Personal Info

Known For

Acting

Known Credits

219

Gender

Female

Birthday

1882-05-16

Day of Death

1963-08-23 (81 years old)

Place of Birth

Glasgow, Scotland, UK

Also Known As

Mary Grace Gordon

Mary Gordon

Biography

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Mary Gordon (born Mary Gilmour, 16 May 1882 – 23 August 1963) was a Scottish actress, long in the United States, who mainly played housekeepers and mothers, most notably the landlady Mrs. Hudson in the Sherlock Holmes series of movies of the 1940s starring Basil Rathbone and Nigel Bruce. Her body of work included nearly 300 films between 1925 and 1950. With her mother and daughter (both also named Mary), she arrived in Los Angeles in the mid-1920s and began playing variations on the roles she would spend her career on. She became friends with John Ford while making Hangman's House in 1928 and made seven more films with him. In 1939, she took on her best-remembered role as Sherlock Holmes' landlady and played the role in ten films and numerous radio plays. She was a charter member of the Hollywood Canteen, entertaining servicemen throughout the Second World War. On the radio show Those We Love, she played the regular role of Mrs. Emmett. She entered retirement just as television reshaped the entertainment industry, making only a single appearance in that medium. She was active in the Daughters of Scotia auxiliary of the Order of Scottish Clans. She lived out her final years in Pasadena, California with her daughter and grandson. She died at age 81 on 23 August 1963 in Pasadena, California after a long illness.

Known For

Acting

Bride of Frankenstein

1935

Bride of Frankenstein

as

Hans' Wife

His Honor the Mayor

1930

His Honor the Mayor

as

His Wife

The Spider Woman

1943

The Spider Woman

as

Mrs. Hudson

The Ghosts

1930

The Ghosts

as

Chubby's Mama

Radio Patrol

1932

Radio Patrol

as

Landlady (uncredited)

Dressed to Kill

1946

Dressed to Kill

as

Mrs. Hudson

Double Wedding

1937

Double Wedding

as

Mrs. Keough

The Body Snatcher

1945

The Body Snatcher

as

Mary McBride (uncredited)

It Started with Eve

1941

It Started with Eve

as

Mrs. O'Toole (uncredited)

The Whirlwind

1933

The Whirlwind

as

Mrs. Curtis

The Pearl of Death

1944

The Pearl of Death

as

Mrs. Hudson

Sealed Lips

1942

Sealed Lips

as

Mrs. Ann Morton (Fred's mother)

The Woman in Green

1945

The Woman in Green

as

Mrs. Hudson

Subway Express

1931

Subway Express

as

Mrs. Delaney

The Invisible Man Returns

1940

The Invisible Man Returns

as

Cookie (uncredited)

The Invisible Woman

1940

The Invisible Woman

as

Mrs. Bates

Naughty Nanette

1927

Naughty Nanette

as

Mrs. Rooney

Little Giant

1946

Little Giant

as

Ma Miller

Whispering Footsteps

1943

Whispering Footsteps

as

Ma Murphy

The Little Minister

1934

The Little Minister

as

Nanny

When the Wind Blows

1930

When the Wind Blows

as

Chubby's Mother (uncredited)

The Woman Condemned

1934

The Woman Condemned

as

Crying Woman at Night Court (uncredited)

The Black Camel

1931

The Black Camel

as

Mrs. MacMasters

Shadows Over Chinatown

1946

Shadows Over Chinatown

as

Mrs. Conover

The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes

1939

The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes

as

Mrs. Hudson

The Invisible Wall

1947

The Invisible Wall

as

Mrs. Bledsoe

The Story That Couldn't Be Printed

1939

The Story That Couldn't Be Printed

as

Woman Reading Newspaper (uncredited)

Pot o' Gold

1941

Pot o' Gold

as

Mom McCorkle

Law of the Badlands

1945

Law of the Badlands

as

Secret Command

1944

Secret Command

as

Mrs. McKenzie (uncredited)

