The Aida Foster Theatre School for drama, dance and education was founded by Aida Foster in 1929 as a hobby to teach dancing. It expanded over the years to become one of Britain's foremost stage schools. Many stage and film personalities of the 20th Century received their professional education and arranged their first employment through the school. Run by Aida, and later by her daughter Anita Foster, it catered for three different groups of students: those that undertook dance training only, younger pupils that had full education plus both dancing and drama training, and older students taking drama training only.
The Aida Foster School supplied many of the
pantomime
Pantomime (; informally panto) is a type of musical comedy stage production designed for family entertainment. It was developed in England and is performed throughout the United Kingdom, Ireland and (to a lesser extent) in other English-speaking ...
"babes" (children's choruses and parts) for the West End Christmas shows of the 1950s. They also obtained modelling contracts for many of the juveniles.
Foster had started a theatrical agency associated with the school in 1944. Following the death of her husband she closed the school in 1970 to concentrate on the agency with her daughter Anita."Theatre school closes... 40 years on." Times ondon, England20 January 1970: 8. The Times Digital Archive. Web. 26 October 2013.
The school was situated on Finchley Road in
Golders Green
Golders Green is an area in the London Borough of Barnet in England. A smaller suburban linear settlement, near a farm and public grazing area green of medieval origins, dates to the early 19th century. Its bulk forms a late 19th century and ea ...
, London, just north of the junction with Golders Green Road.
Alumni
Notable alumni include:
* film actress Jean Simmons
* ''Carry On'' actress
Barbara Windsor
Dame Barbara Windsor (born Barbara Ann Deeks; 6 August 193710 December 2020) was an English actress, known for her roles in the ''Carry On'' films and for playing Peggy Mitchell in the BBC One soap opera, ''EastEnders''.
* actress
Kate O'Mara
Kate O'Mara (born Francesca Meredith Carroll;Michael CoveneObituary: Kate O'Mara ''The Guardian'', 30 March 2014 10 August 1939 – 30 March 2014) was an English film, stage and television actress, and writer. O'Mara made her stage debut in a ...
* actress
Vicki Michelle
Vicki Michelle, (born 14 December 1950) is an English actress, radio presenter, businesswoman, film producer and former model. She is best known for her role as Yvette Carte-Blanche in the BBC television comedy series Allo 'Allo!'' and as ...
* actress
Shirley Eaton
Shirley Jean Eaton (born 12 January 1937) is an English actress, author and singer. Eaton appeared regularly in British films throughout the 1950s and 1960s, and gained her highest profile for her iconic appearance as Bond Girl Jill Masterson in ...
* singer and actress
Elaine Paige
Elaine Jill Paige (née Bickerstaff; born 5 March 1948) is an English singer and actress, best known for her work in musical theatre. Raised in Barnet, Hertfordshire, Paige attended the Aida Foster Theatre School, making her first professiona ...
* singer and actress
Marti Webb
Marti Webb (born 13 December 1943) is an English actress and singer, who appeared on stage in '' Evita'', before starring in Andrew Lloyd Webber's one-woman show '' Tell Me on a Sunday'' in 1980. This included her biggest hit single, " Take T ...
(who became Head Girl)
* actress
Dilys Laye
Dilys Laye (born Dilys Lay; 11 March 1934 – 13 February 2009) was an English actress and screenwriter, best known for her comedy roles.
Early life
Laye was born in Muswell Hill, London, the daughter of Edward Lay and his wife Margare ...
Paul Layton
Paul Martin Layton (born 4 August 1947) is an English musician and former child actor. He is the bassist and vocalist of the group The New Seekers.
Biography
Acting
Layton studied acting, leaving school at fourteen to train at the Aida ...
* actor
Robin Davies
Robert Richard "Robin" Davies (16 January 1954 – 22 February 2010) was a Welsh television and film actor.
*actresses
Linda
Linda may refer to:
As a name
* Linda (given name), a female given name (including a list of people and fictional characters so named)
* Linda (singer) (born 1977), stage name of Svetlana Geiman, a Russian singer
* Anita Linda (born Alice Lake i ...
and
Jane Hayden Jane Hayden (born 1957) is an English stage, television, and film actress.
Early life
Hayden was born in Harrow, Middlesex, the younger sister of Linda Hayden, although their name at birth was Higginson. Their screen surname is an adaptation of t ...