Pamela Mason
Encyclopedia
Pamela Mason was a British actress, author
, and screenwriter
who appeared in a number of British films.
, Mason was the daughter of Isadore and Helen Ostrer. Isadore Ostrer was the president of the Gaumont British Picture Corporation. Pamela left school at age 9 and age 16, married Roy Kellino
. She began acting in 1934, and in 1939 she and Kellino made their first film together I Met a Murderer (1939). After divorcing Kellino in 1940, she married actor James Mason
with whom she had two children. She remained married to him until 1964.
Mason went on to appear in various films including Lady Possessed (1952), The Child (1954), Sex Kittens Go to College
(1960), and The Sandpiper
. She also guest starred on Schlitz Playhouse of Stars
, Playhouse 90
, Love, American Style
, and The New Dick Van Dyke Show
.
She also hosted two talk shows The Pamela Mason Show from 1965–1966, and The Weaker (?) Sex from 1968-1969. In addition to acting, Mason authored several books including Marriage Is the First Step Toward Divorce and The Female Pleasure Hunt.
. She is buried in Westwood Village Memorial Park Cemetery
in Los Angeles
.
Author
An author is broadly defined as "the person who originates or gives existence to anything" and that authorship determines responsibility for what is created. Narrowly defined, an author is the originator of any written work.-Legal significance:...
, and screenwriter
Screenwriter
Screenwriters or scriptwriters or scenario writers are people who write/create the short or feature-length screenplays from which mass media such as films, television programs, Comics or video games are based.-Profession:...
who appeared in a number of British films.
Early life and career
Born Pamela Ostrer in Westgate-on-SeaWestgate-on-Sea
Westgate-on-Sea is a seaside town in northeast Kent, England, with a population of 6,600. It is within the Thanet local government district and borders the larger seaside resort of Margate...
, Mason was the daughter of Isadore and Helen Ostrer. Isadore Ostrer was the president of the Gaumont British Picture Corporation. Pamela left school at age 9 and age 16, married Roy Kellino
Roy Kellino
Roy Kellino was a British film director, producer and cinematographer. He was born Philip Roy Gislingham in London, the son of the silent-era director W.P. Kellino. he directed his first film Concerning Mr. Martin in 1937...
. She began acting in 1934, and in 1939 she and Kellino made their first film together I Met a Murderer (1939). After divorcing Kellino in 1940, she married actor James Mason
James Mason
James Neville Mason was an English actor who attained stardom in both British and American films. Mason remained a powerful figure in the industry throughout his career and was nominated for three Academy Awards as well as three Golden Globes .- Early life :Mason was born in Huddersfield, in the...
with whom she had two children. She remained married to him until 1964.
Mason went on to appear in various films including Lady Possessed (1952), The Child (1954), Sex Kittens Go to College
Sex Kittens Go to College
Sex Kittens Go to College also known as Beauty and the Robot, is a 1960 comedy film starring Mamie Van Doren, Tuesday Weld, and Mijanou Bardot.-Cast:* Mamie Van Doren as Dr. Mathilda West* Tuesday Weld as Jody* Mijanou Bardot as Suzanne...
(1960), and The Sandpiper
The Sandpiper
The Sandpiper is a 1965 film starring Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor, directed by Vincente Minnelli.-Plot:Laura Reynolds is a free-spirited, unwed single mother living with her young son Danny in an isolated California beach house...
. She also guest starred on Schlitz Playhouse of Stars
Schlitz Playhouse of Stars
Schlitz Playhouse of Stars, is a weekly CBS anthology television series, was telecast on Friday nights from 1951 until 1959. Offering both comedies and drama, the series was sponsored by Schlitz beer...
, Playhouse 90
Playhouse 90
Playhouse 90 is an American television anthology series that was telecast on CBS from 1956 to 1960 for a total of 133 episodes. It originated from CBS Television City in Los Angeles, California...
, Love, American Style
Love, American Style
Love, American Style is an hour-long TV anthology produced by Paramount Television and originally aired between September 1969 and January 1974...
, and The New Dick Van Dyke Show
The New Dick Van Dyke Show
The New Dick Van Dyke Show is an American sitcom starring Dick Van Dyke that aired on CBS from 1971 to 1974. This was Van Dyke's first return to series television since The Dick Van Dyke Show.-Production:...
.
She also hosted two talk shows The Pamela Mason Show from 1965–1966, and The Weaker (?) Sex from 1968-1969. In addition to acting, Mason authored several books including Marriage Is the First Step Toward Divorce and The Female Pleasure Hunt.
Death
On 29 June 1996, Mason died of heart failure at her home in Beverly Hills, CaliforniaBeverly Hills, California
Beverly Hills is an affluent city located in Los Angeles County, California, United States. With a population of 34,109 at the 2010 census, up from 33,784 as of the 2000 census, it is home to numerous Hollywood celebrities. Beverly Hills and the neighboring city of West Hollywood are together...
. She is buried in Westwood Village Memorial Park Cemetery
Westwood Village Memorial Park Cemetery
The Pierce Brothers Westwood Village Memorial Park Cemetery is a cemetery in the Westwood Village area of Los Angeles, California. It is located at 1218 Glendon Avenue in Westwood....
in Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
.
