Gwendoline Watford (10 September 1927 – 6 February 1994), professionally known after the mid-1950s as Gwen Watford, was an English actress. Watford's talent was spotted by

John Gielgud Sir Arthur John Gielgud, (; 14 April 1904 – 21 May 2000) was an English actor and theatre director whose career spanned eight decades. With Ralph Richardson and Laurence Olivier, he was one of the trinity of actors who dominated the Brit ...

while she was still a schoolgirl, and with his help she made her professional London debut in 1945. From then until her death she pursued a parallel career on stage and on television. She played a wide range of roles, from

Shakespeare William Shakespeare ( 26 April 1564 – 23 April 1616) was an English playwright, poet and actor. He is widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. He is often called England's nation ...

and

Shaw Shaw may refer to: Places Australia *Shaw, Queensland Canada * Shaw Street, a street in Toronto England *Shaw, Berkshire, a village * Shaw, Greater Manchester, a location in the parish of Shaw and Crompton * Shaw, Swindon, a suburb of Swindon ...

to new works by playwrights including Willis Hall, David Hare,

Hugh Leonard Hugh Leonard (9 November 1926 – 12 February 2009) was an Irish dramatist, television writer, and essayist. In a career that spanned 50 years, Leonard wrote nearly 30 full-length plays, 10 one-act plays, three volumes of essay, two autobiograph ...

and David Mercer. For the BBC and ITV she appeared frequently from the mid-1950s onwards, and was dubbed one of British television's two leading ladies. She twice won the Society of Film and Television Arts's award (now the BAFTA award) for best television actress. Although she appeared in several cinema films, including ''

Cleopatra Cleopatra VII Philopator ( grc-gre, Κλεοπάτρα Φιλοπάτωρ}, "Cleopatra the father-beloved"; 69 BC10 August 30 BC) was Queen of the Ptolemaic Kingdom of Egypt from 51 to 30 BC, and its last active ruler.She was also a ...

'', she remained chiefly known as a stage and television performer. In later years Watford appeared in more comedy than in her earlier career, including the television series ''

Don't Forget to Write! ''Don't Forget to Write!'' is a British television sitcom, broadcast by the BBC from 1977 to 1979. Plot The central character is Gordon Maple ( George Cole) who was formerly a successful playwright, but is now procrastinating, lacking self-confid ...

'' and in the West End

Noël Coward Sir Noël Peirce Coward (16 December 189926 March 1973) was an English playwright, composer, director, actor, and singer, known for his wit, flamboyance, and what ''Time'' magazine called "a sense of personal style, a combination of cheek and ...

's ''

Present Laughter ''Present Laughter'' is a comic play written by Noël Coward in 1939 but not produced until 1942 because the Second World War began while it was in rehearsal, and the British theatres closed. The title is drawn from a song in Shakespeare's ''T ...

'', for which she won a

Society of West End Theatre Award The Laurence Olivier Awards, or simply the Olivier Awards, are presented annually by the Society of London Theatre to recognise excellence in professional theatre in London at an annual ceremony in the capital. The awards were originally known a ...

in 1981. The last years of her career were curtailed by ill health, and she died aged 66.

Early years

Gwendoline Watford was born in London, the third of three children of Percy Charles Watford and his wife Elizabeth, ''née'' Cooper. Percy Watford had been a

non-commissioned officer A non-commissioned officer (NCO) is a military officer who has not pursued a commission. Non-commissioned officers usually earn their position of authority by promotion through the enlisted ranks. (Non-officers, which includes most or all enli ...

in the

First World War World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was List of wars and anthropogenic disasters by death toll, one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, ...

, and then became the landlord of a public house at

St Leonards-on-Sea St Leonards-on-Sea (commonly known as St Leonards) is a town and seaside resort in the Borough of Hastings in East Sussex, England. It has been part of the borough since the late 19th century and lies to the west of central Hastings. The origi ...

, Sussex. Gwendoline was educated at the Orchard School in that town. She had ambitions to become a concert pianist, but after being advised by an expert that a career as a soloist was beyond her talents, she turned to drama, with the encouragement of her headmistress.

saw her in a school play in November 1943, and was impressed. When she left school he helped her in the early stages of her theatrical career, took a continued interest in her progress and remained a lifelong friend. Watford made her first professional appearance at the

White Rock Theatre White Rock Theatre is a medium-scale receiving house venue owned by Hastings Borough Council situated on the seafront of Hastings, East Sussex, on the south coast of England. It currently presents a varied programme of touring shows including op ...

