Helen Cherry
Encyclopedia
Helen Cherry was an English stage and film actress.
, Lancashire
, the daughter of John William Cherry, a works manager then serving as a captain
in the 45th Provisional Battalion, and his wife, Annie Nall.
Educated in Harrogate
, Helen Cherry trained as a commercial artist, intending to be a theatrical designer, but instead found work in northern repertory; her first part was as an extra in The Vagabond King
in Manchester
in 1938. Her London début was in Herbert Farjeon's revue In Town Again at the Criterion Theatre
in 1940. Spotted by Robert Atkins
, actor–manager of the Open Air Theatre, Regent's Park
, London
, she appeared in many of his productions there, at the Westminster Theatre
, and, after a season at Alec Clunes's
Arts Theatre, at the Memorial Theatre, Stratford upon Avon. Her Rosalind in As You Like It
(1943) was particularly well received, described as being "unrivalled in the 1940s".
After World War II
, she remained in demand for Shakespeare and Restoration comedy
, though she also appeared in many modern plays. Her Ursula in John Gielgud's
production of Much Ado About Nothing
at the Palace Theatre
in 1955 earned outstanding reviews; her Goneril in his "Japanese" version of King Lear
the same season was also acclaimed, although critics generally disliked the production. Cherry's last West End
appearance was in Ladies in Retirement
at the Fortune Theatre
in 1982. She appeared in more than twenty films, mostly derived from stage plays; she was also featured in many television productions, the last of which was the Agatha Christie
's mystery novel, Nemesis, playing Miss Elizabeth Temple. She was also seen on the quiz show Guess My Story.
, whom she married on 8 September 1944; they remained married until his death in 1988. They had no children.
Hospital, Heathbourne Road, Bushey
, Hertfordshire
, from multiple organ failure and cerebrovascular disease.
Career
Helen Mary Cherry was born at Thurgarton, WorsleyWorsley
Worsley is a town in the metropolitan borough of the City of Salford, in Greater Manchester, England. It lies along the course of Worsley Brook, west of Manchester. The M60 motorway bisects the area....
, Lancashire
Lancashire
Lancashire is a non-metropolitan county of historic origin in the North West of England. It takes its name from the city of Lancaster, and is sometimes known as the County of Lancaster. Although Lancaster is still considered to be the county town, Lancashire County Council is based in Preston...
, the daughter of John William Cherry, a works manager then serving as a captain
Captain (British Army and Royal Marines)
Captain is a junior officer rank of the British Army and Royal Marines. It ranks above Lieutenant and below Major and has a NATO ranking code of OF-2. The rank is equivalent to a Lieutenant in the Royal Navy and to a Flight Lieutenant in the Royal Air Force...
in the 45th Provisional Battalion, and his wife, Annie Nall.
Educated in Harrogate
Harrogate
Harrogate is a spa town in North Yorkshire, England. The town is a tourist destination and its visitor attractions include its spa waters, RHS Harlow Carr gardens, and Betty's Tea Rooms. From the town one can explore the nearby Yorkshire Dales national park. Harrogate originated in the 17th...
, Helen Cherry trained as a commercial artist, intending to be a theatrical designer, but instead found work in northern repertory; her first part was as an extra in The Vagabond King
The Vagabond King
The Vagabond King is a 1925 operetta by Rudolf Friml in four acts, with a book and lyrics by Brian Hooker and William H. Post, based upon Justin Huntly McCarthy's 1901 romantic play If I Were King...
in Manchester
Manchester
Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...
in 1938. Her London début was in Herbert Farjeon's revue In Town Again at the Criterion Theatre
Criterion Theatre
The Criterion Theatre is a West End theatre situated on Piccadilly Circus in the City of Westminster, and is a Grade II* listed building. It has an official capacity of 588.-Building the theatre:...
in 1940. Spotted by Robert Atkins
Robert Atkins (actor)
Sir Robert Atkins, CBE was an English actor, producer and director.Born in Dulwich, London, England, Atkins was most famous for his participation in the theatre. An early graduate of the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, he also appeared many times on film and in television, though not with the...
, actor–manager of the Open Air Theatre, Regent's Park
Open Air Theatre, Regent's Park
Regent's Park Open Air Theatre, in the City of Westminster, London, is a permanent venue with an annual sixteen-week summer season. It was founded in 1932 by Sydney Carroll and Robert Atkins.-The theatre:...
, London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, she appeared in many of his productions there, at the Westminster Theatre
Westminster Theatre
The Westminster Theatre was a London theatre, on Palace Street in Westminster. It was originally built as the Charlotte Chapel in 1766, which was altered and given a new frontage for use as a cinema from 1924 onwards. It finally became a theatre in 1931 after radical alterations...
