From Wikipedia the free encyclopedia Maude Eburne born Maud Eburne Riggs 10 November 1875 15 October 1960 was a Canadian character actress of stage and screen known for playing eccentric roles Eburne began her career in stock theater in Buffalo New York Her early theater work was in Ontario and New York City debuting on Broadway to great acclaim as Coddles in the 1914 farce A Pair of Sixes When I first came to New York I said I didnt want to be beautiful young girls or stately leading women but wanted parts that had something queer in them especially if there were dialect She continued to play mainly humorous domestic roles on stage appearing in productions such as The Half Moon 1920 Lady Butterfly 1923 Three Cheers 1928 and Many a Slip 1930 before her first significant film role and first sound film role in The Bat Whispers 1930 director Roland Wests sound remake of his 1926 silent feature The Bat