Elsie Wagstaff was born in Leytonston, Essex, England, on July 1, 1899 as Elsie Lilian Wagstaff. She married actor Bernard Jukes in 1924 and remained with him until his death in 1939. Sheis better known for his roles in Crimes of the Dark House (1940), The End of the Affair (1955), and Great Expectations (1967). Wagstaff studied at Guild Hall School of Music and began her theatrical work in the choir in 1919. In 1928, she appeared in Broadway theaters in New York. Also, she also worked sporadically in cinema and regularly on television. Elsie Wagstaff died in 1985 at the age of 86. 724