(born July 4, 1898, London, Eng.—died Sept. 6, 1952, New York, N.Y., U.S.) British actress.
She began appearing on stage as a child, and she starred in musical revues such as Noël Coward's London Calling (1923) and George Gershwin's Oh, Kay! (1926). A longtime friend of Coward's, she performed in many of his comedies, notably Private Lives (1930); both the play and the stars set the tone that would characterize comedies of manners for a decade or more: sophistication, brittle wit, and chic. She was also acclaimed for her roles in the musicals Lady in the Dark (1941) and The King and I (1951).
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