Valerie Hobson

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Valerie Hobson.

Valerie Hobson (April 14, 1917 – November 13, 1998) was a British actress, who appeared in a number of British films during the 1940s and 1950s. She was born Babette Valerie Louise Hobson in Larne, County Antrim, Ireland (later to become part of Northern Ireland.)

She appeared as Baroness Frankenstein in The Bride of Frankenstein (1935) with Boris Karloff and Colin Clive, taking over the role from Mae Clarke, who had played it in the original Frankenstein (1932). (This role should not be confused with that of the Monster's Mate, played by Elsa Lanchester.) Hobson also played opposite Henry Hull that same year in Werewolf of London, the first Hollywood werewolf movie, predating The Wolf Man by six years.

She was well-known for playing the elder Estella in David Lean's Great Expectations (1946). Her best-known performance was as the "good" girl in the comedy, Kind Hearts and Coronets (1949).

In 1952 she divorced her first husband, the film producer Sir Anthony Havelock-Allan (1904-2003), and married the MP John Profumo, giving up acting shortly afterwards. After Profumo's ministerial career ended in disgrace in 1963, following revelations he had lied to the House of Commons about his affair with Christine Keeler, she stood by him, and they worked together for charity for the remainder of her life.