Kathleen Elizabeth Fell (11 January 1921 – 18 January 2009), known professionally as Kathleen Byron, was an English actress.
Early life and education Byron was born in Manor Park (then part of Essex)1921 Birth records index to what she described as "staunch working-class socialists," the daughter of a railway clerk who later became Labour Party mayor of the County Borough of East Ham. She attended the local grammar school and trained at the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School.
Career
Byron's first speaking film role was in Carol Reed's The Young Mr. Pitt (1942), in which she had two lines as a maid opposite Robert Donat. During World War II, she worked in Censorship and had appearances in several shorts for the British government's Crown Film Unit.
After Byron moved to the United States with her first husband, director Michael Powell persuaded her to return to Britain where she made perhaps her best remembered films. She was cast in several films of the Powell and Emeric Pressburger partnership: as an angel in A Matter of Life and Death (1946), the disturbed Sister Ruth in Black Narcissus (1947, for which she was nominated for Best Actress by the New York Film Critics' Circle), and in The Small Back Room (1949). Her success in Black Narcissus eventually led her to Hollywood, which resulted in a supporting role in Young Bess (1953). She found the experience unrewarding and soon returned to Britain. Her subsequent roles of the time were mostly in B-films.
On television, Byron had a recurring role from 1959 to 1963 as Margaret de la Roux in the soap opera Emergency Ward 10, portraying the alcoholic wife of the consultant gynaecologist Harold de la Roux (John Barron). In the 1960s and 1970s, Byron did extensive television work, including a 1961 appearance in a Danger Man episode entitled "Name, Date and Place" as Deidre; Crown Court (episode: "A Case of Murder"); a small role as Queen Louise of Denmark in Edward the Seventh (1975), Madame Celeste Lekeu in two episodes of the BBC drama Secret Army (1977), entitled "Bait" and "Good Friday", a brief stint on the soap opera Emmerdale Farm in 1979, and one of the leads in the daytime soap Together (1980–81, its second series broadcast live).
Byron continued to act into the 21st century, her film, theatre and television work including Agatha Christie's The Mousetrap (1990), an adaptation of Jane Austen's Emma (1996), Steven Spielberg's Saving Private Ryan (1998), Midsomer Murders (1999) (as Dorothea Pike in S2:E2 "Strangler's Wood") and Stephen Poliakoff's series, Perfect Strangers (2001).
Personal life and death In 1943, Byron married USAAF pilot, Lt. John Daniel Bowen, and moved to the United States. Byron was romantically linked with Michael Powell for a time, and he was named as a co-respondent when her first marriage was dissolved in 1950. In 1953, Byron married her second husband, the British journalist and writer Alaric Jacob (who predeceased her); Jacob was then working for the BBC. They had one son and daughter; with a child from Jacob's previous marriage.
Byron died on 18 January 2009, aged 88, at Denville Hall in Northwood, London. According to her stepdaughter, Byron had been suffering from cancer and Alzheimer's disease.Byron personal life and death details. Accessed 22 May 2024.
Filmography Film + Year Title Role 1938 Climbing High Model on Sofa (uncredited) 1942 The Young Mr. Pitt Millicent Grey (uncredited) 1943 The Silver Fleet Schoolmistress 1946 A Matter of Life and Death An Angel 1947 Black Narcissus Sister Ruth 1949 The Small Back Room Susan Madness of the Heart Verite Faimont 1950 The Reluctant Widow (The Inheritance) Mme. Annette de Chevreaux Prelude to Fame Signora Anne Bondini 1951 Tom Brown's Schooldays Mrs. Brown Scarlet Thread Josephine Life in Her Hands Ann Peters Hell Is Sold Out Arlette de Balzamann I'll Never Forget You (The House in the Square) Duchess of Devonshire Four Days Lucienne Templar 1952 My Death Is a Mockery