Actor / Director Profile

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 30s, 40s and 50s. Her notable stage works included the role of Lady Macbeth, which she played first in the 1920s, and gave a Emmy-winning television performance in "Hallmark Hall of Fame: Macbeth (II) (#10.2)" (1960). Anderson's long association with Euripides's Medea began with her acclaimed Tony-award-winning 1948 stage performance in the title role. She appeared in the 1983 TV version of Medea (1983/I) (TV) 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 Hitchcock's Rebecca (1940), for which she was nominated for a best supporting actress Oscar. 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.Living in Santa Barbara in her later years, she also had a successful stint 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 Saturn Award for that work. Anderson died of pneumonia on January 3, 1992, in Santa Barbara, California.