Tuning in…
Tuning in…
Castaway
1 appearance
Actress known for playing formidable battle-axes, notably Mrs. Hornet in 'Sailor Beware' and Mar Larkin in ITV's 'The Larkins', with a career spanning theatre,
On the island
Eight records
I've always loved Crosby and adored Frank Sinatra. I mean, I think he's one of the greatest. And I think a piece of music that has given a great deal of joy to all of us is what a swell party this is from High Society.
When I was a little girl, I used to black my face up and sing a song, and it was my curly headed Babby, and it was Paul Robeson, of course, his famous, wonderful number.
Having played uh Blythe Spirit several times, of course there is always it runs right the way through the play and it'll always be very close to my heart. And I think you've got Elizabeth Welsh doing it. How wonderful.
Dorothy Squires with Russ Conway
One of my dear friends, Dorothy Squires, wrote and made a big success of a wonderful number, Say It With Flowers, and with dear Russ Conway playing the piano.
You Made Me Love You (I Didn't Want to Do It)
Another favourite of mine that I've loved all my life is Judy Garland, particularly the lovely number, You Made Me Love You.
A Time for Us (Love Theme from Romeo and Juliet)
When I had the privilege of playing the nurse in Romeo and Juliet, I was sitting in the audience waiting to go on, and there was an Italian sitting next to me with an instrument... and to my absolute amazement, one day I heard Johnny Mathis singing it, and it was one of the top of the pops.
Portrait of My LoveFavourite
This is a very special record for me because it was uh the music was by Cyril Ornadel and my dear friend Norman Neuer wrote the lyrics and while they were creating this I was making them cups of tea and cups of coffee...
Bolshoi Theatre Orchestra conducted by Algis Žiūraitis
What I didn't realize was it was the first night of Romeo and Juliet with Nuriev and Margot Fontaine and it was one of the most wonderful evenings of my life... And it was the Brokofieff, and that will always be close to my heart.
In conversation
Presenter asks
1:41Why do you think we loved Ada Larkin so much?
Well, all of them really have a heart of gold underneath and all they're doing it for I mean they're bullying their husbands because they don't want their daughters to go through what they've gone through.
Presenter asks
5:00What made you think you could play glamour roles?
I thought if I slimmed down enough and I was a good enough actress, I could play all the glamour roles. When you think of everything that Coward has written, I would love to I mean, I did play Hay Fever in rep. I was totally wrong for it and I wasn't very good. But those were the parts I would love to have played.
Presenter asks
6:24What did your parents think of you?
Well, my father was an invalid... and he died when I was eleven and I I sort of never really uh knew him as well as I would like to... and I never had any contact with my mother. I mean my m my mother didn't like me particularly. I mean I had no love from her at all.
Presenter asks
The keepsakes
The book
Noël Coward
I thought, dear beloved Noel Cards Diaries, everything I've ever done of Cards has been wonderful, and it'll be lovely to have him with me on the island.
The luxury
Lots and lots of tea. I can do anything as long as I've got a cup of tea.
How old were you when you realized you had to settle for what nature had given you?
I know I was in Leeds, in the theatre in Leeds, and I was eating my apple. And Geoffrey Wood... said to me, Why aren't you having your lunch? and I said, I want to get thin so that I can play all the glamour parts and he said to me, You've got a character face, a character body, a character walk. And you'll never be anything but a character woman, so eat... And I cried my eyes out, I remember. But I very, very soon realized that he was absolutely right.
Presenter asks
27:34How do you learn your lines now that you are half-sighted?
On tape... I've got a very, very dear friend who puts everything on tape for me and I learn on tape. It's ever so much easier when you can see when you're learning and you've you dry and you can just look at it.
“I was far more interested in becoming an actress of note than making a lot of money.”
“I wouldn't know what it was to have an arm round me and be loved from my mother.”
“I'm one of those people I can be solitary. I I'm quite happy by myself, you know”
“I mean there's far more kindness in this world than we're giving it credit for.”