Helen Bradley The Gambler and the Lady Pat 1953 Young Bess Ann Seymour 1954 Star of My Night Eve Malone Profile Margot Night of the Silvery Moon Jane 1955 Handcuffs, London Janet Tedford Secret Venture Renne L'Epine 1961 Hand in Hand Mrs. O'Malley 1962 Night of the Eagle Evelyn Sawtelle 1968 Hammerhead Lady Calvet 1971 Private Road Mrs. Halpern Twins of Evil Katy Weil 1973 Nothing But the Night Dr. Rose 1973 Wolfshead: The Legend of Robin Hood Katherine of Locksley 1974 Craze Muriel Sharp 1974 The Abdication Queen Mother 1975 One of Our Dinosaurs is Missing Colonel's Wife 1980 The Elephant Man Lady Waddington 1981 From a Far Country Tadek's Mother 1996 Emma Mrs. Goddard 1998 Les Misérables Mother Superior Saving Private Ryan Old Mrs. Ryan Diary (Short) 2010 Cameraman: The Life and Work of Jack Cardiff Herself
Television
+ Year Title Role Notes 1957ITV PlayhouseRhoda BlairEpisode: "Not Proven" 1959–1963 Emergency Ward 10 Margaret de la Roux Recurring role 1960International DetectiveNurse LemoineEpisode: "The Whitley Case" 1961 Danger Man Deidre Episode: "Name, Date and Place" ITV Play of the WeekCaroline ChesneyEpisode: "All My Own Work"Probation Officer Mrs. Irwin1 episode Design for Murder Elizabeth Carr TV movie 1964 Sergeant Cork Capt Ruth Childers Episode: "The Case of the Fourth Visitor" 1965-1967The Wednesday PlayMiss Stewart/Woman2 episodes1965-1970The WorkerVarious5 episode1966Thirty-Minute TheatreEve PriceEpisode: "Play to Win" 1967 Who Is Sylvia? Mrs. Proudpiece 7 episodes 1968 The Portrait of a Lady Countess Gemini 4 episodes 1968-1978ITV PlayhouseMiss Harvey/Mrs. Green2 episodes1969-1973ITV Saturday Night TheatreSylvia 1969 Callan Hannah Strickland Episode: "You're Under Starter's Orders" The Avengers Miss Faversham Episode: "Pandora" Take Three GirlsLilyEpisode: "Stop Acting" The Confessions of Marian Evans TV movie 1970Paul Temple Mrs. FairleyEpisode: "Mr. Wallace Presents"1972 The Moonstone Lady Verinder 3 episodes The Golden Bowl Fanny Assingham Miniseries Armchair TheatreElizabethEpisode: "On Call" The Edwardians Agnes Baden-Powell Episode: "Baden-Powell" 1973The Rivals of Sherlock Holmes Miss LyleEpisode: "The Mystery of the Amber Beads"Sutherland's LawMrs. ConnollyEpisode: "The Family" 1974 The Little Mermaid Queen TV movie Crown Court Margaret Ellen Povey 3 serials Notorious Woman Jane Stirling 2 episodes 1975 Edward the Seventh Queen Louise of Denmark 3 episodes 1976-1980AngelsMrs. Sheppard/Sister Dawson3 episodes1977Z-CarsMrs. MoffatEpisode: "Domestic" Secret Army Madame Celeste Lekeu 2 episodes 1978An Englishman's CastleMrs. IngramMiniseries The Professionals Mrs. Turner Episode: "Everest Was Also Conquered" 1979 Blake's 7 Clonemaster Fen Episode: "Weapon" General Hospital Principal Nursing Officer Milner Episode: "The Buck Stops Where?" Emmerdale Farm Irene Madden 4 episodes MinderMrs. HurstEpisode: "The Bounty Hunter" 1980–1981 Together Martha Finch Regular role 1981 Hedda Gabler Juliana Tesman TV movie BBC2 PlayhouseDaphne MartinEpisode: "Unity" 1982 Nancy Astor Edith Cunard Miniseries 1983Reilly, Ace of SpiesMadame SavinkovaEpisode: "The Trust"1985Howards' WayLaura DeverillEpisode: "Too Late to Stop Now"Theatre NightAnne MarieEpisode: "Thunder Rock"1989Gentlemen and Players Aunt MillicentEpisode: "Inside Track" 1989–1999 Casualty Avril Maitland / Mrs. Anderson / Lizzie Burnley 3 episodes 1990 Portrait of a Marriage Lady Carnock 2 episodes 1991 The Bill Mrs. Macinally Episode: "A Corporal of a Horse" 1992Moon and SonAgnes BurleyEpisode: "Nearly Dearly Departed"1994The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes Mrs. MarkerEpisode: "The Golden Prince-Nez" 1997 Midsomer Murders Dorothea Pike Episode: "Strangler's Wood" 2000Dalziel and Pascoe DaphneEpisode: "Cunnng Old Fox"Heartbeat Molly RysinskiEpisode: "War Stories"2001In a Land of PlentyAgathaMiniseries Perfect Strangers Edith
References
Sources
External links
Kathleen Byron at the CinéArtistes Obituary in The Independent