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Celia Johnson

Celia Johnson

Actor · Died April 26, 1982, aged 73 · Richmond, Surrey, England, UK

Dame Celia Elizabeth Johnson DBE (18 December 1908 – 25 April 1982) was a British actress. She began her stage acting career in 1928, and subsequently achieved success in West End and Broadway productions. She also appeared in several films, including the romantic drama Brief Encounter (1945), for which she received a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Actress. She was nominated for BAFTA Awards on five occasions, and won twice, for her work in the film The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie (1969), and for the television production Mrs. Palfrey at the Claremont, a BBC Play for Today broadcast in 1973. Much of her later work was for television, and she continued performing in theatre for the rest of her life. She died suddenly from a stroke at age 73. Description above from the Wikipedia article Celia Johnson licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.

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Biography from TMDB.

Born
December 18, 1908
Died
April 26, 1982 (aged 73)
From
Richmond, Surrey, England, UK
Works as
Actor
Titles
10 on MovieCove · 36 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 36% in 30 days

What are Celia Johnson's films like?

Across their 10 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Bonds and Morality.

Genres

Comedy5 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 71st percentile
: browse their Comedy movies
Drama4 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 85th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Drama movies

Their MovieCove films by primary genre. The badge is the typical Midcredits score of the genre's films, the median percentile; an up arrow marks a genre at or above their average across these genres.

Themes

share of theme weight
Bonds
39%
Morality
27%
Power
11%
Ideas
7%
Self
5%
Society
5%
Survival
4%
Romantic love3 titles, browse their movies with this themeFamily bonds3 titles, browse their movies with this themeDeception3 titles, browse their movies with this themeDuty2 titles, browse their movies with this themeMarriage2 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 10 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category
Serious: How heavy the subject matter and outlook get. Browse their serious movies.
Tone · Weight
lightdark

A split, not a type: Light 4 · Serious 2 · Dark 4

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

A split, not a type: Grounded 5 · Stylized 4 · Heightened 1

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

Gentle 2 · Charged 6 · Intense 2

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

A split, not a type: Steady 6 · Shifting 3 · Whiplash 1

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

A split, not a type: Straight-faced 5 · Some laughs 4 · Funny 1

Slow burn: How fast it moves from scene to scene. Browse their slow burn movies.
Demand · Pace
slowrelentless

Slow burn 6 · Even-paced 4 · Relentless 0

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

Casual 3 · Engaged 6 · Full focus 1

Affecting: How much it costs you emotionally; whether you need recovery time. Browse their affecting movies.
Demand · Emotional cost
easyheavy

A split, not a type: Easy watch 3 · Affecting 3 · Heavy 4

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

Resolved 8 · Open-ended 2 · Ambiguous 0

Roles they play

6 analyzed roles

Usually the Ally: 2 of 6 analyzed roles.

Ally
2 of 6
Hero
2 of 6
Threshold guardian
1 of 6
Mentor
1 of 6

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Melancholic
6
Tense
5
Hopeful
4
Warm
3
Romantic
2
Other
6

How their films linger

Bittersweet8 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHopeful3 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteThought-provoking3 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFun2 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteWistful2 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end · 1 with a twist

  • Happy3
  • Bittersweet6
  • Tragic1

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 Celia Johnson's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 6 of their 10 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on The Criterion Channel (4).

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Celia Johnson'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

36 credits, 10 with a MovieCove page.

  • Number 10 (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1983)

    Show 1 episode · as Mrs Gladstone (Anne MacKenzie Robertson)

  • Celebrity Playhouse (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1981)

    Show 1 episode · as Mrs. Callifer

  • The Potting Shed (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1981)

    as Mrs Califer

  • All's Well That Ends Well(1981)

    as Countess of Rousillon

    Midcredits score: 61st percentile of all films

  • Staying On (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1980)

    as Lucy Smalley

  • The Hostage Tower(1980)

    as Mrs. Wheeler

    Midcredits score: 10th percentile of all films

  • Les Miserables(1978)

    as Sister Simplice

    Midcredits score: 85th percentile of all films

  • Romeo and Juliet (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1978)

    as Nurse

  • The BBC Television Shakespeare (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1978)

