Helen Virginia Horton (November 21, 1923 – September 28, 2007) was an American actress. She was born in Chicago and had a brief career in New York. She married Hamish Thomson and lived near

London London is the capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary dow ...

. She worked extensively in British television, radio and theatre, and had three children; her granddaughter is the English actress

Lily James Lily Chloe Ninette Thomson (born 5 April 1989), better known by her stage name Lily James, is an English actress. She studied acting at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama in London and began her career in the British television series ''Ju ...

. Horton voiced the ship's computer, "Mother", in the 1979 film '' Alien''.

Early life

Horton attended

Northwestern University Northwestern University is a private research university in Evanston, Illinois. Founded in 1851, Northwestern is the oldest chartered university in Illinois and is ranked among the most prestigious academic institutions in the world. Charte ...

where she became lifelong friends with

Patricia Neal Patricia Neal (born Patsy Louise Neal, January 20, 1926 – August 8, 2010) was an American actress of stage and screen. A major star of the 1950s and 1960s, she was the recipient of an Academy Award, a Golden Globe Award, a Tony Award, and two ...

(Helen Benson in ''

The Day the Earth Stood Still ''The Day the Earth Stood Still'' (a.k.a. ''Farewell to the Master'' and ''Journey to the World'') is a 1951 American science fiction film from 20th Century Fox, produced by Julian Blaustein and directed by Robert Wise. It stars Michael Re ...

''). She was well thought of in the drama department and was cast as

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, the lead role in ''

Twelfth Night ''Twelfth Night'', or ''What You Will'' is a romantic comedy by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written around 1601–1602 as a Twelfth Night's entertainment for the close of the Christmas season. The play centres on the twins Vi ...

'', with Neal cast as

Olivia Olivia may refer to: People * Olivia (name), including a list of people and fictional characters with the name * Olivia (singer) (Olivia Longott, born 1981), American singer * Olívia (basketball) (Carlos Henrique Rodrigues do Nascimento, born 19 ...

, in a university production of the Shakespeare play. In September 1945, Horton and Neal took a shared apartment in New York and looked for work. They both got parts in a production of ''Seven Mirrors'' at the Blackfriars Theatre.

Career

Horton took over from Vivien Leigh as Blanche in ''

A Streetcar Named Desire ''A Streetcar Named Desire'' is a play written by Tennessee Williams and first performed on Broadway on December 3, 1947. The play dramatizes the experiences of Blanche DuBois, a former Southern belle who, after encountering a series of pers ...

'' after the play's London run was completed and it began to tour the United Kingdom. When Neal mentioned the connection to Leigh, she remarked "No one takes over for me, dear. When I leave a play, it's over."

Filmography

* ''Sie fanden eine Heimat'' (1953) – Miss Sullivan * ''

Strange Stories ''Strange Stories'' was a pulp magazine which ran for thirteen issues from 1939 to 1941. It was edited by Mort Weisinger, who was not credited. Contributors included Robert Bloch, Eric Frank Russell, C. L. Moore, August Derleth, and ...

'' (1953) – Marie * ''

Sunday Night Theatre ''Sunday Night Theatre'' was a long-running series of televised live television plays screened by BBC Television from early 1950 until 1959. The productions for the first five years or so of the run were re-staged live the following Thursday, pa ...

'' (1953–1959, BBC series, 5 episodes) – Ann Wesfield / Dorothy Stafford / Kendall Frayne / Lily Miller / Estelle Quinn * '' The Battle of the River Plate'' (1956) – (uncredited) * ''

Let's Be Happy ''Let's Be Happy'' is a Technicolor 1957 British musical film starring Tony Martin, Vera-Ellen and Robert Flemyng and directed by Henry Levin. It was written by Dorothy Cooper and Diana Morgan in CinemaScope. This film was an updated remak ...

'' (1957, musical film) – Sadie Whitelaw * '' The Mark of the Hawk'' (1957, drama film also known as ''The Accused'') – Barbara Craig * ''

Never Take Sweets from a Stranger ''Never Take Sweets from a Stranger'' (US ''Never Take Candy from a Stranger'') is a 1960 British film, directed by Cyril Frankel and released by Hammer Film Productions. The screenplay was developed by John Hunter from the play ''The Pony Trap ...

'' (1960) – Sylvia Kingsley * '' Play of the Week'' (1959–1967, ITV series, 5 episodes) – Mollie / Mona / Mrs. Barker / Mrs. Storch / Sonia Chance * ''

The Last Shot You Hear ''The Last Shot You Hear'' is a 1969 British thriller film directed by Gordon Hessler and starring Hugh Marlowe, Zena Walker, Patricia Haines, and William Dysart. It was Marlowe's last film appearance. The film marked the end of the associat ...

'' (1969) – Dodie Rubens * '' The Chairman'' (1969) – Susan Wright * ''

The Dick Emery Show ''The Dick Emery Show'' is a British sketch comedy show starring Dick Emery. It was broadcast on the BBC from 1963 to 1981. It was directed and produced by Harold Snoad. The show was broadcast over 19 series with 166 episodes. The show experienced ...

'' (1971–1981, BBC series, 4 episodes) * '' Endless Night'' (1972, crime film) – Aunt Beth * '' Phase IV'' (1974) – Mildred Eldridge * ''Nido de viudas'' (1977) – Ana * '' Alien'' (1979) – Mother (voice) * ''

Superman III ''Superman III'' is a 1983 superhero film directed by Richard Lester from a screenplay by David Newman and Leslie Newman based on the DC Comics character Superman. It is the third installment in the ''Superman'' film series and a sequel to '' ...

'' (1983) – Miss Henderson * ''

The Benny Hill Show ''The Benny Hill Show'' is a British comedy television show starring Benny Hill that aired on the BBC and ITV (from 1969) between 15 January 1955 and 1 May 1989. The show consisted mainly of sketches that were full of slapstick, mime, parody ...

'', 1979–1986, ITV series 6 episodes * '' The Razor's Edge'' (1984) – Red Cross lady * ''

Ellis Island Ellis Island is a federally owned island in New York Harbor, situated within the U.S. states of New York and New Jersey, that was the busiest immigrant inspection and processing station in the United States. From 1892 to 1954, nearly 12 mil ...

'' (1984, CBC, 3 episodes) – Miss Pringle * ''

Reunion at Fairborough ''Reunion at Fairborough'' is a 1985 American romantic drama television film directed by Herbert Wise, written by Albert Ruben, and starring Robert Mitchum and Deborah Kerr. It premiered on HBO on May 12, 1985. Plot After 40 years, a disillusio ...

'' (1985, TV film) * ''

Miss Marple Miss Marple is a fictional character in Agatha Christie's crime novels and short stories. Jane Marple lives in the village of St. Mary Mead and acts as an amateur consulting detective. Often characterized as an elderly spinster, she is one of Ch ...

'' (1987, BBC, 1 episode) – Mrs. Cabot * '' Bullseye!'' (1990) – Tourist on Coach

References

External links

* 1923 births 2007 deaths Actresses from Chicago 20th-century American women 20th-century American people 21st-century American women {{US-tv-actor-1920s-stub