Edna May Oliver: Movies & Box Office

Edna May Oliver (born Edna May Nutter, November 9, 1883 – November 9, 1942) was a well-recognized American stage and film actress of the 1930s. She was often typecast as a tart-tongued spinster. Originally from Malden, Massachusetts, Oliver left school at the tender age of 14 to chase her ambitious dreams of a stage career.

Oliver commenced her career on Broadway and delivered her first major success in Jerome Kern's 1917 musical comedy Oh, Boy!. Show business saw her sharing the stage with renowned artists like Mary Boland, Gene Raymond, and Humphrey Bogart. Oliver's significant stage appearances included the original 1927 stage and the 1932 Broadway revival of Show Boat. Turning down the film version to play in Romeo and Juliet, Oliver made her film debut in Wife in Name Only (1923) and continued to star in films until Lydia in 1941.

In 1935, Oliver transferred her allegiance to MGM where she was cast in two Charles Dickens adaptations, both in vital roles. She also appeared in non-comedic roles in classics such as Cimarron (1931), Ann Vickers (1933), and Romeo and Juliet (1936). Her noteworthy performances included the role of a landlord in Shirley Temple's film, Little Miss Broadway, and a 1940 comic performance in Pride and Prejudice. Regrettably, Oliver passed away after being diagnosed with abdominal cancer in 1942 receiving an Oscar nomination for her performance in Drums Along the Mohawk (1939).