Anna Neagle

She made her stage debut in 1917 at age 12, but was not seen again until 1925 in the musical revue "Bubbly."

She played Nell Gwyn in both Nell Gwyn (1934) and Let's Make Up (1954).

For the circus film 'The Three Maxims (1936) she did some of the trapeze work herself.

She had two roles in common with Fay Compton: (1) Neagle played Queen Victoria in Victoria the Great (1937) and Queen of Destiny (1938) while Compton played her in The Prime Minister (1941) and Journey to the Unknown: Poor Butterfly (1969) and (2) Compton played Florence Nightingale in Wrath of Jealousy (1936) while Neagle played her in The Lady with a Lamp (1951).

London (By Cable)-Wednesday, November 15, 1939: Statement of affairs of Imperator Films, in voluntary liquidation, lists $692, 985 owing to unsecured creditors, among whom are Herbert Wilcox ($136,165) and Anna Neagle ($127,885.) Both Wilcox and Miss Neagle have cabled from Hollywood expressing the wish that their claims be set aside until other creditors have been paid. Herbert Wilcox Productions, also in voluntary liquidation, lists debts to unsecured creditors of $310,125.

Dame Anna Neagle, the endearingly popular British star during WWII, was born Florence Marjorie Robertson and began dancing as a professional in chorus lines at age 14. She starred with actor Jack Buchanan in the musical "Stand Up and Sing" in the West End and earned her big break when producer/director Herbert Wilcox, who had caught the show purposely to consider Buchanan for an upcoming film, was also taken (and smitten) by Anna, casting her as well in the process. Thus began one of the most exclusive and successful partnerships in the British cinema. Under Wilcox's guidance (they married in 1943), Anna became one of the biggest and brightest celebrities of her time. Always considered an actress of limited abilities, the lovely Anna nevertheless would prove to be a sensational box-office commodity for nearly two decades. She added glamour and sophistication for war-torn London audiences and her lightweight musicals, comedies and even costumed historical dramas provided a nicely balanced escape route. The tasteful, ladylike heroines she portrayed included nurses Edith Cavell and Florence Nightingale, flyer Amy Johnson and undercover spy Odette; Nell Gwyn and Queen Victoria also fell within her grasp.

She appeared in a number of frothy post-war retreads co-starring Michael Wilding that the critics turned their noses on but the audiences ate up - including Piccadilly Incident (1946), Katy's Love Affair (1947), Spring in Park Lane (1948) and The Lady with a Lamp (1951). She tried to extend her fame to Hollywood and briefly appeared there in three musicals in the early 40s, but failed to make a dent. Anna's appeal faded somewhat in the late 50s and, after producing a few film efforts, retired altogether from the screen.

She won many awards and honours including International Top Box Office Star 1949, International Top Box Office Actress 1948, 1950, 1951, British Top Box Office Actress !941, !947, 1952, . Her Films also won a number of top awards. Victoria the Great won the Venice Film Festival Gold Cup of All Nations in 1937, The Daily Mail National Film Award was awarded in 1949 to Spring in Park Lane and in 1952 to Odette.

She produced three films in the 1950s (Dangerous Youth (1957), Wonderful Things (1958), and The Heart of a Man (1959)), all starring British actor Frankie Vaughan.

She was awarded the CBE (Commander of the Order of the British Empire) in the 1952 King's New Year Honours List for her services to drama.

Although she played Errol Flynn's daughter in Let's Make Up (1954), she was almost five years his senior in real life.

She returned to her theatre roots, which culminated in the long-running "Charlie Girl", a 1965 production that ran with Anna for nearly six years.

She was bestowed with the honor of Dame of the British Empire in 1969 for her contributions to the theatre.

Anna continued to perform after her husband's death in 1977, later developing Parkinson's disease in her final years.

Neagle played many historical characters including Nell Gwynn, Queen Victoria, 18th Century British actress Peg Woffington, aviatrix Amy Johnson, nurse Edith Cavell, French Resistance heroine Odette Celine, and Florence Nightengale.