Renée Houston

2021-09-15T21:09:10Z

92.7.175.80: /* Filmography */

{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2015}}
{{Use British English|date=September 2015}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Renée Houston
| image = Actress_Renée_Houston.jpg
| alt =
| caption =
| birth_name = Katherina Rita Murphy Gribbin
| birth_date = {{Birth date|1902|7|24|df=y}}
| birth_place = [[Johnstone]], [[Renfrewshire (historic)|Renfrewshire]], [[Scotland]]
| death_date = {{Death date and age|1980|2|9|1902|7|24|df=y}}
| death_place = [[Chertsey]], [[Surrey]], [[England]]
| nationality = Scottish
| other_names =
| occupation = Actress, comedian
| years_active = 1910s–1980
| known_for =
| notable_works =
}}
'''Renée Houston''' (born '''Katherina Rita Murphy Gribbin''';<ref name=baker/> 24 July 1902 – 9 February 1980) was a [[Scottish people|Scottish]] comedy actress and [[revue]] artist who appeared in television and film roles.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://ftvdb.bfi.org.uk/sift/individual/4839|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080426011614/http://ftvdb.bfi.org.uk/sift/individual/4839|url-status=dead|archive-date=26 April 2008|title=Renée Houston|website=Ftvdb.bfi.org.uk|access-date=26 October 2018}}</ref>

==Biography==
Born in [[Johnstone]], [[Renfrewshire (historic)|Renfrewshire]], into a theatrical family who performed as James Houston and Company,<ref name=hudd>Roy Hudd and Philip Hindin, ''Roy Hudd's Cavalcade of Variety Acts'', Robson Books, 1998, {{ISBN|1-86105-206-5}}, pp.84-85</ref> she toured [[music halls]] and revues with her sister Billie Houston (born Sarah McMahon Gribbin; 1906–1972) as the "Houston Sisters".<ref>{{cite web|url=https://universityofglasgowlibrary.wordpress.com/2015/05/18/the-houston-sisters-back-in-the-spotlight/|title=The Houston Sisters: Back in the Spotlight|last=clairemckendrick|date=18 May 2015|publisher=}}</ref> They became a leading [[variety show|variety]] act in the 1920s, sometimes performing as two children in over-sized furniture; Billie played the part of a boy.<ref name=hudd/>

In 1926, the sisters made a short musical film, the script of which Renée had written. It was produced by [[Lee De Forest]], whose process, [[Phonofilm]], enabled a soundtrack to be played alongside the film (a year before ''[[The Jazz Singer]]'').<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.britishpathe.com/video/a-match-or-two-two-little-tricks-by-the-houston|title=A Match Or Two - Two Little Tricks By The Houston Sisters|first=British|last=Pathé|website=www.britishpathe.com}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://reneehoustonsite.wordpress.com/film-career/|title=Film Career|date=23 February 2017|publisher=}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=9NX_8KbH89oC&q=houston+sisters+short+film+1926&pg=PA27|title=The British Musical Film|first=John|last=Mundy|date=15 July 2007|publisher=Manchester University Press|isbn=9780719063213|via=Google Books}}</ref> The sisters ended their working partnership in 1936, when Billie reportedly became ill,<ref name=hudd/> although it is suggested that the split may have been due to the sisters' frequent disagreements.<ref name=baker>Richard Anthony Baker, ''Old Time Variety: an illustrated history'', Pen & Sword, 2011, {{ISBN|978-1-78340-066-9}}, pp.28-30</ref>

Renee Houston continued as a solo comedienne and actress, appearing in the [[Noel Gay]] [[revue]] ''Love Laughs!''. She eventually revived her double act, this time with her third husband, the actor [[Donald Stewart (actor)|Donald Stewart]], until his death in 1966.<ref name=hudd/>

In her later years, she specialised in "[[Battle-axe (woman)|battleaxe]]" roles, notably as [[shop steward]] Vic Spanner's ([[Kenneth Cope]]) formidable mother in ''[[Carry On at Your Convenience]]'' (1971).<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.allmovie.com/movie/carry-on-at-your-convenience-v8373/cast-crew|title=Carry On at Your Convenience (1971) - Gerald Thomas - Cast and Crew|website=AllMovie}}</ref> She also worked for director [[Roman Polanski]] in ''[[Repulsion (film)|Repulsion]]'' (1965) and ''[[Cul-de-sac (1966 film)|Cul-de-sac]]'' (1966).<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bfi.org.uk/films-tv-people/4ce2b6b42e4b1|title=Repulsion (1965)|website=BFI}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bfi.org.uk/films-tv-people/4ce2b6a83e56d|title=Cul-de-sac (1966)|website=BFI}}</ref> She published her autobiography in 1974 which was entitled ''Don't Fence Me In''.<ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=lXnXDQAAQBAJ&q=renee+houston+don%27t+fence+me+in&pg=PA728|title=The Encyclopedia of British Film: Fourth edition|first=Brian|last=McFarlane|date=16 May 2016|publisher=Oxford University Press|isbn=9781526111975|via=Google Books}}</ref>

