Ellen Pollock (29 June 1902 – 29 March 1997) was a British character actress who mainly appeared on stage in London's West End. She also appeared in several films and TV productions. A devotee of

Bernard Shaw George Bernard Shaw (26 July 1856 – 2 November 1950), known at his insistence simply as Bernard Shaw, was an Irish playwright, critic, polemicist and political activist. His influence on Western theatre, culture and politics extended from ...

, she was president of the Shaw Society from 1949. In their obituary, the ''

Independent Independent or Independents may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Artist groups * Independents (artist group), a group of modernist painters based in the New Hope, Pennsylvania, area of the United States during the early 1930s * Independ ...

'' wrote "Pollock is believed to have played, in a career spanning 72 years, more Shavian heroines than anyone else. She directed London seasons of his plays; and it was during the London premiere of one of his lesser-known works – ''

Farfetched Fables ''Farfetched Fables'' (1948) is a collection of six short plays by George Bernard Shaw in which he outlines several of his most idiosyncratic personal ideas. The fables are preceded by a long preface. The ideas in the plays and the preface have b ...

'' (Watergate, 1950) – that she announced Shaw's death from the stage." Pollock's dedication to acting began as a seven-year-old, when she saw

Sarah Bernhardt Sarah Bernhardt (; born Henriette-Rosine Bernard; 22 or 23 October 1844 – 26 March 1923) was a French stage actress who starred in some of the most popular French plays of the late 19th and early 20th centuries, including '' La Dame Aux Camel ...

on stage; she knew then that she wanted to be an actress herself. Pollock was also a theatre director and a teacher of drama at

RADA The Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA; ) is a drama school in London, England, that provides vocational conservatoire training for theatre, film, television, and radio. It is based in the Bloomsbury area of Central London, close to the Senat ...

and

Webber Douglas Academy of Dramatic Art Webber may refer to: *Webber, Kansas, a US city *Webber Township, Jefferson County, Illinois, USA *Webber Township, Lake County, Michigan, USA *Webber International University, in Babson Park, Florida, USA *Webber (surname) Webber (/ˈwɛbər/) i ...

; and her varied television work included several appearances in ''

The Forsyte Saga ''The Forsyte Saga'', first published under that title in 1922, is a series of three novels and two interludes published between 1906 and 1921 by the English author John Galsworthy, who won the Nobel Prize in Literature. They chronicle the vici ...

'' for the BBC. She outlived both husbands, Captain Leslie Hancock and the artist James Proudfoot. She had one child with Captain Hancock. Pollock was the subject of TV's '' This Is Your Life'' in 1992. Ellen Pollock's mother, Hedwig Kahn, was the sister of

Otto Hermann Kahn Otto Hermann Kahn (February 21, 1867 – March 29, 1934) was a German-born American investment banker, collector, philanthropist, and patron of the arts. Kahn was a well-known figure, appearing on the cover of ''Time'' magazine and was sometimes ...

(wealthy investment banker, collector, philanthropist, and patron of the arts) and composer Robert Kahn.

Selected filmography

* ''

Moulin Rouge Moulin Rouge (, ; ) is a cabaret in Paris, on Boulevard de Clichy, at Place Blanche, the intersection of, and terminus of Rue Blanche. In 1889, the Moulin Rouge was co-founded by Charles Zidler and Joseph Oller, who also owned the Olympia (P ...

'' (1928) - Girl * ''

Piccadilly Piccadilly () is a road in the City of Westminster, London, to the south of Mayfair, between Hyde Park Corner in the west and Piccadilly Circus in the east. It is part of the A4 road that connects central London to Hammersmith, Earl's Court, ...

'' (1929) - Vamp (uncredited) * '' The Informer'' (1929) - Prostitute * ''

Too Many Crooks ''Too Many Crooks'' is a 1959 British comedy film directed by Mario Zampi. The plot concerns a bunch of inept crooks who kidnap the wife of a shady businessman, only for him to decide he doesn’t want her back. It stars George Cole, Sidney Ja ...

'' (1930, Short) - Rose * '' Night Birds'' (1930) - Flossie * ''

Let's Love and Laugh ''Let's Love and Laugh'' is a 1931 British-German comedy film directed by Richard Eichberg and starring Gene Gerrard, Muriel Angelus and Dennis Wyndham.The Wife's Family ''The Wife's Family'' (also released as ''My Wife's Family'') is a 1931 British comedy film directed by Monty Banks and starring Gene Gerrard, Muriel Angelus, and Amy Veness. It was based on the popular stage farce by Fred Duprez. The play was ...

