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{{Distinguish|Diana Churchill}}
{{Distinguish|Diana Churchill}}
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{{short description|English actress}}
{{short description|English actress}}
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'''Diana Josephine Churchill''' (21 August 1913{{spaced ndash}}8 October 1994) was an English actress. Churchill was a crisp, classy blonde with blue eyes who appeared in several British films, playing the sardonic heroine in a handful of comic chillers during the early 1930s. She was mainly a theatre actress into the war years and after,<ref>[https://elcinema.com/en/person/2134488/ Diana Churchill Biography] at elCinema.com</ref><ref name=":0">{{Cite web |last= |first= |date= |title=Biography of Joseph 'Harry' Churchill |url=https://www.smallcombegardencemetery.org/joseph-churchill-bio |access-date=5 November 2022 |website=Smallcombe Garden Cemetery, Bath}}</ref> "renowned for her versatility in playing Shakespeare, Restoration comedy, farce, Chekhov and revue".<ref>[https://www.npg.org.uk/collections/search/person/mp51282/diana-josephine-churchill Diana Josephine Churchill at the National Portrait Gallery]</ref>
'''Diana Josephine Churchill''' (21 August 1913{{spaced ndash}}8 October 1994) was an English actress. Churchill was a crisp, classy blonde with blue eyes who appeared in several British films, playing the sardonic heroine in a handful of comic chillers during the early 1930s. She was mainly a theatre actress into the war years and after,<ref>[https://elcinema.com/en/person/2134488/ Diana Churchill Biography] at elCinema.com</ref><ref name=":0">{{Cite web |last= |first= |date= |title=Biography of Joseph 'Harry' Churchill |url=https://www.smallcombegardencemetery.org/joseph-churchill-bio |access-date=5 November 2022 |website=Smallcombe Garden Cemetery, Bath}}</ref> an actress for "all theatrical seasons"<ref name="Benedick"/> who was "renowned for her versatility in playing Shakespeare, Restoration comedy, farce, Chekhov and revue".<ref>[https://www.npg.org.uk/collections/search/person/mp51282/diana-josephine-churchill Diana Josephine Churchill at the National Portrait Gallery]</ref>


==Early life and education==
==Early life and education==
Churchill was born on 21 August 1913{{Citation needed|date=November 2022}} in [[Wembley]], London, where her family resided in Crawford House. One of three sisters, she was the daughter of Ethel Mary Churchill (née Nunn), of the substantial "Nunn" coal merchant family, and Joseph Henry "Harry" Churchill, a doctor of medicine. She is of distant relation to [[Winston Churchill]] and his daughter, [[Diana Churchill|Diana]], who was also an actress. Her father descended from a younger brother of [[John Churchill, 1st Duke of Marlborough]], who "had an affair with an actress".<ref name=":0" />
Churchill was born on 21 August 1913<ref name="Benedick">{{cite news |last=Benedick |first=Adam |date=13 October 1994 |title=Obituary: Diana Churchill |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/obituary-diana-churchill-1442835.html |work=The Independent |location=London, United Kingdom |access-date=15 November 2022}}</ref> in [[Wembley]], London, where her family resided in Crawford House. One of three sisters, she was the daughter of Ethel Mary Churchill (née Nunn), of the substantial "Nunn" coal merchant family, and Joseph Henry "Harry" Churchill, a doctor of medicine. She is of distant relation to [[Winston Churchill]] and his daughter, [[Diana Churchill|Diana]], who was also an actress. Her father descended from a younger brother of [[John Churchill, 1st Duke of Marlborough]], who "had an affair with an actress".<ref name=":0" />


On leaving school, she persuaded her father to let her train for the stage.
On leaving school, she persuaded her father to let her train for the stage.
Line 26: Line 25:
==Career==
==Career==
[[File:Walls Churchill Dishonour Bright.jpg|left|upright=.75|Churchill with [[Tom Walls]] in ''[[Dishonour Bright]]'' (1936)|thumb]]
[[File:Walls Churchill Dishonour Bright.jpg|left|upright=.75|Churchill with [[Tom Walls]] in ''[[Dishonour Bright]]'' (1936)|thumb]]
Churchill made her professional stage debut in 1931 and her screen debut in 1933, but her big break came in 1935 with the British comedy film ''[[Foreign Affaires]]'', directed by and starring [[Tom Walls]].
Churchill made her professional stage debut in 1931. She spent years in "fluffy West End comedies and farces" before entering more serious productions. She was never short of work; a point of common affection was the variety in her performances.<ref name="Benedick"/>

Churchill made her screen debut in 1933 and her big break came in 1935 with the British comedy film ''[[Foreign Affaires]]'', directed by and starring [[Tom Walls]].


She was one of the first three stars to have their names up in lights in the [[West End theatre|West End]] when lighting restrictions were lifted at the end of the [[Second World War]]. Churchill performed in a production of ''[[Love's Labours Lost]]'' at [[The Old Vic]] opposite [[Michael Redgrave]], with [[Hugh Hunt]] directing.<ref name=":0" />
She was one of the first three stars to have their names up in lights in the [[West End theatre|West End]] when lighting restrictions were lifted at the end of the [[Second World War]]. Churchill performed in a production of ''[[Love's Labours Lost]]'' at [[The Old Vic]] opposite [[Michael Redgrave]], with [[Hugh Hunt]] directing.<ref name=":0" />


