Skip to content
MovieCove
Cora Witherspoon

Cora Witherspoon

Actor · Died November 17, 1957, aged 67 · New Orleans, Louisiana, USA

A delightfully irksome, viper-tongued presence who usually played older than she was, actress Cora Witherspoon began her five-decade career in New York playing an elderly lady in the 1910 production of "The Concert". She was 20 years old at the time. Born in 1890, the brown-haired, Louisiana-born character player continued on the Broadway stage after her successful debut and became a generally unsympathetic audience favorite in such popular shows as "Daddy Long Legs," "Lillies of the Field" and "The Awful Truth" for the next two decades. She began dividing her time between theater and film in the early 1930s wreaking havoc and rattling the nerves of many a male and female star with her imperious gallery of class-conscious matrons, haranguing wives, acidulous spinsters and aggressive busybodies. Notable film contributions were her cryptic socialites in the quality comedies Libeled Lady (1936) and Personal Property (1937), both starring Jean Harlow. She was equally unpleasant in such dramatic fare as Dark Victory (1939), and played her patented society snoot to perfection in the Shirley Temple vehicle Just Around the Corner (1938). A particular standout, and the movie role she is probably best remembered for, was her untidy, henpecking wife Agatha Sousé in the comedy classic The Bank Dick (1940), the prime source of W.C. Fields' misery. Though her home base was in New York City where she continued to perform in the theater, she made her living commuting to Hollywood in the post-war years, ending her career with brief appearances on TV. She died in 1957 at age 67 in New Mexico.

Read more

Biography from IMDb.

Born
January 4, 1890
Died
November 17, 1957 (aged 67)
From
New Orleans, Louisiana, USA
Works as
Actor
Titles
19 on MovieCove · 46 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 26Down 24% in 30 days

What are Cora Witherspoon's films like?

Across their 13 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Bonds and Morality.

Themes

share of theme weight
Bonds
42%
Morality
20%
Self
19%
Society
9%
Power
6%
Ideas
4%
Romantic love7 titles, browse their movies with this themeSelf-worth4 titles, browse their movies with this themeFamily bonds5 titles, browse their movies with this themeDeception5 titles, browse their movies with this themeCommunity2 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 13 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 0 · Dark 3

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

A split, not a type: Grounded 8 · 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 10 · Charged 1 · Intense 2

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

Steady 10 · Shifting 3 · Whiplash 0

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

Straight-faced 3 · Some laughs 5 · Funny 5

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

Slow burn 7 · Even-paced 6 · 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 11 · Engaged 2 · Full focus 0

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

Resolved 12 · Open-ended 1 · Ambiguous 0

Roles they play

5 analyzed roles

Usually the Threshold guardian: 2 of 5 analyzed roles.

Threshold guardian
2 of 5
Ally
1 of 5
Mentor
1 of 5
Trickster
1 of 5

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Joyful
7
Warm
4
Tense
4
Romantic
4
Absurd
4
Other
12

How their films linger

Feel-good10 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFun6 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHopeful3 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteBittersweet2 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end · 1 with a twist

  • Happy9
  • Bittersweet2
  • Tragic1
  • Ambiguous1

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 Cora Witherspoon's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 5 of their 19 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Tubi (5).

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Cora Witherspoon'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

46 credits, 19 with a MovieCove page.

  • It Should Happen to You(1954)

    as Macy's Saleslady (uncredited)

    Midcredits score: 87th percentile of all films

  • Just for You (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1952)

    as Mrs. Angevine

  • The First Time (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1952)

    as Nurse Salisbury

  • The Mating Season (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1951)

    as Mrs. Williamson

  • I've Always Loved You(1946)

    as Edwina Blythe

    Midcredits score: 72nd percentile of all films

  • Dangerous Business (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1946)

    as Mrs. Abigail Ellsworth

  • She Wrote the Book (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1946)

    as Carrothers

  • Young Widow (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1946)

    as Aunt Emeline

  • Colonel Effingham's Raid(1946)

    as Mrs. Clara Meigs

    Midcredits score: 33rd percentile of all films

  • She Wouldn't Say Yes(1945)

    as Mrs. Peterson - Patient (uncredited)