, and, after a season at Alec Clunes's
Alec Clunes
Alexander "Alec" Demoro Sherriff Clunes was an English actor and stage manager.Among the plays he presented were Christopher Fry's famous play The Lady's Not For Burning. He gave the actor and dramatist Sir Peter Ustinov his first break with his production The House of Regrets. His film career was...
Arts Theatre, at the Memorial Theatre, Stratford upon Avon. Her Rosalind in As You Like It
As You Like It
As You Like It is a pastoral comedy by William Shakespeare believed to have been written in 1599 or early 1600 and first published in the folio of 1623. The play's first performance is uncertain, though a performance at Wilton House in 1603 has been suggested as a possibility...
(1943) was particularly well received, described as being "unrivalled in the 1940s".
After World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, she remained in demand for Shakespeare and Restoration comedy
Restoration comedy
Restoration comedy refers to English comedies written and performed in the Restoration period from 1660 to 1710. After public stage performances had been banned for 18 years by the Puritan regime, the re-opening of the theatres in 1660 signalled a renaissance of English drama...
, though she also appeared in many modern plays. Her Ursula in John Gielgud's
John Gielgud
Sir Arthur John Gielgud, OM, CH was an English actor, director, and producer. A descendant of the renowned Terry acting family, he achieved early international acclaim for his youthful, emotionally expressive Hamlet which broke box office records on Broadway in 1937...
production of Much Ado About Nothing
Much Ado About Nothing
Much Ado About Nothing is a comedy written by William Shakespeare about two pairs of lovers, Benedick and Beatrice, and Claudio and Hero....
at the Palace Theatre
Palace Theatre, London
The Palace Theatre is a West End theatre in the City of Westminster in London. It is an imposing red-brick building that dominates the west side of Cambridge Circus and is located near the intersection of Shaftesbury Avenue and Charing Cross Road...
in 1955 earned outstanding reviews; her Goneril in his "Japanese" version of King Lear
King Lear
King Lear is a tragedy by William Shakespeare. The title character descends into madness after foolishly disposing of his estate between two of his three daughters based on their flattery, bringing tragic consequences for all. The play is based on the legend of Leir of Britain, a mythological...
the same season was also acclaimed, although critics generally disliked the production. Cherry's last West End
West End theatre
West End theatre is a popular term for mainstream professional theatre staged in the large theatres of London's 'Theatreland', the West End. Along with New York's Broadway theatre, West End theatre is usually considered to represent the highest level of commercial theatre in the English speaking...
appearance was in Ladies in Retirement
Ladies in Retirement
Ladies in Retirement is a 1941 film starring Ida Lupino and Louis Hayward. It is based on a 1940 Broadway play of the same title by Reginald Denham and Edward Percy which starred Flora Robson in the lead role....
at the Fortune Theatre
Fortune Theatre
The Fortune Theatre is a 432 seat West End theatre in Russell Street, near Covent Garden, in the City of Westminster, built in 1922-4 by Ernest Schaufelberg for impresario Laurence Cowen. The façade is principally bush hammered concrete, with brick piers supporting the roof...
in 1982. She appeared in more than twenty films, mostly derived from stage plays; she was also featured in many television productions, the last of which was the Agatha Christie
Agatha Christie
Dame Agatha Christie DBE was a British crime writer of novels, short stories, and plays. She also wrote romances under the name Mary Westmacott, but she is best remembered for her 66 detective novels and 14 short story collections , and her successful West End plays.According to...
's mystery novel, Nemesis, playing Miss Elizabeth Temple. She was also seen on the quiz show Guess My Story.
Marriage
While working at the Arts Theatre Cherry met fellow actor Trevor HowardTrevor Howard
Trevor Howard , born Trevor Wallace Howard-Smith, was an English film, stage and television actor.-Early life:...
, whom she married on 8 September 1944; they remained married until his death in 1988. They had no children.
Death
She died on 27 September 2001, aged 85, at the BupaBupa
Bupa is a large British healthcare organisation, with bases on three continents and more than ten million customers in over 200 countries. It is a private healthcare company, in direct contrast to the UK's National Health Services, which are tax-funded healthcare systems and do not require private...
Hospital, Heathbourne Road, Bushey
Bushey
Bushey is a town in the Hertsmere borough of Hertfordshire in the East of England. Bushey Heath is situated to the south east of Bushey on the boundary with the London Borough of Harrow.-History:...
, Hertfordshire
Hertfordshire
Hertfordshire is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in the East region of England. The county town is Hertford.The county is one of the Home Counties and lies inland, bordered by Greater London , Buckinghamshire , Bedfordshire , Cambridgeshire and...
, from multiple organ failure and cerebrovascular disease.
Selected filmography
- The Courtneys of Curzon StreetThe Courtneys of Curzon StreetThe Courtneys of Curzon Street is a 1947 British drama film starring Anna Neagle and Michael Wilding....
