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Edna May Oliver

Edna May Oliver

Actor · Died November 9, 1942, aged 59 · Malden, Massachusetts, USA

Edna May Oliver (November 9, 1883 – November 9, 1942) was an American stage and film actress. During the 1930s, she was one of the best-known character actresses in American films, often playing tart-tongued spinsters. ​She was born Edna May Nutter in Malden, Massachusetts. The daughter of Ida May and Charles Edward Nutter, Edna was a descendant of the 6th American president John Quincy Adams. Miss Oliver took an early interest in the stage, and she would quit school at the age of 14 to pursue her ambitions in the theater. Despite abandoning traditional schooling, Edna continued to study the performing arts, including speech and piano. One of her first jobs was as pianist with an all female orchestra which toured America around the turn of the century. By 1917 she had achieved success on Broadway in the hit play "Oh, Boy". By 1923 she had appeared in her first film. Edna May Oliver seems to have been born to play the classics of American and British literature. Some of her most memorable film roles were in adaptations of works of Charles Dickens. Although some have described her as plain or "horse faced", Edna May Oliver's comedic talents lent a beautiful droll warmth to her characters. She was usually called upon to play less glamorous roles such as a spinsters, but she played them with such soul, wit, and depth that to this day she remains one of the best loved of Hollywood's character actresses. A fine example of her comedic talent can be found in Laugh and Get Rich (1931). Here we find her playing a role almost autobiographical in nature, that of a proud woman with Boston roots who has married "down". As the plot unwinds, she is invited to a society gala despite her modest circumstances. At the gala she becomes tipsy. With a frolicsome air Edna May seems to use the role to gently mock her real self. Her slightly drunk character seizes upon a bit of flattery, and alluding to her old New England family, proudly proclaims to each who will listen, "I am a Cranston. That explains everything!". In real life, Edna May Oliver was a Nutter, and perhaps that explains everything. Edna May Oliver married stock broker David Pratt in 1928, but the marriage ended in divorce five years later. In 1939 she received an Oscar nomination for her supporting role as Widow McKlennar in the picture Drums Along the Mohawk (1939). That was to be one of her last films. Miss Oliver was struck ill in August of 1942. Although she seemed to recover briefly, she was re-admitted to Los Angeles's Cedars of Lebanon hospital in October Her dear friend actress Virginia Hammond flew out from New York to stay by her bedside. Edna May Oliver died on her 59th birthday, 9th November 1942. Virginia Hammond was with her and said, "She died without ever being aware of the gravity of her condition. She just went peacefully asleep."

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Biography from TMDB.

Born
November 8, 1883
Died
November 9, 1942 (aged 59)
From
Malden, Massachusetts, USA
Works as
Actor
Titles
15 on MovieCove · 48 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 37 days to Oct 26Up 3% in 30 days

What are Edna May Oliver's films like?

Across their 14 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Bonds and Morality.

Genres

Drama6 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 73rd percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Drama movies
Comedy4 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 65th percentile
: browse their Comedy movies
Biography3 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 61st percentile
: browse their Biography 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
40%
Morality
23%
Self
18%
Power
10%
Society
6%
Ideas
2%
Survival
2%
Romantic love6 titles, browse their movies with this themeDuty4 titles, browse their movies with this themeClass3 titles, browse their movies with this themePurpose3 titles, browse their movies with this themeFamily bonds2 titles, browse their movies with this themeComing of age2 titles, browse their movies with this themeCommunity2 titles, browse their movies with this themeSacrifice2 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 14 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category
Light: How heavy the subject matter and outlook get. Browse their light movies.
Tone · Weight
lightdark

Light 7 · Serious 4 · Dark 3

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

A split, not a type: Grounded 9 · Stylized 5 · Heightened 0

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

A split, not a type: Gentle 6 · Charged 5 · Intense 3

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

Steady 11 · Shifting 3 · Whiplash 0

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 6 · Some laughs 5 · Funny 3

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

Slow burn 10 · Even-paced 3 · Relentless 1

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 4 · 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 7 · Affecting 4 · Heavy 3

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

Resolved 14 · Open-ended 0 · Ambiguous 0

Roles they play

9 analyzed roles

Usually the Mentor: 3 of 9 analyzed roles.

Mentor
3 of 9
Ally
2 of 9
Shadow
2 of 9
Trickster
1 of 9
Hero
1 of 9
Show the 9 roles

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Melancholic
6
Joyful
5
Tense
4
Hopeful
4
Warm
4
Other
11

How their films linger

Feel-good7 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteBittersweet5 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHopeful5 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFun5 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteRousing3 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end · 1 with a twist

  • Happy7
  • Bittersweet4
  • Tragic3

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 Edna May Oliver's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 2 of their 15 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service.

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Edna May Oliver'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

48 credits, 15 with a MovieCove page; 2 appearances as themselves are hidden until asked for.