Houston was also in early episodes of radio's ''[[The Clitheroe Kid]]'', playing his Scottish mother in half a dozen 1958 broadcasts (but the role was quickly recast to use an English actress instead), and was a regular guest on radio panel show ''[[Petticoat Line]]'' chaired by [[Anona Winn]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/c1cc488fb52a4d02bea83176d2ea78a2|title=Jimmy Clitheroe as 'THE CLITHEROE KID'|date=2 May 1958|publisher=|issue=1799|pages=31|via=BBC Genome}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/214b3a9b912642d59f1edc826a9e1ffd|title=Petticoat Line|date=28 September 1967|publisher=|issue=2290|pages=68|via=BBC Genome}}</ref> According to entertainment historian [[Richard Anthony Baker]]: "So many listeners found her forthright language unacceptable that she was eventually limited to two swear words per show."<ref name=baker/>

She died in [[London]] at the age of 77 on 9 February 1980. Houston was married three times. The second was to the actor [[Pat Aherne]], the brother of [[Brian Aherne]].<ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=lXnXDQAAQBAJ&q=houston+sisters+short+film+1926&pg=PA369|title=The Encyclopedia of British Film: Fourth edition|first=Brian|last=McFarlane|date=16 May 2016|publisher=Oxford University Press|isbn=9781526111975|via=Google Books}}</ref> Her third husband was the actor [[Donald Stewart (actor)|Donald Stewart]].<ref>{{cite ODNB|url=http://www.oxforddnb.com/view/10.1093/ref:odnb/9780198614128.001.0001/odnb-9780198614128-e-49223|title=Houston, Renée [real name Caterina Rita Murphy Gribbin] (1902–1980), actress |year=2004 |doi=10.1093/ref:odnb/49223}}</ref>

== Filmography ==

===Film===
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! Year
! Title
! Role
! class="unsortable" | Notes
|-
|1932
|''Come Into My Parlour''
|Jenny MacDonald
|
|-
|1933
|''[[Their Night Out]]''
|Maggie Oliphant
|
|-
|1934
|''[[Lost in the Legion]]''
|Mary McFee
|
|-
|1934
|''[[Mr. Cinders]]''
|Mrs. Phipps
|
|-
|1935
|''[[No Monkey Business]]''
|Jessie
|
|-
|1936
|''Happy Days Revue''
|Kitty Seymour
|
|-
|1937
|''[[Fine Feathers (1937 film)|Fine Feathers]]''
|Teenie McPherson
|
|-
|1939
|''{{sortname|A|Girl Must Live}}''
|Gloria Lind
|
|-
|1941
|''[[Old Bill and Son]]''
|Stella Malloy
|
|-
|1943
|''{{sortname|The|Peterville Diamond}}''
|Lady Margaret
|
|-
|1944
|''[[Two Thousand Women]]''
|Maud Wright
|
|-
|1951
|''[[Lady Godiva Rides Again]]''
|Beattie
|AKA, ''Bikini Baby''
|-
|1954
|''{{sortname|The|Belles of St. Trinian's}}''
|Miss Brimmer
|
|-
|1955
|''[[Track the Man Down]]''
|Pat Sherwood
|
|-
|1956
|''{{sortname|A|Town Like Alice|A Town Like Alice (1956 film)}}''
|Ebbey
|
|-
|1956
|''{{sortname|The|Big Money|The Big Money (film)}}''
|Bobbie
|
|-
|1957
|''[[Time Without Pity]]''
|Mrs. Harker
|
|-
|1958
|''{{sortname|The|Horse's Mouth|The Horse's Mouth (film)}}''
|Sara Monday
|
|-
|1958
|''Them Nice Americans''
|Mrs. Adams
|
|-
|1960
|''{{sortname|The|Flesh and the Fiends}}''
|Helen Burke
|
|-
|1960
|''[[And the Same to You]]''
|Mildred Pomphret
|
|-
|1961
|''[[Three on a Spree]]''
|Mrs. Gray
|
|-
|1961
|''[[Watch it, Sailor!]]''
|Mrs. Mottram
|
|-
|1961
|''[[No My Darling Daughter]]''
|Miss Yardley
|
|-
|1962
|''{{sortname|The|Phantom of the Opera|The Phantom of the Opera (1962 film)}}''
|Mrs. Tucker
|
|-
|1962
|''Fog for the Killer''
|Ma Johnson
|
|-
|1963
|''[[Nurse on Wheels]]''
|Mrs. Beacon
|
|-
|1963
|''{{sortname|The|Rescue Squad|nolink=1}}''
|Mrs. Manse
|
|-
|1963
|''[[Tomorrow at Ten]]''
|Masie Maddox
|
|-
|1963
|''[[Carry On Cabby]]''
|Molly
|
|-
|1964
|''[[Carry On Spying]]''
|Madame
|
|-
|1965
|''[[Repulsion (film)|Repulsion]]''
|Miss Balch
|
|-
|1966
|''[[Cul-de-sac (1966 film)|Cul-de-sac]]''
|Christopher's Mother
|
|-
|1966
|''[[Secrets of a Windmill Girl]]''
|Molly
|
|-
|1966
|''{{sortname|The|Spy with a Cold Nose}}''
|Lady Blanchflower
|
|-
|1971
|''[[Carry On at Your Convenience]]''
|Agatha Spanner
|
|-
|1975
|''[[Legend of the Werewolf]]''
|Chou-Chou
|
|}

