JB
Jane Baxter
Actor
Born September 9, 1909Died September 13, 1996 (87 years)
A distinguished stage and film actress Jane Baxter was one of the most glamorous performers on the London stage. Winston Churchill, an ardent fan, once described her as, "that charming lady who grace personifies all that is best in British womanhood". Her stage career spanned half a century and she is best remembered for her role in "Dial M For Murder", in which she co-starred with Michael Redgrave. Redgrave said that she was "every undergraduate's ideal of an English rose".
Born Fedora Kathleen Alice Forde in Germany, she came to London as a child and studied acting at the Italia Conti Stage School. She made her West End debut at the age of 13 in the musical comedy "Love's Prisoner". On the advice of the playwright J.M. Barrie, she changed her name to Jane Baxter and, in 1938, played the lead in the hit comedy "A Damsel in Distress".
Several other West End shows followed as well as films such as We Live Again (1934), with Fredric March and The Clairvoyant (1935), with Claude Rains and, in 1935, she joined the repertory company at the Liverpool Playhouse where the leading actor was Michael Redgrave. He viewed her arrival "with some alarm", expecting "a spoilt and temperamental film star". Instead, he found "a delightful actress". Baxter eventually became godmother to Redgrave's daughter, the future actress Vanessa Redgrave.
She had success again in London in 1937 with "George and Margaret", which ran for two years and, on Broadway, she co-starred with John Gielgud and Margaret Rutherford in "The Importance of Being Earnest", in which she played "Cicely Cardew".
She continued to make films and appear on stage throughout the 1960s and her final London stage role was in John Mortimer's "A Voyage Round My Father", in which she starred opposite Michael Redgrave. Her last stage role was at the Churchill Theatre, Bromley in 1978 in the thriller "Assault", in which she appeared with Richard Todd. In 1992, she made a guest appearance - to a standing ovation - at the London Palladium in "A Tribute to Evelyn Laye". In her will, she requested that there be no memorial service for her but just a gathering of friends at her local church in Wimbledon, South London. Film director Bryan Forbes gave the address
Born Fedora Kathleen Alice Forde in Germany, she came to London as a child and studied acting at the Italia Conti Stage School. She made her West End debut at the age of 13 in the musical comedy "Love's Prisoner". On the advice of the playwright J.M. Barrie, she changed her name to Jane Baxter and, in 1938, played the lead in the hit comedy "A Damsel in Distress".
Several other West End shows followed as well as films such as We Live Again (1934), with Fredric March and The Clairvoyant (1935), with Claude Rains and, in 1935, she joined the repertory company at the Liverpool Playhouse where the leading actor was Michael Redgrave. He viewed her arrival "with some alarm", expecting "a spoilt and temperamental film star". Instead, he found "a delightful actress". Baxter eventually became godmother to Redgrave's daughter, the future actress Vanessa Redgrave.
She had success again in London in 1937 with "George and Margaret", which ran for two years and, on Broadway, she co-starred with John Gielgud and Margaret Rutherford in "The Importance of Being Earnest", in which she played "Cicely Cardew".
She continued to make films and appear on stage throughout the 1960s and her final London stage role was in John Mortimer's "A Voyage Round My Father", in which she starred opposite Michael Redgrave. Her last stage role was at the Churchill Theatre, Bromley in 1978 in the thriller "Assault", in which she appeared with Richard Todd. In 1992, she made a guest appearance - to a standing ovation - at the London Palladium in "A Tribute to Evelyn Laye". In her will, she requested that there be no memorial service for her but just a gathering of friends at her local church in Wimbledon, South London. Film director Bryan Forbes gave the address
Filmography
| 1973 | Orson Welles' Great Mysteries (TV Series) · as Harriet Faulkner |
| 1971 | Upstairs, Downstairs (TV Series) · as Dowager Lady Newbury |
| 1969 | Softly Softly Task Force (TV Series) · as Mrs. Elsa Rutherford |
| 1969 | The Mind of Mr. J.G. Reeder (TV Series) · as Lady Rothbard |
| 1957 | Theatre Night (TV Series) · as Jane Loring |
| 1955 | ITV Play of the Week (TV Series) · as Angela Asher |
| 1953 | Douglas Fairbanks, Jr. Presents (TV Series) · as Martha |
| 1952 | Death of an Angel · as Mary Welling |
| 1950 | Sunday Night Theatre (TV Series) · as Mary Weston |
| 1943 | The Flemish Farm · as Tresha |
| 1941 | Ships with Wings · as Celia Wetherby |
| 1940 | The Briggs Family · as Sylvia Briggs |
| 1940 | The Middle Watch · as Cast |
| 1940 | The Chinese Den · as Charlotte Merivale |
| 1938 | The Ware Case · as Lady Margaret 'meg' Ware |
| 1938 | Second Best Bed · as Patricia Lynton |
| 1936 | Hideout in the Alps · as Linda Kent |
| 1936 | The Man Who Could Work Miracles · as Customer |
| 1936 | The Man Behind the Mask · as Lady June Slade |
| 1935 | Drake the Pirate · as Elizabeth Sydenham |
| 1935 | The Clairvoyant · as Christine |
| 1935 | Regal Cavalcade · as Girl In Punt |
| 1935 | Enchanted April · as Lady Caroline Dester |
| 1935 | Line Engaged · as Eva Rutland |
| 1934 | The Little Minister · as Maid Helping With Wedding Dress |
| 1934 | We Live Again · as Missy Kortchagin |
| 1934 | April Blossoms · as Vicki Wimpassinger |
| 1934 | The Murder Party · as Peggy Studholme Kennion |
| 1933 | The Constant Nymph · as Antonia Sanger |
| 1931 | Down River · as Hilary Gordon |
| 1930 | Bedrock · as Rosie |