"I'm Sure I Wouldn't Know" Florence Bates

There was a time when if you were making a movie and needed a stuffy dowager you knew who to cast. You needed Florence Bates. Her most memorable role was that of the stuffy and pretentious Mrs. Van Hopper in Alfred Hitchcock's 1939 film version of the Daphne du Maurier's "Rebecca".  She went one to play dowagers and fussy spinsters up until just before her death at age 65. 
Ms Bates was born Florence Rabe in 1888. She was raised in Texas where she studied mathematics at the University of Texas. She taught math for a while but became dissatisfied and went on to study law and at the age of 26 became the first woman in Texas to pass the bar and practice law.
After the death of her parents she left her practice and took over their antique business. It was then she met her husband a wealthy oil tycoon William Jacoby. He lost his fortune and the two of them moved to Los Angeles and opened a bakery. Florence auditioned for and got the role of Mrs. Bates in Pasadena Playhouse's version of Jane Austin's "Emma". She took her professional name from the character.
It was in 1938 she caught Hitchcock's eye and started her film career. After playing Mrs Van Hopper her career took off and she played versions of that character in over 75 films and television shows.
Florence Bates died from a heart attack in 1954.