Rumann Koch Posted June 1, 2019 Share Posted June 1, 2019 She may not have been beautiful, but she made up for it by her excellent acting and hilarious tongue-in-cheek humor. My favorite performance of hers is as in "David Copperfield" (1935), where as Aunt Betsy she played the strong-willed but caring aunt of the main character played by Freddie Bartholomew, and dominates her scenes in the film. Trivia: although many of her films 'sport' her with a British accent, she was actually born Edna May Nutter, November 2, 1883 in Malden, MA. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TomJH Posted June 1, 2019 Share Posted June 1, 2019 I like Edna May a lot, too, with her Aunt Betsy in Copperfield my favourite performance of the lady, as well. Here's a photo from same. She sure told off Mr. Murdstone well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rumann Koch Posted June 2, 2019 Author Share Posted June 2, 2019 Edna appeared in many films. One that I would love to see is "Let's Get Married" (1926) where Edna plays an intoxicated hymn-book buyer starring alongside Richard Dix. NY Times critics raved: "Edna May Oliver gives a decidedly capable performance in a relatively unimportant part. One only regrets that she is not beheld in more sequences of this effort." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slaytonf Posted June 2, 2019 Share Posted June 2, 2019 She could have given Dame Edith Evans a run for her money as Lady Bracknell in Shaw's "The Importance of Being Earnest". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Swithin Posted June 2, 2019 Share Posted June 2, 2019 I love Edna May. One of the greats who made the classic films classic. Just the other day, I was thinking of which of her roles is my favorite. I think I've decided that it's this one: Edna May Oliver as Mrs. McKlennar in Drums Along the Mohawk (her one Oscar-nominated performance) 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sagebrush Posted June 2, 2019 Share Posted June 2, 2019 I read somewhere that Ms Oliver had a very nice singing voice, too. According to her, she never explored using it in musicals because she felt she had a "Horse face." My favorite role of hers is as Miss Pross in A TALE OF TWO CITIES. I love that sped up fight scene between her and Blanche Yurka! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TomJH Posted June 2, 2019 Share Posted June 2, 2019 6 minutes ago, sagebrush said: My favorite role of hers is as Miss Pross in A TALE OF TWO CITIES. I love that sped up fight scene between her and Blanche Yurka! Nothing like a good cat fight. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slaytonf Posted June 2, 2019 Share Posted June 2, 2019 3 hours ago, sagebrush said: "Horse face." That gets blamed for a lot. Even by herself. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RoyCronin Posted June 2, 2019 Share Posted June 2, 2019 Yes, she was wonderful....and a member of Hollywood Sewing Circle, for those who might not know. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TopBilled Posted June 2, 2019 Share Posted June 2, 2019 I just looked at her bio on the TCM database, and it says this: Eddie Oliver made his mark in the world of entertainment when he acted in the musical "Easy to Love" (1953) with Esther Williams. I believe the actress died in 1942. So that's obviously an error. http://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/person/144569|44269/Edna-May-Oliver/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hamradio Posted June 2, 2019 Share Posted June 2, 2019 "Little Miss Broadway" (1938) referring to landlady Sarah Wendling... Barbara Shea...Well if you see a pumpkin sitting in the window across the street, it's not Halloween, that's our landlady. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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