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Joyce Grenfell

Joyce Grenfell

Actor · Died November 30, 1979, aged 69 · Knightsbridge, London, England, UK

Joyce Irene Grenfell OBE (née Phipps; 10 February 1910 - 30 November 1979) was an English comedian, singer and actress.

Biography from TMDB.

Born
February 10, 1910
Died
November 30, 1979 (aged 69)
From
Knightsbridge, London, England, UK
Works as
Actor
Titles
12 on MovieCove · 28 credits in all
Links
IMDb (opens in a new tab)TMDB (opens in a new tab)Wikidata (opens in a new tab)

Known for

TMDB popularity, last 39 days to Oct 28Down 11% in 30 days

What are Joyce Grenfell's films like?

Across their 11 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Bonds and Society.

Themes

share of theme weight
Bonds
25%
Society
23%
Morality
19%
Power
17%
Self
11%
Survival
5%
Community3 titles, browse their movies with this themeDeception4 titles, browse their movies with this themeRomantic love3 titles, browse their movies with this themeFamily bonds2 titles, browse their movies with this themeSelf-worth2 titles, browse their movies with this themeFreedom2 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 11 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category
Light: How heavy the subject matter and outlook get. Browse their light movies.
Tone · Weight
lightdark

Light 10 · Serious 1 · Dark 0

Stylized: How far its world departs from everyday reality. Browse their stylized movies.
Tone · Style
naturalisticheightened

A split, not a type: Grounded 4 · Stylized 3 · Heightened 4

Charged: How hard the emotional peaks hit while you watch. Browse their charged movies.
Feel · Intensity
gentleintense

Gentle 4 · Charged 6 · Intense 1

Steady: How much it swings between very different feelings. Browse their steady movies.
Feel · Swings
steadyswings

Steady 7 · Shifting 3 · Whiplash 1

Funny: How much of the runtime is played for laughs. Browse their funny movies.
Feel · Humor
noneconstant

Straight-faced 0 · Some laughs 4 · Funny 7

Even-paced: How fast it moves from scene to scene. Browse their even-paced movies.
Demand · Pace
slowrelentless

Slow burn 3 · Even-paced 8 · Relentless 0

Casual: How much focus it asks of you — look away and lose the thread? Browse their casual movies.
Demand · Attention
casualfull focus

Casual 9 · Engaged 2 · Full focus 0

Resolved: How much is left for you to interpret. Browse their resolved movies.
Demand · Resolution
resolvedambiguous

Resolved 10 · Open-ended 1 · Ambiguous 0

Roles they play

5 analyzed roles

Usually the Shapeshifter: 2 of 5 analyzed roles.

Shapeshifter
2 of 5
Threshold guardian
1 of 5
Herald
1 of 5
Hero
1 of 5

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Absurd
6
Warm
4
Joyful
4
Tense
2
Romantic
2
Other
7

How their films linger

Fun7 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFeel-good7 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHopeful4 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteBittersweet2 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end · 2 with a twist

  • Happy7
  • Bittersweet3
  • Cyclical1

AI-generated from each title's plot synopsis and cast list, with extra plot summaries, reviews and Parents Guide notes for titles the model may not know, and the model's own knowledge of the ones it recognizes. Only analyzed titles count, so this covers part of the filmography; the feel axes count films only for now.

Where can I watch Joyce Grenfell's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 6 of their 12 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Tubi (4).

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Joyce Grenfell's titles on MovieCove; rent and buy are not counted. Titles are listed by Midcredits score, highest first, at most 12 per service; a dashed chip is a producer credit or a minor one, such as a thanks. A service opens the browse page, which counts movies only, so its number can differ.

Filmography

28 credits, 12 with a MovieCove page; 3 appearances as themselves are hidden until asked for.

  • To See Such Fun (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1977)

    Actor

  • Joyce Grenfell (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1972)

