Edmund Gwenn was an English actor who won an Oscar and two Golden Globes for his memorable roles in movies such as Miracle on 34th Street, Mister 880, and The Trouble with Harry. He also appeared in four films directed by Alfred Hitchcock, and was known for his stage work in plays by Bernard Shaw, John Galsworthy, and J. B. Priestley. He was a versatile and charming performer who delighted audiences with his wit and warmth. But how did he die, and what were the circumstances of his death?
Early Life and Career
Edmund Gwenn was born Edmund John Kellaway on September 26, 1877, in Wandsworth, London. His brother was the actor Arthur Chesney, and his cousin was the actor Cecil Kellaway. He was educated at St. Olave’s School and King’s College London. He began his acting career in the theatre in 1895, and learned his craft as a member of Willie Edouin’s company, playing brash comic roles. In 1901, he married Minnie Terry, niece of Dame Ellen Terry, a famous actress of the Victorian era. The couple went to Australia and acted there for three years with the J. C. Williamson company. They later appeared on stage together in London in various comedies and dramas.
Gwenn made his film debut in 1916, in a silent movie called Unmarried. He then focused on his theatre career, and became associated with a wide range of works by modern playwrights. He played Straker, the proletarian chauffeur to John Tanner in Bernard Shaw’s Man and Superman, and Drinkwater, the cockney gangster in Captain Brassbound’s Conversion. He also appeared in plays by Granville-Barker, John Galsworthy, Elizabeth Robins, and J. M. Barrie. He was praised by critics for his natural and nuanced acting style, and his ability to create memorable characters.
Hollywood Success and Recognition
Gwenn moved to Hollywood in the late 1930s, and soon established himself as a reliable and versatile character actor. He played Mr. Bennett, the father of Elizabeth, in the 1940 adaptation of Pride and Prejudice, starring Laurence Olivier and Greer Garson. He also played the role of Rowley, the loyal butler, in the 1946 version of Of Human Bondage, starring Paul Henreid and Eleanor Parker. He worked with Alfred Hitchcock four times, in The Skin Game (1931), Waltzes from Vienna (1934), Foreign Correspondent (1940), and The Trouble with Harry (1955). He was often cast as a kindly, eccentric, or humorous figure, who added charm and levity to the story.
Gwenn’s most famous role was that of Kris Kringle, the department store Santa Claus who claims to be the real thing, in the 1947 Christmas classic Miracle on 34th Street. He won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor and the Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actor for his performance, which was widely praised for its warmth, sincerity, and humor. He received a second Golden Globe and another Academy Award nomination for his role as Skipper Miller, the elderly counterfeiter who baffles the Secret Service, in the 1950 comedy Mister 880. He also won the hearts of animal lovers for his roles in Lassie Come Home (1943) and its sequels, Hills of Home (1948) and Challenge to Lassie (1949), in which he played Dr. William MacLure, the kindly Scottish veterinarian who befriends the collie.
Final Years and Death
Gwenn continued to work in films and television until the late 1950s, despite his declining health. He suffered from arthritis, which made it difficult for him to walk and move. He also had a series of strokes, which affected his speech and memory. He made his last film appearance in Calabuch (1956), a Spanish comedy directed by Luis García Berlanga. He also appeared in several episodes of Alfred Hitchcock Presents, Playhouse 90, and other TV shows. His final TV appearance was in an episode of The Twilight Zone, titled The Trouble with Templeton, which aired on December 9, 1960, more than a year after his death.
Gwenn died on September 6, 1959, from pneumonia caused by a stroke, in his Woodland Hills, Los Angeles home, aged 81. He was cremated, and his ashes were stored in a vault at the Chapel of the Pines Crematory in Los Angeles. However, in 2023, after a GoFundMe campaign organized by fans and with the permission of Gwenn’s surviving family, his urn was relocated to a publicly accessible niche in the Cathedral Mausoleum of Hollywood Forever Cemetery, where he was honored with a plaque and a statue of his character Kris Kringle.
Edmund Gwenn was a beloved actor who left behind a legacy of memorable performances and a reputation for being a gentleman and a professional. He once said, “Yes, I’ve played Santa Claus many times in real life. It’s the part I like best.” He brought joy and magic to millions of people with his acting, and his spirit lives on in his films and TV shows.
