Isobel Elsom (born Isabelle Reed; 16 March 1893 – 12 January 1981) was an English film, theatre, and television actress. She was often cast as aristocrats or upper-class women.

Early years

Born in Chesterton, Cambridge, Elsom attended Howard College, Bedford, England.

Career

She debuted on stage in London as a member of the chorus of ''The Quaker Girl'' (1911).

Gilbert Miller } Gilbert Heron Miller (July 3, 1884 – January 3, 1969) was an American theatrical producer. Born in New York City, he was the son of English-born theatrical producer Henry Miller and Bijou Heron, a former child actress. Raised and educated i ...

promoted her to stardom in ''The Outsider''. Over the course of three decades, she appeared in 17 Broadway productions, beginning with ''The Ghost Train'' (1926). Her best-known stage role was the wealthy murder victim in '' Ladies in Retirement'' (1939), a role she repeated in the 1941 film version. Her other theatre credits included '' The Innocents'' and ''

Romeo and Juliet ''Romeo and Juliet'' is a tragedy written by William Shakespeare early in his career about the romance between two Italian youths from feuding families. It was among Shakespeare's most popular plays during his lifetime and, along with ''Ham ...

''. Elsom made her first screen appearance during the

silent film A silent film is a film with no synchronized recorded sound (or more generally, no audible dialogue). Though silent films convey narrative and emotion visually, various plot elements (such as a setting or era) or key lines of dialogue may, w ...

era (she frequently co-starred with Owen Nares) and appeared in nearly 100 films throughout her career. Elsom appeared as the leading lady for the Elitch Theatre summer season of 1928. At Elitch, she appeared in the role she created in the play '' The Outsider'' earlier that year on Broadway. A Denver reviewer of the play wrote:

If there is anybody in this man's town who doubts that Isobel Elsom, leading woman at the Elitch Gardens Theatre, is an actress of the highest rank, let that doubting Thomas see her work in ''The Outsider'' ... She not only is scoring a brilliant personal triumph, but is demonstrating to local playgoers exactly why she was one of the most popular actresses London ever knew!

She met her first husband, director

Maurice Elvey Maurice Elvey (11 November 1887 – 28 August 1967) was one of the most prolific film directors in British history. He directed nearly 200 films between 1913 and 1957. During the silent film era he directed as many as twenty films per year. He a ...

, when he cast her in his 1919 film '' Quinneys''. He directed her in eight more films before they divorced. Elsom's other screen credits included ''

The White Cliffs of Dover The White Cliffs of Dover is the region of English coastline facing the Strait of Dover and France. The cliff face, which reaches a height of , owes its striking appearance to its composition of chalk accented by streaks of black flint, deposi ...

'' (1944), '' The Unseen'' (1945), '' Of Human Bondage'' (1946), '' The Ghost and Mrs. Muir'', ''

Monsieur Verdoux ''Monsieur Verdoux'' is a 1947 American black comedy film directed by and starring Charlie Chaplin, who plays a bigamist wife killer inspired by serial killer Henri Désiré Landru. The supporting cast includes Martha Raye, William Frawley, a ...

'', ''

The Paradine Case ''The Paradine Case'' is a 1947 American film noir courtroom drama film, set in England, directed by Alfred Hitchcock and produced by David O. Selznick. The screenplay was written by Selznick and an uncredited Ben Hecht, from an adaptation by Al ...

'', and ''

The Two Mrs. Carrolls ''The Two Mrs. Carrolls'' is a 1947 American mystery film directed by Peter Godfrey and starring Humphrey Bogart, Barbara Stanwyck, and Alexis Smith. It was produced by Mark Hellinger from a screenplay by Thomas Job, based on the 1935 play by ...

'' (all 1947), '' The Secret Garden'' (1949), '' Love Is a Many-Splendored Thing'' (1955), '' Lust for Life'' and '' 23 Paces to Baker Street'' (both 1956), and '' The Pleasure Seekers'' and ''

My Fair Lady ''My Fair Lady'' is a musical based on George Bernard Shaw's 1913 play '' Pygmalion'', with a book and lyrics by Alan Jay Lerner and music by Frederick Loewe. The story concerns Eliza Doolittle, a Cockney flower girl who takes speech lessons ...

