Isabel Jeans was a talented actress who began her career in the theatre, with her first role at the tender age of fifteen, courtesy of the legendary Herbert Beerbohm Tree. She went on to acquire a varied repertoire in classical works, as well as showcasing her comedic talents in contemporary plays by renowned playwrights such as Noël Coward and Ivor Novello.
As she became a fixture on the London stage, Jeans also toured the United States and appeared with great success on Broadway. Her early film career included roles in two Alfred Hitchcock movies, Downhill (1927) and Easy Virtue (1928). Her personal life was marked by three marriages and three separations, with her final husband being a prominent English barrister.
Despite her usually dignified on-screen presence, Jeans had a secret love of playing poker, driving fast cars, and attending the races. However, she was also known for her air of maturity and elegance, which made her a sought-after actress for roles as dignified socialites or upper-class characters.
Hitchcock, in particular, cast her in several such roles, including Mrs. Newsham in Suspicion (1941). However, her ex-husband Claude Rains described her as a "mannered actress." After a ten-year absence from the screen, Jeans returned to acting in the late 1950s, taking on delicious character parts in films such as Gigi (1958) and Heavens Above! (1963),in which she played the role of Lady Despard, a land-owning aristocrat.