Laughing Irish Eyes

1936

Laughing Irish Eyes

as

Mrs. O'Keefe

The Impatient Maiden

1932

The Impatient Maiden

as

Irish Neighbor (uncredited)

The Power and the Glory

1933

The Power and the Glory

as

Nurse (uncredited)

The Night of Nights

1939

The Night of Nights

as

1nd Pencil Woman (uncredited)

Exposed

1947

Exposed

as

Housekeeper

Angels' Alley

1948

Angels' Alley

as

Mrs. Mamie Mahoney

Nature in the Wrong

1933

Nature in the Wrong

as

Mrs. Clancy

When the Daltons Rode

1940

When the Daltons Rode

as

Ma Dalton

Double Cross

1941

Double Cross

as

Mrs. Murray

Divorce

1945

Divorce

as

Ellen

Wild Girl

1932

Wild Girl

as

Washerwoman (uncredited)

The Saturday Night Kid

1929

The Saturday Night Kid

as

Reducing customer (uncredited)

Is Everybody Happy?

1929

Is Everybody Happy?

as

Neighbor (uncredited)

Cross Streets

1934

Cross Streets

as

Sonny's Mother

Sweepings

1933

Sweepings

as

Mrs. Patrick O'Leary (Uncredited)

Hell's Heroes

1929

Hell's Heroes

as

Choir Member (uncredited)

The Pride of the Yankees

1942

The Pride of the Yankees

as

Maid (uncredited)

Riot Squad

1941

Riot Squad

as

Mrs. McGonigle

The Last Ride

1944

The Last Ride

as

Mrs. Mary Kelly

The Irish in Us

1935

The Irish in Us

as

Ma O'Hara

The Ol' Gray Hoss

1928

The Ol' Gray Hoss

as

First taxi passenger

Friend Indeed

1937

Friend Indeed

as

Housekeeper

Nobody's Children

1940

Nobody's Children

as

Mary

Lady Behave!

1937

Lady Behave!

as

Cook

$10 Raise

1935

$10 Raise

as

Landlady (uncredited)

Borrowed Hero

1941

Borrowed Hero

as

Mrs. Riley

Deputy Marshal

1949

Deputy Marshal

as

Mrs. Lance

Meet the Boy Friend

1937

Meet the Boy Friend

as

Mrs. Grimes

Little Miss Nobody

1936

Little Miss Nobody

as

Mrs. Biddle

Two Tickets to London

1943

Two Tickets to London

as

Mrs. Tinkle

The Hound of the Baskervilles

1939

The Hound of the Baskervilles

as

Mrs. Hudson

Appointment for Love

1941

Appointment for Love

as

Martha

Kitty Foyle

1940

Kitty Foyle

as

Cleaning Lady (uncredited)

Fort Apache

1948

Fort Apache

as

Ma (barmaid)

Sarong Girl

1943

Sarong Girl

as

Mattie

The Jones Family in Hollywood

1939

The Jones Family in Hollywood

as

Landlady (uncredited)

The Brat

1931

The Brat

as

Angry Wife in Night Court (uncredited)

Smart Guy

1943

Smart Guy

as

Maggie

City Streets

1938

City Streets

as

Mrs. Devlin

Beauty Parlor

1932

Beauty Parlor

as

Landlady

Ladies They Talk About

1933

Ladies They Talk About

as

Prisoner in Visiting Room (uncredited)

The Long Night

1947

The Long Night

as

Old Woman in Crowd (uncredited)

Men Must Fight

1933

Men Must Fight

as

Pacifist Audience Member

Follow the Leader

1944

Follow the Leader

as

Blonde Venus

1932

Blonde Venus

as

Landlady (uncredited)

