Mildred Natwick.
It’s a strong, sturdy and dependable name that mirrors the actress who owned it. We saw those qualities time and again throughout her Hollywood career – see her as the stoic owner of “The Enchanted Cottage” and as the proper Widow Tillane in “The Quiet Man.”
Most important, you could depend on Mildred Natwick to give her character dimension that it didn’t necessarily have on the page.
But if you’re looking for her name in a film, read closely: It’s usually in small type at the bottom of the movie poster or after the word “with” in the opening credits. Such is the life of a character actor. They play in the shadow of the stars, while giving the movie everything it needs to shine.
Recognizing that character actors deserve their own spotlight, Paula at Paula’s Cinema Club, Aurora at Once Upon A Screen, and Kellee at Outspoken and Freckled, are hosting the “What a Character” blogathon for the sixth year.
Thelma Ritter, Charles Lane, John Alexander and the bit players of “Casablanca” are among the actors highlighted in Day One of the blogathon.
For Day Two, the blogathon includes entries about Edward Everett Horton, the wonderful Beulah Bondi, Henry Stephenson and this article on Mildred Natwick. I chose to write about her because of her great talent and because watching her in a movie is like visiting with an old friend.
Watching Forever 