Sheila Susan White (18 October 1948 – 7 September 2018) was an English film, television and stage actress.

Early life and career

Sheila White was born in London. She began her career at the age of 12 as a member of

Terry's Juveniles Terry's Juveniles were a troupe of young dancers who performed regularly on British theatre stages, and in films, from about 1919 until the late 1960s, with regular changes of personnel. The group was founded and trained by Theresa Freedman (22 Jan ...

in the pantomime ''

Cinderella "Cinderella",; french: link=no, Cendrillon; german: link=no, Aschenputtel) or "The Little Glass Slipper", is a folk tale with thousands of variants throughout the world.Dundes, Alan. Cinderella, a Casebook. Madison, Wis: University of Wisconsi ...

'' at the ''

Golders Green Hippodrome The Golders Green Hippodrome was built in 1913 by Bertie Crewe as a 3,000-seat music hall, to serve North London and the new London Underground Northern line expansion into Golders Green in the London Borough of Barnet, London, England. Taken ...

'', starring

Arthur Askey Arthur Bowden Askey, (6 June 1900 – 16 November 1982) was an English comedian and actor. Askey was known for his short stature (5' 2", 1.58 m) and distinctive horn-rimmed glasses, and his playful humour incorporating improvisation ...

. This led to three years in the London production of ''

The Sound of Music ''The Sound of Music'' is a musical with music by Richard Rodgers, lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II, and a book by Howard Lindsay and Russel Crouse. It is based on the 1949 memoir of Maria von Trapp, ''The Story of the Trapp Family Singers''. S ...

'' at the

Palace Theatre Palace Theatre, or Palace Theater, is the name of many theatres in different countries, including: Australia * Palace Theatre, Melbourne, Victoria *Palace Theatre, Sydney, New South Wales Canada *Palace Theatre, housed in the Robillard Block, M ...

, playing firstly Brigitta and then Louisa von Trapp. She then became a student at the Corona Stage School in

Hammersmith Hammersmith is a district of West London, England, southwest of Charing Cross. It is the administrative centre of the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham, and identified in the London Plan as one of 35 major centres in Greater London ...

, West London. White made her television debut at the age of sixteen in an episode of '' The Wednesday Play'' with

Geraldine McEwan Geraldine McEwan (born Geraldine McKeown; 9 May 1932 – 30 January 2015) was an English actress, who had a long career in film, theatre and television. Michael Coveney described her, in a tribute article, as "a great comic stylist, with ...

in 1965. A theatre tour of ''Counter Crime'' followed, then the musical tour of ''

The Roar of the Greasepaint—the Smell of the Crowd ''The'' () is a grammatical article in English, denoting persons or things already mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite article in English. ''The'' is the m ...

'' starring

Norman Wisdom Sir Norman Joseph Wisdom, (4 February 1915 – 4 October 2010) was an English actor, comedian, musician and singer best known for a series of comedy films produced between 1953 and 1966 featuring a hapless onscreen character often called Norman ...

and Willoughby Goddard, written by

Leslie Bricusse Leslie Bricusse OBE (; 29 January 1931 – 19 October 2021) was a British composer, lyricist, and playwright who worked on theatre musicals and wrote theme music for films. He was best known for writing the music and lyrics for the films '' Do ...

and

Anthony Newley Anthony Newley (24 September 1931 – 14 April 1999) was an English actor, singer, songwriter, and filmmaker. A "latter-day British Al Jolson", he achieved widespread success in song, and on stage and screen. "One of Broadway's greatest leadin ...

in which she played one of the urchins alongside

Elaine Paige Elaine Jill Paige (née Bickerstaff; born 5 March 1948) is an English singer and actress, best known for her work in musical theatre. Raised in Barnet, Hertfordshire, Paige attended the Aida Foster Theatre School, making her first professiona ...

, with choreography by

Gillian Lynne Dame Gillian Barbara Lynne (née Pyrke; 20 February 1926 – 1 July 2018) was an English ballerina, dancer, choreographer, actress, and theatre-television director, noted for her theatre choreography associated with two of the longest-runnin ...

