Lucile Watson

Lucile Watson (27 May 1879 – 24 June 1962) was a Canadian actress, highly established in the United States. Noted for her significant roles that usually portrayed her as hardened and imposing dowagers, she carved a unique niche in the performing arts industry. Watson was born in Quebec and was brought up in Ottawa as the daughter of a British Army officer. Contrary to her father's wishes, she moved to New York City where she enrolled herself in a dramatic school. Watson dedicated her career primarily to stage acting, over the course of which she participated in 39 Broadway plays. Her performance as Fanny Farrelly in Lillian Hellman's stage play, 'Watch on the Rhine,' where she starred alongside Paul Lukas in 1941, is often regarded as her most commendable act. Two years after, Watson reprised her role in the film adaptation in Hollywood. This performance led to a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress. Despite her 52-year long active career ending in 1954, Lucile Watson's impact on stage and screen drama lived on even after her passing in 1962.