Deborah Kerr, Hollywood's Scottish Beauty
Ranked #11,257 in Entertainment, #137,891 overall
The Name Rhymes with Star!
She holds the record for most Academy Award nominations for Best Actress without winning, being nominated on six occasions. She received an honorary Award from the Academy in 1994 for her lifetime's work with a citation referring to her as an "artist of impeccable grace and beauty, a dedicated actress whose motion picture career has always stood for perfection, discipline and elegance." In 1998 she was made a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE).
Early Years
Deborah and Teddy
Deborah's acting skills were allowed to develop early and she attended, first Northumberland House School in Clifton, near Bristol, where she was able to develop her talent for singing, dancing, painting and piano. She then went to the Hicks-Smale Drama School, also in Bristol, which was run by her aunt, radio performer Phyllis Smale. Phyllis became Deborah's first drama teacher.
The Young Actress
Deborah Kerr
8 in. x 10 in.
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Deborah's first love was ballet and she danced at Sadlers Wells in 1938 but at 5'6" she was too tall to be a top ballerina and she began to concentrate her energies on acting. She appeared in Regents Park, London at the Open Air Theatre and she was noticed by film director Robert Atkins who introduced her to to producer Gabriel Pascal who was looking for an actress to play Jenny Hill in the forthcoming movie adaptation of George Bernard Shaw's 'Major Barbara'.
Filming began in 1940 an the movie was released the following year. It was a great success and, also in 1941 another Gabriel Pascal movie, 'Love on the Dole', quickly followed and again received excellent reviews. It was apparent that in Deborah Kerr a new star had been born.
The Young Star
Deborah continued with a series of films which confirmed her as one of the top stars of British cinema and which displayed her ability to play a wide variety of parts. After 'Hatter's Castle' (see right) in 1942, co-starring Robert Newton and James Mason, she gave an outstanding performance in 'The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp' in 1943 in which she played three different roles.Hollywood was becoming aware of the beautiful young star and after further British successes with 'Perfect Strangers' in 1945, 'I See a Dark Stranger' in 1946, and 'Black Narcissus' the following year, for which she won the New York Film Critics' Award as Actress of the Year, Deborah signed a contract with MGM and moved to America. She was about to emerge as a top international star.
Hollywood Beginner
From Here to Eternity
The role which changed Deborah's prim, decorous image forever, was that of Karen Holmes, the adulterous army wife in 'From Here to Eternity' in 1953. The movie gained for Deborah an Oscar nomination for Best Actress and the unforgettable scene in which she and Burt Lancaster roll in the breakers of an Hawaii beach has been ranked at number twenty in The American Film Institute's top 100 list of most romantic films.
From Here to Eternity on Amazon
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Hollywood Star
Shall We Dance? Yes!
With Yul Brynner in The King and I
She continued her successes with memorable performances in 'An Affair to Remember' with Cary Grant in 1957, 'Separate Tables' the following year, 'The Sundowners' with Robert Mitchum in 1960, 'The Innocents' in 1961 and 'The Night of the Iguana' in 1964.
She was now an acknowledged Hollywood superstar and she showed her versatility with leading roles in comedies such as 'The Grass is Greener' in 1960 and Marriage on the Rocks' in 1965. In 1967, at the age of 46, she became the oldest 'Bond Girl' with her appearance in the parody Bond movie 'Casino Royale'.
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Later Career
Deborah made her first TV film 'Three Roads To Rome' in 1962, and afterwards worked steadily in that medium, with particular success in the 1980's with 'Witness For The Prosecution' in 1982, 'A Woman Of Substance' in 1983 and 'Hold The Dream' in 1986. After 1986 she retired completely from acting.
Deborah's first marriage was in 1945 to to RAF Squadron Leader Anthony Bartley, an Englishman who had been a decorated fighter pilot during World War II.They had two daughters, Melanie Jane, and Francesca Ann, before the marriage broke down due to Bartley's growing jealousy of his wife's fame and financial success. They divorced in 1959.
The following year she married author Peter Viertel and they alternated homes in Klosters, Switzerland and Marbella, Spain.
Deborah and her second husband, Peter Viertel on the evening of their marriage in 1960
The End
The Wonderful Deborah Kerr 1921-2007
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I'd love to hear your views on Deborah Kerr
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Beautiful-Bridal
May 19, 2012 @ 8:34 am | delete
- The King and I is one of my childhood favorites and who can forget that dance! From Here To Eternity, the sexiest movie ever made, hands down. She was pure class, I love her.
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melissiaoliver
Apr 18, 2012 @ 8:25 am | delete
- Deborah Kerr is one of my all-time favourite actresses - however I didn't know an awful lot about her until I read your really interesting lens. I especially admire her for sticking to her views and refusing to take part in films that she disagreed with. To me, she will always be Anna from The King and I (special thanks and a Squidlike for putting the Shall We Dance scene up, as this is one of my favourite film scenes of all time!)
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Watch 'The King and I' at home
The King and I
Amazon Price: $10.34 (as of 05/30/2012)
The wonderful and heart-warming story of two strong-minded people struggling to reach mutual understanding and respect across a cultural chasm. It is also a beautiful love story about a love that can never be...... The music and dancing is wonderful and beautiful to watch. Costumes and the colors are amazing. You will fall in love with Yul Brynner and Deborah Kerr.
