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Phyllis Calvert
Actor

Phyllis Calvert

18 Feb 1915Born
8 Oct 2002Died
87Age at death
63Credits

Biography

Phyllis Calvert (18 February 1915 – 8 October 2002) was an English film, stage and television actress.

Born Phyllis Hannah Bickle in Chelsea, she trained at the Margaret Morris School of Dancing and performed from the age of ten, gaining her first film role at the age of 12, in The Arcadians (1927), also known as The Land of Heart's Desire. Calvert performed in repertory theatre and in several films, before making her London stage debut in A Woman's Privilege in 1939.

During the following decade, she starred in many romances, including Fanny by Gaslight, with James Mason and Stewart Granger, and My Own True Love, becoming one of Britain's highest paid stars.

Read the full biography

However, three Hollywood studios failed to pay her what she asked.

She first found success in the film adaptation of H. G. Wells' Kipps (1941), but it was The Man in Grey (1943) that confirmed her status.

She acted in over 40 films, her later films include Oh! What a Lovely War and The Walking Stick. Calvert had already appeared on television, playing Mrs. March in the 1958 serials Little Women and Good Wives (both adapted from Louisa May Alcott's novel Little Women), as well as individual episodes of several other programmes, when, in 1970, she landed the part of an agony aunt with problems of her own in Kate. She made TV appearances in programmes such as Crown Court, Ladykillers, Tales of the Unexpected, Boon, After Henry and The Line Grove Story.

She was married to the actor and antiquarian bookseller Peter Murray Hill, with whom she had two children, Ann Auriol (born 1943) and Piers Auriol (born 1954). She died in London in 2002, from natural causes, aged 87.

Known for

Filmography

  1. 1997Mrs. DallowayFilm: Aunt Helena
  2. 1997Midsomer MurdersSeries: Alice Bly (1 episode)
  3. 1995BedFilm: Couple Woman
  4. 1994The Memoirs of Sherlock HolmesSeries: Agnes Garrideb (1 episode)
  5. 1991Jute CitySeries: Lady Muircross (3 episodes)
  6. 1991PerformanceSeries: Woman (1 episode)
  7. 1991The House of EliottSeries: Mrs Gurney (1 episode)
  8. 1989Victoria WoodSeries: Hilary (1 episode)
  9. 1988Across the LakeFilm: Lady Dolly Campbell
  10. 1988The Woman He LovedFilm: Queen Mary
  11. 1988After HenrySeries: Auntie Lilian (2 episodes)
  12. 1987The Death of the HeartFilm: Mrs. Heccomb
  13. 1987A Killing on the ExchangeSeries: Alison Tyndall (3 episodes)
  14. 1986All Passion SpentFilm: Carrie
  15. 1986All Passion SpentSeries: Carrie (3 episodes)
  16. 1986Fifties Features - The Women behind the PicturesSeries (1 episode)
  17. 1986CasualtySeries: Mary (1 episode)
  18. 1985A Month in the CountryFilm: Anna
  19. 1985Cover Her FaceSeries: Eleanor Maxie (6 episodes)
  20. 1984Sherlock HolmesSeries: Agnes Garrideb (1 episode)
  21. 1980Lady KillersSeries: Rosaline Fox (1 episode)
  22. 1979Tales of the UnexpectedSeries: Mabel Ince (1 episode)
  23. 1970The Walking StickFilm: Erica Dainton
  24. 1970KateSeries: Kate Graham (38 episodes)
  25. 1969Oh! What a Lovely WarFilm: Lady Dorothy Haig
  26. 1968Twisted NerveFilm: Enid Durnley
  27. 1967ITV PlayhouseSeries: Mrs Radcliffe (1 episode)
  28. 1965The Battle of the Villa FioritaFilm: Margot
  29. 1960Oscar WildeFilm: Constance Wilde
  30. 1958IndiscreetFilm: Mrs. Margaret Munson
  31. 1958The Young and the GuiltyFilm: Gladys Connor
  32. 1958A Lady MislaidFilm: Esther Wallace
  33. 1957Overseas Press Club - Exclusive!Series: Tatiana (1 episode)
  34. 1956Child in the HouseFilm: Evelyn Acheson
  35. 1956Armchair TheatreSeries: Esther Ross (1 episode)
  36. 1956It's Never Too LateFilm: Laura Hammond
  37. 1953The NetFilm: Lydia Heathley
  38. 1952The PostmanFilm
  39. 1952MandyFilm: Christine Garland
  40. 1951Mr. Denning Drives NorthFilm: Kay Denning
  41. 1950The Woman with No NameFilm: Yvonne Winter
  42. 1950Appointment with DangerFilm: Sister Augustine
  43. 1949The Golden MadonnaFilm: Patricia Chandler
  44. 1948My Own True LoveFilm: Joan Clews
  45. 1948Broken JourneyFilm: Mary Johnstone
  46. 1947Time Out of MindFilm: Kate Fernald
  47. 1947The Root of All EvilFilm: Jeckie Farnish
  48. 1946The Magic BowFilm: Jeanne
  49. 1946Men of Two WorldsFilm: Dr. Caroline Munro
  50. 1945They Were SistersFilm: Lucy Moore
  51. 1945Madonna of the Seven MoonsFilm: Maddalena Labardi
  52. 1944Two Thousand WomenFilm: Freda Thompson
  53. 1944Fanny by GaslightFilm: Fanny
  54. 1943The Man in GreyFilm: Clarissa Richmond Rohan / Clarissa Rohan
  55. 1942The Young Mr. PittFilm: Eleanor Eden
  56. 1942UncensoredFilm: Julie Lanvin
  57. 1941KippsFilm: Ann Pornick (adult)
  58. 1941Inspector Hornleigh Goes to ItFilm: Mrs. Wilkinson
  59. 1940Neutral PortFilm: Helen Carter
  60. 1940Charley's (Big-Hearted) AuntFilm: Betty Forsythe
  61. 1940Let George Do It!Film: Mary Wilson
  62. 1940They Came by NightFilm: Sally
  63. 1940Two Days to LiveFilm: Joyce

Biography and credits from TMDB. This website uses TMDB and the TMDB APIs but is not endorsed, certified, or otherwise approved by TMDB.