. White's major break came playing the part of Eileen in the musical ''On the Level'' at the Saville Theatre. She was taken out of the chorus and the song "Bleep – Bleep" was written especially for her as a solo feature. This led to her being cast as Bet, Nancy's best friend in the film version of

Lionel Bart Lionel Bart (1 August 1930 – 3 April 1999) was a British writer and composer of pop music and musicals. He wrote Tommy Steele's " Rock with the Caveman" and was the sole creator of the musical ''Oliver!'' (1960). With ''Oliver!'' and his wor ...

's musical ''

Oliver! ''Oliver!'' is a Coming-of-age story, coming-of-age Musical theatre, stage musical, with book, music and lyrics by Lionel Bart. The musical is based upon the 1838 novel ''Oliver Twist'' by Charles Dickens. It premiered at the Wimbledon Theatre ...

'' (1968). She accompanied

Shani Wallis Shani Wallis (born 14 April 1933) is a British actress and singer, who has worked in theatre, film, and television in both her native United Kingdom and in the United States. A graduate of the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, she is perhaps best ...

as Nancy and

Mark Lester Mark Lester (born Mark A. Letzer; 11 July 1958) is an English former child actor, osteopath, and acupuncturist who starred in a number of British and European films in the 1960s and 1970s. In 1968 he played the title role in the film ''Oliver ...

as Oliver in the songs "It's a Fine Life" and " I'd Do Anything". Following her appearance in ''

'', she briefly settled in France recording pop songs, performing in cabaret and making television appearances. She also starred in the French film ''Papa the Little Boats'' (', 1971) directed by

Nelly Kaplan Nelly Kaplan (11 April 1931 – 12 November 2020) was an Argentine-born French writer and film director who focused on the arts, film, and filmmakers. She studied economics at the University of Buenos Aires. Passionate about cinema, she abrupt ...

Film and television

In 1969 and 1970, White starred opposite Rodney Bewes in the first two series of the sitcom '' Dear Mother...Love Albert''. She received glowing reviews for her performance as

Messalina Valeria Messalina (; ) was the third wife of Roman emperor Claudius. She was a paternal cousin of Emperor Nero, a second cousin of Emperor Caligula, and a great-grandniece of Emperor Augustus. A powerful and influential woman with a reputation ...

, the third wife of the Emperor

Claudius Tiberius Claudius Caesar Augustus Germanicus (; 1 August 10 BC – 13 October AD 54) was the fourth Roman emperor, ruling from AD 41 to 54. A member of the Julio-Claudian dynasty, Claudius was born to Drusus and Antonia Minor ...

(

Derek Jacobi Sir Derek George Jacobi (; born 22 October 1938) is an English actor. He has appeared in various stage productions of William Shakespeare such as '' Hamlet'', '' Much Ado About Nothing'', '' Macbeth'', '' Twelfth Night'', '' The Tempest'', ' ...

) in the BBC classic serial ''

I, Claudius ''I, Claudius'' is a historical novel by English writer Robert Graves, published in 1934. Written in the form of an autobiography of the Roman Emperor Claudius, it tells the history of the Julio-Claudian dynasty and the early years of the Ro ...

'' (1976), and in ''

EastEnders ''EastEnders'' is a Television in the United Kingdom, British soap opera created by Julia Smith (producer), Julia Smith and Tony Holland which has been broadcast on BBC One since February 1985. Set in the fictional borough of Walford in the Ea ...

'' she played

Carol Hanley The following is a list of characters that first appeared in the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders'' in 1990, by order of first appearance. Harry Osborne In January 1990, a mysterious old man (John Boswall) is seen lingering around Albert Square. ...

, the biological mother of

Sharon Watts Sharon Watts (also Rickman, Mitchell and Beale) is a fictional character from the BBC One soap opera '' EastEnders'', played by Letitia Dean. Sharon is one of ''EastEnders'' original characters conceptualised by creators Tony Holland and Ju ...

