Brenda Forbes

{{Use British English|date=July 2020}} {{Use dmy dates|date=July 2020}} {{more citations needed|date=December 2015}} {{Infobox person | name = Brenda Forbes | image = | caption = | birth_name = Dorothy Brenda Taylor | birth_date = {{birth date|1909|01|14}} | birth_place = Wandsworth, London, UK | death_date = {{Death date and age|1996|09|11|1909|01|14}} | death_place = New York City, U.S. | occupation = Actress | years_active = 1931–1995 | spouse = Merrill Shepard (1947–86; his death) }}

'''Brenda Forbes''' (14 January 1909 – 11 September 1996) was a British-born American actress of stage and screen.

==Personal life== Born as '''Dorothy Brenda Taylor''' in Wandsworth, London, the daughter of Ernest John and Ethel Louise Taylor. Her mother was actress Mary Forbes, and her elder brother was actor Ralph Forbes (né Ralph Forbes Taylor). She made her first film appearance in 1935 and her last in 1995. She appeared on Broadway between 1931 and 1985, mostly in revivals of classics.<ref name="ibdb"/>

==Career== Forbes created the role of the outspoken maid, Wilson, in the original production of ''The Barretts of Wimpole Street'' opposite Katharine Cornell. She played the role in various revivals as well. She co-starred as Lady Vale in the 1967 musical ''Darling of the Day'' in which she and Peter Woodthorpe introduced the song ''Panache'' and appeared in the 1976 revival of ''My Fair Lady'' as Mrs. Higgins; also in that production was George Rose whom she starred with in the 1986 all star cast revival of ''Aren't We All?''<ref name="ibdb">[http://www.ibdb.com/person.php?id=67522 IBDb profile], ibdb.com; accessed 18 November 2015.</ref>

On screen she appeared in several films over a 50-year period including ''The Imperfect Lady'' (1935) and ''Mrs. Miniver'' (1942). Her last role, a small one, was in ''The Jerky Boys: The Movie''.

==Family== She was married to Merrill Shepard from 1947 until his death in 1986; they had no children.

==Death== She died from cancer in 1996, aged 87, in New York City.

==Filmography== {| class="wikitable" |- ! Year ! Title ! Role ! Notes |- |1935|| ''The Perfect Gentleman'' || Penelope - the Maid || |- |1940|| ''Vigil in the Night'' || Nora Dunn || |- |1941|| ''Miss Polly'' || Patsy || |- |1942|| ''This Above All'' || Mae - Singer || Uncredited |- |1942|| ''Mrs. Miniver'' || Gladys (Housemaid) || |- |1944|| ''The White Cliffs of Dover'' || Gwennie || |- |1995|| ''The Jerky Boys: The Movie'' || Rich Woman with Necklace at Tut's || (final film role) |}

==References== <references/>

==External links== *{{IMDb name|0285301}} *{{IBDB name|67522}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Forbes, Brenda}} Category:1909 births Category:1996 deaths Category:Actresses from London Category:American film actresses Category:American stage actresses Category:British film actresses Category:British stage actresses Category:Deaths from cancer in New York (state) Category:British emigrants to the United States Category:Actors from the London Borough of Wandsworth Category:20th-century American actresses Category:20th-century English actresses Category:People from Wandsworth