One of the outstanding stage actresses of her time, Diana Wynyard will
always be remembered for her unforgettable performance in the British
version of the thriller
Angel Street (1940)
(re-made in Hollywood in 1944 with
Ingrid Bergman). Starring
opposite the great
Anton Walbrook, she
played the part of terrorized Bella Mallen (driven to the point of
insanity by her evil husband) with an ethereal, haunted fragility.
Diana Wynyard was educated at the Woodford School in Croydon and first
appeared on the stage in London in 1925, debuting in 'Sorry, You've
been Troubled' as Lady Sheridan. She soon became one of the great stars
of the British theatre with a wide-ranging repertoire, which included
Shakespeare, Chekhov and Shaw. In 1937, she played Eliza Doolittle in
'Pygmalion'.
In 1932, she was signed to a contract at MGM and was cast opposite the
three Barrymores in
Rasputin and the Empress (1932).
However, her best performance was with
Clive Brook in
Noël Coward's
Cavalcade (1933), for which she
received an Academy Award nomination. The New York Times (June 6, 1933)
remarked, "Miss Wynyard is excellent as Jane Marryot. She portrays her
role with such sympathy and feeling that one scarcely thinks of her as
an actress". Another review of Diana Wynyard, this time for
One More River (1934), described
her acting as 'stirringly sincere'. Her Hollywood career lasted only
two years before the actress returned to England. She gave other
sensitive performances in
The Prime Minister (1941),
with
John Gielgud as Benjamin Disraeli, and
The Remarkable Mr. Kipps (1941), with
Michael Redgrave, both directed by
Carol Reed. Her subsequent marriage
to Reed lasted just four years. Diana Wynyard appeared in smaller
supporting roles during the 1950s and, in keeping with her confession
"I don't really want to be a film star", gradually returned to the
Shakespearean stage. One of her last significant screen roles was as
James Mason's mother in
Island in the Sun (1957).
On stage, she played Beatrice, first opposite
Anthony Quayle and later John Gielgud, in
'Much ado about nothing' (Australian tour, 1949-50). Other parts
included Katherine in 'The Taming of the Shrew' and Hermione in
'The Winter's Tale'. Diana was awarded a CBE in 1953
for her contribution to the theatre. She never stopped working and gave
her final performance as Gertrude to
Peter O'Toole's
Hamlet.
ITV Play of the Week(1955)as Clarisse, Constance Tuckerman, Gertrude, Helen Purslow, Irina Arkadina, Lise Frolich
Armchair Mystery Theatre(1960)as Stella Lambert
BBC Sunday-Night Play(1960)as Lady Frinton
Playhouse 90(1956)as Jane Birman
Theatre Night(1957)as Mary Lester
This Is Show Business(1951)as Self
The Ed Sullivan Show(1948)as Self
20th Century-Fox: The First 50 Years(1997)as Actress 'Cavalcade'
