Actor
Born January 8, 1919, in Townsville, Queensland, Australia
Died January, 1994, Westminster, London, England
Daughter of Michael Edward and Sarah Josephine (Brady) Ryan
married Michael Rumble (divorced).
Addresses: Office–54 Blenheim Terrace, St. John’s Wood, London, NW8.
Nationality – Australian
Already a successful star of the Australian stage when she was discovered by no less than Laurence Olivier, during a 1956 stage production of Summer of the 17th Doll in Sydney, actress Madge Ryan emigrated to London to become a star of British stage and screen. Her first film role was that of Mrs. Finch in the nondescript thriller Witness In The Dark (1959). Her film career extended into the late ’70s, including roles in This Is My Street (1963), Stanley Kubrick’s A Clockwork Orange (1971), Alfred Hitchcock’s Frenzy (1978), and The Lady Vanishes (1979). Ryan also appeared frequently on television, notably in the series Say Goodnight to Grandma.
Famous Works
Credits; STAGE APPEARANCES
Birdie, The Little Foxes, Independent Theatre, North Sydney, Australia, 1945
Pearl, Summer of the Seventeenth Doll, National Theatre, Sydney, 1956, then New Theatre, London, 1957, later Coronet Theatre, New York City, 1958
Leila Pratt, The Shifting Heart, Duke of York’s Theatre, London, 1959.
Dolly, The Pleasure Garden, Pembroke Theatre, Croydon, England, 1960.
Lottie Lacey, The Dark at the Top of the Stairs, Pembroke Theatre, 1961.
The nurse, Time and Yellow Roses, St. Martin’s Theatre, London, 1961.
Sarah, The Glad and the Sorry Season, Royal Theatre, Bath, England, 1962.
Kath, Entertaining Mr. Sloane, Wyndham’s Theatre, London, 1964.
Title role, Mother Courage, National Theatre Company (NTC), Old Vic Theatre, London, 1965.
Mrs. Maisie Madigan, Juno and the Paycock, Old Vic Theatre, 1966.
Gertrude, Hamlet (also see below), Bristol Old Vic Company, City Center Theatre, New York City, 1967.
Mistress Overdone, Measure for Measure, City Center Theatre, 1967.
The nurse, Romeo and Juliet, City Center Theatre, 1967.
Lizzy Sweeny, Philadelphia, Here I Come!, Lyric Theatre, London, 1967.
Mrs. Furnival, Black Comedy, and as the fortune teller, White Liars (double-bill), Sydney and Melbourne, Australia, 1968.
Madame Alexandra, Colombe, Citizens’ Theatre, Glasgow, Scotland, 1970.
Marjorie, A Hearts and Minds Job, Hampstead, London, 1971.
Madame Renaud, Traveller without Luggage, Thorndike Theatre, Leatherhead, England, 1972.
Mrs. Elliot, Epitaph for George Dillon, Young Vic Theatre, London, 1972.
Mrs. Weston, Say Goodnight to Grandma, St. Martin’s Theatre, 1973, later at Leeds, England, 1974.
Madame Arkadina, The Seagull, Northcott Theatre, Exeter, England, 1974.
Mrs. Warren, Mrs. Warren’s Profession, Birmingham Repertory Theatre, Birmingham, England, 1975.
Lady Bracknell, The Importance of Being Earnest, Birmingham Repertory Theatre, 1975.
Cornelia, The White Devil, Old Vic Theatre, 1976.
Nurse, Medea, Wyndham’s Theatre, 1993.
Appeared as Lavinia, The Cocktail Party, and as Smilja, Captain Carvallo,both at Independent Theatre; appeared as Mrs. Foresight, Love for Love, NTC,Old Vic Theatre. Toured as Mrs. Foresight, Love for Love, Germany and Russia, 1965; toured as Gertrude, Hamlet, as Mistress Overdone, Measure for Measure, and as the nurse, Romeo and Juliet, all U.S., European, and Israeli cities,1967; toured as Felicity, The Shadow Box, Cambridge Theatre Company, 1979.
Credits; FILM APPEARANCES
Mrs. Finch, Witness in the Dark, J. Arthur Rank, 1959.
Sergeant Tuck, Upstairs and Downstairs, Twentieth Century-Fox, 1960.
George’s wife, Hand in Hand, Columbia, 1960.
Millie Brooks, Tiara Tahiti, Zenith, 1962.
Mrs. Clapper, Doctor in Distress, J. Arthur Rank, 1963.
Stella, Summer Holiday, American International, 1963.
Kitty, This Is My Street, Warner Bros./Pathe, 1964.
Aunt Mary, The Strange Affair, Paramount, 1968.
Mother, I Start Counting, United Artists, 1970.
Mrs Davidson, Frenzy, 1971
Dr. Branom, A Clockwork Orange, Warner Bros., 1971.
Michael’s mother, Endless Night (also known as Agatha Christie’s Endless Night), British Lion, 1971.
Beecham, Who Is Killing the Great Chefs of Europe? (also known as Too Many Chefs and Someone Is Killing the Great Chefs of Europe), Warner Bros., 1978.
Rose Flood-Porter, The Lady Vanishes, J. Arthur Rank, 1979.
Woman with dog, Splitting Heirs, Universal, 1993.
Also appeared as Margaret, Kokoda Crescent, 1989.
Mother, Yellow Dog
Rachel Lynde, Anne of Avonlea
Credits; TELEVISION APPEARANCES; EPISODIC
Beattie, “The Countess Alice,” Masterpiece Theatre, PBS, 1993.
Credits; OTHER TELEVISION APPEARANCES
Violet Jessop, S. O. S. Titanic (movie), ABC, 1979.
Mrs. Oliver, Moll Flanders (special), PBS, 1980.
Arabella Codsall, A Horseman Riding by (series), syndicated, 1982.
Also appeared in Anna Christie, One Day of the Year, Sherlock Holmes, and The Rainbirds.
