Edna Best
(1900-1974), ActressSitter in 12 portraits
Actress and a star of British film from 1921, established her career by playing the romantic lead in a number of early 'talkies', often with Herbert Marshall, her husband from 1928-40. She appeared in a production of Brown Sugar, and went on to make her screen debut in A Couple of Down and Outs (1923). She is most noted for her role as Tessa in The Constant Nymph (1926), and for her appearances in Noël Coward productions, particularly Fallen Angels. In the 1940s and 50s, she turned her attentions towards the American stage, appearing in The Browning Version and Quadrille in New York.
by Howard Instead
matte bromide print, 1920s
NPG Ax24980
by Janet Jevons
hand-coloured bromide postcard print, 1920s
NPG x198087
by Dorothy Wilding
halftone colour reproduction tear sheet, published 6 September 1922
NPG x193308
by Peter North
bromide print, late 1920s
NPG x26074
by Dudley Glanfield
bromide postcard print, 1930s
NPG x198277
by Paul Tanqueray
whole-plate glass negative, 1931
NPG x180193
by Stage Photo Company
bromide print, 1936
NPG x25919
Edna Best; Benita Hume; Ronald Colman
by P.A. Reuter Photos Ltd
bromide press print, 20 May 1948
NPG x184216
by Unknown photographer, issued by Carreras Tobacco Company
colour relief halftone cigarette card, 1935
NPG D49320
Diners at Denham Studios Restaurant
by Anthony Wysard
watercolour and pencil, published 1937
NPG D312
Comments back to top
We are currently unable to accept new comments, but any past comments are available to read below.
If you need information from us, please use our Archive enquiry service . Please note that we cannot provide valuations. You can buy a print or greeting card of most illustrated portraits. Select the portrait of interest to you, then look out for a Buy a Print button. Prices start at around £6 for unframed prints, £16 for framed prints. If you wish to license an image, select the portrait of interest to you, then look out for a Use this image button, or contact our Rights and Images service. We digitise over 8,000 portraits a year and we cannot guarantee being able to digitise images that are not already scheduled.