Zeffie Agnes Lydia Tilbury (20 November 1863 – 24 July 1950) was an English-American actress.Zeffie Tilbury profile at Probert EncyclopediaZeffie Tilbury profile at Cinemorgue.
Early years Born in Paddington, Middlesex, England, Tilbury was the only child of the variety performer Lydia Thompson and John Christian Tilbury, a riding-master and "fashionable 'man about town'" from a comfortably wealthy background, his grandfather, of the Tilbury family firm of London coachbuilders, having created the Tilbury carriage.Lydia Thompson: Queen of Burlesque, Kurt Ganzl, Routledge, 2002, p. 54My Life: Sixty Years' Recollections of Bohemian London, George R. Sims, Eveleigh Nash Co., 1917, p. 275 Her father died aged 26 in 1864; having borrowed an inexperienced horse, "All Fours", to participate in the South Essex Steeplechase at Brentwood, Essex, he was crushed by the horse when it failed to clear a fence and rolled on him. Although he didn't appear badly injured, his skull was fractured and he had suffered severe internal injuries, which caused his death the next day.Gänzl, Kurt. Lydia Thompson in Encyclopaedia of the Musical Theatre, Blackwell/Schirmer (1994)Lydia Thompson: Queen of Burlesque, Kurt Ganzl, Routledge, 2002, p. 59
Career
Tilbury was known first on the London stage and on Broadway in New York City."Classical Plays: Souvenirs and Portraits" , Rob Wilton Theatricalia In 1881, she debuted on stage in Nine Points of the Law at the Theatre Royal, Brighton, England.
She is today best known for playing wise or evil older characters in films, such as the distinguished lady gambler at dinner with Garbo in The Single Standard, as the pitiful Grandma Joad in The Grapes of Wrath and Grandma Lester in Tobacco Road.
She appeared in over 70 films. Her earliest surviving silent film is the Valentino / Nazimova 1921 production of Camille. Tilbury is probably best remembered as the old woman in the 1936 Hal Roach Our Gang comedy Second Childhood. She is befriended by Spanky and his friends on her birthday and, as a result, is transformed from a lonely, disagreeable recluse to a happy and loving carefree soul. In the same year she also portrayed the Gypsy Queen in the Laurel and Hardy film The Bohemian Girl.
Personal life Tilbury was married twice. First to Arthur Frederick Lewis in West Derby in June 1887, GRO Marriage Index and later to L.E. Woodthorpe in 1904, who died on 8 April 1915.
In 1899 Zeffie had a painful accident:
Death She died in Los Angeles, California in 1950 at the age of 86.
Stage performances This list was created from a search of advertisements and reviews in British newspapers.
Year Play Role Genre Theatre1881 Nine Points of the Law Theatre Royal, Brighton1884 The Private Secretary Eva Webster Farce Globe1885Ruth's Romance Comedietta Olympic1886Turned Up Sabina Melodramatic Farcical Comedy ComedyCuriosity Mrs Daisy Bangerpush Farcical Comedy Vaudeville1887Pygmalion and Galatea Cynisca Mythological Comedy Theatre Royal, SheffieldFazio; or The Italian Wife's RevengeAldabella Tragedy Alexandra, LiverpoolThe Winter's Tale Mopsa Lyceum1890 [Title not known] Valerie De Vaux Military Comedy Academy of Music, Halifax, Nova Scotia1893 The Crust of Society Grand Opera House, Toronto1894 The Idler Schiller, Chicago1898 Love Wisely; or The Setting of the Sun Lucy One-act Play The Avenue, LondonShe Stoops to Conquer Miss Neville Farce Terry'sThe School for Scandal Lady Sneerwell Comedy of