Kathleen Harrison: Difference between revisions
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{{Short description|English actress (1892–1995)}} | {{Short description|English actress (1892–1995)}} | ||
{{Infobox person | {{Infobox person | ||
| image = Kathleen Harrison.jpg | | image = Kathleen Harrison.jpg | ||
| birth_name = | | birth_name = | ||
| birth_date = {{Birth date|df=yes|1892|02|23}} | | birth_date = {{Birth date|df=yes|1892|02|23}} | ||
| birth_place = [[Blackburn]], [[Lancashire]], England | | birth_place = [[w:Blackburn|Blackburn]], [[w:Lancashire|Lancashire]], England | ||
| death_date = {{Death date and age|df=yes|1995|12|07|1892|02|23}} | | death_date = {{Death date and age|df=yes|1995|12|07|1892|02|23}} | ||
| death_place = [[London Borough of Merton|Merton]], [[London]], England | | death_place = [[w:London Borough of Merton|Merton]], [[w:London|London]], England | ||
| occupation = Actress | | occupation = Actress | ||
| yearsactive = 1915–79 | | yearsactive = 1915–79 | ||
| spouse = John Henry Back | | spouse = {{Marriage|John Henry Back|1916|1961|end=d.}} | ||
| children = 3 | | children = 3 | ||
}} | }} | ||
'''Kathleen Harrison''' (23 February 1892 – 7 December 1995) was a prolific English [[character actress]] best remembered for her role as Mrs. Huggett (opposite [[Jack Warner (actor)|Jack Warner]] and [[Petula Clark]]) in a trio of British post-war comedies about a working-class family's misadventures, The Huggetts. She later played the charwoman Mrs. Dilber opposite [[Alastair Sim]] in the 1951 film ''[[Scrooge (1951 film)|Scrooge]]'' (US: ''A Christmas Carol'', 1951) and a Cockney [[charwoman]] who inherits a fortune in the television series ''[[Mrs Thursday]]'' (1966–67). | '''Kathleen Harrison''' (23 February 1892 – 7 December 1995) was a prolific English [[w:character actress]] best remembered for her role as Mrs. Huggett (opposite [[Jack Warner (actor)|Jack Warner]] and [[w:Petula Clark|Petula Clark]]) in a trio of British post-war comedies about a working-class family's misadventures, The Huggetts. She later played the charwoman Mrs. Dilber opposite [[Alastair Sim]] in the 1951 film ''[[w:Scrooge (1951 film)|Scrooge]]'' (US: ''A Christmas Carol'', 1951) and a Cockney [[w:charwoman|charwoman]] who inherits a fortune in the television series ''[[w:Mrs Thursday|Mrs Thursday]]'' (1966–67). | ||
==Life and career== | ==Life and career== | ||
Born in [[Blackburn]], [[Lancashire]], Harrison was brought up in London, her father having become borough engineer for Southwark. She was educated at Clapham high school before training at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (1914–15).<ref name="ODNB">{{Cite ODNB|id=60364|title=Harrison, Kathleen (1892–1995)}}</ref> She spent some years living in [[Argentina]] and [[Madeira]] before making her professional acting debut in the UK in the 1920s.<ref name="obituary"/> | Born in [[w:Blackburn|Blackburn]], [[w:Lancashire|Lancashire]], Harrison was brought up in London, her father having become borough engineer for Southwark. She was educated at Clapham high school before training at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (1914–15).<ref name="ODNB">{{Cite ODNB|id=60364|title=Harrison, Kathleen (1892–1995)}}</ref> She spent some years living in [[w:Argentina|Argentina]] and [[w:Madeira|Madeira]] before making her professional acting debut in the UK in the 1920s.<ref name="obituary"/> | ||
Harrison made her stage debut as Mrs. Judd in ''The Constant Flirt'' at the Pier Theatre, [[Eastbourne]] in 1926. The following year she appeared in London's West End for the first time as Winnie in ''The Cage'' at the [[Savoy Theatre]]. Her subsequent West End plays included ''A Damsel in Distress'', ''Happy Families'', ''The Merchant and Venus'', ''Lovers' Meeting'', ''Line Engaged'', ''[[Night Must Fall]]''—also acting in the [[Night Must Fall (1937 film)|1937 film version]]—''[[Flare Path (play)|Flare Path]]'', ''[[Ducks and Drakes (play)|Ducks and Drakes]]'', ''[[The Winslow Boy]]'' and ''Watch It Sailor!''