Jean Cadell


Jean Dunlop Cadell was a Scottish character actress. Although her married name was Jean Dunlop Perceval-Clark she retained her maiden name in the context of acting.

Life and career

She was born at 4 Buckingham Terrace in Edinburgh, the daughter of Dr Francis Cadell, a wealthy surgeon, and his wife, Mary Hamilton Boileau. The family moved to 22 Ainslie Place, a huge Georgian house on the Moray Estate, in her youth.
She performed in the cinema and on the stage. Among her best-known cinema roles was in the Ealing Studios comedy Whisky Galore!, as well as Pygmalion and I Know Where I'm Going!. She once performed opposite W.C. Fields in Hollywood, cast as Mrs. Micawber to his Wilkins Micawber in Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer's 1935 production of David Copperfield. Although Cadell remains in the released version of the film, her biggest scene was deleted from the release prints.
Jean Cadell died in London on 29 September 1967, aged 83.
She is buried with her family in Dean Cemetery in western Edinburgh. The grave lies against the southern wall.

Family

Her brother, Francis Cadell, was one of the Scottish Colourists. She married actor Perceval Perceval-Clark. Jean and Perceval both appeared in the play The Man Who Stayed at Home.
Her son, born John Cadell Perceval-Clark in 1915, changed his name to John Cadell and became a theatrical agent. Her grandson Simon Cadell and her granddaughter Selina Cadell also became actors.

Complete filmography