Gwen Ffrangcon Davies

Legendary figure of the English stage and, in the words of The New York Times, "a last link with the world of Victorian theater." Ffrangcon-Davies' career spanned 80 years, from a walk-on part in a 1911 performance of "A Midsummer Night's Dream" to an appearance in the 1992 Sherlock Holmes TV-movie "The Master Blackmailer." She was hailed as the finest Juliet of her generation for her 1924 portrayal opposite the 19-year-old John Gielgud. Ffrangcon-Davies retired from the stage in 1970 but continued to work in radio and TV until the end of her life. She was made a Dame of the British Empire in 1991 after much campaigning by senior theatrical figures. At age 100, she was the oldest person to be so honored.