Martita Hunt

Martita Edith Hunt (30 January 1900 – 13 June 1969) was an Argentine-born British theatre and film actress with a commanding stage presence and notable for playing a wide range of powerful characters. She is most remembered for her performance as Miss Havisham in David Lean's Great Expectations (1946). Born in Buenos Aires to English parents, she moved to the United Kingdom at the age of ten. She began her acting career in Liverpool's repertory theatre before moving to London. She appeared in several plays in the West End and also joined the Old Vic company. Her time there was noted for a succession of Shakespearean roles. She continued to establish herself in the West End, performing in numerous plays. She also made a transition into film, appearing in many popular British films. Her role in David Lean's Great Expectations (1946) was critically acclaimed. In her later career, she divided her time between British and American films, as well as the stage. Hunt passed away of bronchial asthma at her home in Hampstead, London, aged 69, on 13 June 1969. She never married and was cremated at Golders Green Crematorium.