Early and forgotten British celebs

[LucyEyelesbarrow]

She was truly a fabulous actress (and has been my longtime avatar on here!)

There's an old film, The Pumpkin Eater, in which she does a fabulously menacing turn. There's a one woman play doing the rounds at the moment all about her later life - it's called The Testament of Yootha and is brilliant.

I'd completely forgotten Yootha was in that film! It's been ages since I've seen it.

 

[Our Cilla]

Jean Simmons, who outshone Laurence Olivier in Hamlet imo. I seem to remember reading he cast her as Ophelia because she reminded him of Vivien. She's another English actress probably better known in the US. I love her characterful face.

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She played Marlon Brandon's love interest in Guys and Dolls

 

[Sriracha_on_everything]

I just popped on to say, it begins and ends with Margaret Rutherford for me

This was posted in a Facebook group I belong to.

Murder, Madness and Miss Marple: The Secret Life of Dame Margaret Rutherford

Sunday afternoon matinees on television first introduced me to the utter delight of watching Margaret Rutherford’s acting on screen. Her appearance as the much loved Miss Marple in a series of 1960s whodunnits loosely based on the novels by Agatha Christie left such an indelible impression that...

dangerousminds.net

 

[Sriracha_on_everything]

Jenny was a presenter on Magpie. You were either a Blue peter or Magpie fan I was a Magpie fan it was blue Peter wearing biker boots.
Hated Blue Peter. except for John Noakes

THE Jenny Hanley is a member of a Facebook group I'm in, I think it's a Children's TV nostalgia group.

 

[Mrs Moon]

She was truly a fabulous actress (and has been my longtime avatar on here!)

There's an old film, The Pumpkin Eater, in which she does a fabulously menacing turn. There's a one woman play doing the rounds at the moment all about her later life - it's called The Testament of Yootha and is brilliant.

I saw The Pumkin Eater last year on telly. If it's the same one you mention it starred Anne Bancroft I'm sure

 

[HowlOwl]

I saw The Pumkin Eater last year on telly. If it's the same one you mention it starred Anne Bancroft I'm sure

It’s an amazing film, I had forgotten Yootha Joyce was in it.

 

[Mrs Moon]

It’s an amazing film, I had forgotten Yootha Joyce was in it.

Me too.

 

[NomDeGuerre]

She’s in it for less than five minutes but it’s a completely scene stealing performance. The switch from vulnerable to menacing and back again demonstrates what an extraordinary actress she was.

 

[Dollylovesshoes]

Remember the actress Dame Flora Robson?I always liked her.

 

[LucyEyelesbarrow]

Remember the actress Dame Flora Robson?I always liked her.

Yes she's in one of the Margaret Rutherford Marples and could also be menacing too.

This reminds me of see if I can find a book I think I still have called Dames of the Theatre. It covered a number of early to mid 20th century addresses.

 

[Dollylovesshoes]

Yes she's in one of the Margaret Rutherford Marples and could also be menacing too.

This reminds me of see if I can find a book I think I still have called Dames of the Theatre. It covered a number of early to mid 20th century addresses.

Awwww Thanks Lucy,another idea to get a book.

I remember the film where she starred as Queen Elizabeth 1st.

Good grief,Looks like your book is worth something,price of it.That’s on Amazon

cheaper copies on Abe Books.

 

[Pipsy]

Has anyone read Noel Coward's diaries?

Their life together is really hideous and here they are trapped by public acclaim, scrabbling about in the cold ashes of a physical passion that burnt itself out years ago. If only the Oliviers could continue to be together as far as the public is concerned, and yet live separately and sleep separately. If only Vivien could hold out until this season finishes in November and then set her career in a different channel from Larry's. However good she is, she will never be accepted in the big tragic roles. She should develop along her own lines and become a witty, light comedienne, which she could do better than anyone I can think of.

The Olivier situation is worsening by the hour. Graham and I drove down to Stratford with Cecil Tennant on Tuesday. Larry was wonderful although, at moments, a little funny. Vivien was frankly not very good.

Vivien was in a vile temper and perfectly idiotic. Larry was bowed down with grief and despair and altogether it was a gloomy little visit.

Personally I think that if Larry had turned sharply on Vivien years ago and given her a clip in the chops, he would have been spared a mint of trouble. The seat of all this misery is our old friend, feminine ego. She is, and has been, thoroughly spoiled. She also has a sharp tongue and a bad temper. This, coupled with incipient tb and an inner certainty that she can never be as good an artist as Larry, however much she tries, has bubbled up in her and driven her onto the borderline. Fond as I am of her and sorry as I feel for her, I would like to give her a good belting, although now I fear it might push her over the edge and be far, far too late.

 

[LucyEyelesbarrow]

Awwww Thanks Lucy,another idea to get a book.

I remember the film where she starred as Queen Elizabeth 1st.

Good grief,Looks like your book is worth something,price of it.That’s on Amazon

cheaper copies on Abe Books.

Some quite old books are really pricey on there, I picked it up in a charity shop a few years ago.

Has anyone read Noel Coward's diaries?

Oh those sound interesting, packed with all manner of people, I bet. NC doesn't come across well in that snippet.

 

[Piff paff puff]

Has anyone read Noel Coward's diaries?

No, but would love to. Wonder if library has them?

 

[House of Tea]

I bought Cecil Beaton diaries on eBay. Big thick books. I read the latter half first (it was published first) and still have the first part of his life to read. He could be very witty/bitchy too.

 

[Dollylovesshoes]

NC Diaries,expensive on Amazon,will look on Abe Books.

 

[Honeytheonions]

Terence Stamp, David Hemings and Malcolm McDowell were not of my era, but I found them mesmerising when I saw their films.

Kate O Mara always fascinated me. She turned up on The Colbys and Triangle, but she was in a lot of Hammer Horror and similar as the Dolly bird. She always looked other worldly. I went and saw her in a matinee in a West End theatre when I lived in the area. I was wandering near the theatre an hour or so before the show and she was sitting at a table outside a cafe holding court with her admirers. This was late 90s, she would be approaching 60. She had an aura, old school starriness. I was sitting next to a couple of Americans in the audience and they said, oh my gawd, would you look at her bosom! She did have an amazing figure.

She was on Doctor Who as well? I Googled to be sure she was who I thought she was. I thought she very attractive when younger, though I was a child at the time of seeing her on TV.

 

[Purrrrrrr]

NC Diaries,expensive on Amazon,will look on Abe Books.

World of books is also a good site

 

[Pipsy]

NC Diaries,expensive on Amazon,will look on Abe Books.

Are you ok with used? Paperback good condition for £8. It's a big book 700+ pages. I tried to add link but deleted it, maybe it's not allowed? The one I found is on Amazon "The Noel Coward Diaries Paperback – 7 Dec. 2000"

@Dollylovesshoes

Edit: Found it even cheaper on Amazon for £1.67. Used, very good. The Noel Coward Diaries Paperback – 17 Aug. 2000

 

[Reverend]

She was on Doctor Who as well? I Googled to be sure she was who I thought she was. I thought she very attractive when younger, though I was a child at the time of seeing her on TV.

She played The Rani (another Timelord) in Doctor Who, and was gearing up for a return on the audio adventures when she fell very ill and passed away.

However before she had died, she had told the producers to go ahead with a new Rani.