===Television===
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! Year
! Title
! Role
! class="unsortable" | Notes
|-
|1956–57
|''ITV Television Playhouse''
|Mrs. MacDonald, Marthy
|Episodes: "The Blood Is Strong", "Anna Christie"
|-
|1957
|''{{sortname|The|Errol Flynn Theatre}}''
|Mrs. Bridie
|Episode: "Take the High Road"
|-
|1957
|''[[Armchair Theatre]]''
|Ethel Watts
|Episode: "Rappaport Always Pays"
|-
|1957
|''[[Anna Christie]]''
|Marthy
|TV film
|-
|1957–58
|''[[Sunday Night Theatre]]''
|Vi Vining, Bessie
|Episodes: "The Day's Mischief", "A Nest of Robins"
|-
|1960
|''[[Maigret (1960 TV series)|Maigret]]''
|Madame Ja Ja
|Episode: "Liberty Bar"
|-
|1960–61
|''[[No Hiding Place]]''
|Grannie Wheedon, Mrs. Lacey
|Episodes: "Footsteps on the Ceiling", "Fever"
|-
|1961
|''Doctor Knock''
|Madame Remy
|Episode: "Act 3"
|-
|1962
|''Dinner with the Family''
|Madame de Montrachet
|TV film
|-
|1962
|''{{sortname|A|Matter of Conscience|nolink=1}}''
|Korableva
|TV film
|-
|1962
|''[[Man of the World (TV series)|Man of the World]]''
|Mrs. Van Kempson
|Episode: "The Runaways"
|-
|1963
|''[[Z-Cars]]''
|Big Rosie
|Episode: "Scare"
|-
|1963
|''[[Taxi! (UK TV series)|Taxi!]]''
|Gig Lambert
|Episode: "Barricades in Bailey Street"
|-
|1963–64
|''{{sortname|The|Saint|The Saint (TV series)}}''
|Ida Warshed, Mrs. McAlister
|Episodes: "The Gentle Ladies", "The Wonderful War"
|-
|1964, 1967
|''[[Dr. Finlay's Casebook]]''
|Mrs. Bright, Mrs. Johnston
|Episodes: "My Late Dear Husband", "Over My Dead Body"
|-
|1966
|''[[Dixon of Dock Green]]''
|Mrs. Loman
|Episode: "Death of a Donkeyman"
|-
|1966
|''[[ITV Play of the Week]]''
|Mother Brinicombe
|Episode: "The First Thunder"
|-
|1966
|''Knock on Any Door''
|Marion Scoullar
|Episode: "The Dear Ones"
|-
|1967
|''Trapped''
|Ivy
|Episode: "Goodnight Mrs Dill"
|-
|1967
|''River Rivals''
|Mrs. Fredericks
|TV series
|-
|1969
|''W. Somerset Maugham''
|"Frank" Hickson
|Episode: "The Three Fat Women of Antibes"
|-
|1969
|''[[Doctor in the House (TV series)|Doctor in the House]]''
|Mrs. Muir
|Episodes: "Peace and Quiet", "If In Doubt - Cut It Out!"
|-
|1969
|''[[ITV Sunday Night Theatre]]''
|Olive
|Episode: "The Comic"
|-
|1973
|''[[Special Branch (TV series)|Special Branch]]''
|Scotswoman
|Episode: "You Won't Remember Me"
|}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==Bibliography==
* ''[[Halliwell's Who's Who in the Movies]]'' [[HarperCollins]] {{ISBN|0-06-093507-3}}
* ''Renée Houston: Spirit of the Irresistibles by Miranda Brooke'' Tempest Time {{ISBN|978-1-5262-0636-7}}

== External links ==
* {{IMDb name|id=0396881}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Houston, Renee}}
[[Category:1902 births]]
[[Category:1980 deaths]]
[[Category:Scottish film actresses]]
[[Category:Scottish television actresses]]
[[Category:Scottish women comedians]]
[[Category:Vaudeville performers]]
[[Category:People from Johnstone]]
[[Category:20th-century Scottish actresses]]
[[Category:20th-century British comedians]]

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Renée Houston