Constance Cummings


Constance Cummings CBE was an American-British actress with a career spanning over 50 years. She starred in films such as Movie Crazy and American Madness.

Early life

Cummings was born on 15 May 1910 in Seattle, Washington, the only daughter and younger child of Kate Logan, a concert soprano, and Dallas Vernon Halverstadt, a lawyer.
Cummings' parents separated when she was 10 years old, and she never saw her father again. She attended St. Nicholas Girls' School in Seattle.

Career

The San Diego Stock Company gave Cummings her initial acting opportunity in a "walk-on part" playing a prostitute in a 1926 production of Seventh Heaven. She debuted on Broadway as a chorus girl, a member of the ensemble in Treasure Girl by the age of 18. While appearing on Broadway, she was discovered by Samuel Goldwyn, who brought her to Hollywood in 1931. Between 1931 and 1934, Cummings appeared in more than 20 films, including Movie Crazy opposite Harold Lloyd, and American Madness, directed by Frank Capra.
Cummings was married to the playwright and screenwriter Benn Levy from July 3, 1933 until his death in 1973. As Levy was from the UK, Cummings moved there and continued acting in films and on the stage. Few of her films were hits in the U.S., but Blithe Spirit, adapted from the Noël Coward play, was popular. Levy wrote and directed films for Cummings, such as The Jealous God ; he also served in the UK Parliament from 1945 to 1950 as the Labour MP for Eton and Slough. They had a son and a daughter. She played Mary Tyrone in the Royal National Theatre's production of Eugene O'Neill's Long Day's Journey into Night opposite Laurence Olivier and later recreated the role for television. She took over the role of Martha in Edward Albee's Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? in its first London run.

Recognition

In 1979, Cummings won the Tony Award for Best Actress in a Play for her performance as Emily Stilson in the drama Wings, a play about a former aviator who has suffered a stroke, from which she struggles to recover. This role also brought her Obie and Drama Desk awards and an Olivier Award nomination. In 1982, she was nominated for a Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Actress in a Play for her work in The Chalk Garden.
She received an Evening Standard Best Actress Award for her performance in Long Day's Journey into Night.
On January 1, 1974, Cummings, who resided in Britain for many decades until her death, was made a Commander of the Order of the British Empire for her contributions to the British entertainment industry.
She was a committee member of the Royal Court Theatre and the Arts Council. She has a star in the Motion Pictures section on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 6201 Hollywood Boulevard. It was dedicated on February 8, 1960.

Death

Constance Cummings Levy died in Wardington, Oxfordshire, England on November 23, 2005, aged 95, from natural causes.

Acting credits

Filmography

The Criminal Code as Mary BradyThe Last Parade as Molly PearsonLover Come Back as Connie LeeTraveling Husbands as Ellen WilsonThe Guilty Generation as Maria PalmeroBehind the Mask as Julie ArnoldThe Big Timer as Honey BaldwinAttorney for the Defense as Ruth BarryAmerican Madness as HelenMovie Crazy as Mary SearsThe Last Man as MarianWashington Merry-Go-Round as AliceNight After Night as Miss Jerry HealyThe Billion Dollar Scandal as Doris MastersonThe Mind Reader as SylviaHeads We Go as Betty Smith / Dorothy KayChannel Crossing as Marion SladeBroadway Through a Keyhole as Joan WhelanLooking for Trouble as Ethel GreenwoodGlamour as Linda FayneThis Man Is Mine as Francesca HarperRemember Last Night? as Carlotta MilburnSeven Sinners as Caryl FentonStrangers on Honeymoon as OctoberCyrano de Bergerac as RoxaneBusman's Honeymoon as Harriet VaneThis England as AnnThe Foreman Went to France as Anne Stafford, the American girlBlithe Spirit as Ruth CondomineInto the Blue as Mrs. Kate FergussonTrial and Error as AndreaJohn and Julie as Mrs. DavidsonThe Intimate Stranger as Kay WallaceThe Trial of Mary Dugan as Mary Dugan, known as Mona TreeCraig's Wife as Harriet CraigThe Battle of the Sexes as Angela BarrowsSammy Going South as Gloria van ImhoffIn the Cool of the Day as Mrs. Nina GellertLove Song as Dame Philippa HatchardDead Man's Folly as Amy FolliatThe Understanding as Acton

Theatre

YearPlayCharacterTypeComments
1926Seventh HeavenprostituteStage debut in Seattle, Washington
1928Treasure Girlchorus ensembleMusical comedyBroadway debut
1930June MoonMiss RixeyTin Pan Alley comedy
1930This Man's TownCarrieDrama
1934Sour Grapesfirst appearance on London stage
1934Accent on YouthLinda BrownComedy
1936Young Madame ContiNella ContiMelodrama
1937Madame Bovary RevivalEmma BovaryRestoration Comedy
1938If I Were YouNellie BluntFarce
1938Goodbye, Mr ChipsKatherineDrama
1939The Jealous God
1939–1940Romeo and JulietJulietTragedy
1939–1940Old Vic Theatre Season
1939Joan of ArcJoanDrama
1939The Good Natur'd ManMiss RichlandDrama
April 22, 1940Shakespeare Birthday Festival
1942SkylarkLydiaDrama
1943The Petrified ForestGabbyDrama
1945One Man ShowRacine GardnerDrama
1946ClutterbuckComedy
1948Don't Listen LadiesFarce
1948Happy with EitherAnnaluise KloppsComedy
1949Before the PartyLauraComedy
1950Return to Tyassi
1952Winter's Journey
1953The ShrikeDrama
1957LysistrataGreek Comedy
1957The Rape of the BeltAntiopeplayed at Piccadilly Theatre, and then Martin Beck Theatre, NY.
1961J.B.Sarah
1962Social Success
1964Huis ClosInezDrama
1965Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?Martha
1966Public and Confidential
1967Fallen AngelsJane BanburyComedy
1969HamletGertrudeShakespearean Tragedy
1969The Milk Train Doesn't Stop Here AnymoreMrs Flora GoforthTragedy
1970The VisitClaire ZachanassianTragi-comedy
1971Amphitryon 38LedaGreek Drama
1971Long Day's Journey into NightMary TyroneRoyal Shakespeare Theatre, Stratford, UK with Laurence Olivier as James Tyrone
1971–1972National Theatre, London, Repertoire SeasonClassical drama
1972–1973National Theatre, London, Repertoire Season
1973The Cherry OrchardMadame Ranevsky
1974National Theatre, London, Repertoire Season
1974Children
1979WingsEmily StilsonTony Award, Obie Award, Drama Desk Award
1979National Theatre, London, Repertoire Season
1980Hay FeverComedy
1981The Golden Age
1985The Glass Menagerie
1986Fanny Kemble at Home
1992The Chalk GardenMrs St MaughamHer last appearance on Broadway
1996–1999Uncle VanyaMamanHer last stage appearance