born July 1, 1916, Tokyo, Japan
U.S. film actress.
Born to British parents, she was raised in California. She made her film debut in 1935 and played the delicate heroine opposite Errol Flynn in swashbucklers such as Captain Blood (1935) and The Adventures of Robin Hood (1938). She revealed dramatic depth in Gone with the Wind (1939), To Each His Own (1946, Academy Award), The Snake Pit (1948), and The Heiress (1949, Academy Award). Her victory in a landmark lawsuit against Warner Brothers (1945) limited actors' contracts to seven years, including suspension periods. She moved to Paris in 1955 and made only rare film appearances thereafter.