Margaret Leighton facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Margaret Leighton
Leighton in 1959
Born	(1922-02-26)26 February 1922 Barnt Green, Worcestershire, England
Died	13 January 1976(1976-01-13) (aged 53) Chichester, West Sussex, England
Years active	1938–1976
Spouse(s)	Max Reinhardt ​ ​ (m. 1947; div. 1955)​ Laurence Harvey ​ ​ (m. 1957; div. 1961)​ Michael Wilding ​ (m. 1964)​

Margaret Leighton (born February 26, 1922 – died January 13, 1976) was a talented English actress. She performed in plays on stage, on television, and in movies. She was known for her strong performances and won many important awards.

Margaret Leighton began her acting career in 1938. She later joined the famous Old Vic theatre group. She made her first appearance on Broadway in New York City in 1946. She was nominated for the Tony Award four times. She won the Tony Award for Best Actress in a Play twice. These wins were for her roles in Separate Tables (1957) and The Night of the Iguana (1962). She also won an Emmy Award in 1970 for a TV version of Hamlet.

In movies, Margaret Leighton's first major film role was in The Winslow Boy (1948). Later, for her role in The Go-Between (1971), she won a BAFTA Award for Best Supporting Actress. She was also nominated for an Academy Award (Oscar) for the same role.

Early Life and Acting Career

Margaret Leighton was born in Barnt Green, a village in Worcestershire, England. She started acting on stage in 1938 in a play called Laugh with Me. This play was also shown on BBC Television that same year.

She became a well-known actress at the Old Vic theatre company. In 1946, she made her Broadway debut. She played the Queen in Henry IV. She performed alongside famous actors Laurence Olivier and Ralph Richardson. The Old Vic company brought five of their plays to the U.S. before going back to London.

Film Roles and Awards

After her stage success, Margaret Leighton appeared in several British films. She played Flora MacDonald in Bonnie Prince Charlie (1948). She also starred in the popular film The Winslow Boy (1948).

She worked with famous director Alfred Hitchcock in his film Under Capricorn (1949). She also appeared in the crime movie Calling Bulldog Drummond (1951). In the U.S., she played the wife of a presidential candidate in The Best Man (1964).

Margaret Leighton won her first Tony Award for Best Actress in a Play for her role in Separate Tables (1956). She won another Tony Award for The Night of the Iguana (1962). In this play, she played Hannah Jelkes. She was also nominated for Tony Awards for Much Ado About Nothing (1959) and Tchin-Tchin (1962). Her last Broadway performance was in The Little Foxes (1967).

Television Appearances

Margaret Leighton also had many notable roles on television. She appeared in shows like Alfred Hitchcock Presents, Ben Casey, and Burke's Law.

She won an Emmy Award in 1970 for her role as Gertrude in a TV version of Hamlet. She was also nominated for an Emmy in 1966 for her role in four episodes of Dr. Kildare. Her final TV appearance was in the science fiction series Space: 1999. She played Queen Arra in the episode "Collision Course".

For her role as Mrs. Maudsley in the film The Go-Between (1971), Margaret Leighton received great recognition. She won the British BAFTA Film Award for Best Supporting Actress. She was also nominated for an Oscar for this role. She received another BAFTA nomination for Best British Actress for her part in Carrington V.C. (1954).

Personal Life

Margaret Leighton was married three times. Her first husband was publisher Max Reinhardt, from 1947 to 1955. She then married actor Laurence Harvey from 1957 to 1961. Her third husband was actor Michael Wilding, whom she married in 1964. They remained married until her death. Margaret Leighton did not have any children.

In 1974, she was honored with the title CBE. This stands for Commander of the Order of the British Empire, a special award in the UK. Margaret Leighton passed away in 1976 at the age of 53 in Chichester, Sussex.

Filmography

Film

Television

Awards and Nominations

See also

In Spanish: Margaret Leighton para niños