If I was to name my top 4 British actresses, only one Helen Mirren was actually born in the UK.
In 1st place I'd have Olivia De Havilland, who was born in Japan of british parents. Though Olivia was part of the Brit set in Hollywood and played many English heroines, she is regarded rightly by American's as one of their own. However, I think we in the UK can have a small slice off her as well.
In 2nd I used to have Maureen O'Hara, but discounted her because she was born in The Republic Of Ireland. However, I've been reminded that in the yr Maureen was born in 1920 The Rebulic didn't excist and Ireland as a whole was a British state, changing a yr later with only Northern Ireland remaining in Britain. So by rights Maureen was born a British citizen, but out of respect for her I'll think of her as from The Republic, therefore Irish.
So in 2nd place I put Audrey Hepburn, who was born in Belgium. However, she had a British father, spent much of her early yrs in the UK, where she also began her movie career with the likes of The Lavender Hill Mob.
In 3rd I have Helen Mirren
In 4th comes Vivien Leigh, but she was born in India. However, many British citizens worked in India in th early part of the 20th Century and their children were born there. Those children, Cliff Richard was another, were also citizens of the UK, So Viv was an English rose!
Eveb Greer Garson's place of birth was in dispute. I used to believe she too was Irish, but now it's reported she was born an London girl.
Top British actresses, or are they!
-
charliechaplinfan
- Posts: 9040
- Joined: January 15th, 2008, 9:49 am
Don't worry Alison, they're not to far behind the ones I've already mentioned. Deborah ISMHO Scotland's finest actress with Sean as the main man. It's a pity they didn't do Scot's kitchen sink drama togerther. The only thing Scottish that I can associate with her on screen is the Scotch dress she wore in 'Colonel Blimp' what I was thinking she could play an educated school teacher and Sean a welder on the Clyde shipyard
No Ida Lupino? Her first 20 years were spent in London and I think her first movie was British. I, for one, would be happy to claim her as 100% Yank movie actress and director.
Everyday people...that's what's wrong with the world. -- Morgan Morgan
I love movies. But don't get me wrong. I hate Hollywood. -- Orson Welles
Movies can only go forward in spite of the motion picture industry. -- Orson Welles
I love movies. But don't get me wrong. I hate Hollywood. -- Orson Welles
Movies can only go forward in spite of the motion picture industry. -- Orson Welles
-
moira finnie
- Administrator
- Posts: 8024
- Joined: April 9th, 2007, 6:34 pm
- Location: Earth
- Contact:
WHAT, Stuart?? No Madeleine Carroll, Wendy Hiller, Ann Todd, Margaret Lockwood, Vanessa Redgrave or Julie Christie?
Boy, even Joan Fontaine would be pretty steamed that you mentioned her sis but left her off your list...Hey, and let's not forget one of my oddball favorites: Nova Pilbeam, (you can look her up, she's a real person and was a very fetching gamine to boot)
Boy, even Joan Fontaine would be pretty steamed that you mentioned her sis but left her off your list...Hey, and let's not forget one of my oddball favorites: Nova Pilbeam, (you can look her up, she's a real person and was a very fetching gamine to boot)
Hey Moira
Sorry I didn't mention your favs, but mine was only my top 4 or 5, which most of whom were born in far off Countries, so they're Britishness might be in dispute.
I looked up Nova Pilbeam and discovered she lost the lead role in The Lady Vanishes to Margaret Lockwood. What I did discover that after WW2 she appeared at The Dundee Rep in my home town. What I found interesting about that was I was only reading this morning a young Richard Todd was a founder member of the theatre in the late 30s. Actress Jill Cascoine also learned her trade there. Now she works mainly on American tv. Joanna Lumley in the new modernised theatre has also played there.
Wendy Hiller was a great actress, who almost saved her best performance till last with The Countess Alice, playing the rich mother of Zoe Wanamker (who is the oppisite of what this thread is about. An American living and working I assume as a Brit citizen in the UK, Lol)
It's funny I have just written a tribute for Margaret Lockwood on a British forum, talking about her later tv career.
With all due respect to Joan Fontaine, IHMO her sister has made better and more quality films, besides Joan never worked with Errol Flynn LOL.
Julie Christie and Venessa Redgrave were also great actresses, however, I would also add the Yorkie bar kid herself Susannah York from that era.
You mention Anne Todd, who starred in her husband David Lean's Madeline and The Sound Barrier. She's a great actress, but it's his previous wife Kay Walsh that I most associate with his earlier work (just discovered that Kay Walsh and Joan Fontaine teamed up for a horror filck called The Witches)
It's funny how Madeline Carroll, who rightly became an International star, yet Anna Neagle, who was the undisputed Queen of The British Film Industry in the 1930s and 40s is almost unknown in America
In the modern times I'm a fan of not only Helen Mirren, but Julie Walters, Brenda Blethyn and Amanda Redman
Sorry I didn't mention your favs, but mine was only my top 4 or 5, which most of whom were born in far off Countries, so they're Britishness might be in dispute.
I looked up Nova Pilbeam and discovered she lost the lead role in The Lady Vanishes to Margaret Lockwood. What I did discover that after WW2 she appeared at The Dundee Rep in my home town. What I found interesting about that was I was only reading this morning a young Richard Todd was a founder member of the theatre in the late 30s. Actress Jill Cascoine also learned her trade there. Now she works mainly on American tv. Joanna Lumley in the new modernised theatre has also played there.
Wendy Hiller was a great actress, who almost saved her best performance till last with The Countess Alice, playing the rich mother of Zoe Wanamker (who is the oppisite of what this thread is about. An American living and working I assume as a Brit citizen in the UK, Lol)
It's funny I have just written a tribute for Margaret Lockwood on a British forum, talking about her later tv career.
With all due respect to Joan Fontaine, IHMO her sister has made better and more quality films, besides Joan never worked with Errol Flynn LOL.
Julie Christie and Venessa Redgrave were also great actresses, however, I would also add the Yorkie bar kid herself Susannah York from that era.
You mention Anne Todd, who starred in her husband David Lean's Madeline and The Sound Barrier. She's a great actress, but it's his previous wife Kay Walsh that I most associate with his earlier work (just discovered that Kay Walsh and Joan Fontaine teamed up for a horror filck called The Witches)
It's funny how Madeline Carroll, who rightly became an International star, yet Anna Neagle, who was the undisputed Queen of The British Film Industry in the 1930s and 40s is almost unknown in America
In the modern times I'm a fan of not only Helen Mirren, but Julie Walters, Brenda Blethyn and Amanda Redman