    Show 1 episode · as Nurse

  • The Emperor's New Hat (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1977)

    as La Comtesse de Chemaille

  • The Dame of Sark (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1976)

    as Sybil Hathaway

  • Lloyd George Knew My Father (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1975)

    as Lady Sheila Boothroyd

  • Love Affair (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1974)

    as Mrs Hobbish

  • Mrs. Palfrey at the Claremont (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1973)

    as Mrs. Palfrey

  • Centre Play (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1973)

    Show 1 episode · as La Comtesse de Chemaille

  • The Cherry Orchard (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1971)

    as Madame Ranevskaya

  • Play for Today (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1970)

    Show 1 episode · as Mrs. Palfrey

  • The Cellar and the Almond Tree (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1970)

    Actor

  • The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie(1969)

    as Miss Mackay

    Midcredits score: 92nd percentile of all films

  • Omnibus (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1967)

    Show 1 episode · as Ellen Edgeworth

  • ITV Playhouse (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1967)

    Show 1 episode · as Miss Hobish

  • BBC Play of the Month (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1965)

    Show 1 episode · as Eloise · as Judith Bliss · as Madame Ranyevskaya · as Mrs. Alving · as Sheila

  • The Wednesday Play (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1964)

    Show 1 episode · as Countess Isabel von Reger

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

    as Miss Trant

  • A Kid for Two Farthings(1955)

    as Joanna

    Midcredits score: 65th percentile of all films

  • The Captain's Paradise(1953)

    as Maud St. James

    Midcredits score: 71st percentile of all films

  • The Holly and the Ivy(1952)

    as Jenny Gregory

    Midcredits score: 84th percentile of all films

  • I Believe in You (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1952)

    as Matty Matheson

  • A Bolt of Lightning (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1951)

    as Mary Otis

  • The Astonished Heart (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1950)

    as Barbara Faber

  • Brief Encounter(1945)

    as Laura Jesson

    Midcredits score: 98th percentile of all films

  • This Happy Breed(1944)

    as Ethel Gibbons

    Midcredits score: 89th percentile of all films

  • Dear Octopus (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1943)

    as Cynthia

  • In Which We Serve(1942)

    as Mrs. Kinross / Alix

    Midcredits score: 83rd percentile of all films

  • We Serve (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1942)

    Actor

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

    as Mrs Taylor

Career shape

Star power in the 94th percentile of 239,109 people with a billed film role, over a full career of 36 titles from 1941 to 1983; peak year 1969.

Biggest box office

Brief Encounter (1945)

$161K worldwide

Highest rated

Brief Encounter (1945)

Midcredits 98th

Film career

19411983

Peak 1969 · fewer prominent film roles lately. Top draw in 2 MovieCove titles. Film roles by billing, audience size and rating; 25+ votes. A show carries a single first-air date, so shows are not on the curve.

By role

only this rolewith another role
Acting36 of 36: 36 only acting, 0 with another role · typical Midcredits score84th

By decade

1940s6 · acting1950s7 · acting1960s5 · acting1970s12 · acting1980s6 · acting

Billing

usually 2nd · top billed in 25% of 8 roles

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.

How do Celia Johnson's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 84th percentile, the median of all 10; across their 10 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 78th percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

78thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 10

Approval · how many liked their films

86thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 10

Reach · how many have seen their films

62ndpercentile
Typical film, the median of 10

Midcredits score across 10 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up6
  • 50th to 74th3
  • Below 25th1

Shape of the crowd

None of their 10 titles divides audiences: 6 are Crowd Pleasers.

  • Universally Loved3
  • Crowd Pleaser6
  • Mixed1

Most loved · actor

Brief Encounter (1945)

Midcredits 98th · 86% liked

Reviewers score the acting 79/100 in their films, across 10 reviewed titles; fans 84, detractors 48. 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 Celia Johnson work with?

People who share at least 2 of Celia Johnson's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Ronald Neame shares the most, 4.

Directors

Writers

Actors

Composers, cinematographers and editors