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Elsa Lanchester, actor
Actor

Elsa Lanchester: Movies, Awards & Box Office

films
55
on screen
1928–2014
box office
$440K
award win
1
Born
October 28, 1902
Birthplace
Lewisham, London, England
Full name
Elsa Sullivan Lanchester
Citizenship
British, American
Occupations
Actress
Years active
1925-1983
Spouses
Charles Laughton
Career at a glance

Elsa Lanchester's Career in Numbers

Elsa Lanchester's films in numbers — as an actor, not counting appearances as themselves: when they were made, the genres Elsa Lanchester works in most and the milestones along the way. The filmography runs from Blue Bottles (1928) to Monster Madness: The Golden Age of the Horror Film (2014), and the 1940s were the busiest decade.

Elsa Lanchester Movies by Decade

  1. 1920s 2
  2. 1930s 5
  3. 1940s 14
  4. 1950s 12
  5. 1960s 8
  6. 1970s 4
  7. 1980s 1
  8. 1990s 3
  9. 2010s 1

The 1940s were Elsa Lanchester's busiest decade, with 14 films.

Elsa Lanchester Movies by Genre

  • Comedy 10
  • Drama 8
  • Romance 5
  • Music 3
  • Mystery 3
  • Family 3
  • Thriller 3
  • Adventure 3
  • Documentary 2
  • Horror 2

Comedy is the genre Elsa Lanchester has worked in most, with 10 films, ahead of drama (8).

Elsa Lanchester Career Milestones

First film
Blue Bottles 1928
Biggest box office hit
Les Miserables $281K worldwide
55 credits

Elsa Lanchester Filmography: Every Movie

Every film Elsa Lanchester is credited on, newest first, with the role, the box office and the Movie Echo Score. Re-order the list to see the best-rated films or the biggest hits first.

Elsa Lanchester Movies as an Actor

50
  1. 2014 Monster Madness: The Golden Age of the Horror Film (2014) movie poster Monster Madness: The Golden Age of the Horror Film as Mary Shelley / The Monster's Mate (archive footage) · Documentary
  2. 1998 Universal Horror (1998) movie poster Universal Horror as (archive footage) · Tv movie
  3. 1992 Commercial Entertainment Product (1992) movie poster Commercial Entertainment Product as The Monster's Bride · Music
  4. 1991 Frankenstein: A Cinematic Scrapbook (1991) movie poster Frankenstein: A Cinematic Scrapbook as Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley / The Monster's Mate · Documentary
  5. 1980 Die Laughing (1980) movie poster Die Laughing as Sophie · Music
  6. 1976 Murder by Death (1976) movie poster Murder by Death Mystery
  7. 1973 Arnold (1973) movie poster Arnold as Hester · Mystery
  8. 1973 Terror in the Wax Museum (1973) movie poster Terror in the Wax Museum as Julia Hawthorn · Horror
  9. 1971 Willard (1971) movie poster Willard Sci-Fi
  10. 1969 My Dog, the Thief (1969) movie poster My Dog, the Thief as Mrs. Formby · Family
  11. 1969 Me, Natalie (1969) movie poster Me, Natalie as Miss Dennison · Comedy
  12. 1969 Rascal (1969) movie poster Rascal as Mrs. Satterfield · Family
  13. 1968 Blackbeard's Ghost (1968) movie poster Blackbeard's Ghost Fantasy
  14. 1967 Easy Come, Easy Go (1967) movie poster Easy Come, Easy Go as Madame Neherina · Comedy
  15. 1965 That Darn Cat! (1965) movie poster That Darn Cat! Thriller
  16. 1964 Pajama Party (1964) movie poster Pajama Party as Aunt Wendy · Sci-Fi
  17. 1964 Honeymoon Hotel (1964) movie poster Honeymoon Hotel as Chambermaid · Comedy
  18. 1958 Bell, Book and Candle (1958) movie poster Bell, Book and Candle as Aunt Queenie Holroyd · Romance
  19. 1958 Witness for the Prosecution (1958) movie poster Witness for the Prosecution Drama
  20. 1955 The Glass Slipper (1955) movie poster The Glass Slipper as Widow Sonder · Romance
  21. 1954 3 Ring Circus (1954) movie poster 3 Ring Circus as The Bearded Lady · Comedy
  22. 1954 Hell’s Half Acre (1954) movie poster Hell’s Half Acre as Lida O'Reilly · Mystery
  23. 1953 The Girls of Pleasure Island (1953) movie poster The Girls of Pleasure Island as Thelma · Comedy
  24. 1952 Les Miserables (1952) movie poster Les Miserables as Madame Magloire · Adventure
  25. 1952 Dreamboat (1952) movie poster Dreamboat as Mathilda Coffey · Comedy
  26. 1950 Frenchie (1950) movie poster Frenchie as Countess · Western
  27. 1950 The Petty Girl (1950) movie poster The Petty Girl as Dr. Crutcher · Comedy
  28. 1950 Mystery Street (1950) movie poster Mystery Street as Mrs. Smerrling · Thriller
  29. 1950 Buccaneer’s Girl (1950) movie poster Buccaneer’s Girl as Madame Brizar · Comedy
  30. 1949 The Inspector General (1949) movie poster The Inspector General as Maria · Romance
  31. 1949 Come to the Stable (1949) movie poster Come to the Stable as Amelia Potts · Comedy
  32. 1949 The Secret Garden (1949) movie poster The Secret Garden as Martha · Family
  33. 1948 The Big Clock (1948) movie poster The Big Clock as Louise Patterson · Crime
  34. 1948 The Bishop's Wife (1948) movie poster The Bishop's Wife Drama
  35. 1947 Northwest Outpost (1947) movie poster Northwest Outpost as Princess 'Tanya' Tatiana · Action
  36. 1946 The Razor’s Edge (1946) movie poster The Razor’s Edge as Miss Keith · Drama
  37. 1946 The Spiral Staircase (1946) movie poster The Spiral Staircase as Mrs. Oates · Horror
  38. 1944 Passport to Destiny (1944) movie poster Passport to Destiny as Ella Muggins · Comedy
  39. 1943 Lassie Come Home (1943) movie poster Lassie Come Home Adventure
  40. 1943 Forever and a Day (1943) movie poster Forever and a Day as Mamie · Drama
  41. 1942 Tales of Manhattan (1942) movie poster Tales of Manhattan as Elsa (Mrs Charles) Smith · Drama
  42. 1942 Son of Fury: The Story of Benjamin Blake (1942) movie poster Son of Fury: The Story of Benjamin Blake as Bristol Isabel · Adventure
  43. 1941 Ladies in Retirement (1941) movie poster Ladies in Retirement as Emily Creed · Thriller
  44. 1938 Vessel of Wrath (1938) movie poster Vessel of Wrath as Martha Jones · Romance
  45. 1936 Rembrandt (1936) movie poster Rembrandt as Hendrickje Stoffels · Drama
  46. 1935 The Bride of Frankenstein (1935) movie poster The Bride of Frankenstein Drama
  47. 1935 Naughty Marietta (1935) movie poster Naughty Marietta as Madame d'Annard · Music
  48. 1933 The Private Life of Henry VIII (1933) movie poster The Private Life of Henry VIII as Anne of Cleves · Drama
  49. 1928 Blue Bottles (1928) movie poster Blue Bottles as Elsa
  50. 1928 The Constant Nymph (1928) movie poster The Constant Nymph as Lady · Romance
1 win · 2 nominations

