Jessie Royce Landis

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Jessie Royce Landis
Born Jessie Royce Medbury
November 25, 1904(1904-11-25)
Chicago, Illinois, U.S.
Died February 2, 1972(1972-02-02) (aged 67)
Danbury, Connecticut
Spouse Perry Lester Landis (1923-1935)
Rex Smith (1937-1944)
Maj. Gen. J. F. R. Seitz (1956-1972)

Jessie Royce Landis (November 25, 1904[1][2] – February 2, 1972) was an American actress.

Contents

[edit] Career

She was born Jessie Royce Medbury in Chicago, Illinois.[1] Landis was a stage actress for much of her career. In the 1950s, she began appearing in movies as a character actress, most notably in To Catch a Thief (1955), and North by Northwest (1959), both starring Cary Grant and directed by Alfred Hitchcock. In North by Northwest she played Grant's character's mother, and in To Catch a Thief she played Grace Kelly's mother. She also played Grace Kelly's mother in The Swan. She also made many television appearances.

[edit] Personal life and death

She was married three times. Her third husband was Major General J.F.R. "Jeff" Seitz. He died in 1978.[3] Her autobiography, titled You Won't Be So Pretty (But You'll Know More) was published in 1954.

Landis died of cancer in Danbury, Connecticut on February 2, 1972.[1]

[edit] Selected filmography

Year Title Role Notes
1949 Mr. Belvedere Goes to College Mrs. Chase
1949 It Happens Every Spring Mrs. Greenleaf
1949 My Foolish Heart Martha Winters
1955 To Catch a Thief Jessie Stevens
1956 Climax! Olivia Chesney Episode: "An Episode of Sparrows"
1956 The Swan Princess Beatrix
1957 My Man Godfrey Angelica Bullock
1958 I Married a Woman Mrs. Blake, Janice's Mother
1959 North by Northwest Clara Thornhill
1960 Alfred Hitchcock Presents Claire Crane Episode: "Mother, May I Go Out to Swim?"
1960 Thriller Mrs. Killburn Episode: "The Mark of the Hand"
1961 Goodbye Again Mrs. Van der Besh
1962 Boys' Night Out Ethel Williams
1963 Critic's Choice Charlotte Orr aka Charlie
1963 Gidget Goes to Rome Albertina Blythe
1965 The Man from U.N.C.L.E. Madame Olga Nemirovitch Episode: "The Adriatic Express Affair"
1970 Airport Mrs. Harriet DuBarry Mossman
1971 Columbo Mrs. Chadwick Episode: "Lady in Waiting"

[edit] References

  1. ^ a b c Nissen, Axel (2006). Actresses of a Certain Character: Forty Familiar Hollywood Faces from the Thirties to the Fifties. McFarland. p. 95. ISBN 0-786-42746-9. 
  2. ^ The New York Times Biographical Service. 3. New York Times & Arno Press. 1972. p. 353. 
  3. ^ "US Army Officers 1939-1945". http://www.unithistories.com/officers/US_Army_officers_S01.html. Retrieved 22 February 2011. 

[edit] External links


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