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1-12 of 12
- Actress
- Writer
- Soundtrack
One of stage, screen, radio and TV's most inimitable, irrepressible entertainers, Hermione Ferdinanda Gingold was born in London on December 9, 1897, the daughter of an upscale Austrian-Jewish financier and English homemaker. The blue-eyed blonde loved to perform in school plays and made her professional stage debut at age 11 as the Herald in "Pinkie and the Fairies."
She went on to appear at London's Savoy Theatre, at Christmastime in 1911, in the children's fantasy "Where the Raindow Ends," starring Reginald Owen and a cast of 45 children, including Gingold and a 12-year-old Noël Coward. Trained in the classics under actress/writer Rosina Filippi (1866-1930), Hermione played everything from the Page in "The Merry Wives of Windsor" to Jessica in "The Merchant of Venice" and Cassandra in "Troilus and Cressida." Stage parts in "Little Lord Fauntleroy" and "The Dippers" also came about during this period.
But it was Hermione's deep, guttural voice (as a result of vocal nodes) and flair for tart, quirky comedy that truly boosted her notoriety in the 1930's when she triumphed as a musical revue artist. Sharpening her talent and bawdy, razor-like wit in this venue throughout World War II, she graced such revues as "The Gate Revue," "Sweet and Low," "Sweet and Lower," "Sweet and Lowest," "Swinging the Gate" and "Rise Above It." In between she appeared in a few films, including a cleaning woman bit in the comedy thriller Someone at the Door (1936), and featured roles in the comedies Meet Mr. Penny (1938) and The Butler's Dilemma (1943).
After performances in such legit plays as "Fumed Oak" and "Fallen Angels" in 1949, and having completed character roles in the pictures The Pickwick Papers (1952), The Slasher (1953) and The Adventures of Sadie (1953), she transported herself to the States, making her New York bow with the popular revue "John Murray Anderson's Almanac," directed by Cyril Ritchard. She was an immediate success and went on to win the theatre's Donaldson Award for this performance. Settling now in America, she involved herself with a variety of theatre projects including "Sticks and Stones" (revue, 1956), "The Sleeping Prince (play) 1956), "Fallen Angels" (play, 1957-58), "First Impressions (play, 1959), "From A to Z (revue, 1960) and as Julia in "Abracadabra," (play, 1960), which she also wrote.
Beloved on Broadway, Hermione served as intriguing replacements for "Milk and Honey" (1962) and "Oh Dad, Poor Dad, Mama's Hung You in the Closet and I'm Feelin' So Sad" (1963) and continued to make a mark with such plays as "Charley's Aunt." In 1973, the 75-year-old veteran was a featured highlight nostalgically warbling the exotic tune "Liaisons" in the Stephen Sondheim musical hit "A Little Night Music" as Madame Armfeldt. She later returned to Sondheim with the tribute show "Side by Side by Sondheim" in 1978.
Never one to be overlooked for long, she was invited to Hollywood and made a delightfully offbeat niche for herself in several eccentric comedies and plush musical films. Usually permitted to play her charming and haughty self, she was Golden Globe awarded playing the aging courtesan in Gigi (1958) while singing the nostalgic duet "I Remember It Well" with equally aging playboy Maurice Chevalier. Other movie roles would include a quirky cameo as a witch queen in the comedy Bell Book and Candle (1958); another quirky cameo in the second-rate Hitchcockian thriller The Naked Edge (1961); a Golden Globe nominated part as the mayor's wife in the musical The Music Man (1962); a comically villainous voice in the animated musical feature Gay Purr-ee (1962) starring the vocal talents of Judy Garland; a charming reunion with Chevalier in the lightweight comedy I'd Rather Be Rich (1964); a bizarre landlady in the romantic comedy Promise Her Anything (1966), which reunited her with her "Gigi" star Leslie Caron; a devious British Munster relative in Munster, Go Home! (1966); and her Madame Armfeldt recreation in a rather pallid film version of her stage hit A Little Night Music (1977). Her last film was as an aging actress who rubbed elbows with Garbo in the comedy-drama Garbo Talks (1984) starring Anne Bancroft.
Gingold was a delightfully ribald raconteur and became a very popular TV talk show guest, particularly on The Tonight Show Starring Jack Paar (1957). She was finishing up the last touches on her autobiography when she passed away in New York City of pneumonia and a heart ailment on May 24, 1987. Her autobiography, How to Grow Old Disgracefully, was published a year after her death (1988). It had been previously presented in installments -- The World Is Square (1946), My Own Unaided Work (1952) and Sirens Should Be Seen and Not Heard (1963). A one-of-a-kind entertainer if ever there was one.- English character actress best known for her many portrayals of feisty cockney types, ranging from barmaids to landladies, charwomen to cooks. Unlike her working class screen personae, Irene's parentage was quite cosmopolitan, her father (Frederick) a Viennese banker, her mother (Maria) a French aristocrat - affluent enough to enable her to travel extensively in her youth. She received her acting training at the Embassy School, under the auspices of the sister of Sybil Thorndike, but did not make her debut on the London stage until 1938.
Her first successful role was in a West End comedy entitled 'George and Margaret' and this led to many other parts, including 'Blithe Spirit' by Noël Coward. From 1937, plump, cheerful Irene Handl became a popular supporting character in British films, usually in small roles or cameos, often as eccentric or pixillated old ladies. On occasion she could be a scene-stealer, as in I'm All Right Jack (1959) as the grumbling wife of shop steward Peter Sellers. She was also the definitive Mrs. Hudson, landlady to the famous detective at 221b Baker Street, in The Private Life of Sherlock Holmes (1970).
