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1-50 of 2,611
- Actress
- Writer
Audrey Munson was a model and actress who achieved fame in the early part of the 20th Century in the United States. Born on June 8, 1891, in Rochester, New York, Munson was the only child produced by the marriage of Edgar Munson and Katherine Mahoney Munson. After her parents divorced, Munson was raised by her mother. At age 17, she and her mother moved to New York City where she began modeling.
By her early 20's, Munson had posed for numerous sculptures on display around New York, including the Firemen's Monument, the Pulitzer Memorial, and the Maine Monument in Central Park, commemorating the 260 American sailors who died in 1898 when the battleship Maine exploded in the harbor of Havana, Cuba. Then, in 1915, at age 23, her popularity grew when she was selected as "The Panama Girl" and posed for both sculptures and painting to be exhibited that year in San Francisco at the Panama-Pacific Exposition. During this time, newspapers erroneously reported Munson's birthplace as New York City.
That year, her life story inspired a motion picture named Inspiration, loosely based on her own experiences as a professional model. The movie features full nudity, and led to a ban by some theaters before a screening and a prohibiting of a second screening once the nudity was discovered. Following its release, Munson expressed an interest in moving further into performance, naming vaudeville as a place to explore next. Movie audiences around the country would see her again in 1919 when Inspiration was adapted as The Perfect Model. Her work in film would be limited to a few roles, including posing in long shots as herself in the 1921 silent movie, Heedless Moths, loosely based on her life.
Her personal life began to generate more interest than her professional work in 1919 when she was connected to a murder case involving a New York physician who was charged with killing his wife. Although she wasn't implicated in the crime, Munson pointed to its publicity in the newspapers as a reason for the downfall of her career. By late 1920, she had left New York and was living in Syracuse in what newspaper accounts characterize as "shabby" conditions, and attempted to earn an income making personal appearances in the region.
Munson made an attempt to start over by requesting a New York newspaper falsely report her death so she could assume a new identity. The report of her request was published in October 1920, and Munson shared in the story how her film contract was ended and she was unable to secure a new one with other studios due to the negative publicity over the murder case. After considering other cities, she went home to Syracuse where she applied for numerous jobs, but claims no one would hire her.
In 1921, Munson turned to writing as a means of sharing her story with an audience of newspaper readers. Starting in late January of that year and continuing into May, the New York American published her stories on consecutive Sundays. Munson used the medium as a way to tell the public about her experiences, misfortunes, and observations as a model and an actress. In the same year, Munson turned to the newspapers to publicize how she was looking for the "perfect" man to marry.
In April 1922, she made headlines again when newspapers reported Munson had found a mate. Articles named an army aviator and electrical contractor from Ann Arbor, Michigan, as the man Munson would marry, but no marriage would take place. A month later, newspapers reported the former model survived a suicide attempt after ingesting poison.
Munson remained in Central New York for many years, living in relative obscurity. Movie audiences nationwide continued to see her work on occasion when her films, including Heedless Moths, played at theaters well past their original release years. She returned to making headlines later in the decade when, in spring of 1926, newspapers reported Munson moved to a farm in Mexico, New York, to continue her private life and make a new home for her aging mother.
Five years later, on Munson's 40th birthday, Munson's mother petitioned a judge in Oswego, New York, to commit her to an institution for treatment of depression and schizophrenia. She was sent to the St. Lawrence State Hospital in Ogdensburg, New York, later renamed the St. Lawrence Psychiatric Center, where she remained a patient until she died at age 104 on February 20, 1996. She's buried alongside her father, stepmother, and a half-sister at a family plot in New Haven Cemetery in New Haven, New York.- Joseph Braunstein was born on 8 February 1892 in Vienna, Austria. He was married to Emma Gross. He died on 10 March 1996 in New York City, New York, USA.
- Arthur George Gaston was born on 4 July 1892. He died on 19 January 1996.
- James Craven was born on 2 October 1892 in Pennsylvania, USA. He was an actor, known for Captain Midnight (1942), The Green Archer (1940) and The Purple Monster Strikes (1945). He died on 2 November 1996 in Los Angeles, California, USA.
- Alma Kitchell was born on 29 June 1893 in Superior, Wisconsin, USA. She was an actress, known for H.M.S. Pinafore (1939), The Pirates of Penzance (1939) and In the Kelvinator Kitchen (1947). She died on 13 November 1996 in Sarasota, Florida, USA.