Hastings Hastings () is a large seaside town and borough in East Sussex on the south coast of England, east to the county town of Lewes and south east of London. The town gives its name to the Battle of Hastings, which took place to the north-west ...

in March 1944, as Florrie in the comedy ''Once A Gentleman''.Herbert, pp. 1533–1534 Her London debut was the following year: on Gielgud's recommendation

Anthony Hawtrey Anthony John Hawtrey (22 January 1909 – 18 October 1954) was an English actor and stage director. He began his acting career in 1930 and began directing by 1939. As director of the Embassy Theatre in London, his productions sometimes achieved ...

engaged her to play Fenny, the romantic lead, in Dodie Smith's comedy ''

Dear Octopus ''Dear Octopus'' is a comedy by the playwright and novelist Dodie Smith. It opened at the Queen's Theatre, London on 14 September 1938. On the outbreak of the Second World War in September 1939 the run was halted after 373 performances; after a ...

'' at the Embassy Theatre."Gwen Watford", ''The Stage'', 24 February 1994, p. 28"Gwen Watford", ''The Times'', 7 February 1994, p. 19 In the West End, she appeared at the Winter Garden in May 1946 as Judith Drave in the long-running drama ''No Room at the Inn'', and the St Martin's Theatre in January 1950 as Jennifer in Kenneth Horne's comedy ''A Lady Mislaid''. Out of London she played in repertory with a succession of provincial companies, in

Buxton Buxton is a spa town in the Borough of High Peak, Derbyshire, England. It is England's highest market town, sited at some above sea level.Croydon Croydon is a large town in south London, England, south of Charing Cross. Part of the London Borough of Croydon, a local government district of Greater London. It is one of the largest commercial districts in Greater London, with an exten ...

Watford Watford () is a town and borough in Hertfordshire, England, 15 miles northwest of Central London, on the River Colne. Initially a small market town, the Grand Junction Canal encouraged the construction of paper-making mills, print works, and ...

Salisbury Salisbury ( ) is a cathedral city in Wiltshire, England with a population of 41,820, at the confluence of the rivers Avon, Nadder and Bourne. The city is approximately from Southampton and from Bath. Salisbury is in the southeast of ...

, Hornchurch and

Coventry Coventry ( or ) is a city in the West Midlands, England. It is on the River Sherbourne. Coventry has been a large settlement for centuries, although it was not founded and given its city status until the Middle Ages. The city is governed b ...

. Among the leading parts she played in repertory productions were Shaw's Saint Joan and Blanche DuBois in

Tennessee Williams Thomas Lanier Williams III (March 26, 1911 – February 25, 1983), known by his pen name Tennessee Williams, was an American playwright and screenwriter. Along with contemporaries Eugene O'Neill and Arthur Miller, he is considered among the thr ...

's ''

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 per ...

''. While playing in Buxton she met the actor Richard Bebb, whom she married in 1952; they had two sons."Gwen Watford", ''The Daily Telegraph'', 7 February 1994, p. 21 In 1955 Watford returned to the West End in a production of

Ugo Betti Ugo Betti (4 February 1892 in Camerino – 9 June 1953 in Rome) was an Italian judge, better known as an author, who is considered by many the greatest Italian playwright next to Pirandello. Biography Betti studied law in Parma at the time when ...

's ''The Queen and the Rebels'', transferred from Coventry to the

Haymarket Theatre The Theatre Royal Haymarket (also known as Haymarket Theatre or the Little Theatre) is a West End theatre on Haymarket, London, Haymarket in the City of Westminster which dates back to 1720, making it the third-oldest London playhouse still in ...

. This was her last stage appearance in London for nearly three years, as television began to dominate her career.

First screen roles

Watford made her film debut playing Lady Usher in ''

The Fall of the House of Usher "The Fall of the House of Usher" is a short story by American writer Edgar Allan Poe, first published in 1839 in ''Burton's Gentleman's Magazine'', then included in the collection ''Tales of the Grotesque and Arabesque'' in 1840. The short story ...

'' (1950), but as her obituarist in ''

The Times ''The Times'' is a British daily national newspaper based in London. It began in 1785 under the title ''The Daily Universal Register'', adopting its current name on 1 January 1788. ''The Times'' and its sister paper '' The Sunday Times'' ( ...