'' (both 1964). She appeared opposite

Jerry Lewis Jerry Lewis (born Joseph Levitch; March 16, 1926 – August 20, 2017) was an American comedian, actor, singer, filmmaker and humanitarian. As his contributions to comedy and charity made him a global figure in popular culture, pop culture ...

in four of his late 1950s/early 1960s films. Elsom's television credits included ''

Armstrong Circle Theatre ''Armstrong Circle Theatre'' is an American anthology drama television series which ran from June 6, 1950, to June 25, 1957, on NBC, and from October 2, 1957, to August 28, 1963, on CBS. It alternated weekly with '' The U.S. Steel Hour''. It fi ...

'', ''

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'', ''

Lux Video Theatre ''Lux Video Theatre'' is an American television anthology series that was produced from 1950 until 1957. The series presented both comedy and drama in original teleplays, as well as abridged adaptations of films and plays. Overview The ''Lux Vid ...

'', ''

My Three Sons ''My Three Sons'' is an American television sitcom that aired from September 29, 1960, to April 13, 1972. The series was broadcast on ABC during its first five seasons, before moving to CBS for the remaining seasons. ''My Three Sons'' chroni ...

'', ''

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'' (at least four appearances), ''

Playhouse 90 ''Playhouse 90'' was an American television anthology drama series that aired on CBS from 1956 to 1960 for a total of 133 episodes. The show was produced at CBS Television City in Los Angeles, California. Since live anthology drama series of th ...

'', ''

Hawaiian Eye ''Hawaiian Eye'' is an American detective television series that ran from October 1959 to April 1963 on the ABC television network. Premise Private investigator Tracy Steele ( Anthony Eisley) and his half-Hawaiian partner, Tom Lopaka ( Robert ...

'', '' Straightaway'', and '' Dr. Kildare''.

Personal life

Elsom's second husband was actor

Carl Harbord Carl Harbord (26 January 1908 – 18 October 1958) was an English stage, film and television actor. Stage When he was 19, Harbord appeared in the play '' The Happy Husband'', which was presented at the Criterion Theatre in London, England. ...

, married from 1947 until his death in 1958. She had no children.

Death

Elsom died of heart failure at the Motion Picture & Television Hospital in Woodland Hills, California, aged 87.

National Portrait Gallery

Five portraits of Elsom are included in the Photographs Collection of the National Portrait Gallery in London.National Portraits Gallery website
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Partial filmography

* ''Milestones'' (1916) - Lady Monkhurst * ''The Way of an Eagle'' (1918) - Mariel Roscoe * ''Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Sailor'' (1918) - Isobel Bunter * ''God Bless Our Red, White and Blue'' (1918) - The Wife * ''The Man Who Won'' (1918) - Milly Cooper * '' Onward Christian Soldiers'' (1918) - The Girl * '' Quinneys'' (1919) - Posy Quinney * '' Linked by Fate'' (1919) - Nina Vernon * ''Hope'' (1919) - Jenny Northcote * '' Edge O' Beyond'' (1919) - Joyce Grey * '' A Member of Tattersall's'' (1919) - Mary Wilmott * ''

The Elder Miss Blossom ''The Elder Miss Blossom'' (also released under the titles ''Wanted a Wife'' and ''Choosing a Wife'') is a 1918 British silent drama film directed by Percy Nash and starring Isobel Elsom, Minna Grey and Owen Nares. It was shot at Isleworth Stud ...

'' (1919) - Sophie Blossom * ''

Mrs. Thompson ''Mrs. Thompson'' is a 1919 British silent drama film directed by Rex Wilson and starring Minna Grey, C. M. Hallard and Isobel Elsom. It was released in the United States on 6 April 1923. It was adapted from a 1911 novel by William Babington ...

'' (1919) - Enid Thompson * '' Nance'' (1920) - Nance Gray * ''

Aunt Rachel ''Aunt Rachel'' is a 1920 British silent drama film directed by Albert Ward and starring Isobel Elsom, Haidee Wright and James Lindsay. The standard of the film's intertitles was criticised.Bamford p.76 Cast * Isobel Elsom as Ruth * Haid ...

'' (1920) - Ruth * ''

For Her Father's Sake ''For Her Father's Sake'' is a 1921 British silent drama film directed by Alexander Butler and starring Owen Nares, Isobel Elsom and James Lindsay. It was based on the play ''The Perfect Lover'' by Alfred Sutro. Cast * Owen Nares as Walte ...

