Sarah Edwards
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Sarah Edwards (October 11, 1881 – January 7, 1965) was a Welsh-born American film and stage actress. She often played dowagers or spinsters in numerous Hollywood movies of the 1930s and 1940s, mostly in minor roles. Edwards started her acting career as a stage actress, she was described in 1916 by a newspaper article as a leading actress "very popular with West End theatre-goers".[1] She eventually settled in the United States and appeared in six Broadway plays between 1919 and 1931, primarily in comedies like The Merry Malones by George M. Cohan. Among her first movies was the New York-filmed 1929 musical Glorifying the American Girl (1929), where she portrayed the mercenary mother of leading actress Mary Eaton. She came to Hollywood in the mid-1930s where she appeared in about 190 films until her retirement 1951, mostly in uncredited, small character roles. Sarah Edwards died in Hollywood in 1965, aged 83. Edwards seemed older than she was and often portrayed a "kindly grandmother, imperious dowager, hardy pioneer wife, ill-tempered teacher and strict governess". She remains perhaps best-known to modern audiences as the imperious mother of Mary Hatch (Donna Reed) in Frank Capra's film classic It's a Wonderful Life (1946) who tries to keep her daughter away from George Bailey. Edwards also played a customer in Ernst Lubitsch's The Shop Around the Corner (1940) with James Stewart. She also appeared in another Christmas classic, The Bishop's Wife (1947) with Cary Grant, and as the wife of a doctor on the train in Hitchcock's thriller Shadow of a Doubt (1943). Edwards sometimes also portrayed more substantial roles, for instance in the Charlie Chan movie Charlie Chan in the Secret Service (1944).
Filmography
Carson City
as Spinster on Stagecoach (uncredited)
Carson City
as Spinster on Stagecoach (uncredited)
The Fuller Brush Girl
as Mrs. East (uncredited)
The Fuller Brush Girl
as Mrs. East (uncredited)
Air Hostess
as Bertha Hallum
Air Hostess
as Bertha Hallum
Family Honeymoon
as Mrs. Carp (uncredited)
Family Honeymoon
as Mrs. Carp (uncredited)
California Firebrand
as Granny Hortense Mason
California Firebrand
as Granny Hortense Mason
The Main Street Kid
as Mrs. Clauson
The Main Street Kid
as Mrs. Clauson
The Bishop's Wife
as Mrs. Duffy
The Bishop's Wife
as Mrs. Duffy
Good News
as Miss Pritchard (uncredited)
Good News
as Miss Pritchard (uncredited)
The Romance of Rosy Ridge
as Mrs. Dessark (uncredited)
The Romance of Rosy Ridge
as Mrs. Dessark (uncredited)
The Devil Thumbs a Ride
The Devil Thumbs a Ride
It's a Wonderful Life
as Mrs. Hatch
It's a Wonderful Life
as Mrs. Hatch
Undercurrent
as Cora (uncredited)
Undercurrent
as Cora (uncredited)
The Verdict
as Housekeeper (uncredited)
The Verdict
as Housekeeper (uncredited)
Song of Arizona
as Dolly Finnuccin
Song of Arizona
as Dolly Finnuccin
Girl on the Spot
as Mrs. Richards (uncredited)
Girl on the Spot
as Mrs. Richards (uncredited)
Saratoga Trunk
as Miss Diggs (uncredited)
Saratoga Trunk
as Miss Diggs (uncredited)
Allotment Wives
as Sadie
Allotment Wives
as Sadie
Girls of the Big House
as Dormitory Matron
Girls of the Big House
as Dormitory Matron
Lady on a Train
Lady on a Train
Two O'Clock Courage
as Mrs. Tuttle (Patty's Landlady) (uncredited)
Two O'Clock Courage
as Mrs. Tuttle (Patty's Landlady) (uncredited)
The Corn Is Green
as Mrs. Watty's Friend (uncredited)
The Corn Is Green
as Mrs. Watty's Friend (uncredited)
Storm Over Lisbon
as Maude Perry-Tonides
Storm Over Lisbon
as Maude Perry-Tonides
Bathing Beauty
as Faculty Member (uncredited)
Bathing Beauty
as Faculty Member (uncredited)
Henry Aldrich's Little Secret
as Mrs. Bradley
Henry Aldrich's Little Secret
as Mrs. Bradley
Henry Aldrich Plays Cupid
as Mrs. Bradley
Henry Aldrich Plays Cupid
as Mrs. Bradley
Charlie Chan in the Secret Service
as Mrs. Hargue
Charlie Chan in the Secret Service
as Mrs. Hargue
Nearly Eighteen
as Miss Perkins
Nearly Eighteen
as Miss Perkins
All by Myself
as Mrs. Vincent
All by Myself
as Mrs. Vincent
Dixie Dugan
as Mrs. Kelly
Dixie Dugan
as Mrs. Kelly
Shadow of a Doubt
as Doctor's Wife on Train (uncredited)
Shadow of a Doubt
as Doctor's Wife on Train (uncredited)
Calling All Pa's
as Grandma Vanderscnooze (uncredited)
Calling All Pa's
as Grandma Vanderscnooze (uncredited)
The Forest Rangers
as Mrs. Hansen (uncredited)
The Forest Rangers
as Mrs. Hansen (uncredited)
Scattergood Survives a Murder
as Selma Quentin
Scattergood Survives a Murder
as Selma Quentin
Apache Trail
as Stagecoach Passenger (uncredited)
Apache Trail
as Stagecoach Passenger (uncredited)
The Sons of the Pioneers
as Housekeeper
The Sons of the Pioneers
as Housekeeper
My Favorite Blonde
as Mrs. Weatherwax (uncredited)
My Favorite Blonde
as Mrs. Weatherwax (uncredited)
Rings on Her Fingers
Rings on Her Fingers
Dudes Are Pretty People
as Miss Priddle
Dudes Are Pretty People
as Miss Priddle
H.M. Pulham, Esq.
