Ursula Howells (17 September 1922 – 16 October 2005) was an English actress whose elegant presence kept her much in demand for roles in film and television.

Life and career

Howells was born in London, the daughter of composer

Herbert Howells Herbert Norman Howells (17 October 1892 – 23 February 1983) was an English composer, organist, and teacher, most famous for his large output of Anglican church music. Life Background and early education Howells was born in Lydney, Glouces ...

, and was educated at

St Paul's Girls' School St Paul's Girls' School is an independent day school for girls, aged 11 to 18, located in Brook Green, Hammersmith, in West London, England. History St Paul's Girls' School was founded by the Worshipful Company of Mercers in 1904, using part ...

, where her father worked as Director of Music. She made her first stage appearance at Dundee in 1939, in John Drinkwater's ''Bird in Hand'', then moved to

Oxford Oxford () is a city in England. It is the county town and only city of Oxfordshire. In 2020, its population was estimated at 151,584. It is north-west of London, south-east of Birmingham and north-east of Bristol. The city is home to the Un ...

in 1942 and three years later made her London debut at the Embassy Theatre,

Swiss Cottage Swiss Cottage is an area of Hampstead in the London Borough of Camden, England. It is centred on the junction of Avenue Road and Finchley Road and includes Swiss Cottage tube station. Swiss Cottage lies north-northwest of Charing Cross. ...

. In 1947, she appeared in the comedy '' Jane'' at the

Aldwych Theatre The Aldwych Theatre is a West End theatre, located in Aldwych in the City of Westminster, central London. It was listed Grade II on 20 July 1971. Its seating capacity is 1,200 on three levels. History Origins The theatre was constructed in the ...

. After several years in the

West End West End most commonly refers to: * West End of London, an area of central London, England * West End theatre, a popular term for mainstream professional theatre staged in the large theatres of London, England West End may also refer to: Pl ...

, and a brief stint on

Broadway Broadway may refer to: Theatre * Broadway Theatre (disambiguation) * Broadway theatre, theatrical productions in professional theatres near Broadway, Manhattan, New York City, U.S. ** Broadway (Manhattan), the street **Broadway Theatre (53rd Stree ...

where she appeared in ''Springtime for Henry'' in 1951, she began to appear in films. After the death of her father in 1983, Ursula Howells instigated the Herbert Howells Society in 1987, and became a standard bearer for the promotion of his work. She financially supported the recording of his compositions and did much to encourage the publishing and promotion of church music. Howells died on 16 October 2005, aged 83.

Filmography

Film

* '' Flesh and Blood'' (1951) - Harriet Marshall * '' I Believe in You'' (1952) - Hon. Ursula * ''

The Oracle An oracle was usually a priest or a priestess through whom the gods were supposed to speak or prophesize. In particular: *Pythia – served as an oracle in the Temple of Apollo at Delphi. * Oracle bone – a bone used for divination in ancient Chi ...

'' (1953) - Peggy * ''

The Weak and the Wicked ''The Weak and the Wicked'' (called ''Young and Willing'' in the United States) is a 1954 British drama film directed by J. Lee Thompson based on the autobiographical novel ''Who Lie in Gaol'' by his wife, Joan Henry, starring Glynis Johns and ...

'' (1954) - Pam Vickers * '' The Gilded Cage'' (1955) - Brenda Lucas * ''

The Constant Husband ''The Constant Husband'' is a 1955 British comedy film, directed by Sidney Gilliat and starring Rex Harrison, Margaret Leighton, Kay Kendall, Cecil Parker, George Cole and Raymond Huntley. The story was written by Gilliat together with V ...

'' (1955) - 'The Wives' - Ann * ''

Track the Man Down ''Track the Man Down'' is a 1955 British drama film directed by R. G. Springsteen, and starring Kent Taylor, Petula Clark, and George Rose.Martin p. 207 The melodramatic crime caper centers on a robbery at a greyhound racetrack that results ...

'' (1955) - Mary Dennis * '' They Can't Hang Me'' (1955) - Antonia Pitt * ''Handcuffs, London'' (1955) - Madelaine Perry * '' Keep It Clean'' (1956) - Pat Anstey * '' The Long Arm'' (1956) - Mrs. Elliot / Mrs. Gilson * ''

West of Suez ''West of Suez'', released in the United States as ''The Fighting Wildcats'', is a 1957 British drama film directed by Arthur Crabtree and starring Keefe Brasselle, Kay Callard and Karel Stepanek. Premise An adventurer is hired to assassina ...

