Betty Ann Davies

Betty Ann Davies (24 December 1910 – 14 May 1955) was a British stage and film actress whose career spanned from the 1920s through the 1950s. Born in London, England, she worked across theatre, film, and television over the course of three decades.

Davies made her first stage appearance in 1924 in a revue at the Palladium. The following year she became one of Cochran's Young Ladies, performing in revues including One Dam Thing After Another and This Year of Grace. Her West End career extended across multiple decades and included productions such as The Good Companions in 1934, The Morning Star in 1942, Blithe Spirit in 1943, and Four Winds in 1953. The role that defined her stage reputation was Blanche du Bois in the original West End production of A Streetcar Named Desire, a part she took over from Vivien Leigh.

In 1952, Davies brought her stage work to Broadway, appearing in Women of Twilight. Her film career encompassed 38 productions, among them The History of Mr. Polly, in which she played the future Mrs. Polly, and The Belles of St. Trinian's, the first entry in the St. Trinian's film series. In the later years of her career she also worked in television.

Davies died on 14 May 1955 at the age of 44. She had entered hospital that day for an appendicitis operation but did not survive the complications that followed surgery. She was survived by one son, Brook Blackford.