Adrianne Allen


About

Birth Place
Manchester, England
Born
February 07, 1907
Died
September 14, 1993
Cause of Death
Cancer And Other Illnesses

Biography

Delicately lovely British actress, primarily on stage in light, brittle comedy from the mid-1920s until the late 50s. After training at RADA, Allen made her London stage debut in Noel Coward's "Easy Virtue" in 1926. She often brought her intelligence and grace to the Broadway stage, in productions ranging from the mournful romance "Cynara" (1931) to the high period comedy "Pride and Prej...

Photos & Videos

Family & Companions

Raymond Massey
Husband
Actor. Married in 1929; divorced in 1939.
William Dwight Whitney
Husband
Attorney. Married from 1939 until his death in 1973; originally from NYC.

Biography

Delicately lovely British actress, primarily on stage in light, brittle comedy from the mid-1920s until the late 50s. After training at RADA, Allen made her London stage debut in Noel Coward's "Easy Virtue" in 1926. She often brought her intelligence and grace to the Broadway stage, in productions ranging from the mournful romance "Cynara" (1931) to the high period comedy "Pride and Prejudice" (1935) to the intense family saga "Edward, My Son" (1948). From the mid-40s on, Allen primarily played mother roles, like her matchmaker in "The Reluctant Debutante" (1956).

Allen also made a dozen film appearances on both sides of the Atlantic between 1930 and 1954. Her busiest period in film came shortly after her debut in "Loose Ends" (1930), but the middling "The Stronger Sex" and "The Woman Between" (both 1931) failed to establish her in film. Decidedly better were the offbeat small-town drama, "The Night of June 13" (1932) and the superior British noir, "The October Man" (1947).

Life Events

Family

Daniel Massey
Son
Actor. Born in 1933 survived her; played Noel Coward opposite Julie Andrews as Gertrude Lawrence in the musical, "Star!" (1968); died in 1998.
Anna Massey
Daughter
Actor. Survived her; perhaps best remembered as the heroine of Michael Powell's cult film, "Peeping Tom" (1960); born in 1937.

Companions

Raymond Massey
Husband
Actor. Married in 1929; divorced in 1939.
William Dwight Whitney
Husband
Attorney. Married from 1939 until his death in 1973; originally from NYC.

Bibliography