(

Letitia Dean Letitia Jane Dean (born 14 November 1967) is an English actress. She is known for her portrayal of Sharon Watts in the BBC soap opera, ''EastEnders''. An original cast member from 1985 to 1995, she reprised the role from 2001 to 2006, and again f ...

). Her many other television credits include the TV musical '' Pickwick'' for the BBC in 1969, Keren Daniel in ''

Poldark ''Poldark'' is a series of historical novels by Winston Graham, published from 1945 to 1953 and continued from 1973 to 2002. The first novel, '' Ross Poldark'', was named for the protagonist of the series. The novel series was adapted twice ...

'' for BBC TV, Annie Miller in ''The Brotherhood – Pre-Raphaelites – Aka Love School'' for the BBC directed by Piers Haggard. Dixie, the female lead in the comedy series ''Don't Rock the Boat'' for

Thames Television Thames Television, commonly simplified to just Thames, was a franchise holder for a region of the British ITV television network serving London and surrounding areas from 30 July 1968 until the night of 31 December 1992. Thames Television broa ...

directed by Mark Stuart, Moyra Sheffield in ''Framed'' for ITV, written by

Lynda La Plante Lynda La Plante, CBE (born Lynda Titchmarsh; 15 March 1943) is an English author, screenwriter and former actress, best known for writing the '' Prime Suspect'' television crime series. Early life Lynda La Plante was born Lynda Titchmarsh on ...

, Sharon Nightingale in the series 1 episode '' Monday Night Fever'' of ''

Minder A minder is the person assigned to guide or escort a visitor, or to provide protection to somebody, or to otherwise assist or take care of something, i.e. a person who " minds". Government-appointed persons to accompany foreign visitors are of ...

'', Mildred in ''ITV Saturday Night Theatre – The Funeral of Queen Victoria'', directed by Tania Leven, '' Whizzkid's Guide'' a children's comedy series for

Anglia Television ITV Anglia, previously known as Anglia Television, is the ITV franchise holder for the East of England. The station is based at Anglia House in Norwich, with regional news bureaux in Cambridge and Northampton. ITV Anglia is owned and operated b ...

, and Faith in the series '' Gone To Seed''. Musical appearances on television included the variety series ''The Songwriters'', several Royal Variety shows, and '' The Good Old Days'' with

Leonard Sachs Leonard Meyer Sachs (26 September 1909 – 15 June 1990) was a South African-born British actor. Life and career Sachs was born in the town of Roodepoort, in the then Transvaal Colony, present day South Africa. He was Jewish. He emigrated t ...

. She made her final TV appearance in an episode of the comedy series '' A Many Splintered Thing'' (2000) with

Alan Davies Alan Roger Davies (; born 6 March 1966) is an English stand-up comedian, writer, actor and TV presenter. He is best known for his portrayal of the title role in the BBC mystery drama series ''Jonathan Creek'' (1997–2016) and as the only per ...

. Her 1970s film appearances included the role of Rosie Noggett, sister of Timothy Lea ( Robin Askwith), in all four '' Confessions'' films, ''

Villain A villain (also known as a " black hat" or "bad guy"; the feminine form is villainess) is a stock character, whether based on a historical narrative or one of literary fiction. '' Random House Unabridged Dictionary'' defines such a charact ...

'' (1971) with

Richard Burton Richard Burton (; born Richard Walter Jenkins Jr.; 10 November 1925 – 5 August 1984) was a Welsh actor. Noted for his baritone voice, Burton established himself as a formidable Shakespearean actor in the 1950s, and he gave a memorable pe ...

, '' Alfie Darling'' (1975) with

Joan Collins Dame Joan Henrietta Collins (born 23 May 1933) is an English actress, author and columnist. Collins is the recipient of several accolades, including a Golden Globe Award, a People's Choice Award, two Soap Opera Digest Awards and a Primeti ...

, '' Silver Dream Racer'' (1980) with

David Essex David Essex (born David Albert Cook; 23 July 1947) is an English singer, songwriter, and actor. Since the 1970s, he has attained 19 Top 40 singles in the UK (including two number ones) and 16 Top 40 albums. Internationally, Essex had the most ...