(1947) - The Mark of Cain (1947)
- For Them That TrespassFor Them That TrespassFor Them That Trespass is a 1949 British crime film directed by Alberto Cavalcanti and starring Richard Todd, Patricia Plunkett and Stephen Murray...
(1949) - Adam and EvelyneAdam and EvelyneAdam and Evelyne, released in the U.S. as Adam and Evelyn, is a 1949 romance film starring Stewart Granger and Jean Simmons. According to Robert Osborne, host of Turner Classic Movies, this suited the stars, as they were romantically involved at the time, despite their age difference...
(1949) - Morning DepartureMorning DepartureMorning Departure is a 1950 British naval film directed by Roy Ward Baker, produced by Jay Lewis, and starring John Mills, Nigel Patrick, Peter Hammond, George Cole, Bernard Lee and Richard Attenborough...
(1950) - They Were Not DividedThey Were Not DividedThey Were Not Divided is a 1950 British war film, which depicted the Guards Armoured Division in Second World War Europe. It was written and directed by Terence Young, a former Guards officer who served in the campaigns depicted in the film....
(1950) - Last HolidayLast Holiday (1950 film)Last Holiday is a 1950 British film featuring Alec Guinness in his sixth starring role. The low-key, dark comedy was written by J. B. Priestley and directed by Henry Cass, featuring irony and wit often associated with Priestley....
(1950) - The Woman with No NameThe Woman with No NameThe Woman with No Name is a 1950 British drama film directed by Ladislao Vajda and starring Phyllis Calvert, Edward Underdown, Helen Cherry, Richard Burton and James Hayter...
(1950) - Young Wives' TaleYoung Wives' TaleYoung Wives' Tale is a 1951 British film directed by Henry Cass. It features one of Audrey Hepburn's earliest film roles, albeit a minor one, as Eve Lester.-Cast:* Joan Greenwood as Sabina Pennant* Nigel Patrick as Rodney Pennant...
(1951) - His ExcellencyHis Excellency (film)His Excellency is a 1952 British comedy film directed by Robert Hamer and starring Eric Portman, Cecil Parker, Helen Cherry. A blunt Yorkshireman is sent to take over as Governor of a British-ruled island in the Meditarranean.-Cast:...
(1952) - Three Cases of MurderThree Cases of MurderThree Cases of Murder is a 1955 British drama film comprising three stories. Though the stories are separate and unrelated, Alan Badel appears in all three....
(1955) - High FlightHigh Flight (film)High Flight is a CinemaScope 1957 British coldwar drama film directed by John Gilling and featuring Ray Milland, Bernard Lee and Leslie Phillips filmed at RAF Cranwell.-Plot:...
(1957) - The Naked EdgeThe Naked EdgeThe Naked Edge is a 1961 thriller film starring Gary Cooper and Deborah Kerr. The movie was a British-American co-production distributed by United Artists, directed by Michael Anderson and produced by George Glass and Walter Seltzer with Marlon Brando Sr. as executive producer...
(1961) - The Devil's AgentThe Devil's AgentThe Devil's Agent is a 1962 drama film directed by John Paddy Carstairs and starring Peter van Eyck, Marianne Koch, Christopher Lee and Macdonald Carey. It was a co-production between Britain, West Germany and the Republic of Ireland and was an English-language version of the German film Im Namen...
(1962) - Tomorrow at TenTomorrow at TenTomorrow at Ten is a 1964 British thriller film directed by Lance Comfort and starring John Gregson, Robert Shaw, Kenneth Cope and William Hartnell in his final film appearance.-Plot:...
(1964) - Delayed Flight (1964)
- Flipper's New AdventureFlipper's New AdventureFlipper's New Adventure is an American feature film released on June 24, 1964 by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, written by Art Arthur, and directed by Leon Benson...
(1964) - The Charge of the Light BrigadeThe Charge of the Light Brigade (1968 film)The Charge of the Light Brigade is a 1968 British war film made by Woodfall Film Productions and distributed by United Artists . It was directed by Tony Richardson and produced by Neil Hartley....
(1968) - Hard ContractHard ContractHard Contract is a 1969 film written and directed by S. Lee Pogostin and starring James Coburn and Lee Remick. It premiered on April 30, 1969.-Cast:*James Coburn as John Cunningham*Lee Remick as Sheila Metcalfe*Lilli Palmer as Adrianne...
(1969) - 11 Harrowhouse11 Harrowhouse11 Harrowhouse is a 1974 British film directed by Aram Avakian. It was adapted by Charles Grodin based upon the novel by Gerald A. Browne with the screenplay by Jeffrey Bloom...
(1974) - The Girl in a SwingThe Girl in a Swing (film)The Girl in a Swing is a 1988 supernatural thriller film adaptation of the novel of the same name by Richard Adams. The plot concerns a British art dealer, who travels to Copenhagen where he falls in love with a beautiful and mysterious woman. The film was directed by Gordon Hessler, and stars Meg...
(1988)