Judith Anderson

Dame Judith Anderson was born Frances Margaret Anderson on February 10 1897 in Adelaide South Australia She began her acting career in Australia before moving to New York in 1918 There she established herself as one of the greatest theatrical actresses and was a major star on Broadway throughout the 1930s 1940s and 1950s Her notable stage works included the role of Lady Macbeth which she played first in the 1920s and gave an Emmy Awardwinning television performance in Macbeth 1960 Andersons long association with Euripidess Medea began with her acclaimed Tony Awardwinning 1948 stage performance in the title role She appeared in the television version of Medea 1983 in the supporting character of the Nurse Anderson made her Hollywood film debut under director Rowland Brown in a supporting role in Blood Money 1933 Her striking not conventionally attractive features were complemented with her powerful presence mastery of timing and an effortless style Anderson made a film career as a supporting character actress in several significant films including Alfred Hitchcocks Rebecca 1940 for which she was Oscar nominated for Best Supporting Actress She worked with director Otto Preminger in Laura 1944 then with René Clair in And Then There Were None 1945 Her remarkable performance in a supporting role in Cat on a Hot Tin Roof 1958 fit in a stellar acting ensemble under director Richard Brooks Anderson was awarded Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire in the 1960 Queens New Years Honours List for her services to the performing arts Living in Santa Barbara in her later years she also had a successful stint on the soap opera Santa Barbara 1984 and was nominated for a Daytime Emmy Award in 1984 In the same year at age 87 she appeared in Star Trek III The Search for Spock 1984 as the High Priestess and was nominated for a Saturn Award for that role She was awarded Companion of the Order of Australia in the 1991 Queens Birthday Honours List for her services to the performing arts Anderson died at age 94 of pneumonia on January 3 1992 in Santa Barbara California