Shirley Jaffe (actress)
Encyclopedia
Shirley Jaffe is a British actress who returned to acting in 2002 after teaching drama for 20 years, and performing in murder mysteries and poetry recitals.
Shirley trained at the Central School of Speech & Drama in 1954, and among other jobs was in the first British Theatre in the Round Company at Scarborough with Stephen Joseph
and later Alan Ayckbourn
, and in the last year of long running TV serial Emergency Ward 10
as Nurse Angela Foster. Shirley's film work began in 1970 as a maid in Peter Sasdy
's Taste the Blood of Dracula. In 1971 she made a bold and memorable appearance in Stanley Kubrick
's controversial 1971 film A Clockwork Orange
with Malcolm MacDowell. As the "Victim of Billy Boy's gang", under the whimsical classical score of Gioacchino Rossini
's "Thieving Magpie" Shirley is seen isolated and surrounded by 4 male gang members on an abandoned stage in a "derelict casino". As she yells for help and tries to resist, all of her clothes are ripped apart piece by piece until eventually she is stripped completely bare then physically man-handled by them (improvisationally grabbed, groped, lifted by her arms & feet, then tossed onto a heap of mattresses as she resists then succumbs in a freely choreographed manner). Finally her attackers are distracted by Alex DeLarge(Malcolm McDowell)'s gang of "droogs" taunting Billy's boys into a violent confrontation, which is somehow more appealing than accosting her tender frightened female flesh. She escapes further sexual assault by running off-stage naked into the night in this shocking early scene that further established the film's underlying theme of "ultra-violence". This would be Shirley's last big screen appearance for close to 35 years.
Shirley has also appeared on television in Michael Jackson
's "Earth Song
" music video, and as a Greek Nun in "Little Britain Abroad". Shirley directed & acted in "Bite-Size" plays in Brighton
, Edinburgh
, The West End
and Helsinki festivals and most recently played Irene in award winning British feature "Ambleton Delight". Shirley was nominated for a Star award in the Brighton Fringe for Nana in new musical "Here Comes the Bride". She was also seen in a commercial for the Alzeimers drug Aricept (filmed in South Africa), "The Flophouse" on the web, and a short film by Simon Wilkinson at Blatchington Mill School.
Shirley trained at the Central School of Speech & Drama in 1954, and among other jobs was in the first British Theatre in the Round Company at Scarborough with Stephen Joseph
Stephen Joseph
Stephen Joseph was an English stage director and pioneer of "theatre in the round".-Life:Stephen Joseph was born in London, the son of Hermione Gingold and the publisher Michael Joseph . He was educated at Clayesmore School in Dorset...
and later Alan Ayckbourn
Alan Ayckbourn
Sir Alan Ayckbourn CBE is a prolific English playwright. He has written and produced seventy-three full-length plays in Scarborough and London and was, between 1972 and 2009, the artistic director of the Stephen Joseph Theatre in Scarborough, where all but four of his plays have received their...
, and in the last year of long running TV serial Emergency Ward 10
Emergency Ward 10
Emergency – Ward 10 is a British television series shown on ITV between 1957 and 1967. Like The Grove Family, a series shown by the BBC between 1954 and 1957, Emergency – Ward 10 is considered to be one of British television's first major soap operas.-Overview:The series was made by the ITV...
as Nurse Angela Foster. Shirley's film work began in 1970 as a maid in Peter Sasdy
Peter Sasdy
Peter Sasdy is a British film and TV director.As well as numerous TV credits, notably the Nigel Kneale-scripted The Stone Tape , he directed several horror films for Hammer, including Taste the Blood of Dracula , Countess Dracula and Hands of the Ripper...
's Taste the Blood of Dracula. In 1971 she made a bold and memorable appearance in Stanley Kubrick
Stanley Kubrick
Stanley Kubrick was an American film director, writer, producer, and photographer who lived in England during most of the last four decades of his career...
's controversial 1971 film A Clockwork Orange
A Clockwork Orange (film)
A Clockwork Orange is a 1971 film adaptation of Anthony Burgess's 1962 novel of the same name. It was written, directed and produced by Stanley Kubrick...
with Malcolm MacDowell. As the "Victim of Billy Boy's gang", under the whimsical classical score of Gioacchino Rossini
Gioacchino Rossini
Gioachino Antonio Rossini was an Italian composer who wrote 39 operas as well as sacred music, chamber music, songs, and some instrumental and piano pieces...
's "Thieving Magpie" Shirley is seen isolated and surrounded by 4 male gang members on an abandoned stage in a "derelict casino". As she yells for help and tries to resist, all of her clothes are ripped apart piece by piece until eventually she is stripped completely bare then physically man-handled by them (improvisationally grabbed, groped, lifted by her arms & feet, then tossed onto a heap of mattresses as she resists then succumbs in a freely choreographed manner). Finally her attackers are distracted by Alex DeLarge(Malcolm McDowell)'s gang of "droogs" taunting Billy's boys into a violent confrontation, which is somehow more appealing than accosting her tender frightened female flesh. She escapes further sexual assault by running off-stage naked into the night in this shocking early scene that further established the film's underlying theme of "ultra-violence". This would be Shirley's last big screen appearance for close to 35 years.
Shirley has also appeared on television in Michael Jackson
Michael Jackson
Michael Joseph Jackson was an American recording artist, entertainer, and businessman. Referred to as the King of Pop, or by his initials MJ, Jackson is recognized as the most successful entertainer of all time by Guinness World Records...
's "Earth Song
Earth Song
"Earth Song" is the third single from Michael Jackson's album HIStory: Past, Present and Future, Book I. It is the fifth song on the second disc of the album. It is a ballad that incorporates elements of blues, gospel and opera. Jackson had a long-standing history of releasing socially conscious...
" music video, and as a Greek Nun in "Little Britain Abroad". Shirley directed & acted in "Bite-Size" plays in Brighton
Brighton
Brighton is the major part of the city of Brighton and Hove in East Sussex, England on the south coast of Great Britain...
, Edinburgh
Edinburgh
Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland, the second largest city in Scotland, and the eighth most populous in the United Kingdom. The City of Edinburgh Council governs one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas. The council area includes urban Edinburgh and a rural area...
, The 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...
and Helsinki festivals and most recently played Irene in award winning British feature "Ambleton Delight". Shirley was nominated for a Star award in the Brighton Fringe for Nana in new musical "Here Comes the Bride". She was also seen in a commercial for the Alzeimers drug Aricept (filmed in South Africa), "The Flophouse" on the web, and a short film by Simon Wilkinson at Blatchington Mill School.
Selected filmography
- Taste the Blood of DraculaTaste the Blood of DraculaTaste the Blood of Dracula is a British horror film produced by Hammer Film Productions and released in 1970. It stars Christopher Lee as Count Dracula, and was directed by Peter Sasdy...
(1970) - A Clockwork OrangeA Clockwork Orange (film)A Clockwork Orange is a 1971 film adaptation of Anthony Burgess's 1962 novel of the same name. It was written, directed and produced by Stanley Kubrick...
(1971)
External links
- Star Now bio
- Shirley Jaffe as Chris' grandmother, Irene Phillips in Ambleton Delight