'' put it, "the cinema was never really her medium", and along with her stage performances it was for her roles on television that she became best known. The first of the latter came in 1956 when she was cast as the

Virgin Mary Mary; arc, ܡܪܝܡ, translit=Mariam; ar, مريم, translit=Maryam; grc, Μαρία, translit=María; la, Maria; cop, Ⲙⲁⲣⲓⲁ, translit=Maria was a first-century Jewish woman of Nazareth, the wife of Joseph and the mother of ...

BBC Television BBC Television is a service of the BBC. The corporation has operated a public broadcast television service in the United Kingdom, under the terms of a royal charter, since 1927. It produced television programmes from its own studios from 193 ...

's eight-part dramatisation of the life of

Christ Jesus, likely from he, יֵשׁוּעַ, translit=Yēšūaʿ, label= Hebrew/ Aramaic ( AD 30 or 33), also referred to as Jesus Christ or Jesus of Nazareth (among other names and titles), was a first-century Jewish preacher and relig ...

, ''Jesus of Nazareth''."Jesus of Nazareth"
BBC Genome. Retrieved 17 June 2022 For the BBC and the commercial ITV network, Watford appeared over the next four years in new drama and adaptations of classics. Her roles in the latter included Rosa Dartle in ''

David Copperfield ''David Copperfield'' Dickens invented over 14 variations of the title for this work, see is a novel in the bildungsroman genre by Charles Dickens, narrated by the eponymous David Copperfield, detailing his adventures in his journey from inf ...

'', Catherine Winslow in ''

The Winslow Boy ''The Winslow Boy'' is an English play from 1946 by Terence Rattigan based on an incident involving George Archer-Shee in the Edwardian era. The incident took place at the Royal Naval College, Osborne. Background Set against the strict c ...

'' and Mrs Arbuthnot in '' A Woman of No Importance''."Gwen Watford"
British Film Institute. Retrieved 18 June 2022 Among the new plays in which she starred on television was a 1958 piece by

Clemence Dane Clemence Dane CBE is the pseudonym of Winifred Ashton (21 February 1888 – 28 March 1965), an English novelist and playwright. Life and career After completing her education, Dane went to Switzerland to work as a French tutor, but returned h ...

, celebrating the 400th anniversary of the accession of

Elizabeth I Elizabeth I (7 September 153324 March 1603) was Queen of England and Ireland from 17 November 1558 until her death in 1603. Elizabeth was the last of the five House of Tudor monarchs and is sometimes referred to as the "Virgin Queen". Eli ...

, of which the reviewer in ''

The Daily Telegraph ''The Daily Telegraph'', known online and elsewhere as ''The Telegraph'', is a national British daily broadsheet newspaper published in London by Telegraph Media Group and distributed across the United Kingdom and internationally. It was f ...

'' wrote: ''The Times'' said of this period that Watford and

Billie Whitelaw Billie Honor Whitelaw (6 June 1932 – 21 December 2014) was an English actress. She worked in close collaboration with Irish playwright Samuel Beckett for 25 years and was regarded as one of the foremost interpreters of his works. She was a ...

were the two leading ladies of British television. In Watford's early television career she starred in new works by writers including Willis Hall, David Hare,

and David Mercer. In 1959 she was voted best television actress in the Society of Film and Television Arts's awards (now the BAFTA awards). Her sole West End appearance during the late 1950s was at the

Westminster Theatre The Westminster Theatre was a theatre in London, on Palace Street in Westminster. History The structure on the site was originally built as the Charlotte Chapel in 1766, by William Dodd with money from his wife Mary Perkins. Through Peter ...

in January 1959, playing Jane Pringle in a thriller, ''The Woman on the Stair''. Joining the

Old Vic Old or OLD may refer to: Places *Old, Baranya, Hungary *Old, Northamptonshire, England * Old Street station, a railway and tube station in London (station code OLD) *OLD, IATA code for Old Town Municipal Airport and Seaplane Base, Old Town, Ma ...

company in London for the 1960−61 season, Watford began with the title role in

Friedrich Schiller Johann Christoph Friedrich von Schiller (, short: ; 10 November 17599 May 1805) was a German playwright, poet, and philosopher. During the last seventeen years of his life (1788–1805), Schiller developed a productive, if complicated, friendsh ...

