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1-27 of 27
- Actress
- Producer
- Director
On January 30, 1937, renowned theatre actor Michael Redgrave was performing in a production of Hamlet in London. During the curtain call, the show's lead, Laurence Olivier, announced to the audience: "tonight a great actress was born". This was in reference to his co-star's newborn daughter, Vanessa Redgrave.
Vanessa was born in Greenwich, London, to Michael Redgrave and Rachel Kempson, both thespians. Three quarters of a century after her birth (despite numerous ups and down) this rather forward expectation has definitely been lived up to with an acclaimed actress that has won (among many others) an Academy Award, two Emmys, two Golden Globes, two Cannes Best Actress awards, a Tony, a Screen Actors Guild award, a Laurence Olivier theatre award and a BAFTA fellowship.
Growing up with such celebrated theatrical parents, great expectations were put on both herself, her brother Corin Redgrave and sister Lynn Redgrave at an early age. Shooting up early and finally reaching a height just short of 6 foot, Redgrave initially had plans to dance and perform ballet as a profession. However she settled on acting and entered the Central School of Speech and Drama in 1954 and four years later made her West End debut. In the decade of the 1960s she developed and progressed to become one of the most noted young stars of the English stage and then film. Performances on the London stage included the classics: 'A Touch of Sun', 'Coriolanus', 'A Midsummer's Night Dream', 'All's Well that Ends Well', 'As You Like It', 'The Lady from the Sea', 'The Seagull' and many others. By the mid 1960s, she had booked various film roles and matured into a striking beauty with a slim, tall frame and attractive face. In 1966 she made her big screen debut as the beautiful ex-wife of a madman in an Oscar nominated performance in the oddball comedy Morgan! (1966), as well as the enigmatic woman in a public park in desperate need of a photographer's negatives in the iconic Blow-Up (1966) and briefly appeared in an unspoken part of Anne Boleyn in the Best Picture winner of the year A Man for All Seasons (1966).
She managed to originate the title role in "The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie" the same year on the London stage (which was then adapted for the big screen a few years later, but Maggie Smith was cast instead and managed to win an Oscar for her performance). Her follow up work saw her play the lead in the box office hit adaptation Camelot (1967), a film popular with audiences but dismissed by critics, and her second Academy Award nominated performance as Isadora Duncan in the critically praised Isadora (1968).
Her rise in popularity on film also coincided with her public political involvement, she was one of the lead faces in protesting against the Vietnam war and lead a famous march on the US embassy, was arrested during a Ban-the-Bomb demonstration, publicly supported Yasar Arafat's Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) and fought for various other human rights and particularly left wing causes. Despite her admirably independent qualities, most of her political beliefs weren't largely supported by the public. In 1971 after 3 films back to back, Redgrave suffered a miscarriage (it would have been her fourth, after Natasha Richardson, Joely Richardson and Carlo Gabriel Nero) and a break up with her then partner and father of her son, Franco Nero. This was around the same time her equally political brother Corin introduced her to the Workers Revolutionary Party, a group who aimed to destroy capitalism and abolish the monarchy. Her film career began to suffer and take the back seat as she became more involved with the party, twice unsuccessfully attempting to run as a party member for parliament, only obtaining a very small percentage of votes.
In terms of her film career at the time, she was given probably the smallest part in the huge ensemble who-dunnit hit, Murder on the Orient Express (1974) and given another thankless small part as Lola Deveraux in the Sherlock Holmes adventure The Seven-Per-Cent Solution (1976).
After a celebrated Broadway debut, she created further controversy in 1977 with her involvement in two films, firstly in Julia (1977) where she acted opposite Jane Fonda as a woman fighting Nazi oppression and narrated and featured in the documentary The Palestinian (1977) where she famously danced holding a Kalashnikov rifle. She publicly stated her condemnation of what she termed "Zionist hudlums", which outraged Jewish groups and as a result a screening of her documentary was bombed and Redgrave was personally threatened by the Jewish Defense League (JDL). Julia (1977) happened to be a huge critical success and Redgrave herself was nominated for a Best Supporting Actress Oscar, but Jewish support groups demanded her nomination to be dropped and at the event of the Academy Awards burned effigies of Redgrave and protested and picketed. Redgrave was forced to enter the event via a rear entrance to avoid harm and when she won the award she famously remarked on the frenzy causes as "Zionist hoodlums" which caused the audience to audibly gasp and boo. The speech reached newspapers the next morning and her reputation was further damaged.