- Andrée Lionel was born on 2 December 1894 in Brest, Finistère, France. She was an actress, known for L'enfant roi (1923), Les mystères de Paris (1922) and L'heure tragique (1916). She died on 26 March 1996 in Ay-Champagne, Marne, France.
- Producer
- Production Manager
Louis Rantz was born on 2 January 1895 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA. He was a producer and production manager, known for Captain Calamity (1936), We're in the Legion Now (1936) and The Devil on Horseback (1936). He died on 29 May 1996 in Los Angeles County, California, USA.- I.B. Kornblum was born on 21 June 1895 in St. Louis, Missouri, USA. He died on 9 November 1996 in Beverly Hills, Los Angeles, California, USA.
- Music Department
- Writer
- Composer
Composer, songwriter ("Swanee", "Tea for Two", "Crazy Rhythm", "Just a Gigolo"), author and publisher, educated at Chautauqua Mountain Institute and City College of New York. He was a stenographer aboard the Henry Ford Peace Ship during World War I. He joined ASCAP in 1920 and was a director between 1920 and 1946, and again in 1949, and he was the co-founder and a past-president of AGAC. He collaborated musically with George Gershwin, Vincent Youmans, Victor Herbert, Sigmund Romberg, Rudolf Friml, Ray Henderson, Cliff Friend, Louis Hirsch, Roger Wolfe Kahn, Joseph Meyer, Oscar Levant and Gerald Marks. His Broadway stage scores include "Greenwich Village Follies " (four editions), "Betty Lee", "Sweetheart Time", "No, No, Nanette", "Yes, Yes, Yvette", "Here's Howe", "Americana", "Ripples", "Nina Rosa", "The Wonder Bar", "Melody" and "White Horse Inn". His popular song compositions also include "Imagination", "There Ought to Be a Law Against That", "Lady Play Your Mandolin", "You Are the Song", "What, No Mickey Mouse", "Give Me a Roll on the Drum", "If I Forget You", "Hold My Hand", "My Dog Loves Your Dog", "Oh, You Nasty Man", "Oh, Susannah, Dust Off that Old Pianna", "That's What I Want for Christmas", "Animal Crackers in My Soup", "Blue Eyes", "I Canno Live Without Your Love", "Is It True What They Say About Dixie?", "Love Is Such a Cheat", "Umbriago", "I Was So Young (You Were So Beautiful), "Sixty Seconds Every Minute", "Chansonette", "What Do You Do Sunday, Mary?", "Nashville Nightingale", "I Want to Be Happy", "Too Many Rings Around Rosie", "You Can Dance With Any Girl At All", "Sometimes I'm Happy", "Gigolette", "I'm a Little Fonder of You", and "Your US Mail Gets Through" (official song, National Association of Postmasters of the U.S.).- Producer
- Production Manager
- Additional Crew
J.J. Cohn was born on 3 December 1895 in New York City, New York, USA. He was a producer and production manager, known for 1925 Studio Tour (1925), MGM: When the Lion Roars (1992) and Ben-Hur: The Making of an Epic (1994). He died on 12 January 1996 in Beverly Hills, Los Angeles, California, USA.- Actor
- Producer
- Writer
George Burns was an American actor, comedian, singer, and published author. He formed a comedy duo with his wife Gracie Allen (1895-1964), and typically played the straight man to her zany roles. Following her death, Burns started appearing as a solo performer. He once won an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor, and continued performing until his 90s. He lived to be a centenarian, was viewed as an "elder statesman" in the field of comedy.
Burns was born under the name "Nathan Birnbaum" in 1896, and was nicknamed "Nattie" by his family. His father was Eliezer "Louis" Birnbaum (1855-1903), a coat presser who also served a substitute cantor at a local synagogue in New York City. His mother was Hadassah "Dorah" Bluth (1857-1927), a homemaker. Both parents were Jewish immigrants, originally from the small town of Kolbuszowa in Austrian Galicia (currently part of Poland). Kolbuszowa had a large Jewish population until World War II, when the German occupation forces in Poland relocated the local Jews to a ghetto in Rzeszów.