  • Lydia (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1941)

    as Sarah MacMillan

  • Pride and Prejudice(1940)

    as Lady Catherine de Bourgh

    Midcredits score: 84th percentile of all films

  • Drums Along the Mohawk(1939)

    as Mrs. Mc Klennar

    Midcredits score: 79th percentile of all films

  • Nurse Edith Cavell(1939)

    as Countess de Mavon

    Midcredits score: 61st percentile of all films

  • Second Fiddle (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1939)

    as Aunt Phoebe

  • The Story of Vernon and Irene Castle(1939)

    as Maggie Sutton

    Midcredits score: 77th percentile of all films

  • Little Miss Broadway(1938)

    as Sarah Wendling

    Midcredits score: 67th percentile of all films

  • Paradise for Three (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1938)

    as Mrs. Kunkel

  • Rosalie(1937)

    as Queen of Romanza

    Midcredits score: 48th percentile of all films

  • My Dear Miss Aldrich (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1937)

    as Mrs. Atherton

  • Parnell(1937)

    as Aunt Ben Wood

    Midcredits score: 19th percentile of all films

  • Romeo and Juliet (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1936)

    as Juliet's Nurse

  • A Tale of Two Cities(1935)

    as Miss Pross

    Midcredits score: 93rd percentile of all films

  • No More Ladies (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1935)

    as Fanny 'Grandma' Townsend

  • Murder on a Honeymoon(1935)

    as Hildegarde Withers

    Midcredits score: 72nd percentile of all films

  • David Copperfield(1935)

    as Aunt Betsey Trotwood

    Midcredits score: 86th percentile of all films

  • We're Rich Again(1934)

    as Maude Stanley

    Midcredits score: 58th percentile of all films

  • Murder on the Blackboard (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1934)

    as Hildegarde Withers

  • The Last Gentleman (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1934)

    as Augusta Pritchard, Cabot's sister

  • The Poor Rich (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1934)

    as Harriet Spottiswood

  • Alice in Wonderland(1933)

    as Red Queen

    Midcredits score: 51st percentile of all films

  • Little Women(1933)

    as Aunt March

    Midcredits score: 83rd percentile of all films

  • Only Yesterday (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1933)

    as Leona

  • Meet the Baron (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1933)

    as Dean Primrose

  • Ann Vickers (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1933)

    as Malvina Wormser

  • It's Great to Be Alive (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1933)

    as Dr. Prodwell

  • The Great Jasper (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1933)

    as Madame Talma

  • The Penguin Pool Murder (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1932)

    as Hildegarde Withers

  • The Conquerors (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1932)

    as Matilda Blake

  • Hold 'Em Jail (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1932)

    as Violet Jones

  • Ladies of the Jury (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1932)

    as Mrs. Livingston Baldwin Crane

  • Fanny Foley Herself (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1931)

    as Fanny Foley

  • Newly Rich (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1931)

    as Bessie Tate

  • Cracked Nuts (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1931)

    as Aunt Minnie Van Varden

  • Laugh and Get Rich (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1931)

    as Sarah Cranston Austin

  • Cimarron(1931)

    as Mrs. Tracy Wyatt

    Midcredits score: 28th percentile of all films

  • Half Shot at Sunrise(1930)

    as Mrs. Marshall

    Midcredits score: 43rd percentile of all films

  • The Saturday Night Kid (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1929)

    as Miss Streeter

  • Let's Get Married (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1926)

    as J.W. Smith

  • The American Venus (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1926)

    as Mrs. Niles

  • Lovers in Quarantine (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1925)

    as Amelia Pincent

  • The Lucky Devil (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1925)

    as Mrs. McDee

  • The Lady Who Lied (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1925)

    Actor

  • Manhattan (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1924)

    as Mrs. Trapes

  • Icebound (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1924)

    as Hannah

  • Restless Wives (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1924)

    as Benson's Secretary

  • Three O'Clock in the Morning (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1923)

    as Hetty

  • Wife in Name Only (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1923)

    as Mrs. Dornham

Career shape

Star power in the 91st percentile of 239,109 people with a billed film role, over a full career of 48 titles from 1923 to 1941.

Biggest box office

Pride and Prejudice (1940)

$4M worldwide

Highest rated

A Tale of Two Cities (1935)

Midcredits 93rd

Most popular right now

Pride and Prejudice (1940)

Film career

By role

only this rolewith another role
Acting48 of 48: 48 only acting, 0 with another role · typical Midcredits score67th

By decade

1920s11 · acting1930s35 · acting1940s2 · acting

Billing

usually 4th · top billed in 0% of 9 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 Edna May Oliver's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 67th percentile, the median of all 15; across their 14 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 68th percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

68thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 14

Approval · how many liked their films

68thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 14

Reach · how many have seen their films

56thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 14

Midcredits score across 15 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up6
  • 50th to 74th5
  • 25th to 49th3
  • Below 25th1

Shape of the crowd

None of their 15 titles divides audiences: 10 are Crowd Pleasers.

  • Universally Loved1
  • Crowd Pleaser10
  • Broadly Agreed1
  • Mixed3

Most loved · actor

A Tale of Two Cities (1935)

Midcredits 93rd · 82% liked

Reviewers score the acting 71/100 in their films, across 14 reviewed titles; fans 78, detractors 46. 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 Edna May Oliver work with?

People who share at least 2 of Edna May Oliver's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Herbert Stothart shares the most, 3.

Directors

Writers

Actors

Composers and cinematographers

Producers

Mixed roles