, and the

Walt Disney Walter Elias Disney (; December 5, 1901December 15, 1966) was an American animator, film producer and entrepreneur. A pioneer of the American animation industry, he introduced several developments in the production of cartoons. As a film p ...

comedy '' Unidentified Flying Oddball'' (1979).

Theatre

White's extensive theatre credits as a West End leading lady included

Mary Pickford Gladys Marie Smith (April 8, 1892 – May 29, 1979), known professionally as Mary Pickford, was a Canadian-American stage and screen actress and producer with a career that spanned five decades. A pioneer in the US film industry, she co-founde ...

in ''

The Biograph Girl ''The Biograph Girl'' is a musical with a book by Warner Brown, lyrics by Brown and David Heneker, and music by Heneker. Its plot focuses on the silent film era and five pioneers of American cinema - actresses Mary Pickford and Lillian Gish, di ...

'' for

Harold Fielding Harold Lewis Fielding (4 December 1916 - 27 September 2003) was an English theatre producer. Fielding was one of Britain's foremost theatrical producers who produced several musicals, including ''Mame'', ''Charlie Girl'', ''Half a Sixpence'', ...

, directed by

Victor Spinetti Vittorio Giorgio Andre "Victor" Spinetti (2 September 1929 – 19 June 2012) was a Welsh actor, author, poet, and raconteur. He appeared in dozens of films and stage plays throughout his 50-year career, including the three 1960s Beatles films ...

; Eileen Wells in ''On the Level''; Young Belle in '' Little Me''; Ruby in the London production of '' Dames at Sea''; Samantha in ''Queen Daniella'' with

Danny La Rue Danny La Rue, (born Daniel Patrick Carroll, 26 July 1927 – 31 May 2009) was an Irish singer and entertainer, best known for his on-stage drag persona. He performed in drag and also as himself in theatrical productions, television shows and f ...

and Sonia Walsk; and the British production of '' They're Playing Our Song''.

Personal life

White became semi-retired after her marriage to (then) theatre producer Richard M. Mills in 1983. The couple had two sons. Following a long illness, she died of heart failure on 7 September 2018 at age 69.

Filmography

*'' The Ghost Goes Gear'' (1966) as Polly *'' Stranger in the House'' (1967) as Hazel *'' Here We Go Round the Mulberry Bush'' (1967) as Paula *''

Mrs. Brown, You've Got a Lovely Daughter "Mrs. Brown, You've Got a Lovely Daughter" is a popular song written by British actor, screenwriter and songwriter Trevor Peacock. It was originally sung by actor Tom Courtenay in ''The Lads'', a British TV play of 1963, and released as a singl ...

'' (1968) as Tulip *''

'' (1968) as Bet *''

'' (1971) as Veronica *' (1972) as Venus "Cookie" De Palma *'' Confessions of a Window Cleaner'' (1974) as Rosie *'' Alfie Darling'' (1975) as Norma *''

Confessions of a Pop Performer ''Confessions of a Pop Performer'' is a 1975 British sex-farce film. This second instalment continues the erotic adventures of Timothy Lea and is based on the novels written under the name by Christopher Wood. In this case, the original novel ...

'' (1975) as Rosie *'' Confessions of a Driving Instructor'' (1976) as Rosie * ''

'' (TV, 1976) as Messalina *''

Confessions from a Holiday Camp ''Confessions from a Holiday Camp'' is a 1977 British comedy film. It is the last film in the series which began with ''Confessions of a Window Cleaner''. The film was released in North America in 1978 under the title ''Confessions of a Summer C ...

'' (1977) as Rosie *'' Unidentified Flying Oddball'' (1979) as Alisande *'' Silver Dream Racer'' (1980) as Carol

References

External links

Index of /
* {{DEFAULTSORT:White, Sheila 1948 births 2018 deaths English film actresses English soap opera actresses English television actresses Actresses from London 20th-century English actresses 21st-century English actresses