Dorothy Hyson, Lady Quayle (born Dorothy Wardell Heisen; December 24, 1914May 23, 1996) was an American-born film and stage actress who worked largely in England. During

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposing ...

, she worked as a

cryptographer Cryptography, or cryptology (from grc, , translit=kryptós "hidden, secret"; and ''graphein'', "to write", or ''-logia'', "study", respectively), is the practice and study of techniques for secure communication in the presence of adver ...

Bletchley Park Bletchley Park is an English country house and estate in Bletchley, Milton Keynes ( Buckinghamshire) that became the principal centre of Allied code-breaking during the Second World War. The mansion was constructed during the years followin ...

Early life

She was the only child of actress

Dorothy Dickson Dorothy Dickson (July 25, 1893 – September 25, 1995) was an American-born, London-based theater actress and singer, and a centenarian. Biography and Career Dickson is known mostly for her rendition of the Jerome Kern song "Look for the S ...

and matinée idol Carl Constantine Hyson (né Heisen). Her mother was known for being the Toast of Broadway. Hyson made her acting debut at age three, playing her mother's daughter in a silent film shot by director

George Fitzmaurice George Fitzmaurice (13 February 1885 – 13 June 1940) was a French-born film director and producer. Career Fitzmaurice's career first started as a set designer on stage. Beginning in 1914, and continuing until his death in 1940, he directed ...

shot at New York's Paramount studios. Hyson moved to England with her parents who eventually divorced. Her mother had a successful run in

Jerome Kern Jerome David Kern (January 27, 1885 – November 11, 1945) was an American composer of musical theatre and popular music. One of the most important American theatre composers of the early 20th century, he wrote more than 700 songs, used in ove ...

's musical ''

Sally Sally may refer to: People *Sally (name), a list of notable people with the name Military * Sally (military), an attack by the defenders of a town or fortress under siege against a besieging force; see sally port *Sally, the Allied reporting na ...

'' and became the highest-paid actress in London. Hyson was schooled in England and France, but "Little Dot", as she was nicknamed, made several West End appearances in children's roles including

J.M. Barrie Sir James Matthew Barrie, 1st Baronet, (; 9 May 1860 19 June 1937) was a Scottish novelist and playwright, best remembered as the creator of Peter Pan. He was born and educated in Scotland and then moved to London, where he wrote several succe ...

's '' Quality Street''. After seeing her, aged 13, in the theatrical adaptation of

Daisy Ashford Margaret Mary Julia Devlin (née Ashford; 3 April 1881 – 15 January 1972), known as Daisy Ashford, was an English writer who is most famous for writing '' The Young Visiters'', a novella concerning the upper class society of late 19th century ...

's '' The Young Visiters'', Sybil Thorndike told her mother, "She's going to be a star."

Career

After finishing school in Paris, Hyson appeared in ''

Soldiers of the King ''Soldiers of the Queen'' is a song written and composed by Leslie Stuart. The song is often sung and published as "Soldiers of the King" depending on the reigning monarch at the time. The tune was originally composed by Stuart as a march celebr ...

'' with

Cicely Courtneidge Dame Esmerelda Cicely Courtneidge, (1 April 1893 – 26 April 1980) was an Australian-born British actress, comedian and singer. The daughter of the producer and playwright Robert Courtneidge, she was appearing in his productions in the West En ...

at age 19. Her professional theatrical debut was in Ivor Novello's play ''Flies in the Sun''. She worked on films during the daytime and appeared on stage at night. Filming at Blackpool with Gracie Fields ''

Sing As We Go ''Sing As We Go'' is a 1934 British musical film starring Gracie Fields, John Loder and Stanley Holloway. The script was written by Gordon Wellesley and J. B. Priestley. Considered by many to be British music hall star Gracie Fields' finest ...

'' and acting in the West End in

Dodie Smith Dorothy Gladys "Dodie" Smith (3 May 1896 – 24 November 1990) was an English novelist and playwright. She is best known for writing ''I Capture the Castle'' (1948) and the children's novel '' The Hundred and One Dalmatians'' (1956). Other works ...

s ''Touch Wood'' led to a nervous breakdown. She continued to be in light West End comedies and had a big hit in an adaptation of Jane Austen's '' Pride and Prejudice'' in 1936. In 1938 she appeared as Titania in

Tyrone Guthrie Sir William Tyrone Guthrie (2 July 1900 – 15 May 1971) was an English theatrical director instrumental in the founding of the Stratford Festival of Canada, the Guthrie Theater in Minneapolis, Minnesota, and the Tyrone Guthrie Centre at h ...

Old Vic Old or OLD may refer to: Places *Old, Baranya, Hungary *Old, Northamptonshire, England * Old Street station, a railway and tube station in London (station code OLD) *OLD, IATA code for Old Town Municipal Airport and Seaplane Base, Old Town, Ma ...

revival of '' A Midsummer Night's Dream''. During the Second World War, Hyson made several more films including ''

You Will Remember ''You Will Remember'' is a 1941 British musical drama film directed by Jack Raymond and starring Robert Morley, Emlyn Williams and Dorothy Hyson. It portrays the life of the composer Leslie Stuart. Featured songs include, '' Tell Me Pretty Maid ...