'' (1931) - Dolly White * ''

77 Park Lane ''77 Park Lane'' is a 1931 British thriller film directed by Albert de Courville and starring Dennis Neilson-Terry, Betty Stockfeld and Malcolm Keen. It is based on a 1928 play by Walter C. Hackett, and was shot at Walton Studios. A French-lan ...

'' (1931) - Minor role (uncredited) * '' A Gentleman of Paris'' (1931) - (uncredited) * ''

Midnight Midnight is the transition time from one day to the next – the moment when the date changes, on the local official clock time for any particular jurisdiction. By clock time, midnight is the opposite of noon, differing from it by 12 hours. ...

'' (1931) * '' The First Mrs. Fraser'' (1932) - Maid * ''

The Last Coupon ''The Last Coupon'' is a 1932 British comedy film directed by Frank Launder and starring Leslie Fuller, Mary Jerrold and Molly Lamont. It was based on a play by Ernest Bryan and was a success at the box office.Shafer p.153 It was shot at the Els ...

'' (1932) - Eliza (uncredited) * ''

Heads We Go ''Heads We Go'' (U.S. title: ''The Charming Deceiver'') is a 1933 British comedy film directed by Monty Banks and starring Constance Cummings, Frank Lawton and Binnie Barnes. It was made at Elstree Studios (Shenley Road), Elstree Studios by Briti ...

'' (1933) - Madame * ''

Channel Crossing ''Channel Crossing'' is a 1933 British crime film directed by Milton Rosmer and starring Matheson Lang, Constance Cummings, Anthony Bushell and Nigel Bruce. It was shot partly on location and at the Lime Grove Studios in Shepherd's Bush.Wood p ...

'' (1933) - Minor Role * ''Mister Cinders'' (1935) - Donna Lucia (uncredited) * ''

Royal Cavalcade ''Royal Cavalcade'', also known as ''Regal Cavalcade'', is a 1935 British, black-and-white, drama film directed by six separate directors: Thomas Bentley (Supervising Director), Herbert Brenon, Norman Lee, Walter Summers, W. P. Kellino and Mar ...

'' (1935) * ''

It's a Bet ''It's a Bet'' is a 1935 British comedy drama film directed by Alexander Esway and starring Gene Gerrard, Helen Chandler and Judy Kelly. It was made at Elstree Studios by British International Pictures.Wood p.82 The film's sets were designed by ...

'' (1935) - Mrs. Joe * '' The Happy Family'' (1936) - Leo Hutt * ''

Aren't Men Beasts! ''Aren't Men Beasts!'' is a 1937 British comedy film directed by Graham Cutts and starring Robertson Hare, Alfred Drayton and Billy Milton. Premise A number of people try to prevent a man getting married. Cast * Robertson Hare as Herbert Holly ...

'' (1937) - The Vamp * ''

The Street Singer A street singer is a street performance artist who performs by singing. Street Singer or The Street Singer may also refer to: Film and theatre * ''The Street Singer'' (1912 film), an American short silent film * ''The Street Singer'' (1937 film) ...

'' (1937) - Gloria Weston * ''

Non-Stop New York ''Non-Stop New York'' (also known as ''Lisbon Clipper Mystery'') is a 1937 British science fiction crime film directed by Robert Stevenson and starring John Loder, Anna Lee and Francis L. Sullivan. It is based on the 1936 novel ''Sky Stewar ...

'' (1937) - Miss Harvey * ''

Splinters in the Air ''Splinters in the Air'' (aka, ''Splinters In The Air Force'') is a 1937 British comedy film directed by Alfred J. Goulding and starring Sydney Howard and Richard Hearne. It is a loose sequel to the films '' Splinters'' (1929) and '' Splinters ...

'' (1937) - Charles' Wife * '' Millions'' (1937) - Janet Mason (uncredited) * '' Sons of the Sea'' (1939) - Margaret Hulls * ''

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 ...

'' (1940) - Lady Hardstaff * '' Kiss the Bride Goodbye'' (1945) - Gladys Dodd * ''

Don Chicago ''Don Chicago'' is a 1945 British crime comedy film directed by Maclean Rogers and starring Jackie Hunter, Joyce Heron and Claud Allister. It is based on the novel by C. E. Bechhofer Roberts. Plot An aspiring but timid gangster is forced to ...

