Robson, Dame Flora (1902-1984), was an English dramatic actress known for her character roles. Robson made her stage debut at the Shaftesbury Theatre, London, in 1921. From 1931 to 1939, she appeared in nearly 30 classic and modern plays, mainly in London. During the 1940’s, she worked for a time in the United States in both plays and films. She returned to the London stage in 1950 and made several tours during the 1950’s and 1960’s. She later appeared in television serials, including Heidi (1974).
Robson made her motion-picture debut in 1931 in A Gentleman of Paris. Her many films include Catherine the Great (1934); Fire Over England (1937) and The Sea Hawk (1940), in which she gave acclaimed performances as Queen Elizabeth I; Wuthering Heights (1939); Caesar and Cleopatra (1945); Black Narcissus (1947); Romeo and Juliet (1954); 55 Days at Peking (1963); Murder at the Gallop (1963); Young Cassidy (1965); Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland (1972); and Clash of the Titans (1981). Robson was nominated for an Academy Award as best supporting actress for her performance in Saratoga Trunk (1946).
Flora Robson was born on March 28, 1902, in South Shields in northeastern England. She trained at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, in London. She became a Dame of the British Empire in 1960. Robson died on July 7, 1984.
