Dinah Sheridan

Dinah Sheridan
Born	Dinah Nadyejda Ginsburg (1920-09-17)17 September 1920 Hampstead, London, England
Died	25 November 2012(2012-11-25) (aged 92) Northwood, London, England
Occupation	Actress
Years active	1932–54; then 1965-99
Spouse(s)	Jimmy Hanley (m. 1942–1952; divorced) John Davis (m. 1954–1965; divorced) John Merivale (m. 1986–1990; his death) Aubrey Ison (m. 1992–2007; his death)
Children	Jeremy Hanley Jenny Hanley

Dinah Sheridan (17 September 1920 – 25 November 2012)^[1] was an English actress with a career spanning seven decades. She was best known for the films Genevieve (1953) and The Railway Children (1970); the long-running BBC comedy series Don't Wait Up (1983–90); and for her distinguished theatre career in the West End.

Early life and career

Sheridan was born Dinah Nadyejda Ginsburg^[2] in Hampstead Garden Suburb to Charlotte Lisa (née Everth; 1893–1966) and James Ginsburg (1893–1958).^[3][4][5]

Her father was born in Osaka, Japan, to a Jewish father of Russian descent. Her mother was born in Kew, Surrey, to parents of German descent.^[3][5] Her parents were photographers commissioned as "Studio Lisa" by the Queen Mother and her daughter, Elizabeth II to photograph the royal family and such events as royal pantomimes.^[4] She was educated at Sherrards School in Welwyn Garden City, Hertfordshire and the Italia Conti Stage School.^[3]

In 1932, at age 11, she debuted professionally in Where the Rainbow Ends at the Holborn Empire. She changed her name to Dinah Sheridan, which she selected from a phone book, to play Wendy, at the age of 14, in a long-running theatrical production of Peter Pan starring Jean Forbes-Robertson. Dinah became the first actress to play both Peter Pan and Wendy, touring between 1934–36 and taking the show to Stratford-upon-Avon. Her parents changed their surname to Sheridan at the same time. Her first feature film was Give My Heart (1935).^[4]

She was one of the first actresses to appear on television in 1936 when the medium was in its infancy, interviewed on the BBC TV magazine programme Picture Page, acting with Robert Helpmann in 'The Maker of Dreams' (1937), and in 'Gallows Glorious', the first ever three-Act play on television (1938). Dinah's early films, included Father Steps Out (1937) and she had starring role the following year in Irish and Proud of It.^[4]

She postponed her acting career to serve for two years as an ambulance driver at the start of World War II.^[6] at Welwyn Garden City, where she participated in repertory theatre.^[4] After marrying Jimmy Hanley in 1942, she appeared in several films with him.^[6] Notable films in the 1940s Salute John Citizen, Get Cracking (with George Formby), Murder in Reverse and 'The story of Shirley Yorke'. At the end of the decade, she played Jane Huggett in The Huggetts Abroad and appeared as "Steve" in two Paul Temple films, Calling Paul Temple (1948) and Paul Temple's Triumph (1950).

She received wide recognition for her acting in 1951 as the game warden’s wife in a film about African wildlife, Where No Vultures Fly. The film was notable for being largely shot on location in Africa. Although a fictional story, it was inspired by the events and life of Mervyn Cowie who had recently fought to establish the National Parks of Kenya. Given a Royal Premiere, it became one of the UK box office hits of the year. Dinah followed this with playing the second female lead in David Lean's acclaimed 'The Sound Barrier' (1952) which won several awards including three BAFTAs, an Academy Award and a New York Critics Circle award. In interviews Dinah spoke of how she was very happy to take a supporting role to Ann Todd in order to be directed by Lean. Sheridan then starred opposite Dirk Bogarde in 'Appointment in London' (1952) and had a featured role as Grace Marston inThe Story of Gilbert and Sullivan which was made as part of the Coronation celebrations of 1953.^[4] One of her enduringly popular roles was as Wendy McKim in the comedy Genevieve (1953), where her "comic instinct and control were precise and stylish.".^[4] Her other most memorable screen role was as Mrs Waterbury, the mother of the 'Railway Children' in the famous film The Railway Children (1970).^[4] She made only one more cinema film after The Railway Children, The Mirror Crack'd (1980), which starred Elizabeth Taylor and Rock Hudson, with Angela Lansbury as Miss Marple.^[4] That role was an atmospheric cameo appearance with Anthony Steel and Nigel Stock in the 'film within a film' 'Murder at Midnight'.