Shamrock Hill

1949

Shamrock Hill

as

Grandma Rogan

Mary of Scotland

1936

Mary of Scotland

as

Nurse

Stage Struck

1936

Stage Struck

as

Mrs. Cassidy

Sherlock Holmes Faces Death

1943

Sherlock Holmes Faces Death

as

Mrs. Hudson

Sherlock Holmes in Washington

1943

Sherlock Holmes in Washington

as

Mrs. Hudson

Sherlock Holmes and the Secret Weapon

1942

Sherlock Holmes and the Secret Weapon

as

Mrs. Hudson

Sherlock Holmes and the Voice of Terror

1942

Sherlock Holmes and the Voice of Terror

as

Mrs. Hudson

You Can't Have Everything

1937

You Can't Have Everything

as

YWCA Scrub Woman (uncredited)

The Expert

1932

The Expert

as

Neighbor

You're Only Young Once

1937

You're Only Young Once

as

Mary's Mother (uncredited)

Blond Cheat

1938

Blond Cheat

as

Maggie (uncredited)

Change of Heart

1934

Change of Heart

as

Woman in Street

Tell No Tales

1939

Tell No Tales

as

Mrs. Bryant (uncredited)

Charlie Chan in London

1934

Charlie Chan in London

as

Prison Visitor (uncredited)

The Defense Rests

1934

The Defense Rests

as

Scrub Woman

A House Divided

1931

A House Divided

as

Townswoman (uncredited)

The White Angel

1936

The White Angel

as

Nursing Applicant (uncredited)

The Man from Hell

1934

The Man from Hell

as

Mrs. Frank McCarrol

The Hour Before the Dawn

1944

The Hour Before the Dawn

as

Annie

Wings of the Navy

1939

Wings of the Navy

as

Irene's Housekeeper

Tail Spin

1939

Tail Spin

as

Mrs. Lee

Broadway Serenade

1939

Broadway Serenade

as

Annie (uncredited)

Her Husband Lies

1937

Her Husband Lies

as

Mrs. Jenks

Mr. Smith Goes to Washington

1939

Mr. Smith Goes to Washington

as

Woman (uncredited)

Broadway Thru a Keyhole

1933

Broadway Thru a Keyhole

as

Cleaning Woman

Day-time Wife

1939

Day-time Wife

as

Scrubwoman

The Marshal Of Mesa City

1939

The Marshal Of Mesa City

as

Mrs. Dudley

The Escape

1939

The Escape

as

Neighbor

Big Town Scandal

1948

Big Town Scandal

as

Mary - Cleaning Woman (uncredited)

Kidnapped

1938

Kidnapped

as

Mrs. MacDonald

The Dark Horse

1946

The Dark Horse

as

Mrs. Mahoney

Sister Kenny

1946

Sister Kenny

as

Mrs. Gordon (uncredited)

The Great O'Malley

1937

The Great O'Malley

as

Mrs. O'Malley

The Judge Steps Out

1947

The Judge Steps Out

as

Annie (Scrub Woman) (uncredited)

Here Comes Kelly

1943

Here Comes Kelly

as

Mrs. Kelly

Fly By Night

1942

Fly By Night

as

Ma Prescott

Meet the Stewarts

1942

Meet the Stewarts

as

Mrs. Stewart

Hangman's House

1928

Hangman's House

as

The Woman at Hogan's Hideout

Tucson

1949

Tucson

as

Housemother (uncredited)

Design for Living

1933

Design for Living

as

Theatre Chambermaid (uncredited)

Sentimental Journey

1946

Sentimental Journey

as

Agnes, the Cook (uncredited)

It Happened in Flatbush

1942

It Happened in Flatbush

as

Mrs. Collins

Blue, White, and Perfect

1942

Blue, White, and Perfect

as

Mrs. Flaherty - Mike's Landlady (uncredited)

Great Guy

1936

Great Guy

as

Mrs. Ogilvie

I Take This Oath

1940

I Take This Oath

as

Mrs. Eileen Hanagan

Brother Orchid

1940

Brother Orchid

as

Mrs. Sweeney - Flo's Landlady (uncredited)

Bombay Clipper

1942

Bombay Clipper

as

Abigail 'Mag' MacPherson

Highway 13

1948

Highway 13

as

Aunt Myrt Lacy

Mutiny on the Bounty

1935

Mutiny on the Bounty

as

Peddler (uncredited)