The Birnbaums were a large family, and Burns had 11 siblings. He was the 9th eldest of the Birnbaum Children. In 1903, Louis Birnbaum caught influenza and died, during an ongoing influenza epidemic. Orphaned when 7-years-old, Burns had to work to financially support his family. He variously shined shoes, run errands, selling newspapers, and worked as a syrup maker in a local candy shop.
Burns liked to sing while working, and practiced singing harmony with three co-workers of similar age. They were discovered by letter carrier Lou Farley, who gave them the idea to perform singing in exchange for payment. The four children soon started performing as the "Pee-Wee Quartet", singing in brothels, ferryboats, saloons, and street corners. They put their hats down for donations from their audience, though their audience was not always generous. In Burns' words: "Sometimes the customers threw something in the hats. Sometimes they took something out of the hats. Sometimes they took the hats."
Burns started smoking cigars c. 1910, when 14-years-old. It became a lifelong habit for him. Burns' performing career was briefly interrupted in 1917, when he was drafted for service in World I. He eventually failed his physical exams, due to his poor eyesight.
By the early 1920s, he adopted the stage name "George Burns", though he told several different stories of why he chose the name. He supposedly named himself after then-famous baseball player George Henry Burns (1897-1978), or the also famous baseball player George Joseph Burns (1889-1966). In another version, he named himself after his brother Izzy "George" Birnbaum, and took the last name "Burns" in honor of Burns Brothers Coal Company.
Burns performed dance routines with various female partners, until he eventually married his most recent partner Gracie Allen in 1926. Burns made his film debut in the comedy short film "Lambchops" (1929), which was distributed by Vitaphone. The film simply recorded one of Burns and Allen's comedy routines from vaudeville.
Burns made his feature film debut in a supporting role of the musical comedy "The Big Broadcast" (1932). He appeared regularly in films throughout the 1930s, with his last film role for several years appearing in the musical film "Honolulu" (1939). Burns was reportedly considered for leading role in "Road to Singapore" (1940), but the studio replaced him with Bob Hope (1903-2003).
Burns and Allen started appearing as comic relief for a radio show featuring bandleader Guy Lombardo (1902-1977). By February 1932, they received their own sketch comedy radio show. The couple portrayed younger singles, until the show was retooled in 1941 and started featuring them as a married couple. By the fall of 1941, the show had evolved into a situational comedy about married life. Burns and Allen's supporting cast included notable voice actors Mel Blanc, Bea Benaderet, and Hal March.
The radio show finally ended in 1949, reworked into the popular television show "The George Burns and Gracie Allen Show" (1950-1958). Allen would typically play the "illogical" housewife, while Burns played the straight man and broke the fourth wall to speak to the audience. The couple formed the production company McCadden Corporation to help produce the show.
Allen developed heart problems during the 1950s, and by the late 1950s was unable to put up the energy needed for the show. She fully retired in 1958. The show was briefly retooled to "The George Burns Show" (1958-1959), but Burns comedic style was not as popular as that of his wife. The new show was canceled due to low ratings.
Following Allen's death in 1964, Burns attempted a television comeback by creating the sitcom "Wendy and Me" (1964-1965) about the life of a younger married couple. The lead roles were reserved for Ron Harper and Connie Stevens, while Burns had a supporting role as their landlord. He also performed as the show's narrator.
As a television producer, Burns produced the military comedy "No Time for Sergeants", and the sitcom "Mona McCluskey". As an actor, he mostly appeared in theaters and nightclubs. Burns had a career comeback with the comedy film "The Sunshine Boys" (1975), his first film appearance since World War II. He played faded vaudevillian Al Lewis, who has a difficult relationship with his former partner Willy Clark (played by Walter Matthau). The role was met with critical success, and Burns won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor. At age 80, Burns was the oldest Oscar winner at the time. His record was broken by Jessica Tandy in 1989.
Burns had his greatest film success playing God in the comedy film "Oh, God!" (1977). The film 51 million dollars at the domestic box office, and was one of the greatest hits of 1977. Burns returned to the role in the sequels "Oh, God! Book II" (1980) and "Oh, God! You Devil" (1984). He had a double role as both God and the Devil in the last film.
Burns had several other film roles until the 1990s. His most notable films in this period were the musical comedy "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band" (1978), the comedy film "Just You and Me, Kid" (1979), the caper film "Going in Style" (1979), and the fantasy-comedy "18 Again!" (1988). The last of the four featured him as a grandfather who exchanges souls with his grandson.
