Merle Tottenham (22 January 1901 – 18 July 1958) was a British

stage Stage or stages may refer to: Acting * Stage (theatre), a space for the performance of theatrical productions * Theatre, a branch of the performing arts, often referred to as "the stage" * ''The Stage'', a weekly British theatre newspaper * Sta ...

and

film actress An actor or actress is a person who portrays a character in a performance. The actor performs "in the flesh" in the traditional medium of the theatre or in modern media such as film, radio, and television. The analogous Greek term is (), li ...

. Her stage work included the original West End production of Noël Coward's ''

Cavalcade A cavalcade is a procession or parade on horseback, or a mass trail ride by a company of riders. The focus of a cavalcade is participation rather than display. Often, the participants do not wear costumes or ride in formation. Often, a cava ...

'' in 1931; and she reprised her role as Annie the servant in the subsequent

Hollywood film The cinema of the United States, consisting mainly of major film studios (also known as Hollywood) along with some independent film, has had a large effect on the global film industry since the early 20th century. The dominant style of Ame ...

, in 1933. She also appeared as Dora, the maid in ''

Night Must Fall ''Night Must Fall'' is a play, a psychological thriller, by Emlyn Williams, first performed in 1935. There have been three film adaptations, '' Night Must Fall'' (1937); a 1954 adaptation on the television anthology series ''Ponds Theater'' sta ...

'' (1937) with Robert Montgomery and

Rosalind Russell Catherine Rosalind Russell (June 4, 1907November 28, 1976) was an American actress, comedienne, screenwriter, and singer,Obituary '' Variety'', December 1, 1976, p. 79. known for her role as fast-talking newspaper reporter Hildy Johnson in the H ...

, and the film version of Coward's ''

This Happy Breed ''This Happy Breed'' is a play by Noël Coward. It was written in 1939 but, because of the outbreak of World War II, it was not staged until 1942, when it was performed on alternating nights with another Coward play, '' Present Laughter''. The ...

'' (1944), as Edie, the maid.

Partial filmography

* ''Immediate Possession'' (1931, Short) - Polly Baxter * ''

Down Our Street ''Down Our Street'' is a 1932 black and white British film directed by Harry Lachman. Plot This drama, set during the Depression, sees the character Charlie Stubbs trying to escape his poverty by becoming a criminal. When this course of actio ...

'' (1932) - Rose * ''

Here's George ''Here's George'' is a 1932 British comedy film directed by Redd Davis and featuring Pat Paterson, Syd Crossley and Merle Tottenham. It was adapted by Marriott Edgar from his own play ''The Service Flat''. It was shot at Cricklewood Studios as a q ...

'' (1932) - Perkins * ''

'' (1933) - Annie * '' Bondage'' (1933) - Ruth * '' Paddy the Next Best Thing'' (1933) - Maid * ''

The Invisible Man ''The Invisible Man'' is a science fiction novel by H. G. Wells. Originally serialized in '' Pearson's Weekly'' in 1897, it was published as a novel the same year. The Invisible Man to whom the title refers is Griffin, a scientist who has devo ...

'' (1933) - Millie * ''

The Night Club Queen ''The Night Club Queen'' is a 1934 British musical mystery film directed by Bernard Vorhaus and starring Mary Clare, Jane Carr and Lewis Shaw.Wood p.83 Cast * Mary Clare as Mary Brown * Jane Carr as Bobbie Lamont * Lewis Shaw as Peter Brown ...

'' (1934) - Alice Lamont * ''

Borrowed Clothes ''Borrowed Clothes'' is a 1934 British drama film directed by Arthur Maude and starring Anne Grey, Lester Matthews and Sunday Wilshin. It was made as a quota quickie for release by Columbia Pictures. Chibnall p.271 Cast * Anne Grey as Lady Mary ...

'' (1934) - Minor Role (uncredited) * ''

Youthful Folly ''Youthful Folly'' is a 1934 British drama film directed by Miles Mander and starring Irene Vanbrugh, Jane Carr and Mary Lawson. It was a quota quickie made at Shepperton Studios for release by Columbia Pictures.Chibnall p.281 It portrays the l ...

