Lehmann, Beatrix (1903–1979)

English actress and author. Born in Bourne End, Buckinghamshire, England, July 1, 1903; died July 31, 1979, in London; dau. of Alice Mary (Davis) Lehmann (an American) and Rudolph Chambers Lehmann (poet, writer, editor of Punch until 1919, and member of Parliament, 1906–14); sister of Rosamond Lehmann (1901–1990).

Made stage debut at Lyric, Hammersmith (1924), succeeding Elsa Lanchester in The Way of the World, followed by An American Tragedy, The Adding Machine, Thunder on the Left, Nju, The Silver Tassie, Salome, Wild Decembers, All God's Chillun, Twenty Below and The Wandering Jew, among others; appeared as Hilda Wangel in The Master Builder (1934) and in title role of Charlotte Corday (1936); became director-producer of Arts Council Midland Theater Co. (1946); joined Shakespeare Memorial Theatre in Stratford-on Avon (1947), appearing as Portia, Isabella, and Viola; was president of British Actors' Equity (1945); appeared with Old Vic in numerous productions, including Suddenly Last Summer and as Lady Macbeth; gave other notable performances in The Human Voice, Ghosts, Desire Under the Elms, Mourning Becomes Electra, Waltz of the Toreadors, The Aspern Papers, Reunion in Vienna, The Storm and The Trojan Wars; also wrote short stories, 2 novels, and appeared on tv and in such films as The Passing of the Third Floor Back, The Rat, The Key, The Spy Who Came in From the Cold, A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum and The Staircase.