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Stage Debut: age 16
Broadway Debut: Queen in Henry IV (1946), age 24, Olivier and Richardson
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Oscar Role: The Go-Between, 1971; age 49
Other Noms: 1
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Film Career Span: 1947-1970
Marriage: 3, including Laurence Harvey, Michael Wilding
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Death: multiple sclerosis, 1976, age 53
Born in Barnt Green, Worcestershire, on February 26, 1922, Leighton made her stage debut as Dorothy in “Laugh With Me” (1938), which was also performed that year for BBC TV.
She soon became a star of the Old Vic. Her Broadway debut was as the Queen in Henry IV (1946) starring Laurence Olivier and Ralph Richardson during a visit of the Old Vic company, which performed 5 plays from its repertoire.
She appeared in two British films, including the starring role of Flora MacDonald opposite David Niven in Bonnie Prince Charlie (1948) and in the popular The Winslow Boy (also 1948).
In 1949, she played second female lead in Hitchcock’s Under Capricorn, starring Ingrid Bergman, Joseph Cotten and Michael Wilding.
She starred with Walter Pidgeon in the MGM crime-mystery Calling Bulldog Drummond (1951).
Leighton won her first Tony Award as Best Actress in a Play for her performance in “Separate Tables” (1956).
She won another Tony for “The Night of the Iguana” (1962), playing Hannah Jelkes (a role played by Deborah Kerr on film) opposite Bette Davis’s Maxine Faulk.
Leighton was nominated for Best Actress in a Play for Much Ado About Nothing (1959) opposite John Gielgud and for Tchin-Tchin (1962) opposite Anthony Quinn.
She portrayed the wife of an American presidential candidate (Henry Fonda) in the 1964 film The Best Man, written by Gore Vidal.
She had a noteworthy list of TV appearances, including Alfred Hitchcock Presents, Ben Casey and Burke’s Law.
She won the Emmy Award for Outstanding Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in Drama for “Hamlet” (1970),
She was nominated for an Emmy in 1966 for Outstanding Single Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Drama for four episodes of Dr. Kildare.
Her last appearance on Broadway was as Birdie Hubbard in a revival of Lillian Hellman’s The Little Foxes (1967), starring Anne Bancroft as Regina Giddens.
For her role as Mrs. Maudsley in The Go-Between (1970) Leighton won the British BAFTA Film Award for Best Supporting Actress, and Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actress.
She received a BAFTA nomination for Best British Actress for her role as Valerie Carrington in Carrington V.C. (1955).
Leighton was married three times, to publisher Max Reinhardt (1947–55); actor Laurence Harvey (1957–61); and actor Michael Wilding (1964–1976), her death). She had no children. She was awarded the CBE in 1974.
Leighton died of multiple sclerosis on January 13, 1976, age 53.
Filmography
1948
The Winslow Boy, Catherine Winslow, First credited feature
Bonnie Prince Charlie, Flora MacDonald
1949 Under Capricorn, Milly
1950
The Astonished Heart Leonora Vail
The Elusive Pimpernel Marguerite Blakeney
1951 Calling Bulldog Drummond Helen Smith
1952
Home at Seven Janet Preston
The Holly and the Ivy, Margaret Gregory
1954
The Good Die Young Eve Ravenscourt
The Teckman Mystery Helen Teckman
Carrington V.C. Valerie
1955 The Constant Husband Counsel for the Defence
1957 The Passionate Stranger Judith Wynter / Leonie Hathaway
1959 The Sound and the Fury Caddy Compson
1962 Waltz of the Toreadors Emily Fitzjohn
1964 The Best Man Alice Russell
1965 The Loved One Helen Kenton
1966 7 Women Agatha Andrews
1969 The Madwoman of Chaillot Constance
1971 The Go-Between, Mrs. Maudsley
1972 X Y & Zee Gladys
Lady Caroline Lamb Lady Melbourne
1973 Bequest to the Nation Frances Nelson
1974 From Beyond the Grave Madame Orloff Segment: “The Elemental”
1975 Galileo Elderly Court Lady
1976 Trial by Combat Ma Gore