Burns' last film role was a bit part in the mystery film "Radioland Murders" (1994), which was a box office flop. In July 1994, Burns fell in his bathtub and underwent surgery to remove fluid in his skull. He survived, but his health never fully recovered. He was forced to retire from acting and stand-up comedy.
On January 20, 1996, Burns celebrated his 100th birthday, but was in poor health and had to cancel a pre-arranged comeback performance. In March 1996, he suffered from cardiac arrest and died. He was buried in Forest Lawn Memorial Park Cemetery, Glendale, next to Gracie Allen.- Milt Gaston was born on 27 January 1896 in Ridgefield Park, New Jersey, USA. He died on 26 April 1996 in Hyannis, Massachusetts, USA.
- Additional Crew
Gertrude Kingston was born on 7 February 1896 in London, England, UK. She was married to Konstantin K. Rachivsky. She died on 21 November 1996 in Los Angeles, California, USA.- Florence Hodges was born on 21 April 1896 in the USA. She died on 23 May 1996 in Austin, Texas, USA.
- Sydney Singerman was born on 24 April 1896 in Manchester, England, UK. Sydney was a writer and editor, known for The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1923) and Igloo (1932). Sydney died on 8 May 1996.
- Buddy Marr was born on 6 May 1896 in Augusta, Maine, USA. He died on 13 January 1996 in Palm Beach, Florida, USA.
- Mary Alice Therp was born on 23 May 1896 in Copenhagen, Denmark. She was an actress, known for Millions in Flight (1934), Jeg har elsket og levet (1940) and Leonora Christina (1933). She died on 18 May 1996.
- Actress
- Soundtrack
Denise Grey was born on 17 September 1896 in Chatillon, Valle d'Aosta, Italy. She was an actress, known for The Party 2 (1982), The Party (1980) and Devil in the Flesh (1947). She was married to Charles Henri Dunkel. She died on 13 January 1996 in Paris, France.- Amelia Perrella was born on 19 August 1897 in Naples, Italy. She was an actress, known for Il complice azzurro (1914), Ci sposeremo a Capri (1956) and Luisa Sanfelice (1942). She died on 21 October 1996 in Rome, Italy.
- Rebecca Burritt was born on 26 December 1897. She was an actress, known for Caddyshack (1980). She died on 24 February 1996.
- Actor
- Director
- Additional Crew
Günther Haenel was born on 1 May 1898 in Dresden, Germany. He was an actor and director, known for Die Regimentstochter (1953), Ein Volksfeind (1964) and Donadieu (1961). He died on 5 March 1996 in Baden, Austria.- Vera Chapman was born on 7 May 1898 in Bournemouth, England, UK. She was a writer, known for Quest for Camelot (1998). She died on 14 May 1996 in Croydon, Surrey, England, UK.
- Writer
- Soundtrack
Paul Vialar was born on 18 September 1898 in Saint-Denis, Seine-Saint-Denis, France. He was a writer, known for Le cas du docteur Brenner (1933), Haut le vent (1942) and La grande meute (1945). He was married to Antoinette Leclerc Wielowiejski, Magdeleine Rombeau and Madeleine Louchard. He died on 8 January 1996 in Vaucresson, Hauts-de-Seine, France.- Vernol Moore was born on 22 September 1898 in Los Angeles, California, USA. He was an actor, known for Reformation (1920). He was married to Shirley Alphonso Lewis and Clarence Robert Knight. He died on 4 March 1996 in Los Angeles, California, USA.
- Colleen Clifford was born on 17 November 1898 in Taunton, Somerset, England, UK. She was an actress, known for The Year My Voice Broke (1987), Number 96 (1972) and Careful, He Might Hear You (1983). She was married to Douglas 'Jerry' Blackford. She died on 7 April 1996 in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
- Arda Bowser was born on 9 January 1899 in Danville, Pennsylvania, USA. He died on 7 September 1996 in Winter Park, Florida, USA.
