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Margaret RutherfordEnglish actress
Date of Birth: 11.05.1892
Country:  Great Britain |
Content:
Early Life and Career
Margaret Rutherford was born in London, England on May 11, 1892, as the only child of William Rutherford Benn and his wife. Her father suffered from dementia and was later institutionalized. After her mother's suicide, Rutherford was sent to live with an aunt in India, where she remained until she was three. She later returned to Britain and received her education at Wimbledon High School.
Theater and Film
Rutherford began her career as a teacher of elocution, but made her stage debut at the Old Vic in London in 1925 at the age of 33. She appeared in films primarily in comedic roles from the mid-1930s onward. In 1945, she married actor Stringer Davis, with whom she frequently collaborated on-screen.
Miss Marple and Later Roles
Rutherford's portrayal of Miss Marple in "Murder, She Said" (1961) and four subsequent films brought her great popularity. Her interpretation of the character was more comedic and assertive than Agatha Christie's original creation, initially drawing criticism from Christie herself. However, they later became close friends and Christie dedicated her novel "The Mirror Crack'd from Side to Side" to Rutherford in 1963.
Rutherford won Academy and Golden Globe Awards for her role as the Duchess of Brighton in "The V.I.P.s" (1964). She also garnered acclaim for her portrayal of Mistress Quickly in "Falstaff" (1965), a role that so impressed Queen Elizabeth II that it earned Rutherford a damehood.
Final Years and Legacy
In her later years, Rutherford suffered from Alzheimer's disease. She passed away from pneumonia on May 22, 1972, and was buried in the churchyard of St. James Church in Gerrards Cross. Her husband, Stringer Davis, died a year and a half later and was interred beside her.