'' (1957) - Eileen * '' Account Rendered'' (1957) - Lucille Ainsworth * '' Two Letter Alibi'' (1962) - Louise Hilary * ''

80,000 Suspects ''80,000 Suspects'' is a 1963 British drama film directed by Val Guest and starring Claire Bloom, Richard Johnson, Yolande Donlan, and Cyril Cusack. It concerns an outbreak of smallpox in Bath, England. Plot Commencing on New Year's Eve in the ...

'' (1963) - Joanna Duten * ''The Sicilians'' (1964) - Mme. Perrault * '' Dr Terror's House of Horrors'' (1965) - Mrs. Deirdre Biddulph (segment "Werewolf") * '' Torture Garden'' (1967) - Miss Maxine Chambers (segment 3 "Mr. Steinway") * '' Assignment K'' (1968) - Estelle * '' Crossplot'' (1969) - Maggi Thwaites * '' Mumsy, Nanny, Sonny and Girly'' (1970) - Mumsy * ''

Father, Dear Father ''Father, Dear Father'' is a British television sitcom produced by Thames Television for ITV from 1968 to 1973 starring Patrick Cargill. It was subsequently made into a spin-off film of the same title released in 1973. An Australian sequel se ...

'' (1973) - Barbara * '' The Tichborne Claimant'' (1998) - Lady Doughty

Television

* ''

Madhouse on Castle Street ''Madhouse on Castle Street'' is a British television play, broadcast by BBC Television on the evening of 13 January 1963, as part of the '' Sunday Night Play'' strand. It was written by Evan Jones and directed by Philip Saville. The production ...

'' (1963) - Martha Tompkins * ''

Dixon of Dock Green ''Dixon of Dock Green'' was a BBC police procedural television series about daily life at a fictional London police station, with the emphasis on petty crime, successfully controlled through common sense and human understanding. It ran from 19 ...

'' (1963) - Jean Baker Ellis * ''

The Forsyte Saga ''The Forsyte Saga'', first published under that title in 1922, is a series of three novels and two interludes published between 1906 and 1921 by the English author John Galsworthy, who won the Nobel Prize in Literature. They chronicle the vici ...

'' (1967) - Frances * ''

Man in a Suitcase ''Man in a Suitcase'' is a British television private eye thriller series produced by Lew Grade's ITC Entertainment. It originally aired in the United Kingdom on ITV from 27 September 1967 to 17 April 1968. ABC broadcast episodes of ''Man in ...

'' (1968) - Clara Arnoldson * ''

'' (1968-1973) - Barbara Mossman * ''

Upstairs, Downstairs Upstairs Downstairs may refer to: Television *Upstairs, Downstairs (1971 TV series), ''Upstairs, Downstairs'' (1971 TV series), a British TV series broadcast on ITV from 1971 to 1975 *Upstairs Downstairs (2010 TV series), ''Upstairs Downstairs'' ...

'' (1975) - Duchess of Buckminster * '' The Barchester Chronicles'' (1982) - Miss Thorne * '' Miss Marple - A Murder is Announced'' (1985) - Miss Blacklock * '' Bergerac'' (1985-1991) - Laura Atherton / Elizabeth Fouchet * '' Casualty'' (1993-1997) - Erica Chisnall / Hilda * ''

Lovejoy ''Lovejoy'' is a British television comedy-drama mystery series, based on the novels by John Grant under the pen name Jonathan Gash. The show, which ran to 71 episodes over six series, was originally broadcast on BBC1 between 10 January 19 ...

'' (1994) - Olive Nettleton * '' Under the Hammer'' (1994) - Mrs. Roper * '' Heartbeat'' (1995) - Miriam Wakefield * '' Dangerfield'' (1995) - Violet Trevelyn * ''

A Rather English Marriage ''A Rather English Marriage'' is a novel by Angela Lambert, first published in 1992, and later adapted for television by Andrew Davies for the BBC. Plot summary The book's plot concerns two retired men who are thrown together following the death ...

'' (1998, TV Movie) - Mary * ''

The Cazalets ''The Cazalets'' is a 2001 television drama series in six episodes (five episodes when broadcast in the US) about the life of a large privileged family in the years 1937 to 1947. Most of the action takes place in London, and at the family's large ...

'' (2001) - Kitty Cazalet * ''

Midsomer Murders ''Midsomer Murders'' is a British crime drama television series, adapted by Anthony Horowitz and Douglas Watkinson from the novels in the '' Chief Inspector Barnaby'' book series (created by Caroline Graham), and broadcast on two channels of ...

- The Electric Vendetta'' (2001) - Lady Isabel Aubrey (final appearance)

References

External links

*
The Herbert Howells Trust
{{DEFAULTSORT:Howells, Ursula 1922 births 2005 deaths English film actresses English television actresses People educated at St Paul's Girls' School Actresses from London 20th-century English actresses 21st-century English actresses Ursula