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Mona Washbourne Biography (1903-1988)

Born November 27, 1903, in Birmingham, England; died November 15, 1988, in London, England; daughter of Arthur Edmund and Kate (Robinson) Washbourne; married Basil Dignam.

Nationality

English

Gender

Female

Birth Details

November 27, 1903

Birmingham, England

Death Details

November 15, 1988

London, England

Famous Works

• Credits; STAGE APPEARANCES
• STAGE DEBUT--Pianist and soubrette, Modern Follies concert party, Yarmouth, U.K., 1924.
• LONDON DEBUT--Minnie and Mrs. Hills, Mourning Becomes Electra, Westminster Theatre, 1937.
• BROADWAY DEBUT--Cherry-May Waterton, Nude with Violin, Belasco Theatre, 1957.
• Madame Arcati and understudy, Blithe Spirit, Duchess Theatre, London, 1945.
• Miss Barnes, The Winslow Boy, Lyric Theatre, London, 1946.
• Helen Poulter, Cupid and Mars, Arts Theatre, London, 1947.
• Dorothy Pilkington, Honour and Obey, Saville Theatre, London, 1947.
• Mrs. Poole, The Foolish Gentlewoman, Duchess Theatre, 1948.
• mother, Ring Round the Moon, Globe Theatre, London, 1950.
• Mrs. Bonamy, The Mortimer Touch, Duke of York's Theatre, London, 1952.
• Mrs. Osbourne, Hippo Dancing, Lyric Theatre, 1954.
• Cora Swanson, Morning's at Seven, Comedy Theatre, London, 1955, then Westminster Theatre, London, 1956.
• Honorine, Fanny, Drury Lane Theatre, London, 1956.
• Alice Fisher, Billy Liar, Cambridge Theatre, London, 1960.
• Hilda Midway, Semi-Detached, Saville Theatre, 1962.
• Mum, The Anniversary, Duke of York's Theatre, 1966.
• Kathleen, Home, Royal Court Theatre, London, then Apollo Theatre, London,later Morosco Theatre, New York City, all 1970.
• Enid Baker, Getting On, Queen's Theatre, London, 1971.
• Veta Louise Simmonds, Harvey, Prince of Wales Theatre, London, 1975.
• the Aunt, Stevie, Vaudeville Theatre, London, 1977.
• Also appeared in Landscape with Figures; as Cherry-May Warterton, Nude with Violin and Monica, Present Laughter, Los Angeles and San Francisco, CA; and in repertory with Harry Hanson's Court Players and Matthew Forsythe's Company, both in the U.K.
• Credits; MAJOR TOURS
• Mrs. Tarleton, Misalliance, Prospect Productions and the British Council,Indian, Ceylonese, and Pakistani cities, 1967.
• Toured as a pianist and soubrette with the Fol-de-Rols for three years; and with the Malvern Company during World War II.
• Credits; FILM APPEARANCES
• Vicar's wife, Once Upon a Dream, General Film Distributors, 1949.
• Miss Barnes, The Winslow Boy, Eagle-Lion, 1950.
• Lady Leveson, Maytime in Mayfair, Real Art, 1952.
• fussy mother, Double Confession, Associated British/Pathe, 1953.
• Mrs. MacGregor, Johnny on the Run, Associated British, 1953.
• Miss Goslett, Child's Play, British Lion, 1954.
• Mrs. McBain, Adventure in the Hopfields, Associated British, 1954.
• Nurse Appleby, Cash on Delivery (also known as To Dorothy, a Son), RKO, 1956.
• Miss Morrow, It's Great to Be Young, Associated British/Pathe, 1956.
• Mrs. Joe, The Good Companions, Associated British/Pathe, 1957.
• Agnes Smith, Stranger in Town, Eros, 1957.
• Monica Bare, Cast a Dark Shadow, Eros, 1958.
• nanny, Count Your Blessings, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM), 1959.
• Mrs. Daniels, A Cry from the Street, Eros, 1959.
• Frau Lang, The Brides of Dracula, Universal, 1960.
• Alice Fisher, Billy Liar, Warner Brothers/Pathe, 1963.
• Aunt Lil, Ferry Across the Mersey, United Artists, 1964.
• Mrs. Pearce, My Fair Lady, Warner Brothers, 1964.
• Mrs. Bramson, Night Must Fall, MGM, 1964.
• Aunt Anne, The Collector, Columbia, 1965.
• Aunt Mildred, One Way Pendulum, Lopert, 1965.
• Catherine Parsons, The Third Day, WD, 1965.
• Mrs. Duckett, Two a Penny, Worldwide, 1968.
• Mrs. Brown, Mrs. Brown, You've Got a Lovely Daughter, MGM, 1968.
• Matron, If ..., Paramount, 1968.
• mother, The Bed Sitting Room, United Artists, 1969.
• Mrs. Hayes, The Games, Twentieth Century-Fox, 1970.
• Mrs. Gray, Fragment of Fear, Columbia, 1971.
• Gran, What Became of Jack and Jill? (also known as Romeo and Juliet and AGentle Tale of Sex and Violence, Corruption and Murder), Twentieth Century-Fox, 1972.
• Sister Hallett and Usher neighbor, O Lucky Man!, Warner Brothers, 1973.
• Mrs. Fiedke, The Driver's Seat (also known as Identikit), AVCO- Embassy,1975.
• Mrs. Jarley, Mr. Quilp (also known as The Old Curiosity Shop), AVCO- Embassy, 1975.
• grandmother, The Blue Bird, Twentieth Century-Fox, 1976.
• Miss Spear--"The Lion Aunt," Stevie, First Artists, 1978.
• Aunt Lydia, The Omega Connection (also known as The London Connection), Buena Vista, 1979.
• Also appeared in Dark Interval, Apex, 1950; The Gambler and the Lady, Exclusive, 1952; Wide Boy, Anglo-Amalgamated, 1952; Doctor in the House, GeneralFilm Distributors, 1954; Star of My Night, General Film Distributors, 1954;The Yellow Robe, Associated British/Pathe, 1954; Count of Twelve, AssociatedBritish/Pathe, 1955; John and Julie, British Lion, 1957; Son of a Stranger, United Artists, 1957; Tears for Simon (also known as Lost), Republic, 1957; Three Sundays to Live, United Artists, 1957.
• TELEVISION APPEARANCES; MINI-SERIES TELEVISION DEBUT--Appeared in a sketch for Baird Television (U.K.), 1929.
• Madame Raquin, Therese Raquin, BBC, then Masterpiece Theatre, PBS, 1981.
• Nanny Hawkins, Brideshead Revisited, Granada, then Great Performances, PBS, 1982.
• Credits; EPISODIC
• The Lili Palmer Theatre, syndicated, 1956.
• Credits; MOVIES
• Queen Mother, Charles and Diana: A Royal Love Story, ABC, 1982.
• Credits; SPECIALS
• Aunt M, December Flower, Granada, then Great Performances, PBS, 1987.
• Also appeared in London Affair, A Hundred Years Old, Dear Petitioner, andHomecoming.

Further Reference

OBITUARIES AND OTHER SOURCES:

• Variety, November 30, 1988.