's '' Mary Stuart'', which she had played at the

Bristol Old Vic Bristol Old Vic is a British theatre company based at the Theatre Royal, Bristol. The present company was established in 1946 as an offshoot of the Old Vic in London. It is associated with the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School, which became a f ...

earlier in the year. Her next role with the London company was Titania in ''

A Midsummer Night's Dream ''A Midsummer Night's Dream'' is a comedy written by William Shakespeare 1595 or 1596. The play is set in Athens, and consists of several subplots that revolve around the marriage of Theseus and Hippolyta. One subplot involves a conflict a ...

'' to the Oberon of

Alec McCowen Alexander Duncan McCowen, (26 May 1925 – 6 February 2017) was an English actor. He was known for his work in numerous film and stage productions. Early life McCowen was born in Tunbridge Wells, Kent, the son of Mary (née Walkden), a dance ...

; ''The Times'' thought her "enchanting", but the cast won higher praise than the production, which was thought prosaic. Her third and final role in the Old Vic season was Lady Percy in ''

Henry IV, Part 1 ''Henry IV, Part 1'' (often written as ''1 Henry IV'') is a history play by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written no later than 1597. The play dramatises part of the reign of King Henry IV of England, beginning with the battle at ...

''. Theatre critics expressed hopes that she might be seen more often on stage in addition to her numerous television roles,Benedick, Adam
"Obituary: Gwen Watford"
''The Independent'', 7 February 1994 but another five years elapsed before she appeared again in a London theatre.

1961–1970

Throughout the decade Watford appeared continually on television in one-off new dramas, series and adaptations of classics. In the last of these categories she starred as Elizabeth Moulton-Barrett in '' The Barretts of Wimpole Street'', Lettice in '' Broome Stages'' and Lea Markat in Somerset Maugham's ''The Alien Corn''. In one-off dramas she appeared in many episodes of ''

Armchair Theatre ''Armchair Theatre'' is a British television drama anthology series of single plays that ran on the ITV network from 1956 to 1974. It was originally produced by ABC Weekend TV. Its successor Thames Television took over from mid-1968. The Canad ...

'', '' ITV Sunday Night Theatre'' and ''

ITV Play of the Week ''Play of the Week'' is a 90-minute British television anthology series produced by a variety of companies including Granada Television, Associated-Rediffusion, ATV and Anglia Television. Synopsis From 1955 to 1967 approximately 500 episodes ...

''; in the BBC's '' The Wednesday Play'' slot, she played Monica in David Mercer's '' Let's Murder Vivaldi''. She was again named as best television actress by the Society of Film and Television Arts in 1966. In addition to her television performances, Watford was frequently heard on BBC radio in the 1960s; her many roles included Marya Pavlovna in

Turgenev Ivan Sergeyevich Turgenev (; rus, links=no, Ива́н Серге́евич Турге́невIn Turgenev's day, his name was written ., p=ɪˈvan sʲɪrˈɡʲe(j)ɪvʲɪtɕ tʊrˈɡʲenʲɪf; 9 November 1818 – 3 September 1883 (Old Style dat ...

's ''A Quiet Backwater'', Sibyl Railton-Bell in '' Separate Tables'', the title role in '' Ann Veronica'', Angèle in Feydeau's

farce Farce is a comedy that seeks to entertain an audience through situations that are highly exaggerated, extravagant, ridiculous, absurd, and improbable. Farce is also characterized by heavy use of physical humor; the use of deliberate absurdity o ...

'' A Close Shave'', and Isabelle Rimbaud in Hampton's ''Total Eclipse''."Gwen Watford"
BBC Genome. Retrieved 19 June 2022 For the cinema she played supporting roles in '' The Very Edge'', ''

'' (both 1963) and ''Valley of the Kings'' (1964), and had a leading part in '' Do You Know This Voice?'' (1964). Watford was seen on the London stage in three productions during the decade. In June 1966 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 non-commercial West End theatre in Sloane Square, in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, London, England ...

, and later the

Comedy Theatre The Harold Pinter Theatre, known as the Comedy Theatre until 2011,

, she played Mrs Evans in "When Did You Last See My Mother?" by

Christopher Hampton Sir Christopher James Hampton ( Horta, Azores, 26 January 1946) is a British playwright, screenwriter, translator and film director. He is best known for his play ''Les Liaisons Dangereuses'' based on the novel of the same name and the film ...