Filmography
| Film | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Film | Role | Notes |
| 1934 | Jew Suss Jew Suss (1934 film) Jud Süß is a 1934 British historical romantic drama film. Directed by Lothar Mendes, the film stars German actor Conrad Veidt in the role of Joseph Süss Oppenheimer. British censors did not allow a film to openly criticize the persecution of Jews, since it would have appeared as an attack on German... |
Naomi Oppenheimer | Credited as Pamela Kellino |
| 1939 | Prince of Peace | Mary | Credited as Pamela Kellino |
| I Met a Murderer | Jo Trent | Writer, credited as Pamela Kellino | |
| 1945 | They Were Sisters They Were Sisters They Were Sisters is a 1945 British melodrama film, directed by Arthur Crabtree for Gainsborough Pictures and starring James Mason and Phyllis Calvert. The film was produced by Harold Huth, with cinematography from Jack Cox and screenplay by Roland Pertwee... |
Margaret Lee | Credited as Pamela Kellino |
| 1947 | The Upturned Glass The Upturned Glass The Upturned Glass is a 1947 British drama film directed by Lawrence Huntington and starring James Mason, Rosamund John and Pamela Kellino. A leading surgeon murders a woman he believes to be responsible for the death of the woman he loved.-Cast:... |
Kate Howard | Writer, credited as Pamela Kellino |
| 1949 | Caught | Mrs. Fuller | Uncredited |
| 1951 | Pandora and the Flying Dutchman Pandora and the Flying Dutchman Pandora and the Flying Dutchman is a 1951 British drama film made by Romulus Films and released by MGM in the United States. It was directed by Albert Lewin and produced by Joe Kaufmann and Albert Lewin from his own screenplay, based on the legend of The Flying Dutchman.It starred Ava Gardner and... |
Jenny | Credited as Pamela Kellino |
| 1952 | Lady Possessed | Sybil | Writer, story |
| 1953 | Charade | The Artist/Pamela/Baroness Tanslan/Lilly | Writer, credited as Pamela Kellino |
| 1954 | The Child | Janet | |
| 1960 | College Confidential | Edna Blake | |
| Sex Kittens Go to College Sex Kittens Go to College Sex Kittens Go to College also known as Beauty and the Robot, is a 1960 comedy film starring Mamie Van Doren, Tuesday Weld, and Mijanou Bardot.-Cast:* Mamie Van Doren as Dr. Mathilda West* Tuesday Weld as Jody* Mijanou Bardot as Suzanne... |
Dr. Myrtle Carter | ||
| 1961 | Five Minutes to Live Five Minutes to Live Five Minutes to Live is a 1961 American crime film. It was re-titled Door-to-Door Maniac for a re-release in 1966.-Plot:The film opens on Fred , sitting in a dark room, detailing his most recent bank robbery. He talks about how he has always had a plan for a small town bank robbery... |
Ellen Harcourt | Alternative titles: Door-to-Door Maniac Last Blood |
| 1965 | The Sandpiper The Sandpiper The Sandpiper is a 1965 film starring Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor, directed by Vincente Minnelli.-Plot:Laura Reynolds is a free-spirited, unwed single mother living with her young son Danny in an isolated California beach house... |
Ellie | Uncredited |
| 1966 | The Navy vs. the Night Monsters The Navy vs. the Night Monsters The Navy vs. the Night Monsters is a 1966 American science fiction film directed by Michael A. Hoey. The movie was based on the novel The Monster from Earth's End by Murray Leinster.- Plot summary:... |
Marie | Alternative titles: Monsters of the Night The Night Crawlers |
| Television | |||
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 1953 | Omnibus | Josephine | 1 episode |
| 1954 | Schlitz Playhouse of Stars Schlitz Playhouse of Stars Schlitz Playhouse of Stars, is a weekly CBS anthology television series, was telecast on Friday nights from 1951 until 1959. Offering both comedies and drama, the series was sponsored by Schlitz beer... |
Josephine | 1 episode |
| 1957 | Panic! | 1 episode | |
| General Electric Theater General Electric Theater General Electric Theater is an American anthology series hosted by Ronald W. Reagan that was broadcast on CBS radio and television. The series was sponsored by General Electric's Department of Public Relations.-Radio:... |
Iris Sebastian | 1 episode | |
| 1957–1958 | Playhouse 90 Playhouse 90 Playhouse 90 is an American television anthology series that was telecast on CBS from 1956 to 1960 for a total of 133 episodes. It originated from CBS Television City in Los Angeles, California... |
Various roles | 3 episodes |
| 1958 | Jane Wyman Presents Fireside Theater Fireside Theater is an American anthology drama series that ran from on NBC from 1949 to 1958, and was the first successful filmed series on American television. Stories were low budget and often based on public domain stories or written by freelance writers such as Rod Serling. While it was panned... |
|
Writer, 1 episode |
| 1970 | Love, American Style Love, American Style Love, American Style is an hour-long TV anthology produced by Paramount Television and originally aired between September 1969 and January 1974... |
2 episodes | |
| 1973 | The New Dick Van Dyke Show The New Dick Van Dyke Show The New Dick Van Dyke Show is an American sitcom starring Dick Van Dyke that aired on CBS from 1971 to 1974. This was Van Dyke's first return to series television since The Dick Van Dyke Show.-Production:... |
1 episode | |
| 1977 | Wonder Woman Wonder Woman (TV series) Wonder Woman is an American television series based on the DC Comics comic book superhero of the same name. Starring Lynda Carter as Wonder Woman/Diana Prince and Lyle Waggoner as Steve Trevor, the show originally aired from 1975 to 1979.... |
Carla Burgess | 1 episode |
| 1985 | My Wicked, Wicked Ways... The Legend of Errol Flynn | Phoebe Straight | Television movie |