It came as a surprise when CBS hired her for the part of real life Nazi camp survivor Fania Fenelon in Playing for Time (1980), despite more controversy and protesting (Fenelon herself didn't even want Redgrave to portray her) she won an Emmy for the part and the film was one of the highest rating programs of the year. Her follow up film work to her Oscar had been mostly low key but successful, performances in films such as Yanks (1979), Agatha (1979), The Bostonians (1984), Wetherby (1985) and Prick Up Your Ears (1987) further cemented her reputation as a fine actress and she received various accolades and nominations.
However mainly in the 1980s, she focused on TV films and high budget mini-series as well as theatre in both London and New York. She made headlines in 1984 when she sued the Boston Symphony Orchestra for $5 million for wrongful cancellation of her contract because of her politics (she also stated her salary was significantly reduced in Agatha (1979) for the same reason). She became more mainstream in the 1990s where she appeared in a string of high profile films but the parts often underused Redgrave's abilities or they were small cameos/5-minute parts. Highlights included Howards End (1992), Little Odessa (1994), Mission: Impossible (1996) and Cradle Will Rock (1999), as well as her leading lady parts in A Month by the Lake (1995) and Mrs Dalloway (1997).
In 2003 she finally won the coveted Tony award for her performance in 'The Long Day's Journey Into Night' and followed up with another two Tony nominated performances on Broadway, her one woman show 'The Year of Magical Thinking' in 2007 and 'Driving Miss Daisy' in 2010 which not only was extended due to high demand, but was also transferred to the West End for an additional three months in 2011.
Vanessa continues to lend her name to causes and has been notable for donating huge amounts of her own money for her various beliefs. She has publicly opposed the war in Iraq, campaigned for the closure of Guantanamo Bay, supported the rights of gays and lesbians as well as AIDs research and many other issues. She released her autobiography in 1993 and a few years later she was elected to serve as a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador. She also famously declined the invitation to be made a Dame for her services as an actress. Many have wondered the possible heights her career could have reached if it wasn't for her outspoken views, but being a celebrity and the artificial lifestyle usually attached doesn't seem to interest Redgrave in the slightest.
Vanessa has worked with all three of her children professionally on numerous occasions (her eldest daughter, Natasha Richardson tragically died at the age of 45 due to a skiing accident) and in her mid 70s she still works regularly on television, film and theatre, delivering time and time again great performances.- Producer
- Actor
- Executive
Richard Branson was born on 18 July 1950 in Blackheath, London, England, UK. He is a producer and actor, known for Superman Returns (2006), Around the World in 80 Days (2004) and Electric Dreams (1984). He has been married to Joan Branson since 20 December 1989. They have three children. He was previously married to Kristen Tomassi.- Sheila Burrell was born on 9 May 1922 in Blackheath, London, England, UK. She was an actress, known for Cold Comfort Farm (1995), Paranoiac (1963) and The Feathered Serpent (1976). She was married to David Sim and Laurence Payne. She died on 19 July 2011 in Kingston upon Thames, Surrey, England, UK.
- Actor
- Producer
- Director
The son of a Scottish father from Glasgow and Irish mother from Cork, Davidson was born in Kidbrooke, London, and attended Kidbrooke Park Primary School, Blackheath, and St Austin's School in Charlton. Having impressed some acquaintances of his father with impressions of celebrities, he was chosen to appear in Ralph Reader's Gang Show at the Golders Green Hippodrome aged 12 and appeared on television in the Billy Cotton Band Show. He also briefly attended a stage school in Woolwich.
Upon leaving school he was a drummer for pub bands and worked as a supermarket shelf stacker, a messenger, air ticket clerk for a travel agency, a cashier for Wall's ice cream, for Rank Xerox (having trained as a reprographics operator) and as a window cleaner.
Davidson found his way into show business when as a regular in a pub in Woolwich, he undertook an act after the regular comedian had not turned up. He then became a regular on the London comedy circuit, and first auditioned for Opportunity Knocks (1956) in 1975, unsuccessfully; he was told by Hughie Green to "go away". His audition for New Faces (1973) was more successful, and he proceeded to win the show by one point, and then to come second in the overall contest.