as Mrs. Motford - Kay's Mother (uncredited)
H.M. Pulham, Esq.
as Mrs. Motford - Kay's Mother (uncredited)
Miss Polly
as Angie Turner
Miss Polly
as Angie Turner
One Foot in Heaven
as Mrs. Spicer (uncredited)
One Foot in Heaven
as Mrs. Spicer (uncredited)
I Wake Up Screaming
as Customer (uncredited)
I Wake Up Screaming
as Customer (uncredited)
Three Girls About Town
as Clubwoman
Three Girls About Town
as Clubwoman
Sunset in Wyoming
as Susanna Hawkins Peabody
Sunset in Wyoming
as Susanna Hawkins Peabody
Tom, Dick and Harry
as Mrs. Burton (uncredited)
Tom, Dick and Harry
as Mrs. Burton (uncredited)
Mr. District Attorney
as Miss Petherby
Mr. District Attorney
as Miss Petherby
The Face Behind the Mask
as Mrs. Perkins (uncredited)
The Face Behind the Mask
as Mrs. Perkins (uncredited)
The Invisible Woman
as Showroom Buyer (uncredited)
The Invisible Woman
as Showroom Buyer (uncredited)
Little Men
as Landlady
Little Men
as Landlady
Arise, My Love
as Spinster (uncredited)
Arise, My Love
as Spinster (uncredited)
Strike Up the Band
as Miss Hodges
Strike Up the Band
as Miss Hodges
The Howards of Virginia
as Neighbor Girl
The Howards of Virginia
as Neighbor Girl
Young People
as Mrs. Stinchfield
Young People
as Mrs. Stinchfield
Lucky Cisco Kid
as Spinster
Lucky Cisco Kid
as Spinster
New Moon
as Marquise della Rosa
New Moon
as Marquise della Rosa
Opened by Mistake
as Mrs. Karff (uncredited)
Opened by Mistake
as Mrs. Karff (uncredited)
Curtain Call
as Literary Committee Member
Curtain Call
as Literary Committee Member
Free, Blonde and 21
as Undetermined Role
Free, Blonde and 21
as Undetermined Role
The Shop Around the Corner
as Woman Customer
The Shop Around the Corner
as Woman Customer
Remember?
as Lady in Revolving Door
Remember?
