Ursula Jean McMinn (5 May 1906 – 21 April 1973), better known as Ursula Jeans, was an English film, stage, and television actress.

Biography

Jeans was born in

Simla Shimla, also known as Simla (List of renamed Indian cities and states#Himachal Pradesh, the official name until 1972), is the capital and the largest city of the northern Indian state of Himachal Pradesh. In 1864, Shimla was declared the summe ...

British India The provinces of India, earlier presidencies of British India and still earlier, presidency towns, were the administrative divisions of British governance in South Asia. Collectively, they have been called British India. In one form or another ...

, to English parents. She was brought up and educated in

London London is the Capital city, capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of both England and the United Kingdom, with a population of in . London metropolitan area, Its wider metropolitan area is the largest in Wester ...

. She was the youngest of three siblings. Her brother

Desmond Jeans Desmond Jeans (14 November 1903 – December 1974) was a British actor. Biography He was the brother of actresses Isabel and Ursula Jeans. His wife, Margaret Livesey, was the sister of the actor Roger Livesey, who later married Ursula Jeans. S ...

was a boxer and actor, and her elder sister,

Isabel Isabel is a female name of Iberian origin. Isabelle is a name that is similar, but it is of French origin. It originates as the medieval Spanish form of ''Elizabeth (given name), Elisabeth'' (ultimately Hebrew ''Elisheba''). Arising in the 12th c ...

, was also an actress. In 1931 she appeared in

Edward Knoblock Edward Knoblock (born Edward Gustavus Knoblauch; 7 April 1874 – 19 July 1945) was a playwright and novelist, originally American and later a naturalised British citizen. He wrote numerous plays, often at the rate of two or three a year, of whic ...

's ''

Grand Hotel A grand hotel is a large and luxurious hotel, especially one housed in a building with traditional architectural style. It began to flourish in the 1800s in Europe and North America. Grand Hotel may refer to: Hotels Africa * Grande Hotel Beir ...

'' at the

Adelphi Theatre The Adelphi Theatre is a West End theatre, located on the Strand in the City of Westminster, central London. The present building is the fourth on the site. The theatre has specialised in comedy and musical theatre, and today it is a receiv ...

. Jeans made her stage debut in London in 1922, before joining the cast of the London production of '' The Play's the Thing'', an adaptation by

P. G. Wodehouse Sir Pelham Grenville Wodehouse ( ; 15 October 1881 – 14 February 1975) was an English writer and one of the most widely read humorists of the 20th century. His creations include the feather-brained Bertie Wooster and his sagacious valet, Je ...

Ferenc Molnár Ferenc Molnár ( , ; born Ferenc Neumann; January 12, 1878April 1, 1952), often anglicized as Franz Molnar, was a Hungarians, Hungarian-born author, stage director, dramatist, and poet. He is widely regarded as Hungary's most celebrated and c ...

's play ''The Play at the Castle''. The cast included

Gerald du Maurier Sir Gerald Hubert Edward Busson du Maurier (26 March 1873 – 11 April 1934) was an English actor and Actor-manager, manager. He was the son of author George du Maurier and his wife, Emma Wightwick, and the brother of Sylvia Llewelyn Davies ...

, Ralph Nairn,

Henry Daniell Charles Henry Pywell Daniell (5 March 1894 – 31 October 1963) was an English actor who had a long career in the United States on stage and in cinema. He came to prominence for his portrayal of villainous roles in films such as '' Camille'' ( ...

(before he went to Hollywood), and Henry Forbes-Robertson. She made her stage debut in

New York New York most commonly refers to: * New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States * New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York New York may also refer to: Places United Kingdom * ...

in 1933. Her first marriage was to actor

Robin Irvine Robin Irvine (21 December 1901, in Stoke Newington, London, England – 28 April 1933, in Bermuda) was a British film actor. He was married to actress Ursula Jeans from 1931 until his death from pleurisy aged 31. Filmography * ''The Secret Kingd ...

(1931–1933 until his death). Her second marriage was to an actor

Roger Livesey Roger Livesey (25 June 1906 – 4 February 1976) was a British stage and film actor. He is most often remembered for the three Powell and Pressburger, Powell & Pressburger films in which he starred: ''The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp'', '' ...

from 1937 until her death. (Livesey's sister Maggie was already married to Desmond Jeans.) She appeared in one film with Livesey, ''

The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp ''The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp'' is a 1943 British romantic-war film written, produced and directed by the British film-making team of Powell and Pressburger, Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger. It stars Roger Livesey, Deborah Kerr and ...