. The delicacy of her performance as the mother in a triangular relationship with her gay son's partner caused the critic

J. C. Trewin John Courtenay Trewin (4 December 1908 – 16 February 1990) was a British journalist, writer and drama critic. Trewin was born in Plymouth, Devon, although both his parents were Cornish. He was educated at Plymouth College and in 1926 join ...

to "congratulat Miss Watford on the really moving restraint of a portrait that makes the night worth while". She recreated the role the following year for BBC radio. She played Margaret Schlegel in

Lance Sieveking Lance Sieveking (19 March 1896 – 6 January 1972) was an English writer and pioneer BBC radio and television producer. He was married three times, and was father to archaeologist Gale Sieveking (1925–2007) and Fortean-writer Paul Sieveking ( ...

's adaptation of E. M. Forster's ''

Howards End ''Howards End'' is a novel by E. M. Forster, first published in 1910, about social conventions, codes of conduct and relationships in turn-of-the-century England. ''Howards End'' is considered by many to be Forster's masterpiece. The book was ...

'' at the New Theatre in 1967. The critics found the adaptation poor, and Watford received mixed notices, rating her from excellent and the best actress in the cast to charming but shallow. Her last West End role of the 1960s was Violet Seedy in ''Come Sunday'', half of a double-bill that ran briefly at the

Fortune Theatre The Fortune Theatre is a 432-seat West End theatre on Russell Street, near Covent Garden, in the City of Westminster. Since 1989 the theatre has hosted the long running play ''The Woman in Black''. History The site was acquired by author, playw ...

in October 1968.

1971–1980

In 1971 Watford toured in a revival of Maugham's ''

The Constant Wife ''The Constant Wife'', a play written in 1926 by W. Somerset Maugham, is a comedy whose modern and amusing take on marriage and infidelity gives a quick-witted, alternative view on how to deal with an extramarital affair. A “sparkling comedy o ...

'' and the following year she was a founder-member of Robin Phillips's Company Theatre group, based at the Greenwich Theatre; fellow members included

Jeremy Brett Peter Jeremy William Huggins (3 November 1933 – 12 September 1995), known professionally as Jeremy Brett, was an English actor. He played fictional detective Sherlock Holmes in four Granada TV series from 1984 to 1994 in all 41 episodes. His ...

Charles Dance Walter Charles Dance (born 10 October 1946) is an English actor. He is known for playing strict, authoritarian characters and villains. His most notable film roles include Sardo Numspa in '' The Golden Child'' (1986), Dr. Jonathan Clemens in '' ...

Mia Farrow Maria de Lourdes Villiers "Mia" Farrow ( ; born February 9, 1945) is an American actress. She first gained notice for her role as Allison MacKenzie in the television soap opera '' Peyton Place'' and gained further recognition for her subsequent ...

Penelope Keith Dame Penelope Anne Constance Keith, (née Hatfield; born 2 April 1940) is an English actress and presenter, active in film, radio, stage and television and primarily known for her roles in the British sitcoms '' The Good Life'' and '' To the M ...

and

Joan Plowright Joan Ann Olivier, Baroness Olivier, (née Plowright; born 28 October 1929), professionally known as Dame Joan Plowright, is an English retired actress whose career has spanned over seven decades. She has won two Golden Globe Awards and a Tony ...

. In the company's opening production,

Chekhov Anton Pavlovich Chekhov (; 29 January 1860 Old Style date 17 January. – 15 July 1904 Old Style date 2 July.) was a Russian playwright and short-story writer who is considered to be one of the greatest writers of all time. His career ...

's '' Three Sisters'', Watford, playing Masha, was "ripely sensual", "memorable" and "the essence of Chekhovian suffering", according to critics. Other stage appearances outside the West End included Mrs Conklin and Hilde Latymer in a

double bill The double feature is a motion picture industry phenomenon in which theatres would exhibit two films for the price of one, supplanting an earlier format in which one feature film and various short subject reels would be shown. Opera use Opera ho ...

Basingstoke Basingstoke ( ) is the largest town in the county of Hampshire. It is situated in south-central England and lies across a valley at the source of the River Loddon, at the far western edge of The North Downs. It is located north-east of Southa ...