Elsa Lanchester: Awards & Nominations

1 win from 2 nominations across 2 award bodies, from 1958 to 1958. Every ceremony is listed newest first, with the category and the film.

All movie awards
  • Golden Globes logo Golden Globes 1 win from 1 nomination
  • Oscars logo Oscars 1 nomination
Biography

Who Is Elsa Lanchester?

Elsa Lanchester was born in Lewisham, London, England in 1902. Credited on films since 1928, as an actor. The background, training and the roles that shaped the career.

Elsa Sullivan Lanchester, born on 28 October 1902, was a notable British actress known for her extensive work in theatre, film, and television. Lanchester's journey into the arts began with studying dance as a child. Post World War I, she started performing in theatre and cabaret, establishing her career over the subsequent decade. In 1927, she met renowned actor Charles Laughton, whom she married in 1929. She began with small roles in British films, including the portrayal of Anne of Cleves alongside Laughton in 'The Private Life of Henry VIII' (1933).

Her breakout came with the iconic role in 'Bride of Frankenstein' (1935). Lanchaster's career featured lead roles like 'Passport to Destiny' (1944) and numerous supporting roles throughout the 1940s and 1950s. She earned Academy Award nominations for 'Come to the Stable' (1949) and 'Witness for the Prosecution' (1957). After Laughton's demise in 1962, Lanchester continued her career in films like 'Mary Poppins' (1964), 'That Darn Cat!' (1965), and 'Blackbeard's Ghost' (1968). One of her final roles was in 'Murder by Death' (1976). She passed away on 26 December 1986 in Los Angeles, California.

Works with

Who Elsa Lanchester Makes Movies With

The actors and directors Elsa Lanchester shares the most films with. Boris Karloff comes first, with 6 films together, followed by Lon Chaney Jr. (5).

FAQ

Elsa Lanchester: Questions & Answers

How many movies Elsa Lanchester has made, the biggest hit, the best-rated film, the award record and more, answered from the filmography above.

How many movies has Elsa Lanchester been in?

Elsa Lanchester is credited on 55 films, from 1928 to 2014. The filmography on this page lists every one of them, newest first, with the role and the Movie Echo Score.

What is Elsa Lanchester's highest-grossing movie?

Les Miserables (1952) is Elsa Lanchester's biggest box office hit, with $281K worldwide, ahead of Lassie Come Home (1943) ($99.2K). Across every film with box office figures, Elsa Lanchester's movies have made $440K.

Elsa Lanchester's biggest hits

Has Elsa Lanchester won an Oscar?

Elsa Lanchester has been nominated for an Oscar but has not won one yet. Across every ceremony in the awards database, Elsa Lanchester has 1 win from 2 nominations.

What is Elsa Lanchester's newest movie?

The most recent film on Elsa Lanchester's filmography is Monster Madness: The Golden Age of the Horror Film (2014), in the role of Mary Shelley / The Monster's Mate (archive footage).

Who does Elsa Lanchester work with most often?

Elsa Lanchester shares the most films with Boris Karloff (6 films), Lon Chaney Jr. (5 films) and Roddy McDowall (4 films).

The Best Elsa Lanchester Movies, Ranked

Top rated, most awarded and biggest box office hits from 55 credits.

See the ranking

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