Betty Ann Davies

Betty Ann Davies was an English actress who built a long career on the London stage and in British cinema. Born in London, United Kingdom, she began performing in the 1920s, first appearing at the Palladium in a revue in 1924, and soon joined Cochran's Young Ladies for shows like One Dam Thing After Another and This Year of Grace. Her stage work in the West End included The Good Companions (1934), Morning Star (1942), and Blithe Spirit (1943), but she is best remembered for stepping into the role of Blanche du Bois in the original West End production of A Streetcar Named Desire, taking over from Vivien Leigh. That role became her outstanding stage triumph.

Davies also made a mark on film, appearing in 38 movies, including The History of Mr. Polly as the future Mrs Polly, and in The Belles of St. Trinian's. She was active in television toward the end of her life. Her career spanned more than two decades, from 1934 to 1955. She died suddenly at the age of 44, on 14 May 1955, following an operation for appendicitis that led to complications. She left behind her son, Brook Blackford.