, and Gertrude in ''

Hamlet ''The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark'', often shortened to ''Hamlet'' (), is a tragedy written by William Shakespeare sometime between 1599 and 1601. It is Shakespeare's longest play, with 29,551 words. Set in Denmark, the play depicts ...

'' at

Ludlow Ludlow () is a market town in Shropshire, England. The town is significant in the history of the Welsh Marches and in relation to Wales. It is located south of Shrewsbury and north of Hereford, on the A49 road which bypasses the town. The ...

. ''

The Stage ''The Stage'' is a British weekly newspaper and website covering the entertainment industry and particularly theatre. It was founded in 1880. It contains news, reviews, opinion, features, and recruitment advertising, mainly directed at those wh ...

'', commenting in 1974 that Watford was too rarely seen in London, asked "why it is that this supremely talented actress so seldom gets the parts she deserves in the theatres to which her abilities entitle her". During the 1970s Watford continued to appear in numerous one-off television dramas including

Special Branch Special Branch is a label customarily used to identify units responsible for matters of national security and intelligence in British, Commonwealth, Irish, and other police forces. A Special Branch unit acquires and develops intelligence, usu ...

in 1973: but her most conspicuous screen role was as co-star with George Cole in the comedy series ''

'', written by Charles Wood. It originated in a single comedy written for ITV in 1974, but was taken up by the BBC. Twelve episodes were made in two series between 1977 and 1979. The comic playing of Cole and Watford was likened by ''The Stage'' to "a superb Rolls Royce ... gliding smoothly and effortlessly along" but with "hidden power under the bonnet". Her radio roles in the 1970s included Minna in a drama about the life of

Richard Wagner Wilhelm Richard Wagner ( ; ; 22 May 181313 February 1883) was a German composer, theatre director, polemicist, and conductor who is chiefly known for his operas (or, as some of his mature works were later known, "music dramas"). Unlike most op ...

, leading parts in adaptations of stories by Maugham,

Henry James Henry James ( – ) was an American-British author. He is regarded as a key transitional figure between literary realism and literary modernism, and is considered by many to be among the greatest novelists in the English language. He was the ...

George Meredith George Meredith (12 February 1828 – 18 May 1909) was an English novelist and poet of the Victorian era. At first his focus was poetry, influenced by John Keats among others, but he gradually established a reputation as a novelist. '' The Ord ...

and

Daphne du Maurier Dame Daphne du Maurier, Lady Browning, (; 13 May 1907 – 19 April 1989) was an English novelist, biographer and playwright. Her parents were actor-manager Sir Gerald du Maurier and his wife, actress Muriel Beaumont. Her grandfather was Geo ...

, Mrs Davenport in the premiere of

Terence Rattigan Sir Terence Mervyn Rattigan (10 June 191130 November 1977) was a British dramatist and screenwriter. He was one of England's most popular mid-20th-century dramatists. His plays are typically set in an upper-middle-class background.Geoffrey Wan ...

's ''

Cause Célèbre A cause célèbre (,''Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged'', 12th Edition, 2014. S.v. "cause célèbre". Retrieved November 30, 2018 from https://www.thefreedictionary.com/cause+c%c3%a9l%c3%a8bre ,''Random House Kernerman Webs ...

'', and Lady Britomart in Shaw's ''

Major Barbara ''Major Barbara'' is a three-act English play by George Bernard Shaw, written and premiered in 1905 and first published in 1907. The story concerns an idealistic young woman, Barbara Undershaft, who is engaged in helping the poor as a Major in ...

''. Her only cinema role of the decade was a deranged Indian servant in a horror film, '' The Ghoul''.

1981–1994

Watford's stage roles in her later years included Monica Reed, in Coward's ''

'', with

Donald Sinden Sir Donald Alfred Sinden (9 October 1923 – 12 September 2014) was a British actor. Sinden featured in the film ''Mogambo'' (1953), and achieved early fame as a Rank Organisation film star in the 1950s in films including ''The Cruel Sea (195 ...

; her portrayal of the tolerant, amused secretary to Sinden's ageing matinée idol won her a

in 1981. In Shakespeare's ''

All's Well That Ends Well ''All's Well That Ends Well'' is a play by William Shakespeare, published in the '' First Folio'' in 1623, where it is listed among the comedies. There is a debate regarding the dating of the composition of the play, with possible dates rangi ...

