Born in London, England. Delightfully eccentric character actress of the British stage and screen. Formerly a teacher of speech and piano, a legacy allowed her to pursue the career of an actress at the age of 33. She studied drama at the Old Vic and made her stage debut in 1925 as Juliet's mother to Edith Evans' Nurse in Romeo and Juliet and her first London appearance in 1933. In films from the mid-1930s, she gave many memorable performances, unforgettably as the bicycle-riding medium Madame Arcati in BLITHE SPIRIT (1945) and as the inquisitive Miss Marple in four Agatha Christie mystery films of the 1960s. She won an Oscar® as best supporting actress for her performance in THE V.I.P.S (1963). Other notable film appearances were in PASSPORT TO PIMLICO (1949), THE MAGIC BOX (1951), THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING EARNEST (1952, as Miss Prism, repeating the stage rôle which first brought her to audiences' and critics' attention in 1939), CHIMES AT MIDNIGHT (1965, as Mistress Quickly) and A COUNTESS FROM HONG KONG (1967). Rutherford claimed not to be funny, but her deliberate lack of humour often made her hilarious. Although she made many films, she preferred the stage, on which she continued to appear until the 1960s. Her husband, Stringer Davis (1896-1973) whom she married in 1945, often appeared in her films. She was made a Dame of the British Empire in 1967.  Supporting Actress 1963: THE V.I.P.s 1 nomination, 1 Award