Renée Houston (born Katherina Rita Murphy Gribbin;[1] 24 July 1902 – 9 February 1980) was a Scottish comedy actress and revue artist who appeared in television and film roles.[2]
Renée Houston | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | Katherina Rita Murphy Gribbin 24 July 1902 Johnstone, Renfrewshire, Scotland |
| Died | 9 February 1980 (aged 77) |
| Nationality | Scottish |
| Occupation(s) | Actress, comedian |
| Years active | 1910s–1980 |
Biography
editBorn in Johnstone, Renfrewshire, into a theatrical family who performed as James Houston and Company,[3] she toured music halls and revues with her sister Billie Houston (born Sarah McMahon Gribbin; 1906–1972) as the "Houston Sisters".[4] They became a leading variety act in the 1920s, sometimes performing as two children in over-sized furniture; Billie played the part of a boy.[3]
In 1926, the sisters made a short musical film, the script of which Renée had written. It was produced by Lee De Forest, whose process, Phonofilm, enabled a soundtrack to be played alongside the film (a year before The Jazz Singer).[5][6][7] The sisters ended their working partnership in 1936, when Billie reportedly became ill,[3] although it has been suggested that the split may have been due to the sisters' frequent disagreements.[1]
Renee Houston continued as a solo comedienne and actress, appearing in the Noel Gay revue Love Laughs!. She eventually revived her double act, this time with her third husband, the actor Donald Stewart, until his death in 1966.[3]
In her later years, she specialised in "battleaxe" roles, notably as shop steward Vic Spanner's (Kenneth Cope) formidable mother in Carry On at Your Convenience (1971).[8] She also worked for director Roman Polanski in Repulsion (1965) and Cul-de-sac (1966).[9][10] She published her autobiography in 1974 which was entitled Don't Fence Me In.[11]
Houston was also in early episodes of radio's The Clitheroe Kid, playing his Scottish mother in half a dozen 1958 broadcasts (but the role was quickly recast to use an English actress instead), and was a regular guest on radio panel show Petticoat Line chaired by Anona Winn.[12][13] According to entertainment historian Richard Anthony Baker: "So many listeners found her forthright language unacceptable that she was eventually limited to two swear words per show."[1]
She died in London at the age of 77 on 9 February 1980. Houston was married three times. The second was to the actor Pat Aherne, the brother of Brian Aherne.[14] Her third husband was the actor Donald Stewart.[15]
Filmography
editFilm
edit| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1932 | Come Into My Parlour | Jenny MacDonald | |
| 1933 | Their Night Out | Maggie Oliphant | |
| 1933 | Radio Parade | Herself | |
| 1934 | Lost in the Legion | Mary McFee | |
| 1934 | Mr. Cinders | Mrs. Phipps | |
| 1935 | No Monkey Business | Jessie | |
| 1936 | Happy Days Revue | Kitty Seymour | |
| 1937 | Fine Feathers | Teenie McPherson | |
| 1939 | A Girl Must Live | Gloria Lind | |
| 1941 | Old Bill and Son | Stella Malloy | |
| 1943 | The Peterville Diamond | Lady Margaret | |
| 1944 | Two Thousand Women | Maud Wright | |
| 1951 | Lady Godiva Rides Again | Beattie | AKA, Bikini Baby |
| 1954 | The Belles of St. Trinian's | Miss Brimmer | |
| 1955 | Track the Man Down | Pat Sherwood | |
| 1956 | A Town Like Alice | Ebbey | |
| 1956 | The Big Money | Bobbie | |
| 1957 | Time Without Pity | Mrs. Harker | |
| 1958 | The Horse's Mouth | Sara Monday | |
| 1958 | Them Nice Americans | Mrs. Adams | |
| 1960 | The Flesh and the Fiends | Helen Burke | |
| 1960 | And the Same to You | Mildred Pomphret | |
| 1961 | Three on a Spree | Mrs. Gray | |
| 1961 | Watch It, Sailor! | Mrs. Mottram | |
| 1961 | No My Darling Daughter | Miss Yardley | |
| 1962 | The Phantom of the Opera | Mrs. Tucker | |
| 1962 | Fog for the Killer | Ma Johnson | |
| 1963 | Nurse on Wheels | Mrs. Beacon | |
| 1963 | The Rescue Squad | Mrs. Manse | |
| 1963 | Tomorrow at Ten | Masie Maddox | |
| 1963 | Carry On Cabby | Molly | |
| 1964 | Carry On Spying | Madame | |
