Personal Info

Known For

Acting

Known Credits

72

Gender

Female

Birthday

1888-08-02

Day of Death

1959-04-17 (71 years old)

Place of Birth

Saint Louis, Missouri, USA

Also Known As

Edna Cecil Cunningham

Cecil Cunningham

Biography

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Cecil Cunningham (August 2, 1888 – April 17, 1959) was an American film and stage actress. With whitish hair cut like a man's, she was a Hollywood character actress, often cast in roles as a general "know-it-all". She made more than 80 appearances in movies between 1929 and 1946, many of them uncredited. Cunningham started her working life as a switchboard operator in a commerce bank and did some sittings as a photographer's model. Her first show business job was in the chorus line of 'Mademoiselle Modiste' at the age of eighteen. Cunningham trained as a singer and appeared in opera. She worked as a vaudeville comedian at the Palace Theatre in New York City until the commencement of her movie career in 1929.

Known For

The Awful Truth

The Awful Truth

Back Street

Back Street

From Hell to Heaven

From Hell to Heaven

My Reputation

My Reputation

Mr. Deeds Goes to Town

Mr. Deeds Goes to Town

Acting

Above Suspicion

1943

Above Suspicion

as

Countess

Blonde Venus

1932

Blonde Venus

as

Cabaret Manager in Norfolk (uncredited)

The Awful Truth

1937

The Awful Truth

as

Aunt Patsy

New Moon

1940

New Moon

as

Governor's Wife

Those We Love

1932

Those We Love

as

Mrs. Henry Abbott

Return of the Terror

1934

Return of the Terror

as

Miss Doolittle

It's a Wonderful World

1939

It's a Wonderful World

as

Madame J. L. Chambers

The Hidden Hand

1942

The Hidden Hand

as

Lorinda Channing

Blossoms in the Dust

1941

Blossoms in the Dust

as

Mrs. Marcus Gilworth

Come and Get It

1936

Come and Get It

as

Josie

Daughter of Shanghai

1937

Daughter of Shanghai

as

Mrs. Mary Hunt

This Way Please

1937

This Way Please

as

Miss Eberhardt

Swing High, Swing Low

1937

Swing High, Swing Low

as

Murphy

Kentucky Moonshine

1938

Kentucky Moonshine

as

Landlady

Back Street

1941

Back Street

as

Mrs. Miller

Wives Under Suspicion

1938

Wives Under Suspicion

as

"Sharpy"

College Swing

1938

College Swing

as

Dean Sleet

You and Me

1938

You and Me

as

Mrs. Morris

The Impatient Maiden

1932

The Impatient Maiden

as

Mrs. Rosy

Manhattan Love Song

1934

Manhattan Love Song

as

Pancake Annie Jones

Blond Cheat

1938

Blond Cheat

as

Genevieve Trent

From Hell to Heaven

1933

From Hell to Heaven

as

Mrs. Chadman

Just a Pain in the Parlor

1932

Just a Pain in the Parlor

as

Mrs. Smith

The Affairs of Martha

1942

The Affairs of Martha

as

Mrs. Llewellyn Castle

Kitty Foyle

1940

Kitty Foyle

as

Grandmother

Playboy of Paris

1930

Playboy of Paris

as

Mlle. Hedwige

The Age for Love

1931

The Age for Love

as

Pamela

Susan Lenox (Her Fall and Rise)

1931

Susan Lenox (Her Fall and Rise)

as

Madame Panoramia aka Pansy

The Life of Vergie Winters

1934

The Life of Vergie Winters

as

Pearl Turner

Their Own Desire

1929

Their Own Desire

as

Aunt Caroline

Four Men and a Prayer

1938

Four Men and a Prayer

as

Piper

The Family Next Door

1939

The Family Next Door

as

Cora Stewart

Girls' School

1938

Girls' School

as

Miss Brewster

Safe in Hell

1931

Safe in Hell

as

Angie

Repent at Leisure

1941

Repent at Leisure

as

Mrs. Morgan

We Live Again

1934

We Live Again

as

Theodosia

Lady of the Tropics

1939

Lady of the Tropics

as

Countess Berichi

Night Club Scandal

1937

Night Club Scandal

as

Mrs. Alvin

Artists & Models

1937

Artists & Models

as

Stella

My Reputation

1946

My Reputation

as

Stella Thompson

Abe Lincoln in Illinois

1940

Abe Lincoln in Illinois

as

Undetermined Supporting Role (uncredited)

Mr. Deeds Goes to Town

1936

Mr. Deeds Goes to Town

as

(uncredited)

Hurry, Charlie, Hurry

1941

Hurry, Charlie, Hurry

as

Mrs. Diana Boone

Cairo

1942

Cairo

as

Mme. Laruga

In Old Oklahoma

1943

In Old Oklahoma

as

Mrs. Ames

The Captain Is a Lady

1940

The Captain Is a Lady

as

Mrs. Jane Homans

King of Gamblers

1937

King of Gamblers

as

Big Edna

Lillian Russell

1940

Lillian Russell

as

Mrs. Hobbs

Winter Carnival

1939

Winter Carnival

as

Miss Ainsley

The Druggist's Dilemma

1933

The Druggist's Dilemma

as

Mrs. Finch

Anybody's Woman

1930

Anybody's Woman

as

Dot

Laugh It Off

1939

Laugh It Off

as

Tess Gibson

Cowboy Serenade

1942

Cowboy Serenade

as

Priscilla Lock

Love Is a Racket

1932

Love Is a Racket

as

Aunt Hattie Donovan

The Wife Takes a Flyer

1942

The Wife Takes a Flyer

as

Countess Oldenburg

Ladies They Talk About

1933

Ladies They Talk About

as

Mrs. Arlington (uncredited)

Mata Hari

1931

Mata Hari

as

Gambler Selling Ring (uncredited)

The Feminine Touch

1941

The Feminine Touch

as

Party Guest (uncredited)

The Rich Are Always with Us

1932

The Rich Are Always with Us

as

Woman Talking with Julian at Party (uncredited)

Twin Beds

1942

Twin Beds

as

Miss MacMahon, Secretary

Complicated Women

2003

Complicated Women

as

Self (archive footage)

Scandal Street

1938

Scandal Street

as

Maybelle Murphy

Love Me Tonight

1932

Love Me Tonight

as

Laundress (uncredited)

If I Had a Million

1932

If I Had a Million

as

Agnes - Emily's Friend (uncredited)

My Heart Belongs to Daddy

1942

My Heart Belongs to Daddy

as

Mrs. Whitman

Du Barry Was a Lady

1943

Du Barry Was a Lady

as

Wife Checking Her Coat

The Wet Parade

1932

The Wet Parade

as

Mrs. Twombey - Hotel Guest (uncredited)

Is My Face Red?

1932

Is My Face Red?

as

Millionaire's Wife

People Will Talk

1935

People Will Talk

as

Nellie Simpson

Play Girl

1941

Play Girl

as

Dowager at Concert (uncredited)

Marie Antoinette

1938

Marie Antoinette

as

Mme. 'Feldy' de Lerchenfeld (uncredited)

Four Star Playhouse

as

Woman (Hotel)

Production

Crew

Directing