Zena Walker(1934-2003)
- Actress
British actress Zena Walker would become better known for her output of
theatre work than film. Born on March 7, 1934, in Birmingham, she was
the daughter of George Walker, a grocer, and wife Elizabeth Louise
(Hammond). A sensuous, graceful, dusky-voiced presence, she was
educated at St. Martin's School and trained at the Royal Academy of
Dramatic Art. She turned down a film contract by
Alexander Korda at this time in
favor of additional training.
Zena made her professional stage debut in Birmingham in 1950
in a walk-on part in "Smooth-Faced Gentleman". From there, she played a
number of lovely Shakespearean femmes in repertory at the Stratford and
the Old Vic, including "Miranda" in "The Tempest" (1952), "Juliet" in
"Romeo and Juliet" (1954), "Katharine" in "Henry V" (1955) and
"Perdita" in "The Winter's Tale" (1955).
Following occasional TV work in the late 1950s, she entered 1960s films
with little fanfare although she did meet and subsequently marry her
first husband, actor Robert Urquhart,
while making
Danger Tomorrow (1960). She had a
tendency to be a prime emoter in quickie little "B" crimers and while
her film work in Snowball (1960),
The Hellions (1961),
Emergency (1962) and
The Model Murder Case (1963)
and Daylight Robbery (1964) was
commendable, it certainly did not advance her career.
She returned to the theater after some time to raise a child and
impressed in a number of classical roles including "Man and Superman",
"The Cherry Orchard", "The Fighting Cock" and as "Lady MacDuff" in
"Macbeth". In 1967, she was critically lauded for her role as "Sheila",
the mother of a handicapped child, in the black comedy "A Day in the
Death of Joe Egg", which she took to Broadway and earned the Tony award
for "featured actress" opposite
Albert Finney.
Noted earlier for her ethereal beauty, she later earned respect for the
vulnerability, maturity and emotional depth of her matronly roles.
Neglected for the most part in films, she found more prolific work on
TV, notably the series
Man at the Top (1970). One of
her last roles was an episode of
Rosemary & Thyme (2003) in
2003.
Zena died on August 23, 2003 in Brockenhurst, Hampshire at age
69. Following her divorce to Urquhart, she married and divorced actor
Julian Holloway, who was the son of "My
Fair Lady" actor Stanley Holloway, and
then theatrical agent John French. She had two children by her first
marriage; her son tragically died while in his teens. Like other
British stage notables, she was sinfully wasted in films. She could
have easily pulled off a remarkable senior career (i.e.,
Judi Dench) had the opportunity appeared.
theatre work than film. Born on March 7, 1934, in Birmingham, she was
the daughter of George Walker, a grocer, and wife Elizabeth Louise
(Hammond). A sensuous, graceful, dusky-voiced presence, she was
educated at St. Martin's School and trained at the Royal Academy of
Dramatic Art. She turned down a film contract by
Alexander Korda at this time in
favor of additional training.
Zena made her professional stage debut in Birmingham in 1950
in a walk-on part in "Smooth-Faced Gentleman". From there, she played a
number of lovely Shakespearean femmes in repertory at the Stratford and
the Old Vic, including "Miranda" in "The Tempest" (1952), "Juliet" in
"Romeo and Juliet" (1954), "Katharine" in "Henry V" (1955) and
"Perdita" in "The Winter's Tale" (1955).
Following occasional TV work in the late 1950s, she entered 1960s films
with little fanfare although she did meet and subsequently marry her
first husband, actor Robert Urquhart,
while making
Danger Tomorrow (1960). She had a
tendency to be a prime emoter in quickie little "B" crimers and while
her film work in Snowball (1960),
The Hellions (1961),
Emergency (1962) and
The Model Murder Case (1963)
and Daylight Robbery (1964) was
commendable, it certainly did not advance her career.
She returned to the theater after some time to raise a child and
impressed in a number of classical roles including "Man and Superman",
"The Cherry Orchard", "The Fighting Cock" and as "Lady MacDuff" in
"Macbeth". In 1967, she was critically lauded for her role as "Sheila",
the mother of a handicapped child, in the black comedy "A Day in the
Death of Joe Egg", which she took to Broadway and earned the Tony award
for "featured actress" opposite
Albert Finney.
Noted earlier for her ethereal beauty, she later earned respect for the
vulnerability, maturity and emotional depth of her matronly roles.
Neglected for the most part in films, she found more prolific work on
TV, notably the series
Man at the Top (1970). One of
her last roles was an episode of
Rosemary & Thyme (2003) in
2003.
Zena died on August 23, 2003 in Brockenhurst, Hampshire at age
69. Following her divorce to Urquhart, she married and divorced actor
Julian Holloway, who was the son of "My
Fair Lady" actor Stanley Holloway, and
then theatrical agent John French. She had two children by her first
marriage; her son tragically died while in his teens. Like other
British stage notables, she was sinfully wasted in films. She could
have easily pulled off a remarkable senior career (i.e.,
Judi Dench) had the opportunity appeared.