| 1965 | Repulsion | Miss Balch | |
| 1966 | Cul-de-sac | Christopher's Mother | |
| 1966 | Secrets of a Windmill Girl | Molly | |
| 1966 | The Spy with a Cold Nose | Lady Blanchflower | |
| 1971 | Carry On at Your Convenience | Agatha Spanner | |
| 1975 | Legend of the Werewolf | Chou-Chou |
Television
edit| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1956–57 | ITV Television Playhouse | Mrs. MacDonald, Marthy | Episodes: "The Blood Is Strong", "Anna Christie" |
| 1957 | The Errol Flynn Theatre | Mrs. Bridie | Episode: "Take the High Road" |
| 1957 | Armchair Theatre | Ethel Watts | Episode: "Rappaport Always Pays" |
| 1957 | Anna Christie | Marthy | TV film |
| 1957–58 | Sunday Night Theatre | Vi Vining, Bessie | Episodes: "The Day's Mischief", "A Nest of Robins" |
| 1960 | Maigret | Madame Ja Ja | Episode: "Liberty Bar" |
| 1960–61 | No Hiding Place | Grannie Wheedon, Mrs. Lacey | Episodes: "Footsteps on the Ceiling", "Fever" |
| 1961 | Doctor Knock | Madame Remy | Episode: "Act 3" |
| 1962 | Dinner with the Family | Madame de Montrachet | TV film |
| 1962 | A Matter of Conscience | Korableva | TV film |
| 1962 | Man of the World | Mrs. Van Kempson | Episode: "The Runaways" |
| 1963 | Z-Cars | Big Rosie | Episode: "Scare" |
| 1963 | Taxi! | Gig Lambert | Episode: "Barricades in Bailey Street" |
| 1963–64 | The Saint | Ida Warshed, Mrs. McAlister | Episodes: "The Gentle Ladies", "The Wonderful War" |
| 1964, 1967 | Dr. Finlay's Casebook | Mrs. Bright, Mrs. Johnston | Episodes: "My Late Dear Husband", "Over My Dead Body" |
| 1966 | Dixon of Dock Green | Mrs. Loman | Episode: "Death of a Donkeyman" |
| 1966 | ITV Play of the Week | Mother Brinicombe | Episode: "The First Thunder" |
| 1966 | Knock on Any Door | Marion Scoullar | Episode: "The Dear Ones" |
| 1967 | Trapped | Ivy | Episode: "Goodnight Mrs Dill" |
| 1967 | River Rivals | Mrs. Fredericks | TV series |
| 1969 | W. Somerset Maugham | "Frank" Hickson | Episode: "The Three Fat Women of Antibes" |
| 1969 | Doctor in the House | Mrs. Muir | Episodes: "Peace and Quiet", "If In Doubt - Cut It Out!" |
| 1969 | ITV Sunday Night Theatre | Olive | Episode: "The Comic" |
| 1973 | Special Branch | Scotswoman | Episode: "You Won't Remember Me" |
References
edit- ^ a b c Richard Anthony Baker, Old Time Variety: an illustrated history, Pen & Sword, 2011, ISBN 978-1-78340-066-9, pp.28-30
- ^ "Renée Houston". Ftvdb.bfi.org.uk. Archived from the original on 26 April 2008. Retrieved 26 October 2018.
- ^ a b c d Roy Hudd and Philip Hindin, Roy Hudd's Cavalcade of Variety Acts, Robson Books, 1998, ISBN 1-86105-206-5, pp.84-85
- ^ clairemckendrick (18 May 2015). "The Houston Sisters: Back in the Spotlight".
- ^ Pathé, British. "A Match Or Two - Two Little Tricks By The Houston Sisters". www.britishpathe.com.
- ^ "Film Career". 23 February 2017.
- ^ Mundy, John (15 July 2007). The British Musical Film. Manchester University Press. ISBN 9780719063213 – via Google Books.
- ^ "Carry On at Your Convenience (1971) - Gerald Thomas - Cast and Crew". AllMovie.
- ^ "Repulsion (1965)". BFI. Archived from the original on 19 April 2016.
- ^ "Cul-de-sac (1966)". BFI. Archived from the original on 11 August 2016.
- ^ McFarlane, Brian (16 May 2016). The Encyclopedia of British Film: Fourth edition. Oxford University Press. ISBN 9781526111975 – via Google Books.
- ^ "Jimmy Clitheroe as 'THE CLITHEROE KID'". 2 May 1958. p. 31 – via BBC Genome.
- ^ "Petticoat Line". 28 September 1967. p. 68 – via BBC Genome.
- ^ McFarlane, Brian (16 May 2016). The Encyclopedia of British Film: Fourth edition. Oxford University Press. ISBN 9781526111975 – via Google Books.
- ^ "Houston, Renée [real name Caterina Rita Murphy Gribbin] (1902–1980), actress". Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (online ed.). Oxford University Press. 2004. doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/49223. (Subscription or UK public library membership required.)
Bibliography
edit- Halliwell's Who's Who in the Movies HarperCollins ISBN 0-06-093507-3
- Renée Houston: Spirit of the Irresistibles by Miranda Brooke Tempest Time ISBN 978-1-5262-0636-7