'' (1945) - Lady Vanessa * '' Bedelia'' (1946) - McKelvey's Housekeeper * ''

Warning to Wantons ''Warning to Wantons'' is a 1949 British romantic comedy film directed by Donald Wilson and starring Harold Warrender, Anne Vernon and David Tomlinson. The screenplay, written by art historian James Laver and the director, was based upon Mary ...

'' (1949) - Baroness de Jammes * ''

Something in the City ''Something in the City'' is a 1950 British comedy film directed by Maclean Rogers and starring Richard Hearne, Garry Marsh and Ellen Pollock. It includes an early uncredited performance by Stanley Baker as a police constable. Plot Mr Ningle h ...

'' (1950) - Mrs. Holley * '' To Have and to Hold'' (1951) - Roberta * '' The Galloping Major'' (1951) - Horsey Lady * '' The Fake'' (1953) - Miss Fossett * ''

The Golden Link ''The Golden Link'' is a 1954 British police drama film directed by Charles Saunders, starring André Morell, Patrick Holt, Thea Gregory and Jack Watling. It was produced by Guido Coen under his Kenilworth Film Productions, featuring a screenpl ...

'' (1954) - Madame Sonia * ''

The Time of His Life ''The Time of His Life'' is a 1955 British comedy film directed by Leslie S. Hiscott and starring Richard Hearne, Ellen Pollock, Richard Wattis and Robert Moreton. The screenplay concerns a man who is released from prison and goes to live with ...

'' (1955) - Lady Florence Carter-Wilson née Pastry * '' Not So Dusty'' (1956) - Agatha * '' The Hypnotist'' (1957) - Barbara Barton * ''

The Gypsy and the Gentleman ''The Gypsy and the Gentleman'' is a 1958 British costume drama film directed by Joseph Losey. It stars Melina Mercouri and Keith Michell Keith Joseph Michell (1 December 1926 – 20 November 2015) was an Australian actor who worked primaril ...

'' (1958) - Haggard's Maid * ''

The Long Knife ''The Long Knife'' is a 1958 British crime film directed by Montgomery Tully and starring Joan Rice, Sheldon Lawrence and Victor Brooks. The screenplay concerns a young nurse who becomes drawn into criminal activities. Cast * Joan Rice as Jill ...

'' (1958) - Mrs. Cheam * ''

So Evil, So Young ''So Evil, So Young'' is a 1961 British Technicolor reform school prison film produced by the Danzigers, directed by Godfrey Grayson, and starring Jill Ireland and Ellen Pollock. Synopsis Lucy and Claire are at a house where Lucy used to w ...

'' (1961) - Miss Smith * ''

Master Spy ''Master Spy'', (also known as ''Checkmate''), is a 1963 British spy film directed by Montgomery Tully and starring Stephen Murray, June Thorburn and Alan Wheatley. The film was based on the short story "They Also Serve" by Gerald Anstruther a ...

'' (1964) - Dr. Morrell * ''

Rapture The rapture is an Christian eschatology, eschatological position held by some Christians, particularly those of American evangelicalism, consisting of an Eschatology, end-time event when all Christian believers who are alive, along with resurre ...

'' (1965) - Landlady * ''

Who Killed the Cat? ''Who Killed the Cat?'' is a 1966 British crime film directed by Montgomery Tully and starring Mary Merrall, Ellen Pollock and Amy Dalby. It was based on the 1956 play ''Tabitha'' by Arnold Ridley and Mary Cathcart Borer. Plot Three elderly s ...

'' (1966) - Ruth Prendergast * ''

Finders Keepers Finders, keepers, sometimes extended as the children's rhyme finders, keepers; losers, weepers, is an English language, English adage with the premise that when something is unowned or abandoned, whoever finds it first can claim it for themself pe ...

'' (1966) - Grandma * '' Horror Hospital'' (1973) - Aunt Harris * ''

The Wicked Lady ''The Wicked Lady'' is a 1945 British costume drama film directed by Leslie Arliss and starring Margaret Lockwood in the title role as a nobleman's wife who becomes a highwayman for the excitement. The film had one of the top audiences for a f ...

'' (1983) - Mrs. Munce

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Pollack, Ellen 1902 births 1997 deaths Actors from Heidelberg British theatre directors British stage actresses British film actresses Actresses from London 20th-century British actresses German emigrants to the United Kingdom