'' with

Robert Morley Robert Adolph Wilton Morley, CBE (26 May 1908 – 3 June 1992) was an English actor who enjoyed a lengthy career in both Britain and the United States. He was frequently cast as a pompous English gentleman representing the Establishment, of ...

and the musical comedy ''

Spare a Copper Spare or Spares may refer to: Common meanings * Spare (bowling), a term for knocking down all the pins using two bowling balls * short for spare part ** Spare tire People * Austin Osman Spare (1886–1956), English artist and occultist * Richar ...

'' with

George Formby George Formby, (born George Hoy Booth; 26 May 1904 – 6 March 1961) was an English actor, singer-songwriter and comedian who became known to a worldwide audience through his films of the 1930s and 1940s. On stage, screen and record he s ...

. She also acted in revue, musical comedy and plays like the thriller ''

Pink String and Sealing Wax ''Pink String and Sealing Wax'' is a 1945 British drama film directed by Robert Hamer and starring Mervyn Johns. It is based on a play with the same name by Roland Pertwee. It was the first feature film Robert Hamer directed on his own. The ti ...

'' in 1943 and an adaptation from Trollope ''Scandal at Barchester'' in 1944. In 1945 she played Lady Windermere in Oscar Wilde's ''

Lady Windermere's Fan ''Lady Windermere's Fan, A Play About a Good Woman'' is a four-act comedy by Oscar Wilde, first performed on Saturday, 20 February 1892, at the St James's Theatre in London. The story concerns Lady Windermere, who suspects that her husband is ...

''. She worked at the secret codebreaking establishment

during World War II, She was part of a team of twelve led by Patricia Bartley who broke the German diplomatic code, '' Floradora''. Although married to Robert Douglas, she was visited at Bletchley Park by Anthony Quayle, who became her second husband. Quayle recalled that: "She had gone to work as a cryptographer at Bletchley Park. I went to see her there and found her ill and exhausted with the long night shifts." She was a "byword for theatrical West End glamour" and after the war returned to the West End, joining

John Gielgud Sir Arthur John Gielgud, (; 14 April 1904 – 21 May 2000) was an English actor and theatre director whose career spanned eight decades. With Ralph Richardson and Laurence Olivier, he was one of the trinity of actors who dominated the Brit ...

’s Haymarket Company in 1945. She was married twice—to actor Robert Douglas (1935–45) and then actor and director Sir Anthony Quayle (1947–89, his death). After marrying Quayle in 1947 she soon retired from the stage to concentrate on bringing up their three children.

Death

She was widowed in 1989 and died from a stroke on May 23, 1996, aged 81, in Britain, a year after the death of her mother, who died at age 102. It is not known whether she or her mother ever relinquished their United States citizenship and/or became British citizens.

Filmography

*''Money Mad'' (aka ''Paying the Piper'', 1918) *'' The Ghoul'' (Betty Harlon) (1933) *''

'' (Judy Marvello) (1933) *'' Turkey Time'' (Rose Adair) (1933) *'' Happy'' (Lillian) (1933) *''

That's a Good Girl ''That's a Good Girl'' is a 1933 British comedy film directed by Jack Buchanan and starring Buchanan, Elsie Randolph and Dorothy Hyson. The film was based on a musical show of the same title that opened at the Lewisham Hippodrome on 19 March 1928 ...

'' (Moya Malone) (1934) *''

'' (Phyllis) (1934) *'' A Cup of Kindness'' (Betty Ramsbotham)(1934) *''Now You're Talking'' (Mrs. Hamton) (1940) *''

'' (Jane Gray) (1941) *''

'' (Ellaline Terriss) (1941) *''Salute to Show Business'' (1957) (Participant)

Stage

*'' Quality Street'' - 1927 *''The Young Visitor'' - 1928 *''Flies in the Sun'' - 1932 *''Saturday's Children'' - 1933 *''That's a Good Girl'' - 1933 *'' Turkey Time'' (with Tom Walls & Ralph Lynn) - 1933 *''

Touch Wood Knocking on wood (also phrased touching wood) is an apotropaic tradition of literally touching, tapping, or knocking on wood, or merely stating that one is doing or intending to do so, in order to avoid "tempting fate" after making a favorable pre ...

'' (with Flora Robson) - 1934 *''The Ringmaster'' (with Laurence Olivier) 1934 *''

Most of the Game ''Most of the Game'' is a 1935 comedy play by the British writer John Van Druten. Much of the play is set in New York where a British writer and his aristocratic wife have fallen out of love with each other, and started new relationships with a tea ...

'' - 1935 *''Pride and Prejudice'' (with Celia Johnson) - 1936 *'' A Midsummer Night's Dream'' - 1939 *''

'' - 1945 *''Scandal at Barchester'' - 1944 *''

'' - 1944

References

External links

* *
1921 passport photo of Dorothy Hyson as a child, travelling to join her parents Dorothy Dickson and Carl Hyson
{{DEFAULTSORT:Hyson, Dorothy American film actresses American stage actresses American expatriate actresses in the United Kingdom Bletchley Park people Actresses from Chicago 1914 births 1996 deaths 20th-century American actresses 20th-century American singers Bletchley Park women Wives of knights