Catherine Doucet, a renowned American character actress, has had a storied career spanning over three decades on the New York stage. Beginning in 1906 with her role in 'Brown of Harvard', alongside Laura Hope Crews, Doucet has consistently impressed audiences with her versatility and range.
Initially, Doucet acted under her maiden name, Catherine Calhoun, until 1920, when she adopted the surname of her husband, the actor Paul Doucet. This marked a turning point in her career, as she began to focus primarily on comedy, showcasing her exceptional comedic timing and wit.
Doucet's major successes include her starring roles in 'Miss Lulu Bett' (1920-21) and 'The Potters' (1923-24),where she portrayed the iconic character Ma Potter. Her performances in these productions cemented her status as a leading lady on the stage.
In addition to her impressive stage career, Doucet also made a limited number of film appearances before the mid-1930s. Her breakthrough role came in 1936 with 'These Three', based on Lillian Hellman's play 'The Children's Hour', where she played the selfish aunt Lily Mortar opposite Miriam Hopkins. Film critic Frank S. Nugent praised her performance as "flawless".
For the remainder of her career, Doucet continued to portray a wide range of indomitable matrons and society ladies, providing excellent comic support in both stage and screen adaptations of 'As Husbands Go' and making a memorable foil to W.C. Fields in 'Poppy' (1936).
