Constance Cummings was born in Seattle and made her stage debut at the age of 16. She graduated to Hollywood but came to England after marrying (1933) British playwright Benn W. Levy and continued her career both in films and on stage. Among many notable film performances were those in Busman's Honeymoon (1940) and Blithe Spirit(1945). Her theatrical work ranged from Goodbye, Mr. Chips (1938) to a 1971 revival of Eugene O’Neil’s Long Day’s Journey into Night, opposite Laurence Olivier. Her most notable performance was on Broadway as a stroke victim in Wings (1979), for which, at age 68, she won a Tony Award for best actress. She was made a CBE in 1974.
