Thora Hird

Biography

Dame Thora Hird was an English actress whose stage and screen career lasted more than seventy years and included over one hundred films. Born in Morecambe into a theatrical family, she first appeared as a baby at her father's Royalty Theatre and later joined the Morecambe Repertory Theatre. In Went the Day Well? (1942), she played a woman who helped fight off German paratroopers with a rifle. Her film credits also included The Entertainer (1960) with Laurence Olivier and A Kind of Loving (1962) opposite Alan Bates and June Ritchie. Television brought her greatest prominence, with sitcoms such as Meet the Wife, In Loving Memory, Last of the Summer Wine, where she played Edie Pegden, and Hallelujah! She won the BAFTA TV Award for Best Actress three times, for the Alan Bennett monologues A Cream Cracker Under the Settee and Waiting for the Telegram, and for Lost for Words. A BAFTA Special Award followed in 1994.

91years old at death

Born May 28, 1911Morecambe
Died March 15, 2003Royal Variety Charity
Star sign: GeminiThe sign runs May 21 to June 20
Also credited as Dame Thora Hird

Movie Career

Films: 7
Career span: 20 years1942 to 1962

Genres

Drama43%, 3 films
Horror29%, 2 films
Mystery29%, 2 films
Romance29%, 2 films
Thriller29%, 2 films

First and latest

Did you know?!

A change of course
Before she became a member of the Morecambe Repertory Theatre, Hird had a job at the Co-operative store in her local area.
A first
Hird was the subject of This Is Your Life twice, surprised by Eamonn Andrews in 1964 and by Michael Aspel in 1996 while filming Last of the Summer Wine.

Thora Hird movies on Netflix

A Kind of Loving1962IMDb rating 7.3as Mrs. Rothwell
The Entertainer1960IMDb rating 7.1as Mrs. Ada Lapford
The Quatermass Xperiment1955IMDb rating 6.6as Rosemary 'Rosie' Elizabeth Wrigley
The Magnet1950IMDb rating 6.7as Nanny's friend
Corridor of Mirrors1948IMDb rating 6.4as Visitor in Tussauds
The Lodger1944IMDb rating 7.0as First Murder Victim Katie
Went the Day Well?1942IMDb rating 7.5as Ivy

Best known for

The films on Netflix they are best known for, with the part played in each.

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A Kind of Loving1962 Drama, Romanceas Mrs. Rothwell
IMDb rating 7.33.0K votes
The Quatermass Xperiment1955 Horror, Sci-Fias Rosemary 'Rosie' Elizabeth Wrigley
IMDb rating 6.68.8K votes
The Entertainer1960as Mrs. Ada Lapford
IMDb rating 7.14.2K votes
Went the Day Well?1942as Ivy
IMDb rating 7.54.9K votes
The Magnet1950as Nanny's friend
IMDb rating 6.7673 votes
Corridor of Mirrors1948as Visitor in Tussauds
IMDb rating 6.4992 votes
The Lodger1944as First Murder Victim Katie
IMDb rating 7.04.5K votes

Worked with

Thora Hird shares two films with Alan Bates, and one with each of the others. Pick a number on the chart or a name in the list to see the films they share.

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Alan Bates

Sam Kydd

Christopher Lee

George Sanders

Marianne Stone

Laurence OlivierVal GuestDirector, 1 film Alberto CavalcantiDirector, 1 film John BrahmDirector, 1 film

Films together

Alan Bates2 films together, 1960 to 1962
Alan Bates's page
- A Kind of Loving1962IMDb rating 7.3Hird as Mrs. RothwellBates as Victor 'Vic' Brown
- The Entertainer1960IMDb rating 7.1Hird as Mrs. Ada LapfordBates as Frank Rice
Sam Kydd2 films together, 1950 to 1955
Sam Kydd's page
- The Quatermass Xperiment1955IMDb rating 6.6Hird as Rosemary 'Rosie' Elizabeth WrigleyKydd as Police sergeant questioning Rosie
- The Magnet1950IMDb rating 6.7Hird as Nanny's friendKydd as Postman
Christopher Lee1 film together, 1948
Christopher Lee's page
- Corridor of Mirrors1948IMDb rating 6.4Hird as Visitor in TussaudsLee as Charles
George Sanders1 film together, 1944
George Sanders's page
- The Lodger1944IMDb rating 7.0Hird as First Murder Victim KatieSanders as Inspector John Warwick
Marianne Stone1 film together, 1955
Marianne Stone's page
- The Quatermass Xperiment1955IMDb rating 6.6Hird as Rosemary 'Rosie' Elizabeth WrigleyStone as Central Clinic Nurse
Laurence Olivier1 film together, 1960
Laurence Olivier's page
- The Entertainer1960IMDb rating 7.1Hird as Mrs. Ada LapfordOlivier as Archie Rice
Val GuestDirector, 1 film, 1955
All films by Val Guest
- The Quatermass Xperiment1955IMDb rating 6.6Hird as Rosemary 'Rosie' Elizabeth Wrigley
Alberto CavalcantiDirector, 1 film, 1942
All films by Alberto Cavalcanti
- Went the Day Well?1942IMDb rating 7.5Hird as Ivy
John BrahmDirector, 1 film, 1944
All films by John Brahm
- The Lodger1944IMDb rating 7.0Hird as First Murder Victim Katie

Awards

One award and honor.

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Thora Hird's awards and nominations, grouped by award
Year	Award	Film	Result
Other honors
	Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire		Won

Online

Official profiles and reference pages.

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