His success was quickly followed by many more appearances on television, including What's on Next? (1976) and several series of his own show The Jim Davidson Show (1979) which ran for five complete series and won Davidson the TV Times award as "Funniest Man On Television".
Davidson's touring is developed from his original London comedy circuit show, for pub and club audiences. Aimed at a very different audience from that of his television work, it contains a lot more strong language, which he promotes as adult entertainment. This has also developed into his adult pantomime work, including productions with titles such as: Boobs in the Wood and SINderella.- Raised in Blackheath, Melissa is an entrepreneur and motivational speaker. She discovered her passion for entrepreneurship at a young age. "Some people are hardwired to create. We get energy from being together, the two of us, or being alone." Melissa often returns to Blackheath and has said of the city. "After living around the world and traveling everywhere I've wanted to go, I keep coming back here."
- Keith Pyott was born on 9 March 1902 in Blackheath, London, England, UK. He was an actor, known for The Big Pull (1962), Doctor Who (1963) and Chimes at Midnight (1965). He was married to Sheila Raynor. He died on 6 April 1968 in Enfield, Middlesex, England, UK.
- Composer
- Actor
- Music Department
Marty Wilde was born on 15 April 1939 in Blackheath, England, UK. He is a composer and actor, known for Fletch (1985), Clueless (1995) and Bio-Dome (1996). He has been married to Joyce Smith since 2 December 1959. They have four children.- Additional Crew
- Writer
- Actor
Tony Hawes was born on 23 March 1929 in Blackheath, London, England, UK. He was a writer and actor, known for The ABC Comedy Hour (1972), Running Wild (1954) and Rolf on Saturday O.K.? (1977). He was married to Lois Laurel and Helene Cross. He died on 13 February 1997 in Tarzana, Los Angeles, California, USA.- Costume and Wardrobe Department
Mary Quant was born on 11 February 1930 in Blackheath, London, England, UK. She is known for The Haunting (1963), Two for the Road (1967) and Georgy Girl (1966). She was married to Alexander Plunket Greene. She died on 13 April 2023 in Farley Green, Surrey, England, UK.- Cinematographer
- Camera and Electrical Department
Ken Hodges was born on 25 October 1922 in Blackheath, London, England, UK. He was a cinematographer, known for The File of the Golden Goose (1969), Faces in the Dark (1960) and Assignment K (1968). He died in 1993.- Actor
- Director
Now completely forgotten, the name of Gerald Ames had a very special feel back in the silent era. The man who bore this name was indeed a heart breaker. Six feet tall, burly, athletic, mustached, dark-eyed and dark-haired, Ames had all it took to get top billing and he did grace about seventy films (many of which directed by pioneers George Loane Tucker and Cecil M. Hepworth) with his manly presence. He very successfully portrayed three archetypal fiction characters, Rupert Von Hetzau, Arsène Lupin and Raffles. And he most often found himself in the shoes of figures of imposing bearing such as aristocrats (knights, counts, marquises, princes...), officers (lieutenants, captains...), judges, ambassadors, the like... Directors also explored the darker side of his personality by making him a spy or an enemy officer. Debuting on the boards as of 1905 and on the big screen in 1914, Gerald was one of the few actors to manage two careers at once. For not content to be a thespian he was also a fencing champion and even represented Britain in the Stockholm Games of 1912. Born in Blackheath in 1881, educated at Freiburg University in Germany, married to actress Mary Dibley, Percy Gerald Ames died too soon of a heart attack after falling down the steps at a London Underground station in 1933. He was only 51.- Director
- Actor
- Writer
Ernest G. Batley was born on 23 February 1874 in Blackheath, London, England, UK. He was a director and actor, known for The Tattooed Will (1914), The Master Crook Outwitted by a Child (1914) and The Master Crook Turns Detective (1914). He was married to Nancy Bevington and Ethyle Batley. He died on 20 February 1955 in Bournemouth, England, UK.- Writer
- Soundtrack
British novelist and playwright Clemence Dane was born Winifred Ashton in Kent, England, in 1888. A gifted student, she was educated in a variety of private schools and, at age 16, was hired to teach French in Geneva, Switzerland. A year later she returned to England and studied art for three years in London, and another year in Dresden, Germany, and showed promise as a portrait painter. However, she gave up her art career to accept a position as a teacher in Ireland. She left that position for a career as a stage actress, and did that for several years until World War I broke out. She plunged into war work and drove herself so relentlessly that her health broke down. While recuperating she wrote her first novel, "Regiment of Women", under the pseudonym Clemence Dane, a name she picked in honor of the famous London church of St. Clemence Dane (later destroyed in a German bombing raid in 1940).
