Mona Lee Washbourne (27 November 1903 – 15 November 1988) was an English actress of stage, film, and television. Her most critically acclaimed role was in the film Stevie (1978), late in her career, for which she was nominated for a Golden Globe Award and a BAFTA Award. She had, in 1977, won the Laurence Olivier Award for Best Actress in a Supporting Role for her performance in the play it was based on.

Early life Mona Washbourne was born in Sparkhill, Birmingham, and began her entertaining career training as a concert pianist. Her sister Kathleen Washbourne was a violinist with the BBC Symphony Orchestra under Sir Adrian Boult.

Career Washbourne was performing professionally from the early 1920s. She married the actor Basil Dignam. Her brother-in-law Mark Dignam was also a stage and film actor. In 1948, after numerous stage musical performances, Washbourne began appearing in films. Her film credits include the horror movie The Brides of Dracula, Billy Liar (1963) and The Collector (1965). She is probably best known to American audiences for her role as housekeeper Mrs. Pearce in My Fair Lady (1964). She also appeared as the stern and caustic Mrs. Bramson in the remake of Night Must Fall (also 1964), and the Matron in the film, If.... (1968).

She appeared at both the Royal Court Theatre in London and on Broadway in 1970 in David Storey's Home. She was nominated for the Tony Award for Best Performance by a Featured Actress in a Play. In 1975 she appeared on the West End stage with James Stewart in a revival of Mary Chase's play Harvey, in the role originally taken by Josephine Hull. Washbourne won the 1981 New York Film Critics' Circle Awards for Best Supporting Actress in Stevie (1978).

Later life In 1981, Washbourne appeared in Granada Television's TV miniseries adaptation of Evelyn Waugh's novel Brideshead Revisited as Nanny Hawkins. One of her last television appearances was in Where's the Key? (1983), a BBC play about Alzheimer's disease.

She died in 1988, aged 84, in London.

Selected filmography

Evergreen (1934) – Barmaid (uncredited) The Winslow Boy (1948) – Miss Barnes Once Upon a Dream (1949) – Vicar's Wife The Huggetts Abroad (1949) – Lugubrious Housewife (uncredited) Adam and Evelyne (1949) – Mrs. Salop – Lady Gambler (uncredited) Maytime in Mayfair (1949) – Lady Leveson Double Confession (1950) – Fussy Mother Dark Interval (1950) (unspecified role) The Gambler and the Lady (1952) – Miss Minter Johnny on the Run (1953) – Mrs. MacGregor Adventure in the Hopfields (1954) – Mrs. McBain The Million Pound Note (1954) – Mum with Pram (uncredited) Star of My Night (1954) – Bit Part (uncredited) Doctor in the House (1954) – Midwifery Sister (uncredited) Betrayed (1954) – Waitress (uncredited) Child's Play (1954) – Miss Emily Goslett To Dorothy a Son (1954) – Mid Wife Appleby. John and Julie (1955) – Miss Rendlesham Cast a Dark Shadow (1955) – Monica Bare Alias John Preston (1955) – (uncredited) The Vise (1955) – Supporting Role (episode "Count of Twelve") Lost (1956) – Library Manageress (uncredited) Yield to the Night (1956) – Mrs. Thomas, landlady Loser Takes All (1956) – Nurse (uncredited) Circus Friends (1956) – Miss Linstead It's Great to Be Young (1956) – Miss Morrow, School Mistress The Good Companions (1957) – Mrs. Joe Brundit Stranger in Town (1957) – Agnes Smith Son of a Stranger (1957) Dunkirk (1958) – Worker Who Speaks to Holden (uncredited) A Cry from the Streets (1958) – Mrs. Daniels Count Your Blessings (1959) – Nanny The Brides of Dracula (1960) – Frau Lang No Love for Johnnie (1961) – Well-wisher at Railway Station (uncredited) Billy Liar (1963) – Alice Fisher Night Must Fall (1964) – Mrs. Bramson My Fair Lady (1964) – Mrs. Pearce Ferry Cross the Mersey (1965) – Aunt Lil One Way Pendulum (1965) – Aunt Mildred The Collector (1965) – Aunt Annie The Third Day (1965) – Catherine Parsons Casino Royale (1967) – Tea Lady (uncredited) Two a Penny (1968) – Mrs. Duckett Mrs. Brown, You've Got a Lovely Daughter (1968) – Mrs. Brown If.... (1968) – Matron: Staff The Bed Sitting Room (1969) – Mother The Games (1970) – Mrs. Hayes Fragment of Fear (1970) – Mrs. Gray What Became of Jack and Jill? (1972) – Gran Alice Tallent O Lucky Man! (1973) – Neighbour / Usher / Sister Hallett Identikit (1974) – Mrs. Helen Fiedke The Old Curiosity Shop (1975) – Mrs. Jarley The Blue Bird (1976) – Grandmother Stevie (1978) – Aunt The London Connection (1979) – Aunt Lydia Shillingbury Tales ('The Shillingbury Daydream', episode) (1981) - Marjorie Cavendish Brideshead Revisited (1981) – Nanny Hawkins Charles & Diana: A Royal Love Story (1982) – Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother

Awards and nominations Film Year Award Category Nominated work Result Ref. 1981 Boston Society of Film Critics Awards Best Supporting Actress Stevie 1978 British Academy Film Awards Best Actress in a Supporting Role 1978 Golden Globe Awards Best Supporting Actress – Motion Picture 1978 Los Angeles Film Critics Association Awards Best Supporting Actress 1981 National Board of Review Awards Best Supporting Actress 1981 National Society of Film Critics Awards Best Supporting Actress 1981 New York Film Critics Circle Awards Best Supporting Actress

Theatre Year Award Category Nominated work Result Ref. 1977 Laurence Olivier Awards Best Actress of the Year in a Supporting Role Stevie 1971 Tony Awards Best Supporting or Featured Actress in a Play Home

Notes

References

External links

Performances listed in the Theatre Archive University of Bristol