'' (1934) * '' Sporting Love'' (1936) - Maid * '' Chick'' (1936) - Maid * '' The Man in the Mirror'' (1936) - Mary (uncredited) * ''

'' (1937) - Dora * '' Bank Holiday'' (1938) - Milly * '' Over the Moon'' (1939) - Maid (uncredited) * ''

Dead Men Are Dangerous ''Dead Men are Dangerous'' is a 1939 British noir crime film directed by Harold French and starring Robert Newton, Betty Lynne, John Warwick, and Peter Gawthorne. It was released in the U.S. as ''Dangerous Masquerade''. Its plot concerns an u ...

'' (1939) - Gladys * '' A Girl Must Live'' (1939) - College inmate * ''

Goodbye, Mr. Chips ''Goodbye, Mr. Chips'' is a novella about the life of a school teacher, Mr. Chipping, written by English writer James Hilton and first published by Hodder & Stoughton in October 1934. It has been adapted into two feature films and two televi ...

'' (1939) - Nellie, maid to Mr & Mrs Chipping (uncredited) * ''

Poison Pen A poison pen letter is a letter or note containing unpleasant, abusive, or malicious statements or accusations about the recipient or a third party. It is usually sent anonymously. In the term "poison pen" (or poisoned pen), the word poison is u ...

'' (1939) - Mrs. Kemp * '' The Young Mr. Pitt'' (1942) - Maid at Lord Auckland's (uncredited) * ''

We Dive at Dawn ''We Dive at Dawn'' is a 1943 war film directed by Anthony Asquith and starring John Mills and Eric Portman as Royal Navy submariners in the Second World War. It was written by Val Valentine and J. B. Williams with uncredited assistance from Fr ...

'' (1943) - (uncredited) * ''

Headline The headline or heading is the text indicating the content or nature of the article below it, typically by providing a form of brief summary of its contents. The large type ''front page headline'' did not come into use until the late 19th centur ...

'' (1943) - Mrs. Deans * ''

'' (1944) - Edie * '' Love Story'' (1944) - Bus Conductoress (uncredited) * '' I Didn't Do It'' (1945) - Tessie * '' Caravan'' (1946) - Tweeny (uncredited) * ''

My Brother Jonathan ''My Brother Jonathan'' is a 1948 British drama film directed by Harold French and starring Michael Denison, Dulcie Gray, Ronald Howard and Beatrice Campbell. It is adapted from the 1930 novel '' My Brother Jonathan'' by Francis Brett Young, ...

'' (1948) - Alice Rudge * ''

Calling Paul Temple ''Calling Paul Temple'' is a 1948 British crime film directed by Maclean Rogers and starring John Bentley, Dinah Sheridan and Margaretta Scott. It was the second in a series of four Paul Temple films distributed by Butcher's Film Service. The ...

'' (1948) - Millie * ''

The Weaker Sex ''The Weaker Sex'' is a 1948 British drama film directed by Roy Ward Baker and starring Ursula Jeans, Cecil Parker and Joan Hopkins. It was one of the most popular films at the British box office in 1948. The film's subject was what ''The Ne ...

'' (1948) - Woman in Fish Queue (uncredited) * ''

Sleeping Car to Trieste ''Sleeping Car to Trieste'' is a 1948 British comedy thriller film directed by John Paddy Carstairs and starring Jean Kent, Albert Lieven, Derrick De Marney and Rona Anderson. It was shot at Denham Studios outside London. The film's sets were d ...

'' (1948) - Miss Smith (uncredited) * ''

It's Hard to Be Good ''It's Hard to Be Good'' is a 1948 British comedy film directed by Jeffrey Dell and starring Jimmy Hanley, Anne Crawford and Raymond Huntley. In the film, an ex-army officer finds his altruistic attempts to improve the world are unsuccessful. ...

'' (1948) - Mrs. Hobson (uncredited) * ''

The Twenty Questions Murder Mystery ''The Twenty Questions Murder Mystery'' is a 1950 British crime film directed by Paul L. Stein and starring Robert Beatty, Rona Anderson, and Clifford Evans. The film is a strange hybrid: with the Twenty Questions sections being a true studi ...

'' (1950) - Mrs. Tavy's Neighbour (uncredited) * '' Room to Let'' (1950) - Alice * ''

The Woman in Question ''The Woman in Question'' (released in the United States as ''Five Angles on Murder'') is a 1950 British Murder-mystery film directed by Anthony Asquith and starring Jean Kent, Dirk Bogarde and John McCallum. After a woman is murdered, the comp ...

'' (1950) - Neighbour (uncredited) (final film role)

References

External links

* * 1901 births 1958 deaths British stage actresses British film actresses 20th-century British actresses People from Quetta {{UK-film-actor-stub