Estelle's Life and Career
Estelle's fascination with the circus began when she saw a girl on a white horse, which sparked her desire to become an actress at the tender age of five. Her father disapproved of her aspirations, but her mother supported her by enrolling her in the Liverpool Repertory Company.
Estelle's early years were marked by numerous stage performances in the West End, and she made her Broadway debut in 1916. She worked alongside acclaimed stage actors and continued to thrive in the theater world throughout the 1910s and 1920s.
Despite her success on stage, Estelle was hesitant to transition to film, preferring to hold out for a long time. She made a few small appearances in English films in the early 1930s, but it wasn't until Quality Street (1937) that she made her real film debut, at the age of 50.
Estelle continued to work on stage, appearing in productions such as "The Merry Wives of Windsor," "Ten Little Indians," and "The Importance of Being Earnest." She didn't return to the big screen until 1955, when she played the role of Leslie Caron's "fairy godmother" in The Glass Slipper (1955).
Over the next decade, Estelle appeared in numerous films, often playing eccentric and frail old ladies, some of whom had deadly intentions. She also worked in television, making guest appearances in various shows.
At the age of 84, Estelle played a woman enamored with crooked Zero Mostel in the comedy The Producers (1967). Her final film was the detective spoof Murder by Death (1976).
When asked how she felt about living to be 100 years old on the occasion of her birthday, Estelle replied, "How rude of you to remind me!"
