Ambrosine Phillpotts

Ambrosine Phillpotts (1912‑09‑13 – 1980‑10‑12) was a distinguished British actress whose career spanned theatre, radio, television and film, earning her a reputation as one of the last great stage aristocrats. Born in London as Ambrosine Marie Phillpotts, she entered the professional world of acting shortly after World War II, making her screen debut in 1946 with a turn as Lady Daubney in This Man Is Mine. Over the next three decades she became celebrated for portraying exquisitely witty and often eccentric grandes dames, a niche that combined Edwardian snobbery with endearing absent‑mindedness, a blend praised by "The Times" as uniquely her own. Her theatrical background gave her a commanding presence that translated seamlessly to the silver screen, where she appeared in a string of notable British films such as The Chiltern Hundreds (1949), The Captain's Paradise (1953), and the cult classic Carry On Cabby (1963). Phillpotts’ filmography is remarkable for its breadth, ranging from uncredited roles like the fur‑department clerk in Stolen Face (1952) to more substantial parts such as Lady Spratt in Doctor in Love (1960) and the aristocratic Lady Missenden Green in the 1972 comedy Ooh… You Are Awful. She also graced television screens, most memorably in an episode of Wilde Alliance (1978) and in her final screen appearance as Mrs Mowbray in The Wildcats of St Trinian's (1980), released posthumously. Despite a career often defined by supporting roles, her performances were consistently highlighted for their elegance, timing, and a subtle undercurrent of satire that made her characters unforgettable. Beyond her screen work, Phillpotts remained a beloved figure in the London theatre scene, where her refined diction and aristocratic poise made her a natural fit for period pieces and high‑society comedies. Her death on 12 October 1980 in London marked the end of an era, but her legacy endures through the many classic British productions that continue to showcase her unforgettable brand of dignified humor.