- Sound Department
Howard Fogetti was born on 22 January 1899 in New York City, New York, USA. He is known for In a Lonely Place (1950), Air Hostess (1949) and Siete muertes a plazo fijo (1950). He died on 19 October 1996 in Los Angeles, California, USA.- Priscilla Bonner was born on 17 February 1899 in Washington, District of Columbia, USA. She was an actress, known for Charley's Aunt (1925), 3 Bad Men (1926) and The False Alarm (1926). She was married to Dr. E. Bertrand Woolfan and Allen Wynes Alexander. She died on 21 February 1996 in Los Angeles, California, USA.
- Adolf Rijkens was born on 20 February 1899 in Batavia, Batavia, Dutch East Indies [now Jakarta, Indonesia]. He was an actor, known for Het bloedig dogma (1960). He died on 18 November 1996 in Amsterdam, Noord-Holland, Netherlands.
- Yvonne Vallée was born on 21 February 1899 in Bordeaux, Gironde, France. She was an actress, known for Le petit café (1931) and Hello New York! (1928). She was married to Maurice Chevalier. She died on 15 June 1996 in Vallauris, Alpes-Maritimes, France.
- Hilma Egeskov was born on 17 March 1899 in Denmark. She was an actress, known for Næste stop paradis (1980), For frihed og ret (1949) and Mord for åbent tæppe (1964). She died on 11 January 1996 in Denmark.
- Brenda Weisberg was born on 6 April 1899 in Rovno, Volhynian Governorate, Russian Empire [now Rivne, Ukraine]. She was a writer, known for The Mad Ghoul (1943), Girls' School (1950) and Tough Kid (1938). She was married to Morris Meckler. She died on 1 May 1996 in Phoenix, Arizona, USA.
- Ruth Perrott was born on 30 May 1899 in Canton, Ohio, USA. She was an actress, known for I Love Lucy (1951), The Patty Duke Show (1963) and Science Fiction Theatre (1955). She died on 6 January 1996 in Los Angeles, California, USA.
- Mignon G. Eberhart was born on 6 July 1899 in University Place, Nebraska, USA. Mignon G. was a writer, known for Mystery House (1938), The Patient in Room 18 (1938) and The White Cockatoo (1935). Mignon G. was married to Alanson Clyde Eberhart and John Prince Hazen Perry. Mignon G. died on 8 October 1996 in Greenwich, Connecticut, USA.
- Estelle Etterre was born on 26 July 1899 in San Francisco, California, USA. She was an actress, known for Free Wheeling (1932), Sisters Under the Skin (1934) and Racket Squad (1950). She died on 7 March 1996 in Newport Beach, California, USA.
- Writer
- Additional Crew
P.L. Travers was born on 9 August 1899 in Maryborough, Queensland, Australia. She was a writer, known for Mary Poppins (1964), Mary Poppins Returns (2018) and Studio One (1948). She died on 23 April 1996 in Chelsea, London, England, UK.- Violet Molitor was born on 19 August 1899 in Stockholm, Sweden. She was an actress, known for The run-away bride (1923), Gyurkovicsarna (1920) and Surrogatet (1919). She died on 9 January 1996 in Stockholm, Sweden.
- Kay Strozzi was born on 25 November 1899 in Swan's Point Plantation, Virginia, USA. She was an actress, known for Captain Applejack (1930), Ex-Lady (1933) and Kraft Theatre (1947). She died on 18 January 1996 in New Rochelle, New York, USA.
- Actress
- Additional Crew
Aurora Redondo was born on 1 January 1900 in Barcelona, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain. She was an actress, known for Ninette y un señor de Murcia (1966), Anillos de oro (1983) and El último café (1970). She was married to Valeriano León García. She died on 10 July 1996 in Madrid, Spain.- Friedrich Braun was born on 14 January 1900 in Zürich, Switzerland. He was an actor, known for Die mißbrauchten Liebesbriefe (1940), Oberstadtgass (1956) and Der doppelte Matthias und seine Töchter (1941). He died on 24 March 1996 in Zürich, Switzerland.
- Art Department
- Set Decorator
Charles DeCrof was born on 6 February 1900. He was a set decorator, known for Side Street (1949), Black Hand (1950) and The Green Years (1946). He died on 3 July 1996.- Additional Crew
Meridel Le Sueur was born on 21 February 1900 in Murray, Iowa, USA. She was married to Harry Rice. She died on 14 November 1996 in Hudson, Wisconsin, USA.- Irma Patkós was born on 8 March 1900 in Cegléd, Austria-Hungary [now Hungary]. She was an actress, known for Dear Emma, Sweet Böbe (1992), Gyerekbetegségek (1965) and Holt vidék (1972). She was married to Jenotilde Sziklai. She died on 24 October 1996.
