Eileen Mabel Elizabeth Way (2 September 1911 – 16 June 1994) was a British actress who appeared in film and television roles in a career dating back to the 1930s. She trained at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art from the age of 16.
She was in some of the first productions of Tennessee Williams' plays in Great Britain, including playing the role of the Mexican Woman in A Streetcar Named Desire, and appeared at the Bristol Old Vic and Nottingham Playhouse.
She appeared in a televised episode of Hancock's Half Hour, The Reunion Party ', as a puritanical former ATS member, the TV series Doctor Who, in the serials An Unearthly Child (as Old Mother, the programme's first on-screen death) and The Creature from the Pit (as Karela), as well as in the 1966 film Daleks' Invasion Earth 2150 A.D. (as Old Woman), based on the serial The Dalek Invasion of Earth (1964). She also appeared in the second series of Poldark (1977) as Aunt Agatha; Century Falls; Upstairs, Downstairs; By the Sword Divided; Inspector Morse; Bergerac; and Ripping Yarns.
She was married to the psychiatrist Felix Warden Brown.
Filmography
Film YearTitleRoleNotes1951Cheer the Brave2nd woman1952The Happy FamilyMrs. PotterThe Stranger Left No CardSecretaryVenetian Bird Woman Detective 1953Street of ShadowsMrs. ThomsBlood OrangeMme. Fernande 1954They Who DareGreek Woman Knave of Hearts1st LandladyUncreditedAunt Clara Maggie Mason1955On the Twelfth Day…MilkmaidUncredited1957Bullet from the PastLady at No. 72UncreditedFortune is a WomanMrs. Litchen's housekeeper1958The Vikings Kitala 1960Kidnapped Jennet Clouston 1961The Singer Not the SongFortune tellerUncredited1962Village of Daughters Gloria Balbino 1964The Bargee OnlookerUncreditedThe Comedy ManLandlady1966Daleks' Invasion Earth 2150 A.D.Old WomanDrop Dead DarlingItalian Dressmaker1969Vendetta for the SaintThe Maid1981SphinxAida1984Memed My Hawk Seuneh 1985Bad Medicine Sra. Madera1989Queen of HeartsMama Sibilla
Television YearTitleEpisode(s)RoleNetworkArchive status1938The Gay Lord QuexTV MovieUnknownBBC Television ServiceMissing1939The Day is GoneTV MovieFlorrieBBC Television ServiceMissing1947The Gay Lord QuexTV MovieMiss. MoonBBC Television ServiceMissing1952BBC Sunday-Night TheatreSeries 4, Episode 4: The Gay Lord QuexMiss. MoonBBC Television ServiceMissing1955Music and MacaroniEpisodes 1-2, 5-6GrandmotherBBC Television ServiceMissingBBC Sunday-Night TheatreSeries 6, Episode 16: Midsummer FireLa CachiporraBBC Television ServiceMissingThunder RockTV MovieEllen KirbyBBC Television ServiceMissingThe BlakesEpisode 1Gypsy RebeccaBBC Television ServiceMissingBarbieEpisodes 2-3Miss McGintyBBC Television ServiceMissing1956Nom-de-PlumeEpisode 9: The Ten StrangersMme. FelixBBC Television ServiceMissingBBC Sunday-Night TheatreSeries 7, Episode 34: Siding 723Jadwiga KonskaBBC Television ServiceMissingArmchair TheatreSeries 1, Episode 11: The Right ThingUnknownITV (ABC)Missing1957ITV Television PlayhouseSeries 2, Episode 24: The Affair at AssinoTinaITVMissingThe CoelacanthTV MovieNicko's motherBBC Television ServiceMissingBBC Sunday-Night TheatreSeries 8, Episode 49: Counsellor at LawSarah BeckerBBC Television ServiceMissing1958Television World TheatreSeries 1, Episode 3: Women of TroyWoman of TroyBBC Television ServicePartial (18 minute excerpt survives)General Electric TheaterSeries 6, Episode 15: Time to Go NowOld maidCBSUnknownBBC Sunday-Night TheatreSeries 9, Episode 32: The Shadow of DoubtGladys