956

as Mrs. Thomas, landlady

The Winslow Boy
The Winslow Boy

1948

as Miss Barnes

Doctor in the House
Doctor in the House

1954

as Midwifery Sister (uncredited)

The Old Curiosity Shop
The Old Curiosity Shop

1975

as Mrs. Jarley