Sheila Burrell
Encyclopedia
Sheila Mary Burrell was a British actress. A cousin of Lord Olivier, she was born in Blackheath
, London
, the daughter of a salesman. She attended St John's, Bexhill-on-Sea and the Webber Douglas Academy of Dramatic Art
, London. Her first marriage to actor Laurence Payne
was dissolved and she then married David Sim, a portrait and theatre photographer.
She listed her favourite stage roles as Barbara in Dark of the Moon, Honor Klein in A Severed Head and Queen Margaret in Richard III.
Blackheath
Blackheath is the name of a number of places:*Blackheath, London, England**Blackheath, Kent *Blackheath, Surrey, England**Blackheath, Surrey *Blackheath, West Midlands, England*Blackheath, New South Wales, Australia...
, 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...
, the daughter of a salesman. She attended St John's, Bexhill-on-Sea and the Webber Douglas Academy of Dramatic Art
Webber Douglas Academy of Dramatic Art
The Webber Douglas Academy of Dramatic Art, formerly the Webber Douglas School of Singing and Dramatic Art, was a drama school, and originally a singing school, in London. It was one of the leading drama schools in Britain, and offered comprehensive training for those intending to pursue a...
, London. Her first marriage to actor Laurence Payne
Laurence Payne
Laurence Payne was an English actor and novelist.-Early life:Laurence Stanley Payne was born in London. His father died when he was three years old, and he and his elder brother and sister were brought up in by their mother, a Wesleyan Methodist in Wood Green, London...
was dissolved and she then married David Sim, a portrait and theatre photographer.
Theatre career
Burrell made her first appearance on the stage in 1942, playing Patsy in The Patsy, entertaining the troops, and made her first appearance in London at the Prince of Wales' Theatre on 20 April 1944, as Rose in The Rest is Silence by Harold Purcell. Subsequent theatre credits include:- Chanticleer, June 1944, Sonja in Happily Ever After?
- Liverpool, 1944, Katherine in The Taming of the ShrewThe Taming of the ShrewThe Taming of the Shrew is a comedy by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written between 1590 and 1591.The play begins with a framing device, often referred to as the Induction, in which a mischievous nobleman tricks a drunken tinker named Sly into believing he is actually a nobleman himself...
- Arts, October 1944, Judy in The Bread-WinnerThe Bread-Winner (play)The Bread-Winner is William Somerset Maugham's third-last play. It is a comedy in one continuous act, lasting about 2 hours, but with the curtain lowered twice to rest the audience. Girls cannot be the Breadwinner....
- Arts, February, 1944, Rosetta in Leonce and LenaLeonce and LenaLeonce and Lena is a play by Georg Büchner which is considered a comedy, but is rather a satire veiled in humor. It was written in the spring of 1836 for a competition sponsored by the book publishing house of J.G. Cotta. However, Büchner missed the submission deadline and the play was returned...
- Chanticleer, March 1945, Maia Rubeck in When We Dead AwakenWhen We Dead AwakenWhen We Dead Awaken is the last play written by Norwegian dramatist Henrik Ibsen. Published in December 1899, Ibsen wrote the play between February and November of that year. The first performance was at the Haymarket Theatre in London, a day or two before publication.-Plot summary:The first act...
- Arts, April 1945, Celestine in An Italian Straw Hat
- Arts, October 1947, Mrs Rosenberg in Smith
- Dundee, 1947, Bathsheba in Monathan
- Croydon and Embassy, during 1948, Louka in Arms and the ManArms and the ManArms and the Man is a comedy by George Bernard Shaw, whose title comes from the opening words of Virgil's Aeneid in Latin:"Arma virumque cano" ....
, Gilda in Design for LivingDesign for LivingDesign for Living is a comedy play written by Noël Coward in 1932. It concerns a trio of artistic characters, Gilda, Otto and Leo, and their complicated three-way relationship. Originally written to star Lynn Fontanne, Alfred Lunt and Coward, it was premiered on Broadway, partly because its risqué...
and Judy in The Shining Hour - Dublin Gate Theatre, 1948, Abdication, The Vigil and The Mountains Look Different
- Lyric Hammersmith, March and Ambassadors’ April 1949, Barbara Allen in Dark of the MoonDark of the Moon (play)Dark of the Moon is a dramatic stage play by Howard Richardson and William Berney which had a ten-month run on Broadway in 1945, followed by numerous college and high-school productions....
