Diana Dill

Diana Dill

Diana Dill
Born Diana Love Dill
January 22, 1923
Bermuda
Occupation Actress
Years active 1942–2008
Spouse(s) Kirk Douglas (1943–1951)
Bill Darrid (1956–1992; his death)
Donald Albert Webster (2002–present)
Parent(s) Thomas Melville Dill
Ruth Rapalje (neé Neilson)

Diana Love Dill (born January 22, 1923)[1] is a Bermudian-born American actress who has also appeared professionally under the names Diana Douglas and Diana Douglas Darrid.

Personal life

Dill was born in Devonshire, Bermuda. Her mother was Ruth Rapalje (née Neilson), with roots in New Jersey, and her father, Lieutenant-Colonel Thomas Melville Dill (also the name of her great-grandfather, a mariner), was a former Member of the Colonial Parliament (MCP) (representing the Parish of Devonshire in the Parliament of Bermuda), Attorney General of Bermuda, and former Commanding Officer of the Bermuda Militia Artillery.[1] Her father was from a prominent Bermudian family, present on the island since the very early 17th century. Her ancestry includes English, Scottish, and Dutch.[2] Her brother Bayard was a prominent lawyer and politician. Her sister Ruth was married to John Seward Johnson I, heir to the Johnson & Johnson fortune. Dill was brought up in the Church of England.[3]

Marriage

Dill was married to Kirk Douglas, with whom she had studied acting before World War II.[4] During the war, Douglas was serving in the U.S. Navy when he saw the May 3, 1943, issue of Life magazine, which featured a photograph of Dill on the cover. He showed the cover to his shipmates and said that he would marry her.[5] The two were married on November 2, 1943. They had two sons, Michael and Joel, before divorcing in 1951.[6]

Dill married actor Bill Darrid, and the couple lived with her sons on the East Coast of the United States until his death in 1992. In 2002, Dill married Donald Webster in the old Devonshire Parish Church in Bermuda.[7][8][9]

Family tree

Career

Dill continued to appear in films with Kirk Douglas, most recently in 2003, when he played her husband in It Runs in the Family, in which son Michael and grandson Cameron also acted. Joel Douglas was an associate producer of the film.[4]

As Diana Douglas Darrid, she published her memoirs, In the Wings: A Memoir (1999) (ISBN 1-56980-151-7), with a preface by her son, Michael. The book received a favorable nod from Publishers Weekly.

Filmography

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Conover, David Kipp, ed. "Ancestors of Michael Kirk Douglas". ConoverGenealogy.com. Retrieved March 16, 2015.
  2. ↑ In the wings: a memoir, 1999, by Diana Douglas Darrid, p. 17
  3. ↑ Galloway, Stephen (2010-11-29). "Michael Douglas: One Hell of a Year". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 2010-12-17.
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 Bernews: Film Was Family Affair For Diana Douglas
  5. ↑ The Royal Gazette: Bermudian actress Diana Douglas back in Life, Published May 13, 1993 (Updated Feb 9, 2011)
  6. ↑ The Bermudian: Bermuda and Hollywood. March 1946
  7. ↑ Hello Magazine: Michael Douglas' Mum Weds at 79
  8. ↑ The Royal Gazette: Rain fails to dampen Dill Douglas Darrid wedding celebration, Published Dec 30, 2002 (Updated Feb 4, 2011)
  9. ↑ The Royal Gazette: Diana's wedding gift to Bermuda, Published Dec 27, 2002 (Updated Feb 4, 2011)

External links