Stella Linden
Encyclopedia
Stella Linden was an actress and writer, best known for mentoring playwright John Osborne
. In the cinema industry, she is best remembered as the wife of actor Terrence Edward Duff—better known by his stage name Patrick Desmond—and for writing the film Two a Penny
. She died on 6/3/2005 in New Mexico.
with other members of the family. Stella was particularly close to her aunt, Olive Wimbush, and her uncle, Albert "Bert" Wimbush, both of whom co-owned the confectionery chain with her mother Ruby. In 1923, Stella's mother re-married to Benjamin L Ingham and shortly after gave birth to a boy whom she named Ambrose after her father (Stella's grandfather) Ambrose Durrant Wimbush.
In 1945, with the war over, Stella (no longer married) joined the Sage Repertory Group—Anthony Creighton
's provincial touring company— and took the stage name Stella Linden. Later that year, the troupe was joined by John Osborne
, whom she mentored. She also met Patrick Desmond in the troupe that year, and the two got married in July 1948 at the Paddington Registrar's Office, London. Stella's mother—which by then used the name Ruby Ingham—and Stella's half-brother—Ambrose Ingham—were the only witnesses to the marriage.
When Osborne told Desmond he was trying to write his first play, he referred Osborne to Stella, unaware that Osborne and Stella were lovers at the time. Stella helped him structure and lighten the tone of The Devil Inside Him, and Osborne gave her co-author credits. By May of 1950, the play was finished, and Stella directed it at the Theatre Royal in Huddersfield
"where it ran for a week and then was not heard of again." The only surviving copy of the play was found in 2008 in Lord Chamberlain's Office
(to where it had been sent for censorship
) along with Personal Enemy
—another play Osborne wrote in collaboration. Both plays are now housed at the British Library
.
In 1951 she played a hotel clerk in an episode of Foreign Intrigue
titled "At the Airport" and sometime later got steady jobs as a gameshow hostess and as a model.
In 1967, she wrote an episode of The Monkees
titled "A Coffin Too Frequent" and a book titled Two a Penny
. "A Coffin Too Frequent" aired on November 20 and Two a Penny was adapted to film that same year. Linden co-wrote the screenplay for Two a Penny with David Winters
, who went uncredited.
In 1989 she wrote a pornographic novel titled Shameless, which tells the fictional autobiography of a girl named Honey.
John Osborne
John James Osborne was an English playwright, screenwriter, actor and critic of the Establishment. The success of his 1956 play Look Back in Anger transformed English theatre....
. In the cinema industry, she is best remembered as the wife of actor Terrence Edward Duff—better known by his stage name Patrick Desmond—and for writing the film Two a Penny
Two a Penny
Two a Penny is a British film released in 1967, featuring singer Cliff Richard. The film was directed by James F. Collier and produced by Frank R. Jacobson for Billy Graham's film distribution and production company World Wide Pictures...
. She died on 6/3/2005 in New Mexico.
Childhood
Stella was born to Ruby Mary Wimbush and Charles W Marsden in 1919. Her mother shared ownership of the Wimbush chain of confectionery shops in BirminghamBirmingham
Birmingham is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands of England. It is the most populous British city outside the capital London, with a population of 1,036,900 , and lies at the heart of the West Midlands conurbation, the second most populous urban area in the United Kingdom with a...
with other members of the family. Stella was particularly close to her aunt, Olive Wimbush, and her uncle, Albert "Bert" Wimbush, both of whom co-owned the confectionery chain with her mother Ruby. In 1923, Stella's mother re-married to Benjamin L Ingham and shortly after gave birth to a boy whom she named Ambrose after her father (Stella's grandfather) Ambrose Durrant Wimbush.
Career in England
Sometime prior to the summer of 1945, Stella married and became Stella Coulthard.In 1945, with the war over, Stella (no longer married) joined the Sage Repertory Group—Anthony Creighton
Anthony Creighton
Anthony Creighton , a British actor and writer, is best known as the co-author of the play Epitaph for George Dillon with John Osborne....
