Cathleen Cordell (May 21, 1915 – August 19, 1997) was an American film and television actress. She was described as "a lass born in Brooklyn with an Irish name and an English accent; educated in India and France."
[ ]
Early years
Cordell was born in
Brooklyn, New York. She moved to England, then France, in order to begin her childhood education. "My father's business took him to India when I was a baby," she said, "Then we went to France, and when I was 7 years old I was thrust into a French boarding school."
[ She later attended the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art.][
]
Stage
Cordell's stage debut came in ''It's You I Want'', presented by Seymour Hicks' company in England.[ ] Her "first important role" in the United States came in ''Never Trouble Trouble'' at the Brighton Theater in Brooklyn, New York, August 17, 1937. A Brooklyn newspaper described Cordell as "a 'discovery' of John Golden" and said the actress "has appeared abroad previously."
Cordell went on to appear on Broadway in ''Love of Women'' (1937), ''Romantic Mr. Dickens'' (1940), ''Golden Wings'' (1941), ''Yesterday's Magic'' (1942), ''Sheppey'' (1944), ''While the Sun Shines'' (1944), and ''The Linden Tree'' (1948).
Film
Cordell began her film career in 1938 playing in ''Who Killed Cock Robin?''. (Another source says she "made her film debut in the British version of '' Gaslight''.")[ She starred in ''Gaslight'' (1940) with ]Anton Walbrook
Adolf Anton Wilhelm Wohlbrück (19 November 18969 August 1967) was an Austrian actor who settled in the United Kingdom under the name Anton Walbrook. A popular performer in Austria and pre-war Germany, he left in 1936 out of concerns for his o ...
, as Nancy, the housemaid, a role that later launched Angela Lansbury into stardom in the American remake four years later.
She made numerous film and television appearances during her nearly 50-year career.
Radio
Cordell was a member of the casts of ''Hilltop House'' (playing Vicky McLain),[ ''Amanda'' (playing Eve Fuller), '']Valiant Lady
''Valiant Lady'' is an American soap opera which ran daily on CBS radio and television from October 12, 1953, to August 16, 1957, at 12:00 PM (EST). The show's title was taken from a 1930s radio soap opera about a young woman struggling through ...
'' (playing Monica Brewster)[ ] and '' Counterspy'' and appeared in other programs, such as Quiet Please, '' Grand Central Station'' and '' The March of Time''.[
During World War II, Cordell lived in England and worked for the BBC.]
Television
Cordell appeared in two episodes of '' Perry Mason'' and '' Family Affair'', and three times in ''Dragnet 1967
''Dragnet'' is an American television series. It ran for four seasons, from January 12, 1967, to April 16, 1970. To differentiate it from the earlier 1950s '' Dragnet'' television series, the year in which each season ended was made part of the ...
'', starring Jack Webb
John Randolph Webb (April 2, 1920 – December 23, 1982) was an American actor, television producer, Television director, director, and screenwriter, who is most famous for his role as Joe Friday, Sgt. Joe Friday in the Dragnet (franchise) ...
.
In 1963, she appeared as “Mrs. Lawson” in the S6E26 edition of '' Wagon Train'' in “The Michael Magoo Story”.
In 1970 she played Mrs. Beamish in “The Housekeeper” - Season 1 / Episode 1 of Rod Serling's, American anthology television series, '' Night Gallery''.
Later years
Cordell retired from acting in 1985 after appearing in the movie ''The Return of the Living Dead
''The Return of the Living Dead'' is a 1985 American comedy horror film written and directed by Dan O'Bannon in his directorial debut, and starring Clu Gulager, James Karen, Thom Matthews and Don Calfa. The film tells the story of how a warehou ...
''.
Death
Cordell died on August 19, 1997, in Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, at age 82.
Radio appearances
Film appearances
Television appearances
References
External links
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Old Time Radio Researchers Database of People and Programs
{{DEFAULTSORT:Cordell, Cathleen
American film actresses
American television actresses
Deaths from emphysema
Actresses from Brooklyn
Actresses from Los Angeles
1915 births
1997 deaths
20th-century American actresses