- Embassy, July 1949, Elizabeth in Fit for Heroes
- Touring, February 1950, as Anne Boleyn in The White Falcon
- Duchess, April 1950, Clara in The Man With the Umbrella
- Watergate, November 1950, Margot in The Typewriter
- Q Theatre, February 1951, Letticia in The Watchman
- New Boltons, April 1951, She in Happy and Glorious
- Bristol Old Vic Company, 1951-52 season, Juliette in The Traveller Without Luggage, Curley’s wife in Of Mice and Men, Perpetua in Venus Observed and Rosaline in Love's Labour's LostLove's Labour's LostLove's Labour's Lost is one of William Shakespeare's early comedies, believed to have been written in the mid-1590s, and first published in 1598.-Title:...
- Vaudeville, May 1952, Linda Cooper in Sweet Madness
- Embassy, March 1953, Rosina in The Herald Angels
- Strand (for Repertory Players), May 1954, Elizabeth Glossop in Lola
- Q Theatre, September 1954, Aimée in Finishing School
- Bristol Old Vic, February 1956, Goneril in King LearKing LearKing 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...
- Arts, April 1959, Sedra in Dark Halo
- Connaught (Worthing), October 1960, Joanne in The Warm Peninsula
- Theatre Royal, Bristol, May 1963, Honor Klein in A Severed HeadA Severed HeadA Severed Head is a satirical, sometimes farcical 1961 novel by Iris Murdoch.Primary themes include marriage, adultery, and incest within a group of civilized and educated people. Set in and around London, it depicts a power struggle between grown-up middle class people who are lucky to be free of...
, transferring to the Criterion, London, July 1963, in the same production - Royale, October 1964, first appearance in New York, Honor Klein in A Severed Head
- Yvonne Arnaud, Guildford, February 1968, Shatov in Call Me Jackie
- Royal Shakespeare Company, Stratford, 1970 season, Margaret in Richard IIIRichard III (play)Richard III is a history play by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written in approximately 1591. It depicts the Machiavellian rise to power and subsequent short reign of Richard III of England. The play is grouped among the histories in the First Folio and is most often classified...
, Constance in King JohnKing JohnThe Life and Death of King John, a history play by William Shakespeare, dramatises the reign of John, King of England , son of Henry II of England and Eleanor of Aquitaine and father of Henry III of England...
and Lucetta in The Two Gentlemen of VeronaThe Two Gentlemen of VeronaThe Two Gentlemen of Verona is a comedy by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written in 1590 or 1591. It is considered by some to be Shakespeare's first play, and is often seen as his first tentative steps in laying out some of the themes and tropes with which he would later deal in more... - RSC Aldwych, December 1970, Lucetta in The Two Gentlemen of Verona
- Watford Palace, May 1971, Nora Colerne in The Superannuated Man
- Royal Court, August 1971, Mrs James in [West of Suez, transferring to the Cambridge Theatre
- National Theatre at the Old Vic, March 1972, Duchess of Gloucester in Richard IIRichard II-People:*Richard II of England , King of England.*Richard II of Normandy , Duke of Normandy*Richard II of Aquila *Richard II of Capua *A nickname for Richard M...
; then May 1972, Lady Sneerwell in The School for ScandalThe School for ScandalThe School for Scandal is a play written by Richard Brinsley Sheridan. It was first performed in London at Drury Lane Theatre on May 8, 1777.The prologue, written by David Garrick, commends the play, its subject, and its author to the audience...
, November 1972, First Witch in MacbethMacbethThe Tragedy of Macbeth is a play by William Shakespeare about a regicide and its aftermath. It is Shakespeare's shortest tragedy and is believed to have been written sometime between 1603 and 1607... - Actors’ Company, August 1974, Agave in The BacchaeThe BacchaeThe Bacchae is an ancient Greek tragedy by the Athenian playwright Euripides, during his final years in Macedon, at the court of Archelaus I of Macedon. It premiered posthumously at the Theatre of Dionysus in 405 BC as part of a tetralogy that also included Iphigeneia at Aulis, and which...
, Madame Pernelle in TartuffeTartuffeTartuffe is a comedy by Molière. It is one of his most famous plays.-History:Molière wrote Tartuffe in 1664...
and Madame Giry in The Phantom of the OperaThe Phantom of the OperaLe Fantôme de l'Opéra is a novel by French writer Gaston Leroux. It was first published as a serialisation in "Le Gaulois" from September 23, 1909 to January 8, 1910... - Actors’ Company, June 1975, Monica in The Last Romantic
- Round House, August 1978, Dame Purecraft in Bartholomew FairBartholomew FairBartholomew Fayre: A Comedy is a comedy in five acts by Ben Jonson, the last written of his four great comedies. It was first staged on October 31, 1614 at the Hope Theatre by the Lady Elizabeth's Men...
