Frieda Inescort (born Frieda Wrightman, 29 June 1901 – 26 February 1976) was a Scottish-born actress best known for creating the role of Sorel Bliss in

Noël Coward Sir Noël Peirce Coward (16 December 189926 March 1973) was an English playwright, composer, director, actor, and singer, known for his wit, flamboyance, and what ''Time (magazine), Time'' magazine called "a sense of personal style, a combina ...

's play ''

Hay Fever Allergic rhinitis, of which the seasonal type is called hay fever, is a type of inflammation in the nose that occurs when the immune system overreacts to allergens in the air. Signs and symptoms include a runny or stuffy nose, sneezing, red ...

'' on Broadway. She also played the shingled lady in

John Galsworthy John Galsworthy (; 14 August 1867 – 31 January 1933) was an English novelist and playwright. Notable works include '' The Forsyte Saga'' (1906–1921) and its sequels, ''A Modern Comedy'' and ''End of the Chapter''. He won the Nobel Prize ...

's 1927 Broadway production '' Escape'' and Caroline Bingley in the 1940 film of Jane Austen’s

Pride and Prejudice ''Pride and Prejudice'' is an 1813 novel of manners by Jane Austen. The novel follows the character development of Elizabeth Bennet, the dynamic protagonist of the book who learns about the repercussions of hasty judgments and comes to appreci ...

Early years

Born in

Edinburgh Edinburgh ( ; gd, Dùn Èideann ) is the capital city of Scotland and one of its 32 Council areas of Scotland, council areas. Historically part of the county of Midlothian (interchangeably Edinburghshire before 1921), it is located in Lothian ...

, Inescort was the daughter of Scots-born journalist John "Jock" Wrightman and actress Elaine Inescourt, who was of German and Polish descent. They married in 1896 but parted ways when their daughter was still a young child. While she lived in Britain, Inescort wrote for a newspaper in London and worked as secretary to Lord Astor. (Another source says that she was secretary to Lady Astor.) After going to the United States, she not only acted but also worked as associate editor of ''The Exporter's Encyclopedia''.

Stage

Inescort's acting debut came in '' The Truth About Blayds'' (1922), which was presented at the

Booth Theatre The Booth Theatre is a Broadway theater at 222 West 45th Street ( George Abbott Way) in the Theater District of Midtown Manhattan in New York City. Opened in 1913, the theater was designed by Henry Beaumont Herts in the Italian Renaissan ...

on Broadway. Her other Broadway credits include ''You and I'' (1923), ''The Woman on the Jury'' (1923), ''Windows'' (1923), '' The Fake'' (1924), ''Ariadne'' (1925), ''Hay Fever'' (1925), ''Love in a Mist'' (1926), ''Mozart'' (1926), '' Trelawny of the "Wells"'' (1927), ''Escape'' (1927-1928), ''Napi'' (1931), ''Company's Coming'' (1931), ''Springtime for Henry'' (1931-1932), ''When Ladies Meet'' (1933), ''False Dreams, Farewell'' (1934), ''Lady Jane'' (1934), ''Soldier's Wife'' (1944-1945), ''The Mermaids Singing'' (1945-1946) and ''You Never Can Tell'' (1948).

Film

Frieda Wrightman adopted her mother's surname as her professional name and moved to

Hollywood Hollywood usually refers to: * Hollywood, Los Angeles, a neighborhood in California * Hollywood, a metonym for the cinema of the United States Hollywood may also refer to: Places United States * Hollywood District (disambiguation) * Hollywoo ...

and made her film debut in '' The Dark Angel'' (1935). Her other films include '' Mary of Scotland'' (1936), '' Give Me Your Heart'' (1936), “

Beauty for the Asking ''Beauty for the Asking'' is a 1939 film drama produced by RKO Pictures, and starring Lucille Ball and Patric Knowles. It tells the story of Jean Russell (Ball), a beautician who is jilted by her boyfriend (Knowles) so he can marry an older but w ...

(1939), ''

The Letter The Letter may refer to: Literature * "The Letter" (poem), a poem by Wilfred Owen (1893–1918) * "The Letter", a short story in W. Somerset Maugham's 1926 collection ''The Casuarina Tree'' * "The Letter", 38th sura of the Qur'an * ''The Letters ...

'' (1940), '' The Trial of Mary Dugan'' (1941), '' You'll Never Get Rich'' (1941) and '' A Place in the Sun'' (1951). She appeared with

Laurence Olivier Laurence Kerr Olivier, Baron Olivier (; 22 May 1907 – 11 July 1989) was an English actor and director who, along with his contemporaries Ralph Richardson and John Gielgud, was one of a trio of male actors who dominated the British stage o ...

and

Greer Garson Eileen Evelyn Greer Garson (29 September 1904 – 6 April 1996) was an English-American actress and singer. She was a major star at Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer who became popular during the Second World War for her portrayal of strong women on the h ...

as the conniving Caroline Bingley in the 1940 film version of ''

''. She had a leading role in '' Call It a Day'', a 1937 film in which she appeared with

Olivia de Havilland Dame Olivia Mary de Havilland (; July 1, 1916July 26, 2020) was a British-American actress. The major works of her cinematic career spanned from 1935 to 1988. She appeared in 49 feature films and was one of the leading actresses of her time. ...

