Vivian Pickles (born 21 October 1931) is an English actress.

Biography

Pickles began her career as a child star after being chosen by Mary Field for a series of Saturday Morning children's films, including the lead roles in ''Jean's Plan'' (1944) and the serial ''The Adventures of Peter Joe'' (1945). At the age of 14, she played Alice in

George More O'Ferrall Edward George More O'Ferrall (4 July 1907 – 18 March 1982) was a British film and television producer and director, and actor. Biography More O'Ferrall was born in Bristol, England, to an aristocratic Anglo-Irish family. He was educated at B ...

BBC The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) is a British public service broadcaster headquartered at Broadcasting House in London, England. Originally established in 1922 as the British Broadcasting Company, it evolved into its current sta ...

production of ''

Alice in Wonderland ''Alice's Adventures in Wonderland'' (also known as ''Alice in Wonderland'') is an 1865 English Children's literature, children's novel by Lewis Carroll, a mathematics university don, don at the University of Oxford. It details the story of a ...

'' which was broadcast live from

Alexandra Palace Alexandra Palace is an entertainment and sports venue in North London, situated between Wood Green and Muswell Hill in the London Borough of Haringey. A listed building, Grade II listed building, it is built on the site of Tottenham Wood and th ...

in London. During this period, she acted at the

Q Theatre The Q Theatre was a British theatre located near Kew Bridge in Brentford, west London, which operated between 1924 and 1958. It was built on the site of the former Kew Bridge Studios. The theatre, seating 490 in 25 rows with a central aisle, wa ...

in ''Vice Versa'' with Charles Hawtrey and made her West End debut as Wee Willie Winkie in ''Land of the Xmas Stocking'' at the

Duke of York's Theatre The Duke of York's Theatre is a West End theatre in St Martin's Lane, in the City of Westminster, London. It was built for Frank Wyatt and his wife, Violet Melnotte, who retained ownership of the theatre until her death in 1935. Designed by ...

, with Richard Goolden. After being educated at in Paris, she started her adult performing career acting in repertory and progressed to featured roles in West End

revue A revue is a type of multi-act popular theatre, theatrical entertainment that combines music, dance, and sketch comedy, sketches. The revue has its roots in 19th century popular entertainment and melodrama but grew into a substantial cultural pre ...

s. In 1952, she appeared with Roger Moore in ''I Capture the Castle'' at the Aldwych Theatre. The production won Roger Moore an

MGM Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios Inc. (also known as Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures, commonly shortened to MGM or MGM Studios) is an American Film production, film and television production and film distribution, distribution company headquartered ...

contract. When Moore left for Hollywood, Bill Travers assumed Moore's role. In 1959, she worked with her future husband, Gordon Gostelow in ''Glimpse of the Sea'' by Willis Hall at the Lyric Theatre,

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. It ...

. In February 1961, she appeared with Henry Kendall in the first performance of ''Pool's Paradise'' at the Phoenix Theatre. Pickles' imperious performance in the world première of

John Osborne John James Osborne (12 December 1929 – 24 December 1994) was an English playwright, screenwriter, actor, and entrepreneur, who is regarded as one of the most influential figures in post-war theatre. Born in London, he briefly worked as a jo ...

's ''Plays for England'' at the

Royal Court Theatre The Royal Court Theatre, at different times known as the Court Theatre, the New Chelsea Theatre, and the Belgravia Theatre, is a West End theatre#London's non-commercial theatres, non-commercial theatre in Sloane Square, London, England, opene ...

(on 19 July 1962) received praise from Osborne in his autobiography, ''Looking Back''. The following year, Pickles appeared with Peter O'Toole in London in Berthold Brecht's ''Baal'' at the Phoenix Theatre (in April 1963). Hired by

Ken Russell Henry Kenneth Alfred Russell (3 July 1927 – 27 November 2011) was a British film director, known for his pioneering work in television and film and for his flamboyant and controversial style. His films were mainly liberal adaptations of ...

for a supporting role for his BBC film, '' Diary of a Nobody'' (1964), she graduated to the lead role in Russell's film about Isadora Duncan, '' Isadora Duncan, the Biggest Dancer in the World'' (1966) -- receiving several awards for her performance, including Best Actress at the

Monte Carlo Monte Carlo ( ; ; or colloquially ; , ; ) is an official administrative area of Monaco, specifically the Ward (country subdivision), ward of Monte Carlo/Spélugues, where the Monte Carlo Casino is located. Informally, the name also refers to ...

International Festival. In 1967, she appeared in Giles Cooper's BBC adaptation of

Evelyn Waugh Arthur Evelyn St. John Waugh (; 28 October 1903 – 10 April 1966) was an English writer of novels, biographies, and travel books; he was also a prolific journalist and book reviewer. His most famous works include the early satires ''Decli ...

's ''

Sword of Honour The ''Sword of Honour'' is a trilogy of novels by Evelyn Waugh which loosely parallel Waugh's experiences during the World War II, Second World War. Published by Chapman & Hall from 1952 to 1961, the novels are: Men at Arms (Waugh novel), ''M ...