. | Harrison made her stage debut as Mrs. Judd in ''The Constant Flirt'' at the Pier Theatre, [[w:Eastbourne|Eastbourne]] in 1926. The following year she appeared in London's West End for the first time as Winnie in ''The Cage'' at the [[w:Savoy Theatre|Savoy Theatre]]. Her subsequent West End plays included ''A Damsel in Distress'', ''Happy Families'', ''The Merchant and Venus'', ''Lovers' Meeting'', ''Line Engaged'', ''[[w:Night Must Fall|Night Must Fall]]''—also acting in the [[w:Night Must Fall (1937 film)|1937 film version]]—''[[w:Flare Path (play)|Flare Path]]'', ''[[w:Ducks and Drakes (play)|Ducks and Drakes]]'', ''[[w:The Winslow Boy|The Winslow Boy]]'' and ''Watch It Sailor!''. | ||
She had already made her film debut with a minor role in ''Our Boys'' (1915), when she appeared in the film ''[[Hobson's Choice (1931 film)|Hobson's Choice]]'' (1931). Another 50 films followed, including ''[[Gaslight (1940 film)|Gaslight]]'' (1940), ''[[In Which We Serve]]'' (1942) and ''[[Caesar and Cleopatra (film)|Caesar and Cleopatra]]'' (1945), before making her name in later films. | She had already made her film debut with a minor role in ''Our Boys'' (1915), when she appeared in the film ''[[w:Hobson's Choice (1931 film)|Hobson's Choice]]'' (1931). Another 50 films followed, including ''[[w:Gaslight (1940 film)|Gaslight]]'' (1940), ''[[w:In Which We Serve|In Which We Serve]]'' (1942) and ''[[w:Caesar and Cleopatra (film)|Caesar and Cleopatra]]'' (1945), before making her name in later films. | ||
Before and during [[World War II]], she played small parts in numerous British films, including ''[[The Ghost Train (1941 film)|The Ghost Train]]'' (1941), ''[[Temptation Harbour]]'' (1947), and ''[[Oliver Twist (1948 film)|Oliver Twist]]'' (1948), and had a small but scene-stealing role as Mrs. Dilber in ''[[Scrooge (1951 film)|Scrooge]]'' (US: ''A Christmas Carol'', 1951). | Before and during [[w:World War II|World War II]], she played small parts in numerous British films, including ''[[w:The Ghost Train (1941 film)|The Ghost Train]]'' (1941), ''[[w:Temptation Harbour|Temptation Harbour]]'' (1947), and ''[[w:Oliver Twist (1948 film)|Oliver Twist]]'' (1948), and had a small but scene-stealing role as Mrs. Dilber in ''[[w:Scrooge (1951 film)|Scrooge]]'' (US: ''A Christmas Carol'', 1951). | ||
Harrison also played Kaney in ''[[The Ghoul (1933 film)|The Ghoul]]'' (1933) and the [[matriarch]] in ''[[Mrs. Gibbons' | Harrison also played Kaney in ''[[w:The Ghoul (1933 film)|The Ghoul]]'' (1933) and the [[w:matriarch|matriarch]] in ''[[w:Mrs. Gibbons' Boy|s]]'' (1962), as well as two BBC productions of [[Charles Dickens]]'s novels, ''[[Martin Chuzzlewit (1964 TV series)|Martin Chuzzlewit]]'' (1964) and ''[[Our Mutual Friend (1976 TV serial)|Our Mutual Friend]]'' (1976). She later commented that Dickens was her favourite author. As her cinema appearances became more infrequent, Harrison turned to television. She starred on television as ''[[Mrs Thursday]]'' (1966–67), a [[charwoman]] who inherits £10 million and the controlling interest in a major company. | ||
===The Huggett family=== | ===The Huggett family=== | ||
| Line 140: | Line 137: | ||
*{{IMDb name|0365692}} | *{{IMDb name|0365692}} | ||
{{DEFAULTSORT:Harrison, Kathleen}} | {{DEFAULTSORT:Harrison, Kathleen}} | ||
Revision as of 09:30, 13 December 2022
Kathleen Harrison | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | 23 February 1892 Blackburn, Lancashire, England |
| Died | 7 December 1995 (aged 103) |
| Occupation | Actress |
| Years active | 1915–79 |
| Spouse |
John Henry Back
(m. 1916; died 1961) |
| Children | 3 |
Kathleen Harrison (23 February 1892 – 7 December 1995) was a prolific English w:character actress best remembered for her role as Mrs. Huggett (opposite Jack Warner and Petula Clark) in a trio of British post-war comedies about a working-class family's misadventures, The Huggetts. She later played the charwoman Mrs. Dilber opposite Alastair Sim in the 1951 film Scrooge (US: A Christmas Carol, 1951) and a Cockney charwoman who inherits a fortune in the television series Mrs Thursday (1966–67).