    Show 4 episodes · Actor

  • The Yellow Rolls-Royce(1964)

    as Hortense Astor

    Midcredits score: 57th percentile of all films

  • The Americanization of Emily(1964)

    as Mrs. Barham

    Midcredits score: 86th percentile of all films

  • The Old Dark House(1963)

    as Agatha Femm

    Midcredits score: 26th percentile of all films

  • The Pure Hell of St. Trinian's(1960)

    as Sergeant Ruby Gates

    Midcredits score: 50th percentile of all films

  • Happy Is the Bride(1958)

    as Aunt Florence

    Midcredits score: 50th percentile of all films

  • Blue Murder at St. Trinian's(1957)

    as Sgt. Ruby Gates

    Midcredits score: 58th percentile of all films

  • The Good Companions (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1957)

    as Lady Parlitt

  • The Belles of St. Trinian's(1954)

    as P.W. Sgt. Ruby Gates

    Midcredits score: 71st percentile of all films

  • Forbidden Cargo (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1954)

    as Lady Flavia Queensway

  • Man with a Million(1954)

    as Duchess of Cromarty

    Midcredits score: 76th percentile of all films

  • Genevieve (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1953)

    as Hotel Proprietress

  • The Pickwick Papers (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1952)

    as Mrs. Leo Hunter

  • The Magic Box (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1952)

    as Mrs Claire

  • Laughter in Paradise(1951)

    as Elizabeth Robson

    Midcredits score: 82nd percentile of all films

  • The Galloping Major (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1951)

    as Maggie

  • The Happiest Days of Your Life(1950)

    as Miss Gossage: Staff of St. Swithin's

    Midcredits score: 81st percentile of all films

  • Stage Fright(1950)

    as 'Lovely Ducks'

    Midcredits score: 79th percentile of all films

  • Scrapbook for 1933 (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1950)

    as (voice)

  • A Run for Your Money (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1949)

    as Mrs Pargiter

  • Poet's Pub (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1949)

    as Miss Horsefell-Hughes

  • Alice in Wonderland(1949)

    as Ugly Duchess / Dormouse

    Midcredits score: 53rd percentile of all films

  • Designing Women (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1948)

    Story · as Miss Arty

  • While the Sun Shines (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1947)

    as Daphne

  • The Lamp Still Burns (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1943)

    as Dr. Barrett

  • The Demi-Paradise (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1943)

    as Sybil Paulson

  • Letter from Home (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1941)

    as Mrs Rogers

Career shape

Star power in the 92nd percentile of 239,109 people with a billed film role, over a full career of 28 titles from 1941 to 1977.

Biggest box office

Stage Fright (1950)

$511 worldwide

Highest rated

The Americanization of Emily (1964)

Midcredits 86th

Most popular right now

Man with a Million (1954)

Film career

Top draw in 1 MovieCove title.

  • 1949Screen debut· Alice in Wonderland
  • 1954Career best· The Belles of St Trinian's

By role

only this rolewith another role
Acting28 of 28: 27 only acting, 1 with another role · typical Midcredits score65thWriting1 of 28: 0 only writing, 1 with another role

By decade

1940s8 · 8 acting · 1 crew1950s14 · acting1960s4 · acting1970s2 · acting

Billing

usually 5th · top billed in 0% of 12 roles
4954

Counts from TMDB across their full career, self appearances out; a title counts in every role they held on it. The ring is the typical Midcredits score (the median percentile) of the role's titles that are on MovieCove, shown from 5 scored. Billing is TMDB cast order for roles with 25+ votes, billed in the top 30; the columns are the share of top-billed roles in each era, 5-year spans from the year on the label, merged until each holds at least 5 roles.

How do Joyce Grenfell's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 65th percentile, the median of all 12; across their 11 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 59th percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

59thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 11

Approval · how many liked their films

61stpercentile
Typical film, the median of 11

Reach · how many have seen their films

65thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 11

Midcredits score across 12 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up5
  • 50th to 74th6
  • 25th to 49th1

Shape of the crowd

None of their 12 titles divides audiences: 11 are Crowd Pleasers.

  • Crowd Pleaser11
  • Broadly Agreed1

Most loved · actor

The Americanization of Emily (1964)

Midcredits 86th · 77% liked

Reviewers score the acting 75/100 in their films, across 11 reviewed titles; fans 81, detractors 54. The element that speaks to their work as an actor.

Percentiles are each film's standing among all films on MovieCove; the typical film is the median, so one outlier cannot drag it. Percentiles and reviewer scores count the films IMDb credits them on, for now; the Midcredits score bands, the shape of the crowd and the two cards count their MovieCove titles, shows included (a show ranked among shows), appearances as themselves left out. A descriptor is the shape of a title's IMDb rating distribution against the catalog; "most divisive" needs a spread wider than half of all titles, and a card names only a principal credit: a craft role, and on a show a crew role or a run of episodes, never a courtesy credit or a one-off guest spot.

Who does Joyce Grenfell work with?

People who share at least 2 of Joyce Grenfell's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; George Cole shares the most, 4.

Directors

Writers

Actors

Composers, cinematographers and editors

Producers