Cecil Lauriston Kellaway, a South African-born character actor, was born on August 22, 1890, and passed away on February 28, 1973. Kellaway spent a significant portion of his career as an actor, author, and director in the Australian film industry before venturing into Hollywood in the 1930s.
Initially, Kellaway struggled to find substantial roles, only landing gangster bit parts, which led to his discouragement and eventual return to Australia. However, his luck changed when William Wyler, a renowned film director, called him to offer a part in the 1939 film adaptation of Emily Brontë's novel, Wuthering Heights.
Throughout his illustrious career, Kellaway received two Academy Award nominations for Best Supporting Actor, for his roles in The Luck of the Irish and Guess Who's Coming to Dinner. Notably, he was also the cousin of Academy Award-winning actor Edmund Gwenn, whose real surname was Kellaway.
Kellaway's life came to a close on February 28, 1973, in Hollywood, California, where he was entombed in the Sanctuary of Remembrance at Westwood Village Memorial Park Cemetery.
