Freda Jackson | |
|---|---|
 Freda Jackson inThe Brides of Dracula (1960) | |
| Born | Freda Maud Jackson (1907-12-29)29 December 1907 Nottingham, Nottinghamshire, England |
| Died | 20 October 1990(1990-10-20) (aged 82) Northampton, Northamptonshire, England |
| Years active | 1934–1981 |
| Spouse | |
| Children | 1 |
Freda Maud Jackson (29 December 1907 – 20 October 1990) was an English stage actress who also worked in film and television.
Jackson was born inNottingham in 1907. She made her stage debut on 1 January 1934 at theNorthampton Repertory Theatre inSweet Lavender.[1] During this period, she reputedly had a relationship withErrol Flynn, a fellow company member.[2] After two years with the Northampton Rep, she first appeared in London on 13 July 1936 inThe Sacred Flame at theQ Theatre, afterwards touring withEmlyn Williams in Williams' playNight Must Fall. In 1938 she joined theOld Vic company, touring with them the following year in Europe and Egypt, and in 1940 she became part of theStratford Memorial Theatre company.[3] Her film debut was inMountains O'Mourne (1938); other early films includedPowell and Pressburger'sA Canterbury Tale,Laurence Olivier'sHenry V (both 1944) andDavid Lean'sGreat Expectations (1946).[4]
In July 1945 she scored a personal success at theEmbassy Theatre in London'sSwiss Cottage, playing the sadistic landlady Mrs Voray in Joan Temple'sNo Room at the Inn.[5] She also featured in the play'sWest End transfer and in the film adaptation released in 1948. A few years later she played a similar role, Mrs Allistair, in the stage and screen versions of Sylvia Rayman'sWomen of Twilight (1952).[6] "I wonder," she wrote in 1954, "if [my fellow actors] ever dreamed when we were treading the Shakespearean boards together at Stratford 14 years ago that their light-hearted Nerissa, Maria and Mrs Quickly would, in less years than it takes to say Sweeney Todd, be treading so heavily the darkest paths of crime—her name a horrid by-word, a source of cosy shudders ... Seriously though, dear public, you must please believe that I was not always so depraved a character."[7]
In July 1955, back at Northampton, she played the role she later listed as her favourite inWho's Who in the Theatre – Marguerite Gautier inThe Lady of the Camellias. Later stage appearances included the Gypsy inCamino Real (Phoenix Theatre 1957),Duel of Angels (Apollo Theatre 1958), Mrs Hitchcock inSergeant Musgrave's Dance (Royal Court Theatre 1959), Gunhild inJohn Gabriel Borkman (Mermaid Theatre 1961), the title role inMother Courage (Bristol Old Vic 1961),Naked (Royal Court Theatre 1963), a 1967 tour ofArsenic and Old Lace, and Maria Helliwell inWhen We Are Married (Strand Theatre 1970).[3]
Her later films includedLewis Gilbert'sThe Good Die Young (1954) asJoan Collins' mother,George Cukor'sBhowani Junction (1956),Ralph Thomas'A Tale of Two Cities (1958),Terence Fisher'sThe Brides of Dracula (1960),Tony Richardson'sTom Jones (1963), two directed byMichael Winner (West 11, 1963, andThe Jokers, 1967),Daniel Haller'sDie, Monster, Die! (1965) asBoris Karloff's wife, and two featuringRay Harryhausen creature effects:The Valley of Gwangi (1969) andClash of the Titans (1981). Summarising her film career,David Quinlan wrote that she "created some memorably grim portraits ... fewer than one would have liked, but she was really too ferocious for supporting roles."[8]
Jackson married artistHenry Bird in 1937; they lived at Hardingstone House, Northampton. Their son, Julian, initially a psychiatrist, became an actor in his 60s.[2][9]
Jackson died in 1990 at the age of 82. She was cremated at the Counties Crematorium, Northampton.
