Maureen Swanson
Scottish actress (1932-2011)
Maureen Ward, Countess of Dudley, known professionally as Maureen Swanson (25 November 1932 – 16 November 2011), was a British actress. As Maureen Swanson, she featured in British pictures during the 1950s. She retired from acting in 1961, following her marriage to Viscount Ednam.
Filmink magazine called her "immensely watchable on screen, and might have had a very strong career had her personal life not intervened."
Early life and career
Maureen Swanson was born in Glasgow on 25 November 1932, the daughter of James Swanson. After her parents emigrated to South Africa, she became a ward of Lady Phyllis Griffith-Boscawen. Swanson initially trained as a classical ballerina at the Sadler's Wells Ballet School, before moving into musical theatre and film.
She was touring in a production of Carousel when selected over 50 applicants to play a key role in Moulin Rouge (1952). This led to a larger part in Valley of Song (1953) and a strong support role in MGM's Knights of the Round Table (1953). Swanson was the female lead in Hammer's film noir Third Party Risk (1954). Swanson was also in episodes of The Vise, and had a supporting part in Orders Are Orders (1955).
This brief starts where responsible research should: with the source description of “Maureen Swanson” as scottish actress (1932-2011). Everything that follows is an evidence route, not borrowed authority.
Why this record matters
The subject matters to the people & ideas register because the source frames it as scottish actress (1932-2011). Its deeper value depends on whether names, dates, institutions and citations support that framing.
The entry’s evidential value lies in the named roles, institutions and publications that can be tested against primary documentation. The source revision retrieved here is dated Sep 1, 2026. The linked authority identifier is Q6792760. 1 of 1 selected statements include explicit references; 0 carry qualifiers and 0 use preferred rank. The first chronological checks are 1932, 2011, 1961 and 1952.
A concise life account rarely captures disputed attribution, private networks or the changing language used to describe a career. The source lead contains qualifying language; that uncertainty should survive quotation, summary and reuse. Authority statements aid reconciliation but still require their own references, qualifiers and ranks to be checked.
How to read it
Read biographical claims against dates, named institutions and the cited references. Distinguish a subject’s later reputation from evidence produced during their lifetime.
- Establishing names and roles
- Building a first chronology
- Locating cited institutions
Personal papers, civil or court records, institutional files and the scholarship cited by the source.
Three-step research path
- Establish the record: confirm the title “Maureen Swanson”, its source revision and the description used here.
- Expand the search: follow Maureen Swanson primary sources, Maureen Swanson archive and Maureen research across catalogues and specialist indexes.
- Test the account: compare the strongest cited source with the responsible institution’s current record and note any disagreement.
Questions for further research
- Which source most directly establishes the central claim about “Maureen Swanson”?
- Which claims depend on a single source or contested interpretation?
- Which primary records establish identity, chronology and institutional ties?
Search terms from this dossier
This entry incorporates text from “Maureen Swanson” on English Wikipedia. Contributors are listed in the page history. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Selected authority identifiers and statements are retrieved from Wikidata under CC0; their references and qualifiers remain part of the verification path.