Actress. Born in London, England, she studied at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art and made her silent screen debut in 1913. Small, curvy and versatile, Risdon was very popular with British audiences and in 1915 was voted England's Favorite Movie Star. In 1916 she married George Loane Tucker, the director of some of her best vehicles, and moved to the United States. After Tucker's death in 1921, she taught at RADA and divided her time between the New York and London theatre scenes, mostly in touring companies and revivals of Theatre Guild productions. She settled in Hollywood in 1934. The mature Risdon played strong-willed matriarchs in some 100 films, ranging from the earnest O'Neill adaptation "Mourning Becomes Electra" (1947) to her regular role as Aunt Della in the "Mexican Spitfire" comedies, in which her innate dignity was assailed by the slapstick antics of star Lupe Velez. Her other credits include "The Idol of Paris" (1914), "Florence Nightingale" (title role, 1915), "The Manxman" (1916), "The Mother of Dartmoor" (1917), "Crime and Punishment" (1935), "Theodora Goes Wild" (1936), "Dead End" (1937), "The Roaring Twenties" (1939), "Random Harvest" (1942), "Tall in the Saddle" (1944), "The Egg and I" (1947), "Life with Father" (1947), and "Scaramouche" (1952). Risdon's second husband was actor Brandon Evans. She died in Santa Monica, California.
Actress. Born in London, England, she studied at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art and made her silent screen debut in 1913. Small, curvy and versatile, Risdon was very popular with British audiences and in 1915 was voted England's Favorite Movie Star. In 1916 she married George Loane Tucker, the director of some of her best vehicles, and moved to the United States. After Tucker's death in 1921, she taught at RADA and divided her time between the New York and London theatre scenes, mostly in touring companies and revivals of Theatre Guild productions. She settled in Hollywood in 1934. The mature Risdon played strong-willed matriarchs in some 100 films, ranging from the earnest O'Neill adaptation "Mourning Becomes Electra" (1947) to her regular role as Aunt Della in the "Mexican Spitfire" comedies, in which her innate dignity was assailed by the slapstick antics of star Lupe Velez. Her other credits include "The Idol of Paris" (1914), "Florence Nightingale" (title role, 1915), "The Manxman" (1916), "The Mother of Dartmoor" (1917), "Crime and Punishment" (1935), "Theodora Goes Wild" (1936), "Dead End" (1937), "The Roaring Twenties" (1939), "Random Harvest" (1942), "Tall in the Saddle" (1944), "The Egg and I" (1947), "Life with Father" (1947), and "Scaramouche" (1952). Risdon's second husband was actor Brandon Evans. She died in Santa Monica, California.
Bio by: Bobb Edwards
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