Biography

Appeared on stage at the Royal National Theatre at the venerable age of 101.

After her first marriage ended, she lived with fellow actor, Nicholas "Beau" Hannen, from 1922 but they couldn't marry because Hannen's wife refused a divorce. In 1928 she legally changed her name to Athene Hannen. They were married after his wife's death in 1960.

She was awarded the CBE (Commander of the Order of the British Empire) in the 1959 Queen's Birthday Honours List for her services to drama.

Her father, secretary and advisor to a Greek millionaire, was obsessed with all things Greek and gave all of his daughters classical Greek names.

Plump, curmudgeonly British character actress, whose quirky personality and lived-in face enlivened many a performance as spinster aunt, indomitable dowager or pixillated old dear, over a period of six decades. She began on stage in 1908, in "The Truants", that year winning the RADA gold medal. In 1950, she was made President of the Council of RADA.