    Midcredits score: 50th percentile of all films

  • This Love of Ours(1945)

    as Woman

    Midcredits score: 29th percentile of all films

  • Over 21(1945)

    as Mrs. Gates

    Midcredits score: 50th percentile of all films

  • Follies Girl (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1943)

    as Mrs. J.B. Hamlin

  • The Bank Dick(1940)

    as Agatha Sousé

    Midcredits score: 79th percentile of all films

  • I Was an Adventuress(1940)

    as Aunt Cecile

    Midcredits score: 68th percentile of all films

  • Charlie Chan's Murder Cruise (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1940)

    as Susie Watson

  • The Women(1939)

    as Mrs. Van Adams

    Midcredits score: 94th percentile of all films

  • Dark Victory(1939)

    as Carrie

    Midcredits score: 92nd percentile of all films

  • Dodge City(1939)

    as Mrs. McCoy

    Midcredits score: 85th percentile of all films

  • The Flying Irishman (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1939)

    as Mamie Thompson

  • Woman Doctor (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1939)

    as Fanny

  • Just Around the Corner(1938)

    as Aunt Julia Ramsby

    Midcredits score: 60th percentile of all films

  • Three Loves Has Nancy(1938)

    as Mrs. Herford

    Midcredits score: 55th percentile of all films

  • Marie Antoinette(1938)

    as Countess de Noailles

    Midcredits score: 87th percentile of all films

  • Professor Beware (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1938)

    as Mrs. Ophelia Pitts

  • Port of Seven Seas (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1938)

    as Claudine

  • He Couldn't Say No (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1938)

    as Mrs. Coney

  • Beg, Borrow or Steal(1937)

    as Mrs. Elizabeth Miller

    Midcredits score: 59th percentile of all films

  • Madame X (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1937)

    as Nora

  • The Big Shot (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1937)

    as Elizabeth Simms

  • The Lady Escapes (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1937)

    as Fanny Worthington

  • Quality Street(1937)

    as Patty

    Midcredits score: 51st percentile of all films

  • Personal Property (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1937)

    as Mrs. Burns

  • On the Avenue (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1937)

    as Aunt Fritz

  • Dangerous Number (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1937)

    as Gypsy

  • Libeled Lady(1936)

    as Mrs. Burns-Norvell

    Midcredits score: 95th percentile of all films

  • Piccadilly Jim(1936)

    as Nesta Pett, Ann's Aunt

    Midcredits score: 74th percentile of all films

  • Frankie and Johnnie (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1936)

    as Mrs. Lumpy Thornton

  • A Peach of a Pair (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1934)

    as Suzy Woodbury (uncredited)

  • Midnight(1934)

    as Elizabeth McGrath

    Midcredits score: 23rd percentile of all films

  • Mushrooms (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1934)

    as Dottie's Mother

  • The Way of All Freshmen (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1933)

    as Girls School Manager

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

    as Lily Pratt

  • Peach-o-Reno (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1931)

    as Aggie Bruno

  • The Night Angel (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1931)

    as Head Nurse

  • Tarnished Lady (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1931)

    as Saleslady

Career shape

Star power in the 87th percentile of 239,109 people with a billed film role, over a full career of 46 titles from 1931 to 1954.

Biggest box office

Dark Victory (1939)

$345 worldwide

Highest rated

Libeled Lady (1936)

Midcredits 95th

Most popular right now

Dark Victory (1939)

Film career

By role

only this rolewith another role
Acting46 of 46: 46 only acting, 0 with another role · typical Midcredits score68th

By decade

1930s30 · acting1940s12 · acting1950s4 · acting

Billing

usually 7th · top billed in 0% 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 Cora Witherspoon's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 68th percentile, the median of all 19; across their 13 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 60th percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

60thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 13

Approval · how many liked their films

63rdpercentile
Typical film, the median of 13

Reach · how many have seen their films

31stpercentile
Typical film, the median of 13

Midcredits score across 19 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up7
  • 50th to 74th9
  • 25th to 49th2
  • Below 25th1

Shape of the crowd

None of their 19 titles divides audiences: 11 are Crowd Pleasers.

  • Universally Loved4
  • Crowd Pleaser11
  • Broadly Agreed3
  • Mixed1

Most loved · actor

Libeled Lady (1936)

Midcredits 95th · 85% liked

Reviewers score the acting 74/100 in their films, across 13 reviewed titles; fans 82, detractors 49. 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 Cora Witherspoon work with?

People who share at least 2 of Cora Witherspoon's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; William Axt shares the most, 4.

Writers

Actors

Composers, cinematographers and editors