Manners Terry's1899 Counsel's Opinion Mrs Lovelace A Legal Episode in One ActLyceum1900 The Meeting Constance Duologue St Martin's Town HallHenry V Isabel, Queen of France History Play Lyceum1901 Twelfth Night Maria Her Majesty'sMacaire Aline Melodramatic Farce Her Majesty'sThe Red Lamp Felise Melodrama Grand Theatre, FulhamThe Last of the Dandies Lady Carrollby Four-act Play Her Majesty's1902 The Merry Wives of Windsor Mistress Quickly Farce Her Majesty's1903 The Merry Wives of Windsor Mistress Quickly Farce Touring America1909 The Passion Flower Social Life in New York Touring America1911 Everywoman and Anyman The Woman Vaudeville Sketch Winter Garden, New York
Filmography Year Title Role Notes1917 Blind Man's Luck Mrs. Guerton 1919 The Avalanche Mrs. Ruyler Lost filmA Society Exile Mrs. Stanley Shelby Lost film1920 Mothers of Men Mrs. De La Motte Clothes Mrs. Cathcart Lost film 1921 The Marriage of William Ashe Lady Tranmore Big Game Camille Prudence 1924 Another Scandal Brownie Lost film 1927 The Night of Love Lady in Waiting Uncredited1929 The Single Standard Mrs. Handley 1930 The Ship from Shanghai Lady Daley 1931 Charlie Chan Carries OnMrs. Luce Lost film1933 Made on Broadway Aunt Ada UncreditedBlind Adventure Uncredited1934 Two Alone Rogers' Neighbor UncreditedMystery Liner Granny Plimpton Bachelor Bait Miss Turner Uncredited1935 Women Must Dress Peg Martin The Mystery of Edwin Drood The Opium Woman Werewolf of London Mrs. Moncaster Public Hero No. 1 Deaf Woman in Scottsdale Bar UncreditedStranded Old Hag UncreditedThe Farmer Takes a Wife Old Townswoman UncreditedAlice Adams Mrs. Dresser UncreditedNavy Wife Bridge Player UncreditedThe Last Days of Pompeii The Wise Woman Bad Boy Deaf Woman Uncredited1936 The Bohemian Girl Gypsy Queen Desire Aunt Olga Second Childhood Grandma ShortParole! Molly Smith UncreditedThe White Angel Woman Donating Sheets UncreditedAnthony Adverse Old Woman at Chalet UncreditedThe Gorgeous Hussy Mrs. Daniel Beall Give Me Your Heart Esther Warren Old Hutch Elderly Woman in Bank UncreditedCamille Old Duchess Bidding 3750 Francs UncreditedAfter the Thin Man Aunt Lucy Uncredited1937 Under Cover of Night Mrs. Nash Bulldog Drummond Escapes Jail Cell Drunk UncreditedMaid of Salem Goody Rogers Midnight Taxi Mrs. Lane UncreditedParnell Old Lady UncreditedRhythm in the Clouds Maggie Conway - the Duchess de Lovely HideawayMrs. Beamish Uncredited Fit for a King Duchess Louise - Reception Guest UncreditedBulldog Drummond Comes Back Effie It Happened in Hollywood Miss Gordon Federal Bullets Mrs. Crippen 1938 Bulldog Drummond's PerilMrs. Weevens Kidnapped Old Woman UncreditedHunted Men Flower Woman UncreditedWoman Against Woman Grandma Marie Antoinette Dowager at Birth of Dauphin UncreditedBlock-Heads Dowager Seated Near Stairs (scenes deleted)Arrest Bulldog Drummond Aunt Meg 1939 Boy Trouble Mrs. Jepson The Story of Alexander Graham Bell Mrs. Sanders Tell No Tales Miss Mary Lady of the Tropics Woman Congratulating Manon UncreditedBalalaika Princess Natalya Petrovna 1940 Emergency Squad Mrs. Cobb UncreditedThe Earl of Chicago Miss Nana UncreditedThe Grapes of Wrath Grandma Joad Comin' Round the Mountain Granny Stokes She Couldn't Say No Ma Hawkins 1941 Tobacco Road Grandma Lester Sheriff of Tombstone Granny Carson 1942 Flying with Music Fortune Teller Uncredited, (final film role)
References
External links
Zeffie Tilbury portrait at NYP Library signed photograph(archived)