'' trilogy and also in ''

Pride and Prejudice ''Pride and Prejudice'' is the second published novel (but third to be written) by English author Jane Austen, written when she was age 20-21, and later published in 1813. A novel of manners, it follows the character development of Elizabe ...

''. Her appearance in ''Isadora Duncan, the Biggest Dancer in the World'' helped Pickles win the role of Mrs. Chasen in

Hal Ashby William Hal Ashby (September 2, 1929 – December 27, 1988) was an Cinema of the United States, American film Film director, director and Film editing, editor. His work exemplified the countercultural attitude of the era. He directed wide-rangi ...

's '' Harold and Maude'' (1971), playing Harold's weary mother. It is the only American-based film she has made. In the booklet accompanying the soundtrack album of the film, Ashby was quoted,

"Vivian Pickles is one of the finest actresses in the world. I'd seen the thing that she did for
Ken Russell Henry Kenneth Alfred Russell (3 July 1927 – 27 November 2011) was a British film director, known for his pioneering work in television and film and for his flamboyant and controversial style. His films were mainly liberal adaptations of ...
– 'Isadora'".

Another memorable performance on British television was as

Mary, Queen of Scots Mary, Queen of Scots (8 December 1542 – 8 February 1587), also known as Mary Stuart or Mary I of Scotland, was List of Scottish monarchs, Queen of Scotland from 14 December 1542 until her forced abdication in 1567. The only surviving legit ...

, in '' Elizabeth R'' (1971) with

Glenda Jackson Glenda May Jackson (9 May 1936 – 15 June 2023) was an English actress and politician. Over the course of her distinguished career she received List of awards and nominations received by Glenda Jackson, numerous accolades including two Academy ...

in the lead role. Around the same time she also worked with Jackson in

John Schlesinger John Richard Schlesinger ( ; 16 February 1926 – 25 July 2003) was an English film and stage director, and actor. He emerged in the early 1960s as a leading light of the British New Wave, before embarking on a successful career in Hollywood ...

's film, '' Sunday Bloody Sunday'' (1971), in which she played the bohemian mother who employed Jackson as a babysitter. Other screen roles include '' Play Dirty'' (1969, with

Michael Caine Sir Michael Caine (born Maurice Joseph Micklewhite, 14 March 1933) is a retired English actor. Known for his distinct Cockney accent, he has appeared in more than 160 films over Michael Caine filmography, a career that spanned eight decades an ...

), '' The Looking Glass War'' (1970), '' Hello-Goodbye'' (1970), '' Nicholas and Alexandra'' (1971), '' Candleshoe'' (1977) and two films for Lindsay Anderson – '' O Lucky Man!'' (1973), in which she plays the good lady feeding the downtrodden in London and the pivotal role of the Matron in '' Britannia Hospital'' (1982). She also played Lady Montdore in the original

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 ...

dramatisation of two books by

Nancy Mitford Nancy Freeman-Mitford (28 November 1904 – 30 June 1973) was an English novelist, biographer, and journalist. The eldest of the Mitford family#Mitford sisters, Mitford sisters, she was regarded as one of the "bright young things" on the ...

, '' Love in a Cold Climate'' (1980). Her later television films include ''Miss Morrison's Ghosts'' (1981) with Wendy Hiller,

Alan Bennett Alan Bennett (born 9 May 1934) is an English actor, author, playwright and screenwriter. He has received numerous awards and honours including four BAFTA Awards, four Laurence Olivier Awards, and two Tony Awards. In 2005 he received the Socie ...

's ''The Insurance Man'' (1986), with

Daniel Day-Lewis Sir Daniel Michael Blake Day-Lewis (born 29 April 1957) is an English actor. Often described as one of the greatest actors in the history of cinema, he is the recipient of List of awards and nominations received by Daniel Day-Lewis, numerous a ...

and Jim Broadbent. On the stage, she worked in a work by Alan Bennett in the première production of '' Kafka's Dick'' at the Royal Court Theatre. She has also worked in productions for radio. From 1990–1992 she appeared as Aunt Sylvie in '' Birds of a Feather''. In 1999, she was a guest star in the ''

Midsomer Murders ''Midsomer Murders'' is a British Mystery fiction, mystery television series, adapted by Anthony Horowitz and Douglas Watkinson from the novels in the ''Chief Inspector Barnaby'' book series created by Caroline Graham (writer), Caroline Graham. ...

'' episode "Death's Shadow". In 2014, she collaborated with writer Paul Sutton on the book ''Six English Filmmakers'' (978-0957246256), in which she talks about her work, particularly for Ken Russell's Isadora Duncan film.

References

External links

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Vivian Pickles
{{DEFAULTSORT:Pickles, Vivian 1931 births Living people 20th-century English actresses 21st-century English actresses Actresses from London English child actresses English film actresses English stage actresses English television actresses