Emma Dunn

Emma Dunn (26 February 1875 – 14 December 1966) was an English actress. After starting her acting career on stage in London, she became known for her works in numerous films and Broadway productions.

Career

Emma Dunn appeared onstage in her early teens, graduating to the London stage for several years and later became a noted Broadway actress. She appeared in the first American production of Ibsen's Peer Gynt (1906) with Richard Mansfield as Peer. She played Peer's mother, Ase, even though she was, in real life, 20 years younger than Mansfield. She appeared in three productions for theatre impresario David Belasco: The Warrens of Virginia (1907), The Easiest Way (1909) and The Governor's Lady (1912). In The Easiest Way, Dunn portrayed Annie, who was black, in blackface. In 1913 Dunn appeared in vaudeville.

Dunn made her first film in 1914, a silent film of her 1910 stage success, Mother, directed by Maurice Tourneur. This was Tourneur's first American film. Dunn's second film was 1920's Old Lady 31, reprising the role she played in the 1916 Broadway play of the same name. One more silent film followed in 1924, Pied Piper Malone, and then she made her sound debut in Side Street, co-starring the Moore brothers, Matt, Owen and Tom as her sons.

Dunn wrote two books on elocution and speech: Thought Quality in the Voice (1933) and You Can Do It (1947).

Personal life

Emma Dunn was born 26 February 1875, in Birkenhead, England, although she sometimes gave her year of birth as 1883. an actor who was then known professionally as Harry J. Morgan, in Chicago on 4 October 1897. They divorced on 10 February 1909, in New York City. She was awarded sole custody of their young daughter, Dorothy. On 19 May 1909, Dunn married John W. Stokes (John W. S. Sullivan ), an actor, playwright and theatrical manager. They subsequently adopted a second daughter, Helen. The couple divorced sometime between 1923

After suffering a heart attack some months before, Dunn died 14 December 1966 in Los Angeles, California, aged 91.

Theatre credits Date Title Role Notes 30 November – 6 December 1902 The Wrong Mr. Wright Tillie Bird National tour beginning at Morosco's Burbank Theatre, Los Angeles 8 January – January 1906 The Redemption of David Corson Majestic Theatre, New York City 28 October 1906 – January 1907 Peer Gynt Ase Grand Opera House, Chicago 25 February – 23 March 1907 Peer Gynt Ase New Amsterdam Theatre, New York City 3 December 1907 – October 1908 The Warrens of Virginia Mrs. Warren Belasco Theatre, Stuyvesant Theatre, New York City 19 January – June 1909 The Easiest Way Annie Stuyvesant Theatre, New York City 7 September – 31 December 1910 Mother Mrs. Katherine Wetherill Hackett Theatre, Criterion Theatre, New York City 10 September 1912 – January 1913 The Governor's Lady Mary Slade Theatre Republic, New York City 7 January – July 1915 Sinners Mrs. Horton Playhouse Theatre, New York City 30 October 1916 – March 1917 Old Lady 31 Angie 38th Street Theatre, New York City 16 August – 10 September 1921 Sonny Mrs. Crosby Cort Theatre, New York City 24 November 1924 – January 1925 Dawn Mary Slayton Sam H. Harris Theatre, New York City 24 November 1925 – 19?? Rip Van Winkle Gretchen Boston Repertory Theatre, Boston January 1927 Junk Old Sal Garrick Theatre, New York City

Filmography

Year Title Role Notes 1914 Mother Mrs. Wetherell 1920 Old Lady 31 Angie Rose 1924 Pied Piper Malone Mother Malone 1929 Side Street Mrs. O'Farrell 1930 Manslaughter Miss Bennett 1931 Bad Sister Mrs. Madison Compromised Mrs. Squires Nina Morals for Women Mrs. Hutson Mrs. Cynthia Farraday Señora Ibarra This Modern Age Mrs. Blake Too Young to Marry Jennie Bumpsted Under Eighteen Mrs. Evans 1932 Blessed Event Mrs. Roberts Broken Lullaby Mrs. Miller Mrs. Sarah Cohen Hell's House Emma Clark It's Tough to Be Famous "Moms" McClenahan Letty Lynton Mrs. Darrow Mrs. Sally Chilcote When a Feller Needs a Friend Kind lady 1933 Elmer, the Great Mrs. Kane Grand Slam Sob sister Hard to Handle Mrs. Hawks It's Great to Be Alive Mrs. Wilton Mrs. Russell Private Jones Mrs. Jones 1934 Dark Hazard Mrs. Mayhew Dr. Monica Mrs. Monahan Flirtation Mrs. Poole The Quitter Cordelia Tilford 1935 Another Face Sheila's mother Mother of Alan George White's 1935 Scandals Aunt Jane "Mom" Margaret Campbell Ladies Crave Excitement Mary Phelan Little Big Shot Matron Seven Keys to Baldpate Mrs. Quimby This Is the Life Mrs. Davis 1936 Granny Moreland Mr. Deeds Goes to Town Mrs. Meredith, Deed's housekeeper Uncredited Second Wife Mrs. Brown 1937 Circus Girl Molly Housekeeper Madame X Rose Varsity Show Mrs. Smith Waikiki Wedding Old woman When You're in Love Mrs. Hamilton 1938 Ma Hawkins Cowboy from Brooklyn Ma Hardy Laura McCoy Mrs. West Lord Jeff Mrs. Briggs Thanks for the Memory Mrs. Platt Three Loves Has Nancy Mrs. Briggs Young Dr. Kildare Martha Kildare 1939 Calling Dr. Kildare Martha Kildare Each Dawn I Die Mrs. Ross Hero for a Day "Mom" Higgins Dona Teresa Martha Kildare Son of Frankenstein Amelia 1940 Dance, Girl, Dance Mrs. Simpson Dr. Kildare Goes Home Martha Kildare Dr. Kildare's Crisis Martha Kildare Dr. Kildare's Strange Case Martha Kildare Mrs. Jaeckel Half a Sinner Granny Gladden High School Mrs. O'Neill Little Orvie Mrs. Welty One Crowded Night Ma Yesterday's Heroes Aunt Winnie You Can't Fool Your Wife Mrs. Fields 1941 Dr. Kildare's Wedding Day Martha Kildare Ladies in Retirement Sister Theresa Mr. & Mrs. Smith Martha Aunt Della "Ma" McCormick Rise and Shine Mrs. Murray Scattergood Baines Mirandy Baines Scattergood Meets Broadway Mirandy Baines Scattergood Pulls the Strings Mirandy Baines 1942 Babes on Broadway Mrs. Williams I Married a Witch Wife of the justice of the peace Agnes Martha Carter Mrs. Shelley When Johnny Comes Marching Home Nora Flanagan 1943 Mme. Marchand Hoosier Holiday Molly Baker Minesweeper Mom Old lady 1944 Are These Our Parents? Ma Henderson Dona Mercedes Irish Eyes Are Smiling Mother Machree It Happened Tomorrow Mrs. Keever My Buddy Mary Ballinger 1945 Mrs. Smith Maggie 1946 Night Train to Memphis Mom Acuff 1947 Life with Father Margaret, the cook Mourning Becomes Electra Mrs. Borden 1948 Mrs. Vesey