GibsonBBC Television ServiceMissingITV Television PlayhouseSeries 4, Episode 10: BreakdownSusanITVExists1959The Adventures of William TellSeries 1, Episode 32: The Black BrothersGranny RossiITV (ITC)ExistsThe Vagrant HeartTV MovieMrs. SmithBBC Television ServiceMissing1960International DetectiveSeries 1, Episode 5: The Winthrop CaseMama CarlucciITV (ABPC)ExistsHancock's Half HourSeries 6, Episode 4: The Reunion PartyMavis SmithBBC Television ServiceExistsBBC Sunday-Night PlaySeries 1, Episode 15: Glorious MorningRuth KellnerBBC Television ServiceMissingSeries 1, Episode 27: A Town Has Turned to DustSenora RiveraBBC Television ServiceMissingSeries 1, Episode 34: The LiberatorsMama ValbellaBBC Television ServiceMissingRendezvousSeries 1, Episode 18: Next Time You'll See VeniceSignora ZampinoITV (Rediffusion)ExistsTheatre 70Series 1, Episode 14: To Death With LoveMarie AlbertITV (ATV)Missing1961RashomonTV MovieThe mediumBBC TelevisionExistsThe Charlie Drake ShowSeries 2, Episode 2: Charlie the KidUnknownBBC TelevisionExistsOne Step BeyondSeries 3, Episode 27: The ConfessionMrs. EvansABCExistsDixon of Dock GreenSeries 8, Episode 7: DesperationIsa CaponBBC TelevisionMissing1962Sir Francis DrakeSeries 1, Episode 22: The GypsiesPastoraITV (ITC)ExistsBenny HillSeries 2, Episode 1: The Mystery of Black Bog ManorLornaBBC TelevisionExists1963CompactEpisode 126VioletBBC TelevisionMissingCraneSeries 1, Episode 5: The ExecutionersUnknownITV (Rediffusion)MissingMan of the WorldSeries 2, Episode 6: The BullfighterCatrinaITV (ATV)ExistsMoonstrikeSeries 1, Episode 21: A Matter of TrustHeleneBBC TelevisionMissingDrama '63Series 3, Episode 14: Rasputin Was a Nice Old ManLandladyBBC TelevisionMissingMaupassantSeries 1, Episode 10: BachelorsMme. PadoieITV (Granada)ExistsMaigretSeries 4, Episode 3: The Lost LifeIreneBBC TelevisionExistsThe Sentimenal AgentSeries 1, Episode 7: A Little Sweetness and LightMiss MithrasITV (ITC)ExistsKidnappedEpisode 7: CatrionaJennet CloustonBBC TelevisionMissingDoctor WhoSeries 1: An Uneartly Child (2 episodes)Old womanBBC TelevisionExists1964ITV Play of the WeekSeries 9, Episode 23: Camino RealLa MadrecitaITV (Granada)MissingFirst NightSeries 1, Episode 30: How Many AngelsMrs. PhillipsBBC TelevisionMissingThe Graham Stark ShowSeries 1, Episode 7 UnknownBBC OneMissingThe LarkinsSeries 6, Episode 3: Gypsy's WarningGypsyITV (ATV)ExistsCluffSeries 1, Episode 5: The Daughter-in-lawMrs. BatesonBBC OneMissing1965Series 2, Episode 9: The DaughtersAmy HorriseyBBC OneExistsMogulSeries 1, Episode 9: A Job for WillyMrs. MurtaghBBC OneMissingCourt MartialSeries 1, Episode 4: No Wreath for an AngelMadame CornelisITV (ITC)Exists1966Series 1, Episode 10: Where There Was No EchoWomanITV (ITC)ExistsThe Wednesday PlaySeries 4, Episode 4: Calf LoveAunt ErikaBBC OneExistsSeries 4, Episode 22: The ExecutionerMarguerite RosmerBBC OneMissingThe Newcomers29 episodesCora BrassettBBC OneMissing1967Comedy PlayhouseSeries 6, Episode 4: Heirs on a ShoestringMrs. JibbetBBC OneAudio recording survivesMickey DunneSeries 1, Episode 13: Are There Any More at Home Like YouSophia LombardiBBC OneMissingZ-CarsSeries 6, Episode 49: The Great Art Robbery, Pt. 1Mrs. HancockBBC OneExistsThe TroubleshootersSeries 4, Episode 11: Who Buys Who?SaroyaBBC OneMissing1968The Spanish FarmEpisodes 1, 3 and 4BertheBBC TwoPartial (Episode 4 survives)ITV PlayhouseSeries 2, Episode 9: The Kindness of Mrs RadcliffeGypsy womanITVMissing1969The SaintSeries 6, Episodes 