| Renée Asherson | |
|---|---|
| Born | Dorothy Renée Ascherson 19 May 1915 [1] Kensington, London, England, UK |
| Years active | 1939–2001 |
| Spouse | Robert Donat (1953-1958; his death) |
Renée Asherson (born 19 May 1915), born Dorothy Renée Ascherson, is an English actress of stage, film and television.
Much of Asherson's theatrical career was spent in Shakespearean plays, appearing at such venues as the Old Vic, the Liverpool Playhouse and the Westminster Theatre. Her first stage appearance was on 17 October 1935, aged 20, and her first major film appearance was in the 1944 film The Way Ahead. Her most recent film appearance was in 2001's The Others, directed by Alejandro Amenábar.
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She was born Dorothy Renée Ascherson in Kensington, London, England[1] to Jewish parents, Charles Stephen Ascherson and Dorothy Lilian Ascherson (née Wiseman). She was brought up in Gerards Cross and in Switzerland and Anjou, and later trained for the stage at the Webber Douglas Academy of Dramatic Art.[2]
She was married to fellow actor Robert Donat, with whom she had appeared in The Magic Box, from 1953 until his death in 1958. They had no children.[3]
Asherson made her first stage appearance on 17 October 1935, as a walk-on in John Gielgud's production of Romeo and Juliet, though she was also the second understudy for Juliet Capulet.[2] For eighteen months from 1937 through 1938, Asherson was a member of the Birmingham Repertory Theatre company. She first appeared at the Old Vic theatre in May 1940 as Iris in The Tempest. Asherson toured with the Old Vic company from 1940 through 1941 in the roles of Kate Hardcastle in She Stoops to Conquer, Maria in Twelfth Night, Nerissa in The Merchant of Venice, and Blanche in The Life and Death of King John. Asherson appeared at the New Theatre as Blanche in July 1941 before resuming her tour with the Old Vic company.[2]
In 1942, Asherson continued her work in Shakespearean plays at three theaters: the New Theatre, the Liverpool Playhouse, and the Westminster Theatre. The following year, she appeared in two non-Shakespearean roles: Henriette Duquesnoy in The Mask of Virtue at the Mercury Theatre and Rose in Lottie Dundass at the Vaudeville Theatre. She returned to the New Theatre for the 1947–1948 season, appearing in such roles as Bianca in The Taming of the Shrew, The Queen in Richard II, and Marya Antonovna in Nikolai Gogol's The Government Inspector. Other venues at which Asherson has appeared include the Apollo Theatre in 1956, the Criterion Theatre also in 1956, St Martin's Theatre in 1962, the Savoy Theatre in 1963 and 1977, and the York Theatre Royal in 1973 and 1976.[2]
Asherson's first major film appearance was in the 1944 Second World War film The Way Ahead as Marjorie Gillingham. In her second film appearance, she drew from her experience as a Shakespearean actress as she played Princess Katherine in Laurence Olivier's film adaption of Henry V. Also, in 1945, Asherson played Iris in The Way to the Stars (starring John Mills).[4] In 1952, Asherson appeared in the British Academy Award-nominated film The Magic Box alongside Robert Donat, whom she would later marry.[5] In 1973, Asherson appeared in the Douglas Hickox horror film Theater of Blood. Asherson made an appearance in the 1999 award-winning Grey Owl. Asherson's last-known film appearance came two years later in the role of the "Old Lady" in Alejandro Amenábar's 2001 film The Others.[6]
Renée Asherson has also had an extensive career in television. Her first television appearance was in the role of Sybil in Smiling at Grief in 1939. In 1952, Asherson portrayed Queen Victoria in the BBC drama series Happy and Glorious. From 1953 through 1956, she appeared in five episodes of Douglas Fairbanks, Jr., Presents.
In 1978, Asherson portrayed Mother Ancilla in the Quiet as a Nun series of Armchair Thriller. Asherson was interviewed in the series The British Greats in 1980. In 1981, Asherson played the role of Sylvia Ashburton in the first season of Tenko.[7]
In 1985 Miss Asherson played Dora Bunner in 'A Murder is Announced', the third of the BBC television 'Miss Marple' stories, starring Joan Hickson. In 1997, she played Emily Simpson in 'The Killings at Badger's Drift', the first episode in the long running Midsomer Murders series.