24 Hours

1931

24 Hours

as

Nurse

Go West

1940

Go West

as

Train Passenger

Dancers in the Dark

1932

Dancers in the Dark

as

Scrubwoman

Roses Are Red

1947

Roses Are Red

as

Cleaning Lady

The Plough and the Stars

1936

The Plough and the Stars

as

Woman at Barricades

Bonnie Scotland

1935

Bonnie Scotland

as

Mrs. Bickerdike

Captain Eddie

1945

Captain Eddie

as

Mrs. Westrom

The Matinee Idol

1928

The Matinee Idol

as

Woman in Audience (uncredited)

The Loudspeaker

1934

The Loudspeaker

as

Landlady

Code of the Streets

1939

Code of the Streets

as

Mrs. Flaherty

The Hoodlum Saint

1946

The Hoodlum Saint

as

Trina

Vanessa: Her Love Story

1935

Vanessa: Her Love Story

as

Mrs. Leathwaite

Gateway

1938

Gateway

as

Scottish Mother

Waterfront Lady

1935

Waterfront Lady

as

Mrs. O'Flaherty

Saps at Sea

1940

Saps at Sea

as

Mrs. O'Riley

My Son, My Son!

1940

My Son, My Son!

as

Mrs. Mulvaney

No, No, Nanette

1940

No, No, Nanette

as

Gertrude, the Cook

Racketeers of the Range

1939

Racketeers of the Range

as

Mary-Benson's Housekeeper

Gentleman Jim

1942

Gentleman Jim

as

Mrs. Casey (uncredited)

The Last Alarm

1940

The Last Alarm

as

Mrs. Hadley

Young People

1940

Young People

as

Old Woman

The Lady Consents

1936

The Lady Consents

as

Apple Lady

Million Dollar Kid

1944

Million Dollar Kid

as

Mrs. McGinnis

Women Without Names

1940

Women Without Names

as

Juror

The Mummy's Tomb

1942

The Mummy's Tomb

as

Jane Banning

Murder at the Vanities

1934

Murder at the Vanities

as

The Invisible Man

1933

The Invisible Man

as

Screaming Woman (uncredited)

The Strange Mrs. Crane

1948

The Strange Mrs. Crane

as

Nora

Meet the Baron

1933

Meet the Baron

as

Washer Woman (uncredited)

Skyscraper Souls

1932

Skyscraper Souls

as

Charwoman

Pilgrimage

1933

Pilgrimage

as

The Plot Thickens

1936

The Plot Thickens

as

Woman with Bag

Ginger

1935

Ginger

as

Mrs. Monahan (uncredited)

Captain Fury

1939

Captain Fury

as

Mrs. Bailey

Doctor Bull

1933

Doctor Bull

as

Townswoman at Meeting

Keep 'Em Slugging

1943

Keep 'Em Slugging

as

Mrs. Banning

The Racket Man

1944

The Racket Man

as

Mom Benson

Haunted Trails

1949

Haunted Trails

as

Aunt Libby

West of Wyoming

1950

West of Wyoming

as

Nora Jones

Clues to Adventure

1949

Clues to Adventure

as

Woman Reading Newspaper (archive footage) (uncredited)

Texas Cyclone

1932

Texas Cyclone

as

Kate

Song o' My Heart

1930

Song o' My Heart

as

Irish Woman

Share the Wealth

1936

Share the Wealth

as

Ma MacClyde

Madame X

1929

Madame X

as

Nursemaid (uncredited)

Powder Town

1942

Powder Town

as

Mrs. Douglas

Oh, for a Man!