15-16: Vendetta for the Saint, Pts.1 & 2The maidITV (ITC)ExistsOmnibusSeries 2, Episode 16: The Woman from the ShadowsOld DorothyBBC OneExistsThe Gold RobbersSeries 1, Episode 8: The ArrangementThe dowagerITV (LWT)ExistsSeries 1, Episode 12: The Man with Two FacesITV (LWT)ExistsThe Wednesday PlaySeries 9, Episode 1: The Last Train Through Harecastle TunnelMrs. PhillipsBBC OneExistsSeries 9, Episode 6: All Out for Kangaroo ValleyWoman in pubBBC OneMissingThe Flaxton BoysSeries 1, Episode 8: The WitchesMacenaITV (Yorkshire)Exists1970GerminalEpisodes 3 & 4: Mob Rule / SoldiersMa BrûléBBC TwoExistsITV PlayhouseSeries 3, Episode 32: A Sound from the SeaWomanITVExistsThe DoctorsEpisodes 97-104Alice PlattBBC OneMissing1972New Scotland YardSeries 1, Episode 3: Memory of a GauntletMrs. Esther GruberITV (LWT)All programmes exist from this pointThe Onedin LineSeries 2, Episode 3: A Woman AloneOld womanBBC OneThirty Minutes WorthSeries 1, Episode 6UnknownITV (Thames)1973The Adventures of Black BeautySeries 1, Episode 25: The BargeMaggie ITV (LWT)1974Z-CarsSeries 10, Episode 1: Bits An' BatsMrs. McGannBBC OneUpstairs, DownstairsSeries 4, Episode 8: The Glorious DeadMadame FranciniITV (LWT)1976The Glittering PrizesSeries 1, Episode 6: A Double LifeMrs. HershBBC Two1977Z-CarsSeries 12, Episode 2: RageMrs. RileyBBC OneThe MackinnonsSeries 1, Episode 7: Shame the DevilChristina McSweenBBC OnePoldarkSeries 2, Episodes 1-5Agatha PoldarkBBC OneRipping YarnsSeries 1, Episode 5: Across the Andes by FrogOld womanBBC TwoJust WilliamSeries 2, Episode 5: William the PhilanthropistMrs. MarshITV (LWT)1978Les MisérablesTV MovieLodgerCBS1979Doctor WhoSeries 17: The Creature from the Pit (4 episodes)KarelaBBC OneSecret ArmySeries 3, Episode 10: CollaboratorWoman patientBBC One1980Fair Stood the Wind for FranceTV MovieGrandmotherBBC One1982MinderSeries 3, Episode 1: Dead Men Do Tell TalesMrs. Chamber's motherITV (Thames)The Hunchback of Notre Dame TV MovieWoman in crowdCBS1983The Old Men at the ZooEpisode 4: ArmageddonMrs. Langley-BeardBBC TwoBy the Sword DividedSeries 1: 9 episodesMintyBBC OneBBC Television ShakespeareSeries 6, Episode 2: MacbethSecond witchBBC Two1984SakharovTV MovieRuf GrigorievnaHBO1985By the Sword DividedSeries 2: 8 episodesMintyBBC OneMussolini: The Untold StoryEpisode 2VendorNBC1986Paradise PostponedEpisodes 10-11: Faith Unfaithful / The Simcox InheritanceDora NowtITV (Thames)All Passion SpentAll 3 episodesGenouxBBC One1987Screen TwoSeries 3, Episode 6: Naming the NamesFinn's grannyBBC TwoOne by OneSeries 3, Episode 1: Changing PlacesMrs. MaplinBBC OneVanity FairEpisode 3: Crawley of Queen's CrawleyMrs. TinkerBBC One1988The RainbowEpisodes 1 & 3: Ghosts / The Darkness of ParadiseLydia BrangwenBBC One1989War and RemembranceEpisodes 10-11Mrs. SternABC1990ChillersSeries 1, Episode 12: Under a Dark Angel's EyeEdnaFrance 3Screen OneSeries 2, Episode 6: One Last ChanceAunt AnnaBBC One1991BergeracSeries 9, Episode 7: The Waiting GameMrs. EdwardsBBC OneInspector MorseSeries 5, Episode 4: Greeks Bearing GiftsMrs. PapasITV (Carlton)Birds of a FeatherSeries 3, Episode 10: CuckooIreneBBC One1992Sean's ShowSeries 1: 6 episodesMrs. PebblesChannel 4The BillSeries 8, Episode 74: A Blind EyeMrs. CollinsITV (Thames)1993The DetectivesSeries 1, Episode 2: HostageOld ladyBBC OneCentury Falls5 episodesAlice HarknessBBC OneSean's ShowSeries 2, all 7 episodesMrs. PebblesChannel 4
References
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