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Rutherford had a distinguished theatrical career alongside her film successes.

Totally against type, she played the sinister housekeeper Mrs Danvers in Daphne du Maurier's Rebecca at the Queen's Theatre in 1940.

Her post-war theatre credits included Miss Prism in The Importance of Being Earnest again at the Haymarket Theatre in 1946 and Lady Bracknell when the same play transferred to New York in 1947.

She played an officious headmistress in The Happiest Days of Your Life at the Apollo Theatre in 1948 and such classical roles as Madame Desmortes in Ring Round the Moon ( Globe Theatre, 1950 ), Lady Wishfort in The Way of the World ( Lyric Hammersmith, 1953 and Saville Theatre, 1956 ) and Mrs Candour in The School for Scandal ( Haymarket Theatre, 1962 ).

Her final stage performance came in 1966 when she played Mrs Malaprop in The Rivals at the Haymarket Theatre, alongside Sir Ralph Richardson.

Unfortunately, her declining health meant she had reluctantly to give up the role after a few weeks.