'' for the

Royal Shakespeare Company The Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC) is a major British theatre company, based in Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire, England. The company employs over 1,000 staff and produces around 20 productions a year. The RSC plays regularly in London, St ...

her Countess of Roussillon – "gentle but dignified" – attracted comparisons with celebrated earlier interpretations by

Edith Evans Dame Edith Mary Evans, (8 February 1888 – 14 October 1976) was an English actress. She was best known for her work on the stage, but also appeared in films at the beginning and towards the end of her career. Between 1964 and 1968, she was no ...

and

Peggy Ashcroft Dame Edith Margaret Emily Ashcroft (22 December 1907 – 14 June 1991), known professionally as Peggy Ashcroft, was an English actress whose career spanned more than 60 years. Born to a comfortable middle-class family, Ashcroft was deter ...

. She was last seen in the West End as Alice More opposite

Charlton Heston Charlton Heston (born John Charles Carter; October 4, 1923April 5, 2008) was an American actor and political activist. As a Hollywood star, he appeared in almost 100 films over the course of 60 years. He played Moses in the epic film ''The Ten ...

in '' A Man for All Seasons'', in a production transferred from the

Chichester Festival Chichester Festival Theatre is a theatre and Grade II* listed building situated in Oaklands Park in the city of Chichester, West Sussex, England. Designed by Philip Powell and Hidalgo Moya, it was opened by its founder Leslie Evershed-Marti ...

; the ''

Evening Standard The ''Evening Standard'', formerly ''The Standard'' (1827–1904), also known as the ''London Evening Standard'', is a local free daily newspaper in London, England, published Monday to Friday in tabloid format. In October 2009, after be ...

'' found her performance so touching that it "would make a stone weep". Offstage, she was vice-chairman of the Combined Theatrical Charities and was one of the four trustees of

Equity Equity may refer to: Finance, accounting and ownership *Equity (finance), ownership of assets that have liabilities attached to them ** Stock, equity based on original contributions of cash or other value to a business ** Home equity, the diff ...

. ''The Times'', describing Watford's last television work as among her best, instanced Grace Winslow in ''The Winslow Boy'' with Ian Richardson and

Emma Thompson Dame Emma Thompson (born 15 April 1959) is a British actress. Regarded as one of the best actresses of her generation, she has received numerous accolades throughout her four-decade-long career, including two Academy Awards, two British A ...

(whose role as the sister Watford had played the 1958 BBC TV production), Dolly Bantry in two

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 ...

stories with Joan Hickson, and Sheila in

Alan Ayckbourn Sir Alan Ayckbourn (born 12 April 1939) is a prolific British playwright and director. He has written and produced as of 2021, more than eighty full-length plays in Scarborough and London and was, between 1972 and 2009, the artistic director o ...

's '' Relatively Speaking'' with

Nigel Hawthorne Sir Nigel Barnard Hawthorne (5 April 1929 – 26 December 2001) was an English actor. He is most known for his stage acting and his portrayal of Sir Humphrey Appleby, the permanent secretary in the 1980s sitcom '' Yes Minister'' and the Cabi ...

. She was in several series, including ''

Crown Court The Crown Court is the court of first instance of England and Wales responsible for hearing all indictable offences, some either way offences and appeals lied to it by the magistrates' courts. It is one of three Senior Courts of England and W ...

'' for ITV and '' Behaving Badly'' for

Channel 4 Channel 4 is a British free-to-air public broadcast television network operated by the state-owned Channel Four Television Corporation. It began its transmission on 2 November 1982 and was established to provide a fourth television service ...

. The West End ''Present Laughter'' was filmed by the BBC, broadcast in 1981 and issued on DVD in 2007. Watford's later career was curtailed by illness, but the year before her death she toured in

Alan Bennett Alan Bennett (born 9 May 1934) is an English actor, author, playwright and screenwriter. Over his distinguished entertainment career he has received numerous awards and honours including two BAFTA Awards, four Laurence Olivier Awards, and two ...

's ''

Talking Heads Talking Heads were an American rock band formed in 1975 in New York City and active until 1991.Talki ...

''. She died, aged 66, on 6 February 1994. A memorial service was held at the actors' church,

St Paul's, Covent Garden St Paul's Church is a Church of England parish church located in Bedford Street, Covent Garden, central London. It was designed by Inigo Jones as part of a commission for the 4th Earl of Bedford in 1631 to create "houses and buildings fit fo ...