, Bonita Granville, Roland Young, and Ian Hunter. In 1955 Inescort appeared as Mrs. Lawrence in the movie ''

Foxfire Foxfire, also called fairy fire and chimpanzee fire, is the bioluminescence created by some species of fungi present in decaying wood. The bluish-green glow is attributed to a luciferase, an oxidative enzyme, which emits light as it reacts with ...

'' starring Jeff Chandler and

Jane Russell Ernestine Jane Geraldine Russell (June 21, 1921 – February 28, 2011) was an American actress, singer, and model. She was one of Hollywood's leading sex symbols in the 1940s and 1950s. She starred in more than 20 films. Russell moved from th ...

. She appeared in one episode of ''

Perry Mason Perry Mason is a fictional character, an American criminal defense lawyer who is the main character in works of detective fiction written by Erle Stanley Gardner. Perry Mason features in 82 novels and 4 short stories, all of which involve a cli ...

'' as Hope Quentin in "The Case of the Jealous Journalist" (season 5, 1961).

Personal life

On 2 August 1961, she and her husband since 1926, Ben Ray Redman, dined out. Redman had been despondent for some time. Returning home before her, he went upstairs to bed. He then called Frieda, informing her that he was depressed over the state of the world and had taken 12 sedative pills. By the time the paramedics arrived, he had died, a suicide at the age of 65. He had been working as a writer for the '' Saturday Review'' and was involved in the translation of European classics into English. Inescort had been diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in 1932. Her disease accelerated after her husband's death, and she was using a wheelchair by the mid-1960s. On 7 July 1964, her estranged mother, British actress Elaine Inescourt, died in Brighton, England, aged 87. Frieda worked as much as possible for the funding of multiple sclerosis research. She was often seen in the Hollywood area seated in her wheelchair, collecting donations outside supermarkets and in malls.

Death

Inescort died at the age of 74 at the Motion Picture Country Home at Woodland Hills, California from multiple sclerosis.

Partial filmography

* '' The Dark Angel'' (1935) as Ann West * '' If You Could Only Cook'' (1935) as Evelyn Fletcher * '' The Garden Murder Case'' (1936) as Mrs. Fenwicke-Ralston * ''

The King Steps Out ''The King Steps Out'' is a 1936 American light comedy film directed by Josef von Sternberg based on the early years of Empress Elisabeth of Austria, known as "Sisi" or "Sissi", and her courtship and marriage to Franz Joseph I of Austria, after ...

'' (1936) as Princess Helena * '' Mary of Scotland'' (1936) as Mary Beaton * ''

Hollywood Boulevard Hollywood Boulevard is a major east–west street in Los Angeles, California. It begins in the east at Sunset Boulevard in the Los Feliz district and proceeds to the west as a major thoroughfare through Little Armenia and Thai Town, Hollywo ...

'' (1936) as Alice Winslow * '' Give Me Your Heart'' (1936) as Rosamond Melford * ''

The Great O'Malley ''The Great O'Malley'' is a 1937 crime film directed by William Dieterle and starring Pat O'Brien (actor), Pat O'Brien, Sybil Jason, Humphrey Bogart, and Ann Sheridan. The 1925 silent version ''The Making of O'Malley'' starred Milton Sills, Dorot ...

'' (1937) as Mrs. Phillips * '' Call It a Day'' (1937) as Dorothy Hilton * '' Another Dawn'' (1937) as Grace Roark * '' Portia on Trial'' (1937) as Portia Merriman * '' Woman Doctor'' (1939) as Dr. Judith Randall Graeme * '' Beauty for the Asking'' (1939) as Flora Barton-Williams * '' The Zero Hour'' (1939) as Linda Marsh * ''

Tarzan Finds a Son! ''Tarzan Finds a Son!'' is a 1939 Tarzan film based on the character created by Edgar Rice Burroughs. It was the fourth in the MGM ''Tarzan'' series to feature Johnny Weissmuller as the "King of the Apes" and the fourth of six films in which h ...

'' (1939) as Mrs. August Lancing * '' A Woman Is the Judge'' (1939) as Mary Cabot * '' Convicted Woman'' (1940) as Attorney Mary Ellis * ''

'' (1940) as Miss Bingley * ''

'' (1940) as Dorothy Joyce * '' Father's Son'' (1941) as Ruth Emory * '' The Trial of Mary Dugan'' (1941) as Mrs. Wayne * '' Shadows on the Stairs'' (1941) as Mrs. Stella Armitage * '' Sunny'' (1941) as Elizabeth Warren * '' You'll Never Get Rich'' (1941) as Mrs. Julia Cortland * ''

Remember the Day ''Remember the Day'' is a 1941 film released by 20th Century Fox, directed by Henry King, and starring Claudette Colbert and John Payne. Plot Elderly schoolteacher Nora Trinell reflects on her life and teaching career while waiting to see Dew ...