's provincial touring company— and took the stage name Stella Linden. Later that year, the troupe was joined by John Osborne
John Osborne
John James Osborne was an English playwright, screenwriter, actor and critic of the Establishment. The success of his 1956 play Look Back in Anger transformed English theatre....
, whom she mentored. She also met Patrick Desmond in the troupe that year, and the two got married in July 1948 at the Paddington Registrar's Office, London. Stella's mother—which by then used the name Ruby Ingham—and Stella's half-brother—Ambrose Ingham—were the only witnesses to the marriage.
When Osborne told Desmond he was trying to write his first play, he referred Osborne to Stella, unaware that Osborne and Stella were lovers at the time. Stella helped him structure and lighten the tone of The Devil Inside Him, and Osborne gave her co-author credits. By May of 1950, the play was finished, and Stella directed it at the Theatre Royal in Huddersfield
Huddersfield
Huddersfield is a large market town within the Metropolitan Borough of Kirklees, in West Yorkshire, England, situated halfway between Leeds and Manchester. It lies north of London, and south of Bradford, the nearest city....
"where it ran for a week and then was not heard of again." The only surviving copy of the play was found in 2008 in Lord Chamberlain's Office
Lord Chamberlain's Office
The Lord Chamberlain's Office is a department within the British Royal Household. It is presently concerned with matters such as protocol, state visits, investitures, garden parties, the State Opening of Parliament, royal weddings and funerals. For example, in April 2005 it organised the wedding of...
(to where it had been sent for censorship
Lord Chamberlain's requirements
The Lord Chamberlain's requirements were a set of four prerequisites for a licence for a production in British theatres. These were printed in theatre programmes so the audience could be aware of them. The Lord Chamberlain's Office had control of theatres until 1968, including censorship of the...
) along with Personal Enemy
Personal Enemy
Personal Enemy is a play by John Osborne and Anthony Creighton. It was written in 1954, prior to Osborne's 'big break' with Look Back in Anger at the Royal Court Theatre in 1956, and first performed in Harrogate in 1955...
—another play Osborne wrote in collaboration. Both plays are now housed at the British Library
British Library
The British Library is the national library of the United Kingdom, and is the world's largest library in terms of total number of items. The library is a major research library, holding over 150 million items from every country in the world, in virtually all known languages and in many formats,...
.
Career in America
Also in 1950, she left her husband, seeking fame in Hollywood. Unable to get a role, she went to Mexico where she got divorced from Desmond, notifying him in a letter that told him it was a "quickie".In 1951 she played a hotel clerk in an episode of Foreign Intrigue
Foreign Intrigue
Foreign Intrigue is a 1951 television series produced in Europe by Sheldon Reynolds The 30-minute series ran for 156 episodes over four seasons...
titled "At the Airport" and sometime later got steady jobs as a gameshow hostess and as a model.
In 1967, she wrote an episode of The Monkees
The Monkees (TV series)
The Monkees is an American situation comedy that aired on NBC from September 1966 to March 1968. The series follows the adventures of four young men trying to make a name for themselves as rock 'n roll singers. The show introduced a number of innovative new-wave film techniques to series...
titled "A Coffin Too Frequent" and a book titled Two a Penny
Two a Penny
Two a Penny is a British film released in 1967, featuring singer Cliff Richard. The film was directed by James F. Collier and produced by Frank R. Jacobson for Billy Graham's film distribution and production company World Wide Pictures...
. "A Coffin Too Frequent" aired on November 20 and Two a Penny was adapted to film that same year. Linden co-wrote the screenplay for Two a Penny with David Winters
David Winters (choreographer)
David Winters is an English-born American dancer, choreographer, producer, director, screenwriter, and actor. Winters has participated in, directed and produced over 400 television series, specials, and motion pictures...
, who went uncredited.
In 1989 she wrote a pornographic novel titled Shameless, which tells the fictional autobiography of a girl named Honey.