'' (1943). She entertained troops with

ENSA The Entertainments National Service Association (ENSA) was an organisation established in 1939 by Basil Dean and Leslie Henson to provide entertainment for British armed forces personnel during World War II. ENSA operated as part of the Navy, ...

during

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

, sometimes working with her husband. They appeared on stage together in ''

Watch on the Rhine ''Watch on the Rhine'' is a 1943 American drama film directed by Herman Shumlin and starring Bette Davis and Paul Lukas. The screenplay by Dashiell Hammett is based on the 1941 play '' Watch on the Rhine'' by Lillian Hellman. ''Watch on the Rh ...

'', ''

Ever Since Paradise ''Ever Since Paradise'' is a 1946 comedy play by the British writer J.B. Priestley. It premiered at the Lyceum Theatre in Sheffield in August 1946. The following June it transferred to the New Theatre in London's West End where it ran for 165 ...

'', and ''

Uncertain Joy Uncertain may refer to: * Uncertain, Texas, a town in the United States * ''Uncertain'' (album), 1991 album of The Cranberries * Uncertain, a music project of Florian-Ayala Fauna * ''Hoplodrina octogenaria'', a moth of Europe and Asia See also ...

''. After the war, she continued acting, including starring as Mrs. Tarlton, in one of the eight episodes of the BBC's ''H M Tennant's Globe Theatre'', in 1956; and, in a stage tour of Australia and New Zealand, between 1956 and 1958.

Last years and death

Jeans made one appearance each in ''

Dixon of Dock Green ''Dixon of Dock Green'' is 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 1955 ...

'', in 1967, as Mrs. Regan; in ''

Theatre 625 ''Theatre 625'' is a British television drama anthology series, produced by the BBC and transmitted on BBC2 from 1964 to 1968. It was one of the first regular programmes in the line-up of the channel, and the title referred to its production an ...

'', as Mother Denis, in 1968; and as Ursula Benton, in ''

The Root of All Evil? ''The Root of All Evil?'', later retitled ''The God Delusion'', is a television documentary written and presented by Richard Dawkins in which he argues that humanity would be better off without religion or belief in God. The documentary was ...

'', also in 1968. She continued to act into the 1970s. Jeans died of cancer in 1973, aged 66, about 18 months after her diagnosis. She shares a memorial plaque with her second husband, Roger Livesey, in the actors' church

St Paul's, Covent Garden St Paul's Church is a Church of England parish church located in Bedford Street, Covent Garden, central London. It was designed by Inigo Jones as part of a commission for the 4th Earl of Bedford in 1631 to create "houses and buildings fit for ...

Partial filmography

* ''

A Gipsy Cavalier ''A Gipsy Cavalier'' is a 1922 British historical drama film directed by J. Stuart Blackton and starring Georges Carpentier, Flora le Breton and Rex McDougall. It was one of three films made in Britain during the early 1920s by the British-bor ...

'' (1922) – Minor Role (uncredited) * '' The Virgin Queen'' (1923) – Minor Role (uncredited) * '' The Fake'' (1927) – Maid * '' Quinneys'' (1927) – Mabel Dredge * ''

The Passing of Mr. Quin ''The Passing of Mr. Quin'' is a 1928 British mystery film which was co-directed by Leslie S. Hiscott and Julius Hagen, starring Clifford Heatherley, Mary Brough and Ursula Jeans. The film was based on the short story ''The Coming of Mr. Quin'', ...

'' (1928) – Vera, the Maid * '' S.O.S.'' (1928) – Lady Weir * ''

The Love Habit ''The Love Habit'' is a 1931 British comedy film directed by Harry Lachman and starring Seymour Hicks, Margot Grahame and Edmund Breon. It was made at Elstree Studios with production beginning in August 1930.Wood p.69 Produced by British Inter ...

'' (1931) – Rose Pom Pom * '' The Flying Fool'' (1931) – Morella Arlen * ''

The Crooked Lady ''The Crooked Lady'' is a 1932 British drama film directed by Leslie S. Hiscott and starring George Graves, Isobel Elsom, Ursula Jeans and Austin Trevor. A quota quickie, it was filmed at Twickenham Studios. Cast * George Graves as Sir C ...

'' (1932) – Joan Collinson * ''

Once Bitten Once Bitten may refer to: Music * ''Once Bitten'' (Annabel Lamb album) (1983) * ''Once Bitten'' (The Snakes album) (1998) * ''Once Bitten'' (Great White album) * "Once Bitten, Twice Shy", an Ian Hunter song from the 1975 album ''Ian Hunter'', ...