'' (1921) - Lilian Armitage * ''

The Game of Life ''The Game of Life'', also known simply as ''Life'', is a board game originally created in 1860 by Milton Bradley as ''The Checkered Game of Life'', the first ever board game for his own company, the Milton Bradley Company. ''The Game of Life'' ...

'' (1922) - Alice Fletcher * ''

Dick Turpin's Ride to York ''Dick Turpin's Ride to York'' is a 1922 British historical silent film drama directed by Maurice Elvey and starring Matheson Lang, Isobel Elsom and Cecil Humphreys. It was the first feature-length film of the story of the famous 18th-century hi ...

'' (1922) - Esther Bevis * '' A Debt of Honour'' (1922) - Hope Carteret * '' The Harbour Lights'' (1923) - Dora Nelson * ''

The Wandering Jew The Wandering Jew is a mythical immortal man whose legend began to spread in Europe in the 13th century. In the original legend, a Jew who taunted Jesus on the way to the Crucifixion was then cursed to walk the Earth until the Second Coming. ...

'' (1923) - Olalla Quintane * ''

The Sign of Four ''The Sign of the Four'' (1890), also called ''The Sign of Four'', is the second novel featuring Sherlock Holmes by British writer Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. Doyle wrote four novels and 56 short stories featuring the fictional detective. Pl ...

'' (1923) - Mary Morstan * ''

The Love Story of Aliette Brunton ''The Love Story of Aliette Brunton'' is a 1924 British silent romance film directed by Maurice Elvey and starring Isobel Elsom, Henry Victor and James Carew. The film was based on the 1922 novel of the same title by Gilbert Frankau. The fil ...

'' (1924) - Aliette Brunton * ''

Who Is the Man? ''Who Is The Man?'' (1924) is a British silent film drama directed by Walter Summers. The film was based on the successful French play ''Daniel'' by Louis Verneuil and is notable as the first screen appearance of John Gielgud. Plot Daniel Ar ...

'' (1924) - Genevieve Arnault * '' The Last Witness'' (1925) - Letitia Brand * ''Le réveil'' (1925) - Thérèse de Mégèe * ''

Tragedy of a Marriage ''Tragedy of a Marriage'' (German: ''Tragödie einer Ehe'') is a 1927 German silent drama film directed by Maurice Elvey and starring Isobel Elsom, Alfred Abel and Paul Richter.Bock & Bergfelder p.2 It is also known by the alternative title of ' ...

'' (1927) - Louise Radcliffe *'' Dance Magic'' (1927) - Selma Bundy * '' The Other Woman'' (1931) - Roxanne Paget * '' Stranglehold'' (1931) - Beatrice * ''

The Crooked Lady ''The Crooked Lady'' is a 1932 British drama film directed by Leslie S. Hiscott and starring George Graves, Isobel Elsom, Ursula Jeans and Austin Trevor. A quota quickie, it was filmed at Twickenham Studios. Cast * George Graves as Sir Charl ...

'' (1932) - Miriam Sinclair * '' Illegal'' (1932) - Mrs. Evelyn Dean * ''The Thirteenth Candle'' (1933) - Lady Sylvia Meeton * '' The Primrose Path'' (1934) - Brenda Dorland * '' Eagle Squadron'' (1942) - Dame Elizabeth Whitby * ''

The War Against Mrs. Hadley ''The War Against Mrs. Hadley'' is a 1942 American drama film directed by Harold S. Bucquet and starring Fay Bainter and Edward Arnold. The plot depicts how wealthy society matron Stella Hadley selfishly refuses to sacrifice her family or materi ...

'' (1942) - Mrs. Laura Winters * '' Laugh Your Blues Away'' (1942) - Mrs. Westerly * ''

Seven Sweethearts ''Seven Sweethearts'' is a 1942 musical film directed by Frank Borzage and starring Kathryn Grayson, Marsha Hunt (actress, born 1917), Marsha Hunt and Van Heflin. ''Seven Sweethearts'' generated legal trouble seven years later. In 1949, Hungaria ...

'' (1942) - Miss Abagail Robbins * '' You Were Never Lovelier'' (1942) - Mrs. Maria Castro * '' Forever and a Day'' (1943) - Lady Trimble-Pomfret * ''

First Comes Courage ''First Comes Courage'' is a 1943 American war film, the final film directed by Dorothy Arzner, one of the few female directors in Hollywood at the time. The film was based on the 1943 novel ''Commandos'' by Elliott Arnold, adapted by George Skl ...