1930

Oh, for a Man!

as

Stage Door Admirer with Violets

Unfinished Business

1941

Unfinished Business

as

Miss Brady

Half Way to Shanghai

1942

Half Way to Shanghai

as

Mrs. McIntyre

Off the Record

1939

Off the Record

as

Mrs. Finnegan (uncredited)

Tear Gas Squad

1940

Tear Gas Squad

as

Mrs. Sullivan

Public Deb No. 1

1940

Public Deb No. 1

as

Landlady

Campus Confessions

1938

Campus Confessions

as

Mrs. Twill

Roaring Ranch

1930

Roaring Ranch

as

Mrs. O'Riley (uncredited)

Strange Confession

1945

Strange Confession

as

Mrs. O'Connor

70,000 Witnesses

1932

70,000 Witnesses

as

Scrubwoman (uncredited)

Secrets of Scotland Yard

1944

Secrets of Scotland Yard

as

Libby, the Housekeeper

Pack Up Your Troubles

1932

Pack Up Your Troubles

as

Mrs. MacTavish (uncredited)

The Home Maker

1925

The Home Maker

as

Mrs. Hennessy

Dr. Broadway

1942

Dr. Broadway

as

Broadway Carrie

Joe and Ethel Turp Call on the President

1939

Joe and Ethel Turp Call on the President

as

Mrs. O'Leary

See My Lawyer

1945

See My Lawyer

as

Mrs. Fillmore

She Married a Cop

1939

She Married a Cop

as

Ma Duffy

Flight from Destiny

1941

Flight from Destiny

as

Martha

In Fast Company

1946

In Fast Company

as

Mrs. Cassidy

Baby Take a Bow

1934

Baby Take a Bow

as

Mrs. O'Brien (Uncredited)

Rulers of the Sea

1939

Rulers of the Sea

as

Mrs. Ogilvie (Uncredited)

Hollywood Canteen

1944

Hollywood Canteen

as

Hostess (uncredited)

Waterloo Bridge

1931

Waterloo Bridge

as

Distraught Woman on Stairway (uncredited)

One More River

1934

One More River

as

Cook (Uncredited)

Manhattan Melodrama

1934

Manhattan Melodrama

as

Boat Passenger (uncredited)

After the Thin Man

1936

After the Thin Man

as

Rose (uncredited)

My Woman

1933

My Woman

as

Woman at Ironing Board (Uncredited)

Kitty

1945

Kitty

as

Nanny

Anybody's Woman

1930

Anybody's Woman

as

Maid

The File on Thelma Jordon

1949

The File on Thelma Jordon

as

Charwoman (Uncredited)

Our Daily Bread

1934

Our Daily Bread

as

Community Woman in Cottage (uncredited)

She Done Him Wrong

1933

She Done Him Wrong

as

Cleaning Lady (uncredited)

Mr. Soft Touch

1949

Mr. Soft Touch

as

Slatternly Woman Tenant (Uncredited)

Mannequin

1938

Mannequin

as

Mrs. O'Rourke (Uncredited)

Possessed

1931

Possessed

as

Woman at Political Rally (uncredited)

Black Paradise

1926

Black Paradise

as

Mrs. Murphy

Call Her Savage

1932

Call Her Savage

as

Lady in Tenement (Uncredited)

A Damsel in Distress

1937

A Damsel in Distress

as

Cook (uncredited)

Beloved

1934

Beloved

as

Mrs. O'Leary

Kidnapped

1948

Kidnapped

as

Scottish Woman (uncredited)

Queen of the Mob

1940

Queen of the Mob

as

Tenement Landlady

The Strange Case of Doctor Rx

1942

The Strange Case of Doctor Rx

as

Mrs. Scott

The Kiss Before the Mirror

1933

The Kiss Before the Mirror

as

Scrubwoman (uncredited)

Forgotten Faces

1936

Forgotten Faces

as

Mrs. O'Leary

Vagabond Lady

1935

Vagabond Lady

as

Myrtle, Scrubwoman (uncredited)

Whom the Gods Destroy

1934

Whom the Gods Destroy

as

Newfoundlander

Dynamite

1929

Dynamite

as

Neighbor at Store

Angels with Dirty Faces

1938

Angels with Dirty Faces

as

The Cisco Kid

The Cisco Kid

as

Mary O'Toole

Production

Crew

The Little Minister

1934

The Little Minister

as

Directing