"Regiment of Women" was an almost instant success. Her next novel, "Legend", was also successful, and several reviewers suggested that it should be turned into a play. She followed their advice, and the play, now called "A Bill of Divorcement", had a successful run on Broadway and the London stage with Katharine Cornell, and was made into a film several times, most notably with Katharine Hepburn and John Barrymore (A Bill of Divorcement (1932)). She alternated writing novels, plays and essays, and even wrote a personal and professional study of actor/writer Hugh Walpole.
She died in London, England, in 1965 at age 77.- Producer
- Director
- Art Department
Bryan Sears was born on 3 July 1916 in Blackheath, London, England, UK. He was a producer and director, known for Night Train to Surbiton (1965), Crime on Our Hands (1954) and Comedy Playhouse (1961). He died in April 1999 in Hampshire, England, UK.- Julian Rathbone was born on 10 February 1935 in Blackheath, London, England, UK. He was a writer, known for Gefährliche Spiele (1994) and The Book Programme (1973). He was married to Alayne Pullen. He died on 28 February 2008 in Thorney Hill, Hampshire, England, UK.
- Jane Kentish was born on 17 March 1937 in Blackheath, London, England, UK. She is an actress, known for Men, Women and Clothes (1957).
- Richard Boston was born on 29 December 1938 in Blackheath, London, England, UK. He was married to Marie-Claude Thérèse Chapuis and Elizabeth Anne Caulkin. He died on 22 December 2006 in Reading, Berkshire, England, UK.
- Trevor Dannatt was born on 15 January 1920 in Blackheath, London, England, UK. He was married to Joan Howell Davies. He died on 16 February 2021 in the UK.
- Daphne Glenne was born on 22 December 1886 in Blackheath, London, England, UK. She was an actress, known for On Leave (1918), The Ticket-of-Leave Man (1918) and The Life of a London Actress (1919). She died on 23 August 1972 in Bexhill-on-Sea, East Sussex, England, UK.
- Camera and Electrical Department
- Editor
- Director
Ronnie Noble was born on 1 June 1916 in Blackheath, London, England, UK. He was an editor and director, known for Sportsview (1954), Personal Choice (1967) and War in the Air (1954). He died in August 2001.- Wilson Featherston was born on 6 June 1897 in Blackheath, London, England, UK. He was an actor, known for The Trial of Madame X (1948), Up with the Lark (1943) and Five at the George (1939). He died in 1973 in Surrey, England, UK.
- Ross Hutchinson was born on 6 April 1905 in Blackheath, London, England, UK. He was an actor, known for The Avengers (1961), Dixon of Dock Green (1955) and Time Is the Enemy (1958). He died in January 1986 in Lambeth, London, England, UK.
- Music Department
- Soundtrack
Boyd Neel was born on 19 July 1905 in Blackheath, England, UK. He is known for A Night of Terror (1937), Southern Roses (1936) and The Prisoner of Corbal (1936). He died on 30 September 1981 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.- Martin Lewis was born on 8 September 1888 in Blackheath, Kent, England, UK. He was an actor, known for God Bless Our Red, White and Blue (1918), Latin Love (1930) and The Vicar of Wakefield (1916). He was married to Edna [Blanche] Arnold (actress). He died on 1 April 1970 in Farnborough, Hampshire, England, UK.
- Music Department
- Composer
- Sound Department
Jon Hiseman was born on 21 June 1944 in Blackheath, England, UK. He was a composer, known for Charlie's Angels (2000), A Touch of Frost (1992) and Sample (2019). He was married to Barbara Thompson. He died on 12 June 2018 in Sutton, England, UK.