'' (1932) – Clare * '' The Barton Mystery'' (1932) – Ethel Standish * ''

Cavalcade A cavalcade is a procession or parade on horseback, or a mass distance ride by a company of riders. Sometimes the focus of a cavalcade is participation rather than display and the participants do not wear costumes or ride in formation. ...

'' (1933) – Fanny Bridges * '' On Thin Ice'' (1933) – Lady Violet * '' I Lived with You'' (1933) – Gladys Wallis * '' Friday the Thirteenth'' (1933) – Eileen Jackson * '' The Man in the Mirror'' (1936) – Veronica * '' Dark Journey'' (1937) – Gertrude * ''

Storm in a Teacup Storm in a Teacup may refer to: Film and television * ''Storm in a Teacup'' (film), a 1937 British film * ''A Storm in a Teacup'', a 2000 film directed by Ding Sheng * "A Storm in a Teacup" (''Porridge''), a 1977 television episode Literature * ...

'' (1937) – Lisbet Skirving * '' Over the Moon'' (1939) – Millie * ''

'' (1943) – Frau von Kalteneck * '' Mr. Emmanuel'' (1944) – Frau Heinkes * ''

Gaiety George ''Gaiety George'' (also known as ''Showtime'') is a 1946 British historical musical film directed by George King and Leontine Sagan and starring Richard Greene, Ann Todd and Peter Graves.Harper p.179 It is set in the late Victorian music hall, wh ...

'' (1946) – Isobel Forbes * ''

The Woman in the Hall ''The Woman in the Hall'' is a 1947 British drama film directed by Jack Lee and starring Ursula Jeans, Jean Simmons, Cecil Parker. The screenplay was written by Lee, Ian Dalrymple Ian Dalrymple (26 August 190328 March 1989) was a British ...

'' (1947) – Lorna Blake * ''

The Weaker Sex The Weaker Sex may refer to: * ''The Weaker Sex'' (play), a 1929 play by the French writer Édouard Bourdet * ''The Weaker Sex'' (1917 film), a 1917 American film directed by Raymond B. West * ''The Weaker Sex'' (1933 film), a French film adapt ...

'' (1948) – Martha Dacre * ''

That Dangerous Age ''That Dangerous Age'' is a 1949 British romance film directed by Gregory Ratoff and starring Myrna Loy, Roger Livesey and Peggy Cummins. It was adapted from the play ''Autumn'' by Margaret Kennedy and Ilya Surguchev. The film was released un ...

'' (1949) – Minor role * Seven Women (1953) – Leonora – (Short) * ''

The Night My Number Came Up ''The Night My Number Came Up'' is a 1955 British supernatural drama film directed by Leslie Norman and starring Michael Redgrave, Sheila Sim and Alexander Knox. The screenplay by R. C. Sherrif was based on an incident in the life of British ...

'' (1955) – Mrs. Robertson * '' The Dam Busters'' (1955) – Mrs. Wallis * '' North West Frontier'' (1959) – Lady Windham * ''

The Green Helmet ''The Green Helmet'' is a 1961 British drama film directed by Michael Forlong starring Bill Travers, Ed Begley and Sid James. The film is centred on a British motor racing team. It is based on the 1957 novel of the same title by Australian au ...

'' (1961) – Mrs. Rafferty * ''

The Queen's Guards ''The Queen's Guards'' is a 1961 British military drama film directed by Michael Powell from a script by Simon Harcourt-Smith and Roger Milner. It stars Daniel Massey, Raymond Massey, Robert Stephens, and Ursula Jeans. Principal photography o ...

'' (1961) – Mrs. Fellowes * ''A Question of Fact'' (1962) – Grace Smith * ''Boy with a Flute'' (1964, Short) * ''

The Battle of the Villa Fiorita ''The Battle of the Villa Fiorita'' is a 1965 British drama film, based on the 1963 novel by Rumer Godden, directed by Delmer Daves. It stars Maureen O'Hara and Rossano Brazzi. This was the last film for Delmer Daves who, two years earlier, wro ...

'' (1965) – Lady Anthea (final film role)

References

External links

* *
Performances listed on the Theatre Archive University of Bristol
{{DEFAULTSORT:Jeans, Ursula 1906 births 1973 deaths English stage actresses English film actresses English silent film actresses Actresses from London Deaths from cancer in England 20th-century English actresses British people in colonial India Actresses from British India Actors from Shimla