Vivien Merchant
Vivien Merchant (born July 22, 1929 in Manchester as Ada Thompson , † October 3, 1982 in London ) was a British actress.
Life
Merchant was already on stage at the age of 14. In 1953 she was a member of Sir Donald Wolfit's ensemble , where she first met her future husband, Harold Pinter . In addition to her theater engagements, Merchant also worked a lot for British television. She made her first appearance in 1948 in the television film Virtuoso . In 1965 she starred alongside Michael Caine in the literary film The seducer lets greet you . Merchant was nominated for an Oscar for her portrayal of Lily . That same year she played the role of Ruth in the world premiere of The Homecoming . Her husband's Harold Pinter play was performed by the Royal Shakespeare Company and ran on Broadway in 1967, also with Merchant as Ruth .
Merchant married Harold Pinter in 1956, who left her in 1977 because of Antonia Fraser . The couple, who had a son born in 1958, divorced in 1980. Merchant struggled with the end of their marriage and became addicted to alcohol. She died in London in 1982 as a result of her alcohol addiction.
Filmography (selection)
- 1948: Virtuoso
- 1962: Studio 4
- 1963: Maupassant
- 1965: Tea Party
- 1966: The seducer sends his regards (Alfie)
- 1966: A Month in the Country
- 1967: Accident - Incident in Oxford (Accident)
- 1969: Alfred the Great - Vanquisher of the Vikings (Alfred the Great)
- 1970: Wicked Women
- 1972: His life in my power (The Offence)
- 1972: Frenzy
- 1973: The Homecoming
- 1975: The Maids
- 1977: The Man in the Iron Mask (The Man in the Iron Mask)
- 1980: A Tale of Two Cities
Awards and nominations
- 1966: NBR Award for Best Supporting Actress for Der Verführer lets schön greetings
- 1967 : Nominated for an Oscar in the category Best Supporting Actress for The seducer sends greetings
- 1967: Nominated for a Golden Globe for Best Supporting Actress for The seducer lets greet you
- 1967: Nominated for a Tony Award for Best Actress in a Play for The Homecoming
Web links
- Vivien Merchant in the Internet Movie Database (English)
Individual evidence
- ↑ a b Julian Upton: Fallen stars: tragic lives and lost careers ; Headpress, 2004, ISBN 1-900486-38-5 ; here online at books.google, accessed on January 10, 2011.
- ^ Death of Vivien Merchant Is Ascribed to Alcoholism , New York Times article, October 7, 1982; Retrieved January 10, 2011.
| personal data | |
|---|---|
| SURNAME | Merchant, Vivien |
| ALTERNATIVE NAMES | Thompson, Ada (maiden name) |
| BRIEF DESCRIPTION | British actress |
| DATE OF BIRTH | July 22, 1929 |
| PLACE OF BIRTH | Manchester |
| DATE OF DEATH | 3rd October 1982 |
| Place of death | London |