as Lady in Revolving Door
The Amazing Mr. Williams
as Citizens Committee Woman (uncredited)
The Amazing Mr. Williams
as Citizens Committee Woman (uncredited)
Meet Dr. Christian
as Mrs. Minnows
Meet Dr. Christian
as Mrs. Minnows
Too Busy to Work
Too Busy to Work
Drunk Driving
as Driver (uncredited)
Drunk Driving
as Driver (uncredited)
Sabotage
as (uncredited)
Sabotage
as (uncredited)
Espionage Agent
as Militant American Tourist
Espionage Agent
as Militant American Tourist
Here I Am a Stranger
as Chaperone at Dance
Here I Am a Stranger
as Chaperone at Dance
Coast Guard
as Florence (uncredited)
Coast Guard
as Florence (uncredited)
Unmarried
as Mrs. Jones
Unmarried
as Mrs. Jones
Blondie Meets the Boss
as Saleswoman (uncredited)
Blondie Meets the Boss
as Saleswoman (uncredited)
Persons in Hiding
as Beauty Shop Proprietor (uncredited)
Persons in Hiding
as Beauty Shop Proprietor (uncredited)
The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn
as Annie Rucker (uncredited)
The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn
as Annie Rucker (uncredited)
Boy Trouble
as Mrs. Moots
Boy Trouble
as Mrs. Moots
A Doggone Mixup
A Doggone Mixup
The Shining Hour
as Chairwoman of Morals Society (uncredited)
The Shining Hour
as Chairwoman of Morals Society (uncredited)
The Cowboy and the Lady
as Dinner Party Guest (uncredited)
The Cowboy and the Lady
as Dinner Party Guest (uncredited)
A Man to Remember
as Clerk (uncredited)
A Man to Remember
as Clerk (uncredited)
Three Loves Has Nancy
as Autograph Session Chairwoman (uncredited)
Three Loves Has Nancy
as Autograph Session Chairwoman (uncredited)
Woman Against Woman
as Party Guest
Woman Against Woman
as Party Guest
The Beloved Brat
as School Board Member Miss Brundage
The Beloved Brat
as School Board Member Miss Brundage
Women Are Like That
as Mrs. Snell
Women Are Like That
as Mrs. Snell
Judge Hardy's Children
as Miss Adams (uncredited)
Judge Hardy's Children
as Miss Adams (uncredited)
Merrily We Live
as Mrs. Fleming
Merrily We Live
as Mrs. Fleming
Gold Is Where You Find It
as Party Guest (uncredited)
Gold Is Where You Find It
as Party Guest (uncredited)
Love Is a Headache
as Mrs. Warden, Fan from New Jersey (uncredited)
Love Is a Headache
as Mrs. Warden, Fan from New Jersey (uncredited)
The Awful Truth
as Lucy's Attorney's Wife (uncredited)
The Awful Truth
as Lucy's Attorney's Wife (uncredited)
It's Love I'm After
as Mrs. Hinkle
It's Love I'm After
as Mrs. Hinkle
Varsity Show
as Mrs. Biddle
Varsity Show
as Mrs. Biddle
Public Wedding
as Mrs. Van Drexel
Public Wedding
as Mrs. Van Drexel
Big Business
as Miss Collins - School Principal
Big Business
as Miss Collins - School Principal
We're on the Jury
as Evelyn Bottomley
We're on the Jury
as Evelyn Bottomley
The General Died at Dawn
as Companion of American without Matches (uncredited)
The General Died at Dawn
as Companion of American without Matches (uncredited)
Theodora Goes Wild
as Mrs. Moffat (uncredited)
Theodora Goes Wild
as Mrs. Moffat (uncredited)
Two-Fisted Gentleman
as Mrs. O'Shea
Two-Fisted Gentleman
as Mrs. O'Shea
Palm Springs
as Miss Pinchon
Palm Springs
as Miss Pinchon
Early to Bed
as Miss Barton
Early to Bed
as Miss Barton
The Golden Arrow
as Mrs. Lizzie Burke-Meyers
The Golden Arrow
as Mrs. Lizzie Burke-Meyers
Colleen
as First Society Woman (uncredited)
Colleen
as First Society Woman (uncredited)
The Walking Dead
The Walking Dead
Stars Over Broadway
as Woman Dancing with Fat Man
Stars Over Broadway
as Woman Dancing with Fat Man
It's in the Air
as Old Maid (uncredited)
It's in the Air
as Old Maid (uncredited)
I Live My Life
as Professor Douglas (Uncredited)
I Live My Life
as Professor Douglas (Uncredited)
Two-Fisted
as Abigail Adams
Two-Fisted
as Abigail Adams
People Will Talk
as Martie Beemish
People Will Talk
as Martie Beemish
Ruggles of Red Gap
as Mrs. Myron Carey
Ruggles of Red Gap
as Mrs. Myron Carey
Shadow of Doubt
as Dowager in Taxi
Shadow of Doubt
as Dowager in Taxi
Sweepstake Annie
as Friend of Mrs. Foster (uncredited)
Sweepstake Annie
as Friend of Mrs. Foster (uncredited)
The World Accuses
as Lucille Weymouth
The World Accuses
as Lucille Weymouth
My Grandfather's Clock
as Housekeeper (uncredited)
My Grandfather's Clock
as Housekeeper (uncredited)
American Madness
as Gossip on Phone (uncredited)
American Madness
as Gossip on Phone (uncredited)
Wayward
as Nurse (uncredited)
Wayward
as Nurse (uncredited)
Glorifying the American Girl
as Mrs. Hughes
Glorifying the American Girl
as Mrs. Hughes
Two Americans
Two Americans