Florence Bates

Personal Info

Known For

Acting

Born

April 13, 1888

Died

January 31, 1954 (age 65)

Place of Birth

San Antonio, Texas, USA

Also Known As

Florence Rabe

Florence Bates

Biography

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Florence Bates (born Florence Rabe, April 15, 1888 – January 31, 1954) was an American film and stage character actress who often played grande dame characters in supporting roles. Her path to becoming an actress had many turns. She had a degree in Mathematics, taught school until married, then became the first Texas female lawyer. Then she became a bilingual radio commentator. After her husband lost her fortune, she and her husband opened a bakery in Los Angeles. In the mid-1930s, Bates auditioned for and won the role of Miss Bates in a Pasadena Playhouse adaptation of Jane Austen's Emma. When she decided to continue working with the theatre group, she changed her professional name to that of the first character she played on stage. In 1939, she was introduced to Alfred Hitchcock, who cast her in her first major screen role, the vain dowager Mrs. Van Hopper, in Rebecca (1940). Bates appeared in more than sixty films over the course of the next thirteen years. Among her cinema credits are Kitty Foyle, Love Crazy, The Moon and Sixpence, Mr. Lucky, Heaven Can Wait, Lullaby of Broadway, Mister Big, Since You Went Away, Kismet, Saratoga Trunk, The Secret Life of Walter Mitty, Winter Meeting, I Remember Mama, Portrait of Jennie, A Letter to Three Wives, On the Town, and Les Misérables. In television, Bates had a regular role on The Hank McCune Show and made guest appearances on I Love Lucy, My Little Margie, I Married Joan and Our Miss Brooks.

Known For

Filmography

1953FilmParis Modelas Nora Sullivan1953FilmMain Street to Broadwayas Mrs. Bessmer in Fantasy Sequence1952TVFour Star Playhouseas Ottilie1952FilmLes Miserablesas Madame Bonnet1952FilmThe San Francisco Storyas Sadie1951TVI Love Lucyas Mrs. Pettebone1951FilmHavana Roseas Mrs. Fillmore1951FilmThe Tall Targetas Mrs. Charlotte Alsop1951FilmFather Takes the Airas Minerva Bobbin1951FilmLullaby of Broadwayas Mrs. Anna Hubbell1950TVDick Tracyas Mrs. Frothingham1950FilmCounty Fairas Nora 'Ma' Ryan1950FilmThe Second Womanas Amelia Foster1950FilmBelle of Old Mexicoas Nellie Chatfield1949FilmOn the Townas Madame Dilyovska1949FilmThe Girl from Jones Beachas Miss Emma Shoemaker1949FilmA Letter to Three Wivesas Mrs. Manleigh1948FilmPortrait of Jennieas Mrs. Jekes1948FilmMy Dear Secretaryas Horrible Hannah Reeve (the landlady)1948FilmTexas, Brooklyn & Heavenas Mandy1948FilmRiver Ladyas Ma Dunnegan1948FilmWinter Meetingas Mrs. Castle1948FilmThe Inside Storyas Geraldine Atherton1948FilmI Remember Mamaas Florence Dana Moorhead1947FilmThe Judge Steps Outas Chita1947FilmThe Secret Life of Walter Mittyas Irmagarde Griswold1947FilmLove and Learnas Mrs. Bella Davis - Landlady1947FilmThe Brasher Doubloonas Mrs. Murdock1946FilmThe Time, The Place and The Girlas Mme. Lucia Cassel1946FilmThe Man I Loveas Mrs. Thorpe (uncredited)1946FilmCluny Brownas Dowager at Ames's Party1946FilmClaudia and Davidas Nancy Riddle1946FilmThe Diary of a Chambermaidas Rose1946FilmWhistle Stopas Molly Veech1945FilmSan Antonioas Henrietta1945FilmSaratoga Trunkas Sophie Bellop1945FilmOut of This Worldas Harriet Pringle1945FilmTonight and Every Nightas May Tolliver1944FilmTahiti Nightsas Queen Liliha1944FilmBelle of the Yukonas Viola Chase1944FilmKismetas Karsha1944FilmThe Mask of Dimitriosas Madame Elise Chavez1943FilmHis Butler's Sisteras Lady Sloughberry1943FilmHeaven Can Waitas Mrs. Edna Craig (uncredited)1943FilmMr. Luckyas Mrs. Van Every1943FilmMister Bigas Mrs. Mary Davis1943FilmSlightly Dangerousas Mrs. Amanda Roanoke-Brooke1943FilmThey Got Me Coveredas Gypsy Woman1942FilmMy Heart Belongs to Daddyas Mrs. Saunders1942FilmThe Moon and Sixpenceas Tiare Johnson1942FilmThe Tuttles of Tahitias Emily1942FilmWe Were Dancingas Mrs. Elsa Vanderlip1942FilmMexican Spitfire at Seaas Mrs. Baldwin1941FilmThe Chocolate Soldieras Madame Helene1941FilmLove Crazyas Mrs. Cooper1941FilmStrange Alibias Katie1941FilmThe Devil and Miss Jonesas Store Shopper1941FilmRoad Showas Mrs. Newton1940FilmKitty Foyleas Customer1940FilmHudson's Bayas Duchess (scenes deleted)1940FilmThe Son of Monte Cristoas Countess Mathilde Von Braun1940FilmCalling All Husbandsas Emmie Trippe1940FilmRebeccaas Edythe Van Hopper

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