Life and career
Born in Blackburn, Lancashire, Harrison was brought up in London, her father having become borough engineer for Southwark. She was educated at Clapham high school before training at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (1914–15).[1] She spent some years living in Argentina and Madeira before making her professional acting debut in the UK in the 1920s.[2]
Harrison made her stage debut as Mrs. Judd in The Constant Flirt at the Pier Theatre, Eastbourne in 1926. The following year she appeared in London's West End for the first time as Winnie in The Cage at the Savoy Theatre. Her subsequent West End plays included A Damsel in Distress, Happy Families, The Merchant and Venus, Lovers' Meeting, Line Engaged, Night Must Fall—also acting in the 1937 film version—Flare Path, Ducks and Drakes, The Winslow Boy and Watch It Sailor!.
She had already made her film debut with a minor role in Our Boys (1915), when she appeared in the film Hobson's Choice (1931). Another 50 films followed, including Gaslight (1940), In Which We Serve (1942) and Caesar and Cleopatra (1945), before making her name in later films.
Before and during World War II, she played small parts in numerous British films, including The Ghost Train (1941), Temptation Harbour (1947), and Oliver Twist (1948), and had a small but scene-stealing role as Mrs. Dilber in Scrooge (US: A Christmas Carol, 1951).
Harrison also played Kaney in The Ghoul (1933) and the matriarch in s (1962), as well as two BBC productions of Charles Dickens's novels, Martin Chuzzlewit (1964) and Our Mutual Friend (1976). She later commented that Dickens was her favourite author. As her cinema appearances became more infrequent, Harrison turned to television. She starred on television as Mrs Thursday (1966–67), a charwoman who inherits £10 million and the controlling interest in a major company.
The Huggett family
The Huggett family made their first appearance in Holiday Camp (1947). Harrison played the London East End charwoman Mrs Huggett. The actress continued with the role, alongside Jack Warner as her screen husband, in Here Come the Huggetts (1948), Vote for Huggett and The Huggetts Abroad (both 1949), as well as a radio series, Meet the Huggetts, which ran from 1953 to 1961.[3] Although disliked by critics, almost immediately it became one of the most popular programmes of its day. Harrison turned down the title role in writer Jeremy Sandford's Play for Today Edna, the Inebriate Woman (1971).
Harrison also starred with Warner in the film Home and Away (1956), about a working-class family that wins the football pools.
Personal life
Harrison married John Henry Beck in 1916; the couple had three children, two sons, and a daughter. She always pretended to be six years younger than her age, but in 1992 she owned up to reaching 100 and received her telegram from the Queen. Harrison died in 1995 at the age of 103. She was predeceased by her husband, John, and a son.[2]
Filmography
References
- ^ "Harrison, Kathleen (1892–1995)". Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (online ed.). Oxford University Press. doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/60364. (Subscription or UK public library membership required.)
- ^ a b Hayward, Anthony (8 December 1995). "Obituary: Kathleen Harrison". The Independent. Retrieved 2009-05-18.
- ^ "Meet The Huggetts". RadioEchoes.com. 1954–1961. Retrieved 2019-01-25.
- ^ Release date for The Magic Box, in IMDb.
External links
- Pages with script errors
- GSD articles incorporating a citation from the ODNB
- Pages using cite ODNB with id parameter
- Articles with short description
- Articles with hatnote templates targeting a nonexistent page
- 1892 births
- 1995 deaths
- Alumni of the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art
- English film actresses
- English television actresses
- 20th-century English actresses
- People from Blackburn
- English centenarians
- Women centenarians