- Henry S. Villard was born on 30 March 1900 in New York City, New York, USA. He was a writer, known for In Love and War (1996). He died on 21 January 1996 in Los Angeles, California, USA.
- Director
- Producer
- Actor
Jewish actor Joseph Green came from Poland in 1924 to New York, and went in 1927 to Hollywood. He popularized the Yiddish movie, showing the life at the Jewisch shtetl in Eastern Europe, in Poland and the USA before WWII. He retired from business after WW II. He died after long illnes on June 20, 1996.- Gladwyn Jebb was born on 25 April 1900 in Firbeck Hall, Yorkshire, England, UK. He was married to Cynthia Noble. He died on 24 October 1996 in Halesworth, Suffolk, England, UK.
- Charles Jewtraw was born on 5 May 1900 in Clinton County, New York, USA. He died on 26 January 1996 in Palm Beach, Florida, USA.
- Helen Giere was born on 14 June 1900 in Ottawa, Illinois, USA. She was an actress, known for Loves of an Actress (1928) and Time to Love (1927). She died on 31 August 1996 in Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA.
- Otto Luening was born on 15 June 1900 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA. He was married to Catherine Brunson and Ethel Codd. He died on 2 September 1996 in New York City, New York, USA.
- Actress
- Soundtrack
London-born Evelyn Laye, daughter of actor parents, was already treading the boards at the age of two. Her father managed the Palace Theatre in Brighton and this was where Evelyn first made a name for herself. A seasoned stage performer by the age of fifteen, she graduated to the London West End three years later in a small part in "The Beauty Spot". During the 1920's, she was one of England's most popular stars of musical revue and operetta, with hits in the aviation musical "Going Up" (1918-19), "Madame Pompadour" (1923), "Betty in Mayfair" (1925-26) and "Merely Molly" (1926-27), the last two at the Adelphi Theatre. She appeared, both in London and on Broadway, in Noël Coward's "Bitter Sweet" in 1929, her song "I'll See you Again" becoming her trademark signature piece. Her performance attracted the attention of producer Samuel Goldwyn, who promptly brought her to Hollywood.
Tagged (by Goldwyn) as "the Champagne Blonde", the lovely Evelyn made her American debut in the operetta, One Heavenly Night (1930), directed by the experienced George Fitzmaurice. The ridiculously contrived story and silly dialogue made this one of the worst flops of 1931, not helped by the wooden performance of Laye's co-star, John Boles. Although New York Times critic Mordaunt Hall, in his January 10 review reserved sole praise for Laye's singing and performance, Goldwyn washed his hands of the whole affair and Evelyn returned to England. She made another attempt at Hollywood, four years later, in The Night Is Young (1935), another continental operetta, co-starring Ramon Novarro, and featuring songs by Sigmund Romberg and Oscar Hammerstein. Reviewer Andre Sennwald (January 14) caustically described the picture as being technically well-made, but otherwise "without any distinguishing virtue". There were considerably better reviews for Evelyn's two British-Gaumont productions, Waltz Time (1933) and, without doubt her best motion picture, Evensong (1934), the story of the rise and decline of an Irish diva.
There was a three-decade long hiatus until Evelyn's return to the screen (though she had appeared as herself with then-husband, and fellow actor, Frank Lawton, in the TV sitcom My Husband and I (1956)). She was also rather incongruously cast in the horror film, Theatre of Death (1967). Three years later, Evelyn gave a strong performance as the mother of Jean Simmons in Say Hello to Yesterday (1971), a romance set in swinging 60's London. For the most part, she continued to act on the stage, which had always been her favourite medium, performing in plays like "Three Waltzes", "The School for Scandal", "Wedding in Paris", "The Marquise" and "The Amorous Prawn". One of her last plays was Noël Coward's "Semi-Monde" (1987-88), at the Royalty Theatre in London, with fellow cast members Kenneth Branagh and Judi Dench. Retaining her popularity well into her nineties, Evelyn Laye made her farewell tour of Britain in 1992. She died three years later at the age of 95.