- Soho iPoly, April 1979, Evelyn in Personal Effects
- Theatre Upstairs, August 1982, Enid in Salonika
- Lyric Studio, June 1983, Exit the King
- Duke of York’s, April 1984, Mrs Amos Evans in Strange InterludeStrange InterludeStrange Interlude is an experimental play by American playwright Eugene O'Neill. O'Neill finished the play in 1923, but it was not produced on Broadway until 1928, when it won the Pulitzer Prize for Drama. Lynn Fontanne originated the central role of Nina Leeds on Broadway...
- Old Vic, January 1985, Great Expectations
- Soho Poly, May 1986, Fail/Safe
- Gate, April 1987, Dog Lady/The Cuban Swimmer
- Mermaid (Shared Experience), February 1988, Nana
- Old Vic, April 1990, Marya
- Orange Tree, October 1991, Little Eyolf
- NT Lyttelton, May 1995, Absolute Hell
- Orange Tree, February 1997, Inheritors
- New Ambassadors’, July 1999, Last Dance at Dum Dum
- NT Cottesloe, May 2001, Finding the Sun
- Riverside, February 2002, PhaedraPhaedraPhaedra can refer to:*Phaedra *Various artistic works based on the legend:**Hippolytus by Euripides**Phaedra by Seneca the Younger**Phèdre by Jean Racine...
- Royal Court, November 2002, The Lying Kind
- Orange Tree, March 2003, The House of Bernarda Alba
She listed her favourite stage roles as Barbara in Dark of the Moon, Honor Klein in A Severed Head and Queen Margaret in Richard III.
Selected filmography
- Man in BlackMan in Black (1949 film)Man in Black is a 1949 British thriller film directed by Francis Searle and starring Betty Ann Davies, Sheila Burrell and Sid James. A man begins to suspect that his wife is attempting to drive his daughter insane....
(1949) - CloudburstCloudburst (film)Cloudburst is a 1951 British drama film, directed by Francis Searle, starring Robert Preston and featuring Elizabeth Sellars, Harold Lang, Colin Tapley and Sheila Burrell. The script is based on a play written by Leo Marks, a wartime cryptographer for the Special Operations Executive, and later...
(1951) - The Rossiter CaseThe Rossiter CaseThe Rossiter Case is a 1951 British drama film directed by Francis Searle and starring Helen Shingler, Clement McCallin, Stanley Baker and Sheila Burrell. -Cast:* Helen Shingler ... Liz Rossiter* Clement McCallin ... Peter Rossiter...
(1951) - Black OrchidBlack Orchid (1953 film)Black Orchid is a 1953 British mystery film directed by Charles Saunders and starring Ronald Howard, Olga Edwardes and John Bentley. A doctor is implicated in the death of his wife which allowed him to marry her sister.-Cast:...
(1953) - Women Without MenWomen Without MenWomen Without Men is a 1956 British drama film directed by Elmo Williamsand Herbert Glazer and starring Beverly Michaels, Joan Rice and Hermione Baddeley. Three woman break out of prison together, for varying personal reasons...
(1956) - The Dawn Killer (1959)
- ParanoiacParanoiac (1963 film)Paranoiac is a 1963 suspense film from Hammer Films directed by Freddie Francis and starring Janette Scott, Oliver Reed, Sheila Burrell, and Alexander Davion...
(1963) - Laughter in the DarkLaughter in the Dark (film)Laughter in the Dark is a 1969 French-British drama film directed by Tony Richardson and starring Nicol Williamson and Anna Karina. It is based on the novel of the same name. Nicol Williamson was brought in as a very late replacement for Richard Burton, who had already shot several scenes...
(1969) - American RouletteAmerican Roulette (film)American Roulette is a 1988 British thriller film directed by Maurice Hatton and starring Andy Garcia, Kitty Aldridge and Robert Stephens. A Latin American President is overthrown in a military coup and forms a government-in-exile in London. The Generals want him out of the way, and send agents to...
(1988) - Afraid of the DarkAfraid of the DarkAfraid of the Dark is a 1991 French-British drama film directed by Mark Peploe and starring James Fox, Fanny Ardant and Paul McGann. A boy becomes convinced there is a murderer about as his mind begins to confuse reality and delusion.-Cast:...
(1991) - Cold Comfort Farm (1995)
- Jane EyreJane Eyre (1996 film)Jane Eyre is a 1996 film adaptation of Charlotte Brontë's 1847 novel of the same name. This Hollywood version, directed by Franco Zeffirelli, is similar to the original novel, although it compresses and eliminates most of the plot in the last quarter of the book to make it fit into a 2-hour...
(1996) - The Woodlanders (1997)