Born in Dublin, Ireland. On the London stage from age 10, she made her Broadway debut at 14 and later became a distinguished personality of the American theatre. She went to Hollywood in 1941 to repeat her Broadway role in the screen version of THE LITTLE FOXES, and was nominated for an Oscar for her portrayal of Aunt Birdie in that film. Subsequently played character roles in a handful of other films, including SHADOW OF A DOUBT (1943), CASANOVA BROWN (1944), TERESA (1951), WASHINGTON STORY (1952) and THE NUN'S STORY (1959). She was the author of a play, several books, and many short stories.    Nominated for Supporting Actress 1941: THE LITTLE FOXES 1 nomination