Anna Neagle was a British actress who is best known for her roles in “Nurse Edith Cavell,” “Odette,” and “The Lady with a Lamp.” She enjoyed great popularity during World War II and became a prominent figure in British cinema.
Personal and Family Life
Anna Neagle was born Florence Marjorie Robertson on October 20, 1904, in Forest Gate, Essex, England. She started her career in dance at the young age of 14, performing in chorus lines. Anna married film producer Herbert Wilcox in 1943, and they worked together on several successful projects until his death in 1977.
Career Highlights
Throughout her career, Anna played many notable historical characters, including Queen Victoria and Florence Nightingale. She became known for her performances in musicals and light comedies, appealing to war-torn audiences with her glamorous roles. Despite some criticism of her acting abilities, Anna was a box office hit for nearly two decades and was honored as Dame of the British Empire in 1969 for her contributions to the arts.
Death and Legacy
Anna Neagle passed away on June 3, 1986, in West Byfleet, Surrey, England, due to complications from renal disease and cancer. Her legacy lives on through her impressive body of work in film and theatre, as well as her record-breaking performances in “Charlie Girl,” which ran for over six years.
Filmography
| Title | Release Date | Character |
|---|---|---|
| Nurse Edith Cavell | 1939-08-31 | Nurse Edith Cavell |
| Yellow Canary | 1943-12-13 | Sally Maitland |
| Odette | 1950-10-02 | Odette |
| The Man Who Wouldn’t Talk | 1958-01-21 | Mary Randall, Q.C. |
| They Flew Alone | 1942-06-29 | Amy Johnson |
| I Live in Grosvenor Square | 1945-07-20 | Lady Patricia Fairfax |
| Elizabeth of Ladymead | 1948-12-22 | Various Characters |
| Irene | 1940-04-23 | Irene O’Dare |
| Sunny | 1941-05-30 | Sunny O’Sullivan |
| The Courtneys of Curzon Street | 1947-04-11 | Kate O’Halloran |
| Peg of Old Drury | 1935-08-27 | Peg Woffington |
| The Three Maxims | 1936-01-01 | Pat |
| London Melody | 1937-02-04 | Jacqueline |
| Spring in Park Lane | 1948-03-17 | Judy Howard |
| Piccadilly Incident | 1946-08-24 | Diana Fraser |
| Lilacs in the Spring | 1954-12-21 | Carole Beaumont |
| Maytime in Mayfair | 1949-05-24 | Eileen Grahame |
| Forever and a Day | 1943-01-21 | Susan Trenchard |
| Bitter Sweet | 1933-08-21 | Sari Linden |
| Victoria the Great | 1937-09-01 | Queen Victoria |
| Sixty Glorious Years | 1938-11-18 | Queen Victoria |
| The Lady with a Lamp | 1951-09-22 | Florence Nightingale |
| Nell Gwyn | 1934-08-01 | Nell Gwyn |
| My Teenage Daughter | 1956-06-20 | Valerie Carr |
| King’s Rhapsody | 1955-06-07 | Marta Karillos |
| The Lady is a Square | 1959-02-03 | Frances Baring |
| Derby Day | 1952-06-09 | Lady Helen Forbes |
| No Time for Tears | 1957-10-04 | Matron Eleanor Hammond |
| The Little Damozel | 1933-01-01 | Julie Alardy |
| The Chinese Bungalow | 1930-09-26 | Charlotte Merivale |
| No, No, Nanette | 1940-12-19 | Nanette |
| The Volunteer | 1944-01-10 | Herself |
| Tales of the Unexpected | 1979-03-24 | Fanny Soane |