Irene Handl enjoyed a prolific career on radio (partnering Arthur Askey in 'Hello Playmates' and Tony Hancock in 'Hancock's Half Hour'), as well as in television. Her best-loved appearance was opposite Wilfred Pickles in the title role of Ada Cresswell in the sitcom For the Love of Ada (1970). She also made guest appearances in numerous shows, ranging from The Adventures of Robin Hood (1955) to The Rag Trade (1975), and remained an active performer well into her eighties. She also narrated an audio-book version of The Importance of Being Earnest and published two novels: The Sioux in 1969 (described by a reviewer as a 'gothic comic melodrama') and a more downbeat sequel, The Gold Tip Pfitzer in 1986. Besides acting and writing, Handl was a fellow of the Royal Geographical Society, loved Chihuahua dogs and Rock and Roll music. Irene never married. Shortly before she died at her flat in Kensington, she had been making plans for a third novel. - Actress
- Director
- Visual Effects
Luisa Guerreiro is an Off-West End Award winner, and dynamic actress working on stage and screen. Born in Maida Vale, London, UK - Luisa trained at Royal Holloway, University of London & The Royal Central School of Speech and Drama.
She is a physical comedy actress on the Cirque du Soleil database. She is also a professional puppeteer, performance capture artist, creature performer, musical theatre performer and highly proficient advanced screen combatant. She also works as a movement artist / choreographer and is executive producer at Old Lamp Entertainment.
Luisa holds a UK & Portuguese Nationality and has the right to work in the US - (01 Visa)- Writer
- Director
- Producer
Val Guest began his career as an actor on the British stage and in early sound films. He ran the one-man London office of "The Hollywood Reporter" until an encounter with director Marcel Varnel led to a screen writing job at Gainsborough Studios. Guest's directing career began in the early 1940s with a Ministry of Information short about the perils of sneezing (!), an inauspicious start to a lengthy roster of films that includes the science-fiction classics The Quatermass Xperiment (1955), Quatermass 2 (1957), The Abominable Snowman (1957) and The Day the Earth Caught Fire (1961). He was married to the actress Yolande Donlan from 1954 until his death in 2006, aged 94.- Actor
- Soundtrack
Steve McFadden was born on 20 March 1959 in Maida Vale, London, England, UK. He is an actor, known for EastEnders (1985), Doctor Who: Dimensions in Time (1993) and Kevin & Perry Go Large (2000).- Alan Turing was born on 23 June 1912 in Maida Vale, London, England, UK. He was a writer, known for Turochamp (1948). He died on 7 June 1954 in Wilmslow, Cheshire, England, UK.
- Script and Continuity Department
- Actress
- Additional Crew
Angela Allen was born on 12 February 1929 in Maida Vale, London, England, UK. She is an actress, known for Lost in Space (1998), The African Queen (1951) and Ronin (1998).- Writer
- Producer
- Director
Julia Smith was born on 26 May 1927 in Maida Vale, London, England, UK. She was a writer and producer, known for EastEnders (1985), The District Nurse (1984) and Angels (1975). She was married to David Maxwell Geary. She died on 19 June 1997 in Chelsea, London, England, UK.- Elizabeth Addeyman was born on 10 August 1900 in Maida Vale, London, England, UK. She was an actress and writer, known for BBC Sunday-Night Theatre (1950), The Secret Tent (1956) and Man Alive! (1956). She was married to Arthur Brough. She died on 22 March 1978 in Folkestone, Kent, England, UK.
- Gillian Freeman was born on 5 December 1929 in Maida Vale, London, England, UK. She was a writer, known for The Leather Boys (1964), That Cold Day in the Park (1969) and I Want What I Want (1972). She was married to Edward Ronald Thorpe. She died on 23 February 2019 in Islington. London, England, UK.
- Born, Maida Vale, Middlesex, London, England, 5 November 1878, sixth child and fifth daughter of Conrad Tulloch and Kate Tulloch (née Rose). When a child spoken-word performer with her sisters in musical ensemble "The Misses Tulloch", performing from early 1890s in London and on UK tours. Became stage actor, 1897, understudying Sydney Fairbrother as "Micah Dow" in J.M. Barrie's "The Little Minister" in London, 1898 and played the character on UK provincial tour, 1898. Adopted stage name "Dora Senior", 1899, first when acted with Herbert Beerbohm Tree in 1899 "King John" London stage production and in King John (1899) film. Last acting role as "Dora Senior" "Bertha" in Gerhart Hauptmann 's "The Weavers", London, May 1901. Married Clement Salaman in July 1901 and retired from professional performing. Five children. Moved with family to Somerset, England, 1909x1910. 1919, moved to Treborough Lodge, Treborough, Somerset. Known as "Dora (Clement) Salaman". Involved in Amateur Theatre, locally (Somerset), regionally (West England) and nationally (England) as actor, writer, producer and adjudicator, particularly from beginning of 1930s until her death. Published playwright, 1930 onwards. Lecturer on Drama, English Literature, Housecraft and other subjects. Also occupied in county (Somerset) affairs (Parish and District Councils, Magistracy, Women's Institute, etc.). Widowed, 10 August 1935. Member of several local wartime organisations, 1939-1945. Died 30 December 1945, Treborough Lodge. Buried, St Peter's Church, Treborough, 3 January 1946.
- Costume and Wardrobe Department
- Costume Designer
Hardy Amies was born on 17 July 1909 in Maida Vale, London, England, UK. He was a costume designer, known for 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968), Two for the Road (1967) and Maytime in Mayfair (1949). He died on 5 March 2003 in Langford, Oxfordshire, England, UK.