Valerie Hobson
Valerie Hobson (14 April 1917 – 13 November 1998) was a British actress who appeared in a number of British films during the 1940s and 1950s. She was born Babette Valerie Louise Hobson in Larne, County Antrim, Ireland. She appeared as Baroness Frankenstein in Bride of Frankenstein (1935) with Boris Karloff and Colin Clive, taking over the role from Mae Clarke, who had played it in the original Frankenstein (1931). Hobson also played opposite Henry Hull that same year in Werewolf of London, the first Hollywood werewolf movie, predating The Wolf Man by six years. The latter half of the 1940s saw Hobson in perhaps her two most memorable roles: as the adult Estella in David Lean's 1946 adaptation of Great Expectations, and as the refined and virtuous Edith D'Ascoyne in the 1949 black comedy Kind Hearts and Coronets. In 1952 she divorced her first husband, film producer Sir Anthony Havelock-Allan (1904–2003), and married MP John Profumo (1915–2006) in 1954, giving up acting shortly afterwards Valerie Hobson's last starring role was in the original London production of Rodgers and Hammerstein's musical play The King and I which opened at the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane on October 8, 1953. She played Mrs. Anna Leonowens opposite Herbert Lom's King. After Profumo's ministerial career ended in disgrace in 1963, following revelations he had lied to the House of Commons about his affair with Christine Keeler, she stood by him, and they worked together for charity for the remainder of her life. Hobson's eldest son, Simon Anthony Clerveaux Havelock-Allan was born in May 1944 with Down's Syndrome. Her middle child, Mark Havelock-Allan, was born on 4 April 1951. Her youngest child is author David Profumo, (b. 16 October 1955) wrote Bringing the House Down (2006) about the scandal. She died of a heart attack in London in 1998 and is buried in Surrey, England. Description above from the Wikipedia Valerie Hobson, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.
Known For
Credits
- 1954 · Monsieur Ripois as Catherine Ripois
- 1953 · Background as Barbie Lomax
- 1952 · The Voice of Merrill as Alycia Roche
- 1952 · Meet Me Tonight as Stella Cartwright
- 1952 · Who Goes There! as Alex Cornwall
- 1952 · The Card as Countess of Chell
- 1949 · The Rocking Horse Winner as Hester Grahame
- 1949 · The Interrupted Journey as Carol North
- 1949 · Kind Hearts and Coronets as Edith D'Ascoyne
- 1949 · Train of Events as Stella
- 1948 · The Small Voice as Eleanor Byrne
- 1948 · Blanche Fury as Blanche Fury
- 1946 · Great Expectations as Estella
- 1946 · The Years Between as Diana Wentworth
- 1943 · The Adventures of Tartu as Maruschuka Lanova
- 1942 · Unpublished Story as Carol Bennett
- 1941 · Atlantic Ferry as Mary Ann Morison
- 1940 · Contraband as Mrs. Sorensen
- 1939 · The Spy in Black as The School Mistress
- 1939 · This Man in Paris as Pat Drake
- 1939 · The Silent Battle as Draguisha
- 1939 · Q Planes as Kay Lawrence
- 1938 · The Drum as Mrs. Carruthers
- 1938 · This Man Is News as Pat Drake
- 1937 · When Thief Meets Thief as Glory Fane
- 1936 · No Exit as Laura Anstey
- 1936 · Tugboat Princess as Sally
- 1936 · Secret of Stamboul as Tania
- 1936 · August Week End as Claire Barry
- 1935 · The Great Impersonation as Eleanor Dominey
- 1935 · Chinatown Squad as Janet Baker
- 1935 · Werewolf of London as Lisa Glendon
- 1935 · Bride of Frankenstein as Elizabeth
- 1935 · Rendezvous at Midnight as Sandra Rogers
- 1935 · The Mystery of Edwin Drood as Helena Landless
- 1935 · Life Returns as Mrs. Kendrick
- 1934 · Strange Wives as Mauna
- 1934 · The Path of Glory as Maria
- 1934 · Badger’s Green as Molly Butler
- 1932 · His Lordship as Last Face in Montage (uncredited)