, on 22 March 1994; Sinden read the lesson and there were readings by Gielgud,

Judi Dench Dame Judith Olivia Dench (born 9 December 1934) is an English actress. Regarded as one of Britain's best actresses, she is noted for her versatile work in various films and television programmes encompassing several genres, as well as for her ...

and other friends and colleagues."Memorial service", ''The Times'', 23 March 1994, p. 20

TV and filmography (incomplete)

* ''

'' (1950) .... Lady Usher * ''

'' (1956) .... Rose Dartle * ''

'' (1958) (TV) .... Katherine Winslow * '' Never Take Sweets from a Stranger'' (1960) .... Sally Carter * ''

The Grass Is Greener ''The Grass Is Greener'' is a 1960 British romantic comedy film directed by Stanley Donen and starring Cary Grant, Deborah Kerr, Robert Mitchum, and Jean Simmons. The screenplay was adapted by Hugh Williams and Margaret Vyner from the The Gra ...

'' (1960) .... Hairdresser's receptionist (uncredited) * '' The Barretts of Wimpole Street'' (1961) (TV) .... Elizabeth Barrett * '' The Very Edge'' (1963) .... Sister Holden * ''

'' (1963) .... Calpurnia * '' Do You Know This Voice?'' (1964) .... Jackie Hopta * ''Valley of the Kings'' (1964) .... Mrs. Marsh * ''The Rise and Rise of Cesar Birotteau'' (1965) (TV) .... Constance Birotteau * '' Broome Stages'' (1966) (TV) .... Lettice Broome * ''

Taste the Blood of Dracula ''Taste the Blood of Dracula'' is a 1970 British supernatural horror film produced by Hammer Film Productions. Directed by Peter Sasdy from a script by Anthony Hinds, it is the fifth installment in Hammer's ''Dracula'' series, and the fourth to ...

'' (1969) .... Martha Hargood * '' Shadows of Fear'' (1970) .... Moira Astle (episode ''Did You Lock Up?'') * ''A Face of Your Own'' (1973) (TV) .... Moira * '' The Ghoul'' (1975) .... Ayah * ''

In This House of Brede ''In This House of Brede'' is a novel by Rumer Godden published in 1969 by Viking in the US and by Macmillan in the UK. Synopsis The novel is a portrait of religious life in England that centers on Philippa Talbot, a highly successful profession ...

'' (1975) (TV) .... Dame Catherine * ''

'' (1977) (TV) , The Silencer - Barbara Truscott * ''

Don't Forget To Write! ''Don't Forget to Write!'' is a British television sitcom, broadcast by the BBC from 1977 to 1979. Plot The central character is Gordon Maple ( George Cole) who was formerly a successful playwright, but is now procrastinating, lacking self-confid ...

'' (1977-1979) (TV) .... Mable Maple * ''The Case of the Middle-Aged Wife'' (1982) (TV) .... Maria Packington * ''

'': '' The Body in the Library'' (1984) (TV).... Mrs. Dolly Bantry * '' Sorrell and Son'' (1984) * ''

Cry Freedom ''Cry Freedom'' is a 1987 epic apartheid drama film directed and produced by Richard Attenborough, set in late-1970s apartheid-era South Africa. The screenplay was written by John Briley based on a pair of books by journalist Donald Woods. ...

'' (1987) .... Wendy's Mother * '' Behaving Badly'' (1989) (TV) .... Frieda * ''Relatively Speaking'' (1990) (TV) .... Sheila Carter * ''

'' (1990) (TV) .... Grace Winslow * ''

'': ''

The Mirror Crack'd from Side to Side ''The Mirror Crack'd from Side to Side'', a novel by Agatha Christie, was published in the UK in 1962 and a year later in the US under the title ''The Mirror Crack'd''. The story features amateur detective Miss Marple solving a mystery in St. ...

'' (1992) (TV) .... Mrs. Dolly Bantry (final film role)

Notes, references and sources

Notes

References

Sources

* *

External links

* * (as Gwendoline Watford) {{DEFAULTSORT:Watford, Gwen 1927 births 1994 deaths Best Actress BAFTA Award (television) winners English film actresses English stage actresses English television actresses Laurence Olivier Award winners Actresses from London Deaths from cancer in England Place of death missing People from Hastings 20th-century English actresses