-
Muriel Aked, Wonder Boy (aka: The Wonder Kid), UK-Austria, 1950. The amazing French kid, Bobby Henrey- the Macauley Culkin of his day – scored anew in his second and last film as a terriblyy exploited pianist prodigy. Muriel Aked took over from Thora Hird as Miss Frisbee (!), the English governess rescuing the boy in Graham Greene’s story.
- Kathleen Harrison, Turn The Key Softly, 1953. Harrison and Hird were both under contract at Rank and interchangeable in their work: mid-aged battleaxes! “Jack Lee wanted me to have the bigger part but [production chief] Earl St John said: “ No, it’s Kathy’s turn!” (But only Thora got to work with Brando!).
- Peggy Ashcroft, Sunday Bloody Sunday, 1970. As if they hadn’t been surrounded by gays during their long careers, many a veteran actress snobbishly complained that John Schlesingerl’s demi-gay project was too risqué and backed away from being Glenda Jackson’s mother. Including, ironically, the future Dame Thora who’d had a similar role in Schlesinger’s equally controversial drama-directing debut, A Kind of Loving, 1961- the star of which, Alan Bates, had been first choice for the gay medic hero of this film until delayed on a previous movie.
Birth year: 1911Death year: 2003Other name: Casting Calls: 3