Churchill was cast in the starring role of [[Kathleen Scott]] in Charles Frend's 1948 adventure film ''[[Scott of the Antarctic (film)|Scott of the Antarctic]]'' with [[John Mills]] as [[Robert Falcon Scott]], for which she was widely praised.{{Citation needed|date=November 2022}}
Churchill was cast in the starring role of [[Kathleen Scott]] in Charles Frend's 1948 adventure film ''[[Scott of the Antarctic (film)|Scott of the Antarctic]]'' with [[John Mills]] as [[Robert Falcon Scott]], for which she was widely praised.<ref>{{cite book |last=Smith/ Freeman |first=David L./ Thomas S. |date=14 October 2019 |title=Biography and History in Film |url=https://www.google.co.uk/books/edition/Biography_and_History_in_Film/opm2DwAAQBAJ?hl=en&gbpv |location=Google Books |publisher=[[Springer International Publishing]] |page=265 |isbn=9783319894072}}</ref>


==Personal life==
==Personal life==
===Marriages===
===Marriages===
Churchill married twice. In 1938, she married actor [[Barry K. Barnes]]. Barnes died on 12 January 1965, and she married the already-father of actress [[Glynis Johns]], actor [[Mervyn Johns]], on 4 December 1976 in [[Hillingdon]], London. He too predeceased her, dying on 6 September 1992.
Churchill married twice. In 1938, she married actor [[Barry K. Barnes]]. Barnes died on 12 January 1965, and she married the already-father of actress [[Glynis Johns]], actor [[Mervyn Johns]], on 4 December 1976 in [[Hillingdon]], London. He too predeceased her, dying on 6 September 1992.<ref name="Benedick"/>


===Death and funeral===
===Death and funeral===
She died from [[multiple sclerosis]] at the age of 81 in [[Denville Hall]] in [[Northwood, London]] on 8 October 1994.
Churchill was diagnosed with [[multiple sclerosis]], though even this "could not damped her spirits".<ref name="Benedick"/> She died at the age of 81 in [[Denville Hall]] in [[Northwood, London]] on 8 October 1994.


Churchill was cremated at Breakspear Crematorium in Ruislip, London.
Churchill was cremated at Breakspear Crematorium in [[Ruislip]], London.


==Filmography==
==Filmography==

Revision as of 13:30, 15 November 2022

Not to be confused with Diana Churchill.

Diana Churchill
Churchill in December 1936
Born(1913-08-21)21 August 1913
Wembley, England
Died8 October 1994(1994-10-08) (aged 81)
Denville Hall, London, England
OccupationActress
Years active1932–1977
Spouses
​
​
(m. 1938; died 1965)​

​
​
(m. 1976; died 1992)​
Relatives

Diana Josephine Churchill (21 August 1913 – 8 October 1994) was an English actress. Churchill was a crisp, classy blonde with blue eyes who appeared in several British films, playing the sardonic heroine in a handful of comic chillers during the early 1930s. She was mainly a theatre actress into the war years and after,[1][2] an actress for "all theatrical seasons"[3] who was "renowned for her versatility in playing Shakespeare, Restoration comedy, farce, Chekhov and revue".[4]

Early life and education

Churchill was born on 21 August 1913[3] in Wembley, London, where her family resided in Crawford House. One of three sisters, she was the daughter of Ethel Mary Churchill (née Nunn), of the substantial "Nunn" coal merchant family, and Joseph Henry "Harry" Churchill, a doctor of medicine. She is of distant relation to Winston Churchill and his daughter, Diana, who was also an actress. Her father descended from a younger brother of John Churchill, 1st Duke of Marlborough, who "had an affair with an actress".[2]

On leaving school, she persuaded her father to let her train for the stage.

Career

Churchill with Tom Walls in Dishonour Bright (1936)

Churchill made her professional stage debut in 1931. She spent years in "fluffy West End comedies and farces" before entering more serious productions. She was never short of work; a point of common affection was the variety in her performances.[3]

Churchill made her screen debut in 1933 and her big break came in 1935 with the British comedy film Foreign Affaires, directed by and starring Tom Walls.

She was one of the first three stars to have their names up in lights in the West End when lighting restrictions were lifted at the end of the Second World War. Churchill performed in a production of Love's Labours Lost at The Old Vic opposite Michael Redgrave, with Hugh Hunt directing.[2]

Churchill was cast in the starring role of Kathleen Scott in Charles Frend's 1948 adventure film Scott of the Antarctic with John Mills as Robert Falcon Scott, for which she was widely praised.[5]

Personal life

Marriages

Churchill married twice. In 1938, she married actor Barry K. Barnes. Barnes died on 12 January 1965, and she married the already-father of actress Glynis Johns, actor Mervyn Johns, on 4 December 1976 in Hillingdon, London. He too predeceased her, dying on 6 September 1992.[3]

Death and funeral

Churchill was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, though even this "could not damped her spirits".[3] She died at the age of 81 in Denville Hall in Northwood, London on 8 October 1994.

Churchill was cremated at Breakspear Crematorium in Ruislip, London.

Filmography

References

  1. ^ Diana Churchill Biography at elCinema.com
  2. ^ a b c "Biography of Joseph 'Harry' Churchill". Smallcombe Garden Cemetery, Bath. Retrieved 5 November 2022.
  3. ^ a b c d e Benedick, Adam (13 October 1994). "Obituary: Diana Churchill". The Independent. London, United Kingdom. Retrieved 15 November 2022.
  4. ^ Diana Josephine Churchill at the National Portrait Gallery
  5. ^ Smith/ Freeman, David L./ Thomas S. (14 October 2019). Biography and History in Film. Google Books: Springer International Publishing. p. 265. ISBN 9783319894072.

External links

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Diana_Churchill_(actress)&oldid=1122030637"