'' (1943) - Rose Lindstrom * ''

My Kingdom for a Cook ''My Kingdom for a Cook'' is a 1943 American comedy film directed by Richard Wallace, which stars Charles Coburn, Marguerite Chapman, and Bill Carter. Synopsis A visiting British emissary on a goodwill tour of the United States struggles to r ...

'' (1943) - Lucille Scott * ''

'' (1944) - Mrs. Bancroft (uncredited) * '' Between Two Worlds'' (1944) - Genevieve Cliveden-Banks * ''

Casanova Brown ''Casanova Brown'' is a 1944 American comedy romantic film directed by Sam Wood, written by Nunnally Johnson, and starring Gary Cooper, Teresa Wright, and Frank Morgan. The film had its world premiere in western France after the Allies had ...

'' (1944) - Mrs. Ferris * '' The Unseen'' (1945) - Marian Tygarth * '' Two Sisters from Boston'' (1946) - Aunt Jennifer * '' Of Human Bondage'' (1946) - Mrs. Betty Athelny * ''

'' (1947) - Mrs. Latham * ''

'' (1947) - Marie Grosnay * '' The Ghost and Mrs. Muir'' (1947) - Angelica Muir * ''

Ivy ''Hedera'', commonly called ivy (plural ivies), is a genus of 12–15 species of evergreen climbing or ground-creeping woody plants in the family Araliaceae, native to western, central and southern Europe, Macaronesia, northwestern Africa and ...

'' (1947) - Charlotte Chattle * '' Escape Me Never'' (1947) - Mrs. MacLean * '' Love from a Stranger'' (1947) - Auntie Loo-Loo * ''

'' (1947) - Innkeeper * '' Smart Woman'' (1948) - Mrs. Rogers * ''Addio Mimí!'' (1949) - Madame Garzin * '' The Secret Garden'' (1949) - Governess * '' Désirée'' (1954) - Mme. Clary - Désirée's Mother * '' Deep in My Heart'' (1954) - Mrs. Harris * '' The King's Thief'' (1955) - Mrs. Bennett * '' Love Is a Many-Splendored Thing'' (1955) - Adeline Palmer-Jones * '' Over-Exposed'' (1956) - Mrs. Payton Grange * '' 23 Paces to Baker Street'' (1956) - Lady Syrett * '' Lust for Life'' (1956) - Mrs. Stricker * ''

The Guns of Fort Petticoat ''The Guns of Fort Petticoat'' is a 1957 American Western film produced by Harry Joe Brown and Audie Murphy for Brown-Murphy Pictures. It was based on the 1955 short story "Petticoat Brigade" by Chester William Harrison (1913–1994) that he ex ...

'' (1957) - Mrs. Charlotte Ogden * ''

Rock-A-Bye Baby "Rock-a-bye baby in the tree top" (sometimes "Hush-a-bye baby in the tree top") is a nursery rhyme and lullaby. It has a Roud Folk Song Index number of 2768. Words First publication The rhyme is believed to have first appeared in print in ...

'' (1958) - Mrs. Van Cleeve * '' The Young Philadelphians'' (1959) - Mrs. Dewitt Lawrence (uncredited) * '' The Miracle'' (1959) - Mother Superior * ''

The Turn of the Screw ''The Turn of the Screw'' is an 1898 horror novella by Henry James which first appeared in serial format in '' Collier's Weekly'' (January 27 – April 16, 1898). In October 1898, it was collected in ''The Two Magics'', published by Macmil ...

'' (1959) - Mrs. Grose * '' The Bellboy'' (1960) - Hotel Guest (uncredited) * '' The Errand Boy'' (1961) - Irma Paramutual * '' The Second Time Around'' (1961) - Mrs. Rogers * '' Who's Minding the Store?'' (1963) - Hazel, a Dowager * ''

'' (1964) - Mrs. Eynsford-Hill * '' The Pleasure Seekers'' (1964) - Dona Teresa Lacayo

References

External links

* * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Elsom, Isobel 1893 births 1981 deaths English stage actresses English film actresses English silent film actresses English television actresses People from Chesterton, Cambridge British expatriate actresses in the United States 20th-century English actresses Actresses from Cambridgeshire