Judith Anderson
Australian actress acclaimed on stage and screen.
Dame Frances Margaret Anderson, who performed as Judith Anderson, was an Australian actress born on 10 February 1898 in Adelaide, South Australia. She built a notable career across stage, film, and television, earning two Emmy Awards, a Tony Award, and nominations for a Grammy and an Academy Award.
The youngest of four children, she was born to Jessie Margaret Saltmarsh, a former nurse, and James Anderson Anderson, a Scottish-born sharebroker and prospector. She attended Norwood Convent, a private school, but left before graduating.
Anderson made her professional debut in 1915 as Francee Anderson in Sydney, playing Stephanie in *A Royal Divorce*. She credited Scottish actor Julius Knight, who led the company, with teaching her the basics of acting. She performed with him in adaptations of *The Scarlet Pimpernel*, *The Three Musketeers*, *Monsieur Beaucaire*, and *David Garrick*, and toured New Zealand in 1917.
Ambitious to leave Australia, she chose the U.S. over London due to World War I. After four unsuccessful months in California, she moved to New York, where she also struggled. Following a period of poverty and illness, she joined the Emma Bunting Stock Company at the Fourteenth Street Theatre in 1918–19, then toured with other stock companies.
Her Broadway debut came in *Up the Stairs* (1922), followed by *The Crooked Square* (1923) and a Chicago run of *Patches* (1923). After the short-lived *Peter Weston* (1923), she adopted the stage name Judith and achieved her first success with *Cobra* (1924), co-starring Louis Calhern. *The Dove* (1925), with 101 performances, solidified her Broadway standing. She toured Australia in 1927 with *Tea for Three*, *The Green Hat*, and *Cobra*. Back on Broadway, she appeared in *Behold the Bridegroom* (1927–28), took the lead in *Anna* (1928), and replaced Lynn Fontanne in *Strange Interlude* (1929).
Her film debut was a Warner Bros. short, *Madame of the Jury* (1930), followed by her feature debut in *Blood Money* (1933). On stage, she played the Unknown Woman in the American premiere of Pirandello's *As You Desire Me* (1931), which ran 142 performances. She appeared in a short-lived revival of *Mourning Becomes Electra* (1932), then *Firebird* (1932), *Conquest*, *The Drums Begin* (both 1933), and *The Mask and the Face* (1933) with Humphrey Bogart. She focused on Broadway with *Come of Age* (1934) and *Divide
- born
- 10 February 1898
Lore & Background
Judith Anderson was born in Adelaide, South Australia, the youngest of four children. She made her professional debut in 1915 in Sydney, and after touring New Zealand, she moved to the United States. After initial struggles, she found work with stock companies and made her Broadway debut in 1922. She changed her acting forename to Judith and achieved her first triumph with the play Cobra in 1924. She established herself on Broadway with The Dove in 1925 and toured Australia in 1927 with three plays. Her film debut was in a short for Warner Bros. in 1930, and her feature-film debut came in Blood Money in 1933. She received a career boost when cast as Mrs. Danvers in Alfred Hitchcock's Rebecca (1940), earning an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress. She won a Tony Award for Best Actress for her performance as Medea in 1947, and later won two Emmy Awards for her television performances in Macbeth (1954) and Macbeth (1960).
Reader's Guide
Judith Anderson's significance lies in her powerful stage presence and her ability to transition successfully between stage, film, and television. Her portrayal of the sinister housekeeper Mrs. Danvers in Rebecca remains iconic, earning her an Academy Award nomination. On Broadway, her triumph as Medea in 1947 won her a Tony Award and solidified her reputation as a leading dramatic actress. She also earned two Emmy Awards for her television performances as Lady Macbeth, demonstrating her versatility across media. Her career spanned from the 1910s to the 1960s, and she was nominated for a Grammy Award as well. Anderson's work helped bridge the gap between classical theatre and modern film and television, and she is remembered as one of the most accomplished actresses of her generation.
Did You Know?
- She made her professional debut in 1915 under the name Francee Anderson.
- She won a Tony Award for Best Actress for her performance as Medea in 1947.
- She was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for her role as Mrs. Danvers in Rebecca (1940).
- She won two Emmy Awards for playing Lady Macbeth on television, in 1954 and 1960.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Judith Anderson?
Judith Anderson was the professional name of Frances Margaret Anderson, an Australian actress born in 1898 who became a major figure in stage, film, and television performance.
What major awards did Judith Anderson receive?
Over her career she won two Emmy Awards and a Tony Award, and also received nominations for both a Grammy and an Academy Award.
Where was Judith Anderson born?
She was born on 10 February 1898 in Adelaide, South Australia, the youngest of four children in a family that included a Scottish-born sharebroker father and a nurse mother.
When did Judith Anderson begin her professional acting career?
She made her professional stage debut in 1915, launching a performance career that would span more than five decades across multiple media.
Why is Judith Anderson significant in performing arts history?
She is remembered as one of Australia's most accomplished multi-media performers of the twentieth century, distinguished by top honors in both live theatre and broadcast entertainment.
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