'' (1941) as Mrs. Dewey Roberts * ''

The Courtship of Andy Hardy ''The Courtship of Andy Hardy'' is a 1942 film, part of the Andy Hardy series. It gave an early role to Donna Reed although Mickey Rooney had lobbied for his then-wife Ava Gardner to have her part. Within a few months of the film's release, she ...

'' (1942) as Olivia Nesbit * '' Sweater Girl'' (1942) as Mrs. Menard * '' Street of Chance'' (1942) as Alma Diedrich * ''

It Comes Up Love ''It Comes Up Love'' is a 1943 American, black and white, musical comedy starring Gloria Jean, Ian Hunter, and Donald O'Connor. It is the only film starring Jean and O'Connor that doesn't also star Peggy Ryan, another one of the talented teenag ...

'' (1943) as Portia Winthrop * ''

The Amazing Mrs. Holliday ''The Amazing Mrs. Holliday'' is a 1943 American comedy drama film produced and directed by Bruce Manning and starring Deanna Durbin, Edmond O'Brien, and Barry Fitzgerald. Based on a story by Sonya Levien, the film is about a young idealistic mis ...

'' (1943) as Karen Holliday * ''

Mission to Moscow ''Mission to Moscow'' is a 1943 film directed by Michael Curtiz, based on the 1941 book by the former U.S. ambassador to the Soviet Union, Joseph E. Davies. The movie chronicles the experiences of the second American ambassador to the Soviet ...

'' (1943) as Madame Molotov (uncredited) * '' The Return of the Vampire'' (1943) as Lady Jane Ainsley * ''

Heavenly Days ''Heavenly Days'' is a 1944 film starring Fibber McGee and Molly. It was the third and final feature film to feature the popular radio characters; unlike the two previous entries, none of the radio show's supporting cast members appeared in this f ...

'' (1944) as Ettie Clark * ''

The Judge Steps Out ''The Judge Steps Out'' is a 1948 American comedy film directed by Boris Ingster and written by Ingster and Alexander Knox. The film stars Knox and Ann Sothern, along with George Tobias, Sharyn Moffett, Florence Bates, Frieda Inescort and Myrna ...

'' (1948) as Evelyn Bailey * '' The Underworld Story'' (1950) as Mrs. Eldridge * '' A Place in the Sun'' (1951) as Mrs. Ann Vickers * ''

Never Wave at a WAC ''Never Wave at a WAC'' is a 1953 American comedy film directed by Norman Z. McLeod, and starring Rosalind Russell, Paul Douglas and Marie Wilson. Plot Divorced socialite Jo McBain, daughter of United States Senator Reynolds, would like to join ...

'' (1953) as Lily Mae Gorham * ''

Casanova's Big Night ''Casanova's Big Night'' is a 1954 American comedy film starring Bob Hope and Joan Fontaine, which is a spoof of swashbuckling historical adventure films. It was directed by Norman Z. McLeod. Hope plays a tailor who impersonates Giacomo Casanova ...

'' (1954) as Signora Di Gambetta * ''

'' (1955) as Mrs. Lawrence * '' Flame of the Islands'' (1956) as Evelyn Hammond * '' The Eddy Duchin Story'' (1956) as Edith Wadsworth * ''

The She-Creature ''The She-Creature'', or ''The She Creature'', is a 1956 American black-and-white science fiction horror film, released by American International Pictures from a script by Lou Rusoff (brother-in-law of AIP executive Samuel Z. Arkoff). It was pro ...

'' (1956) as Mrs. Chappel * ''

Darby's Rangers ''Darby's Rangers'' (released in the UK as ''The Young Invaders'') is a 1958 war film directed by William Wellman and starring James Garner as William Orlando Darby, who organizes and leads the first units of United States Army Rangers during Wor ...

'' (1958) as Lady Hollister * '' Senior Prom'' (1958) as Mrs. Sherridan * '' Juke Box Rhythm'' (1959) as Aunt Margaret * '' The Alligator People'' (1959) as Mrs. Lavinia Hawthorne, Henry's Wife * '' The Crowded Sky'' (1960) as Mrs. Mitchell

References

External links

* *
Frieda Inescort images

Getty Images Getty Images Holdings, Inc. is an American visual media company and is a supplier of stock images, editorial photography, video and music for business and consumers, with a library of over 477 million assets. It targets three markets— creati ...

. * {{DEFAULTSORT:Inescort, Frieda 1901 births 1976 deaths Scottish editors Scottish women editors Scottish film actresses Scottish stage actresses Scottish people of German descent Scottish people of Polish descent Neurological disease deaths in California Deaths from multiple sclerosis Actresses from Edinburgh 20th-century Scottish actresses British emigrants to the United States