Jessie Matthews | |
|---|---|
 Matthews in 1917, aged ten. | |
| Born | Jessie Margaret Matthews 11 March 1907 |
| Died | 19 August 1981 (aged 74) Eastcote, London, England |
| Occupations |
|
| Years active | 1919–1981 |
| Spouses | Brian Lewis
(m. 1945; div. 1959) |
Jessie Margaret Matthews OBE (11 March 1907 – 19 August 1981) was an English actress, dancer and singer of the 1920s and 1930s, whose career continued into the post-war period.[1][2]
After a string of hit stage musicals and films in the mid-1930s, such as Evergreen, Matthews developed a following in the USA, where she was dubbed "The Dancing Divinity".[3] Her British studio was reluctant to let go of its biggest name, however, which resulted in offers for her to work in Hollywood being repeatedly rejected.[4]
After the decline of her film career, Matthews achieved a comeback in her native Britain when she took over the role of Mary Dale in the popular BBC Radio serial The Dales (previously known as Mrs Dale's Diary).[5][6]
- ^ "Jessie Matthews". 2.bfi.org.uk. Archived from the original on 22 February 2016. Retrieved 28 September 2021.
- ^ "BFI Screenonline: Matthews, Jessie (1907–1981) Biography". Screenonline.org.uk.
- ^ Hischak, Thomas S. (2017). The Rodgers and Hammerstein Encyclopedia. ABC-CLIO. ISBN 978-0313341403 – via Google Books.
- ^ Slide, Anthony (2015). A Special Relationship: Britain Comes to Hollywood and Hollywood Comes to Britain. Univ. Press of Mississippi. ISBN 978-1628460889 – via Google Books.
- ^ "Mrs. Dale's Diary". turnipnet.com. Retrieved 13 April 2022.
- ^ Chilton, Martin (5 January 2016). "Mrs Dale's Diary: the radio show that captivated Britain". The Telegraph. ISSN 0307-1235. Retrieved 13 April 2022.