Mary Morris

Mary Morris was born Mary Lilian Agnes Morris on 13 December 1915 in Lautoka, Fiji, the daughter of Australian‑born botanist Herbert Stanley Morris and Sylvia Ena de Creft‑Harford. Her early childhood was marked by tragedy, as her father perished in an aircraft accident when she was only three, prompting the family’s move to Britain where she would spend the majority of her life. Trained at the prestigious Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, she made her theatrical debut in a production of Lysistrata at London’s Gate Theatre in 1936, quickly establishing herself as a versatile stage talent. By the late 1930s she transitioned to film, appearing in titles such as Victoria the Great (1937) and The Spy in Black (1939), showcasing a blend of poise and dramatic intensity that would become her hallmark.

Over a career spanning more than five decades, Morris earned acclaim for her work across cinema, television, and radio. She shared the screen with Leslie Howard in "Pimpernel Smith" (1941) and delivered a memorable performance as Anna Petrovitch in the Ealing war picture Undercover (1943). On the small screen she portrayed Professor Madeleine Dawnay in the groundbreaking science‑fiction series A for Andromeda (1961) and its sequel, as well as the formidable Number Two in the iconic Prisoner episode "Dance of the Dead". Her later years saw roles in Full Circle (1977) and a guest appearance as the shaman Panna in Doctor Who (1982). Morris also contributed to audio history, reciting Elizabeth I’s words on a 1964 EMI LP. She died of heart failure on 14 October 1988 in Aigle, Switzerland, leaving behind a legacy of elegant performances that continue to inspire admirers of classic British acting.