Return to the stage

Dinah Sheridan's second husband, film executive John Davis, whom she married in 1954, insisted that she quit acting and stay at home with her children. After their 1965 divorce (which was granted to Sheridan on the grounds of cruelty), she resumed her career with Let’s All Go Down the Strand (1967, alongside Gladys Cooper and Evelyn Laye). That began a prolonged period of success in London's West End, with leading roles in 'A Boston Story' (1968, opposite Tony Britton); 'Out of the Question' (1969, again opposite Dame Gladys Cooper), 'Move Over Mrs Markham' (1972, again opposite Tony Britton), The Card (1973, opposite Jim Dale), The Pleasure of His Company (1976 revival, starring opposite Douglas Fairbanks Jr), A Murder Is Announced (1977, opposite Dulcie Gray), and Present Laughter (1981, opposite Donald Sinden).^[4]

During 1978, she starred alongside John Gielgud in 'Half Life' at the Duke of York's Theatre, London, before they both took the play to Toronto, Canada. Other theatre credits included 'Softly, Goldfish Mating' (1971, with Patrick Macnee, touring UK), 'Star Quality' (1982/83 at the Theatre Royal Bath), 'The Apple Cart' (1985/86, with Peter O'Toole, firstly in Bath, then the West End), and 'The Kingfisher' (1992, Theatre Royal Bath and touring the UK).

Television

Having made television history by appearing in the first major TV play and being the first actor interviewee in the 1930s, Dinah worked extensively in the medium later in her career. Roles included guest appearances in popular series of the time including 'Marked Personal', 'Crown Court', 'Zodiac', 'Sykes' and 'Village Hall'. She also featured in several major television plays (BBC TV's Play of the Month and Play for Today) most notably the Rudolph Cartier production of 'An Ideal Husband' (BBC TV, 1969) with Margaret Leighton, Keith Michell, Jeremy Brett and Susan Hampshire; and 'Loyalties' (1976) by John Galsworthy. In 1983 she made a guest appearance in the BBC science fiction television series Doctor Who as the Time Lady Chancellor Flavia in the 20th anniversary special, "The Five Doctors".

Sheridan was the subject of the UK TV show This Is Your Life in 1979, with guests in the studio including John Gielgud, Evelyn Laye, Douglas Fairbanks Jr and Betty Marsden, and filmed tributes from Dirk Bogarde and Tony Britton.

She co-starred with long-standing friend and colleague Tony Britton and Nigel Havers in British sitcom, Don't Wait Up (1983–90, BBC TV)^[6] which had audiences of over 15 million. She was a regular in the ITV series The Winning Streak (1985) and Just Us (1992), and the BBC 1994 comedy series All Night Long.^[6] She made a memorable guest appearance as Dotty Mayhew in BBC TV's 'Lovejoy' special 'The Prague Sun', which also featured Donald Pleasence and Peter Vaughan. Her last role was in 1999 as Kathleen Gilmore in the Jonathan Creek television episode "Miracle in Crooked Lane".^[4]

Sheridan died peacefully at her home in Northwood, London, on 25 November 2012, aged 92.^[6]

Private life

Sheridan married four times: first to actor Jimmy Hanley (1942–1952), with whom she had three children, then to business executive John Davis (1954–1965), then to actor John Merivale (1986–1990, his death) and finally to Aubrey Ison (1992–2007, his death). During her marriage to Aubrey Ison, the couple lived in Palm Desert, California, returning to the UK in 2007.

Her son Jeremy Hanley became an accountant, Conservative Party Chairman and government minister under John Major's administration. Her daughter Jenny Hanley became an actress and a co-presenter of the British television series Magpie. Another daughter died in infancy.^[6] Throughout her life she remained close friends and correspondent with several former co-stars, particularly Dame Gladys Cooper, Sir John Gielgud, Douglas Fairbanks Jr and Sir Dirk Bogarde. Cooper was the stepmother of actor John (Jack) Merivale, Dinah's long-time partner (1968–86) and later husband (1986-90, his death). For many years John Merivale required kidney dialysis which Dinah learnt to perform at home.

Filmography

References

Further reading

• Sheridan, Lisa. From cabbages to kings: the autobiography of Lisa Sheridan. Odhams Press (1955); ASIN: B00563O2OG (paperback)

External links

• Dinah Sheridan at the Internet Movie Database
• Dinah Sheridan recalls her appearance on This Is Your Life