Dorinda Stevens
Dorinda Stevens | |
|---|---|
 Dorinda Stevens in Danger Man in 1964 | |
| Born | Doreen May Stevens 16 August 1932 Southampton, Hampshire, England |
| Died | 25 October 2012 (aged 80) Winchester, Hampshire, England |
| Occupation | Actress |
| Years active | 1952 – 1965 |
| Spouse | [1] |
Dorinda Stevens (16 August 1932 – 25 October 2012) was a British television and film actress of the 1950s and 1960s.[2][3][4]
Biography[edit]
Stevens was born Doreen May Stevens in Southampton,[5] the daughter of Henry C. Stevens and Winifred (née Lucas).[6] During World War II, at age 10, she was evacuated to Houghton in Hampshire where she appeared in amateur dramatics to entertain the troops. She studied elocution, and she taught this subject by age 13. She joined the Southampton Repertory Company, where she was spotted for her good looks, and she was booked to appear in London aged 17.[7]
Stevens was briefly married to the actor Peter Wyngarde in the early 1950s[8][9] and later married Canadian cinematographer William Michael Boultbee (1933–2005) in Nairobi in 1957[10] while filming for African Patrol.
Stevens retired from acting in 1965. Reviewing her final theatrical film Night Train to Paris (1964), New York Times critic Howard Thompson wrote that "the most attractive thing about the whole picture is a nifty blonde named Dorinda Stevens. The woman can act, too, which is more than can be said for most of the others."[11]
Stevens died aged 80 in 2012 in Winchester in Hampshire as a result of complications of a stroke, and she was cremated at Bournemouth Crematorium.[12]
Filmography[edit]
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1952 | Lady in the Fog | Girl at film studio | uncredited |
| 1952 | It Started in Paradise | Flo, 1st barmaid | uncredited |
| 1954 | The Golden Link | Norma Sheridan | |
| 1955 | Confession [3] | Blonde | U.S. title: The Deadliest Sin |
| 1955 | Handcuffs, London [a] | Lady Edith Garven | |
| 1957 | A King in New York [13][14] | (Unconfirmed role) | uncredited |
| 1957 | Not Wanted on Voyage [15] | Pat | |
| 1958 | Man with a Gun | Club Receptionist | |
| 1959 | Jack the Ripper [16] | Margaret | |
| 1959 | Operation Bullshine | A.T.S. Girl | |
| 1959 | Horrors of the Black Museum [17] | Pat Dunlap | |
| 1959 | The Shakedown | Grace | |
| 1960 | Carry On Constable | Young woman | |
| 1960 | The Gentle Trap [18] | Mary | |
| 1960 | Make Mine Mink | Jean | uncredited |
| 1961 | His and Hers | Dora | |
| 1961 | Raising the Wind | Doris | |
| 1961 | Night Without Pity | Girlfriend | |
| 1962 | Hair of the Dog | Ann Tickle | |
| 1963 | Carry on Jack | Girl at Dirty Dick's | uncredited |
| 1963 | The Undesirable Neighbour | Mary Bennet | part of The Scales of Justice series of featurettes |
| 1964 | The Verdict [b] | Molly | |
| 1964 | Night Train to Paris | Olive Davies |
Selected television appearances[edit]
| Year | Programme | Episode | Role |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1953 | Sunday Night Theatre | "Once in a Lifetime" | Coat-check girl |
| 1955 | Fabian of the Yard | "The King's Hat"[a] | Lady Edith Garven |
| 1955 | Confidentially | Receptionist | |
| 1956 | Sixpenny Corner | Miss Golightly | |
| 1959 | Dial 999 (TV series) | "50,000 Hands"
"Old Soldiers Sometimes Die" |
Madge Bingham
Helen |
| 1958–59 | African Patrol | "Man and Beast"
"Missing Doctor" |
Lila
Ruth |
| 1959 | Crime Sheet | "The Superintendent Hedges a Bet" | Carol Betterton |
| 1960 | International Detective | "The Barnaby Case" | Glory |
| 1959–60 | Interpol Calling | "In the Swim"
"Air Switch" |
Millicent
Helen |
| 1961 | The Pursuers | "Inside Job" | Belle |
| 1962 | The Cheaters | "The Safe Way" | Girl |
| 1959–1962 | No Hiding Place | "Thirty Seconds From Now" "Process of Elimination" |
Carol Betty |
| 1962 | The Saint | "The Careful Terrorist" | Verna |
| 1963 | The Scales of Justice | "The Undesirable Neighbour" | Mary Bennet |
| 1964 | The Edgar Wallace Mystery Theatre | "The Verdict"[b] | Molly |
| 1964 | The Avengers | "Concerto" | Darleen |
| 1964 | Hugh and I | "Emergency Ward" | |
| 1965 | Danger Man | "Such Men Are Dangerous" | Miss Jackson |
Notes[edit]
- ^ a b Handcuffs, London was a feature-length compilation of episodes from TV's Fabian of the Yard (televised in the U.S. as Patrol Car), including "The King's Hat".
- ^ a b The Verdict was released theatrically in the UK as a second feature, and it later was televised in the U.S. as an episode of The Edgar Wallace Mystery Theater.
References[edit]
- ^ Peter Wyngarde: Flamboyant actor renowned for his salacious exploits who became a household name in the 1970s when he played TV sleuth Jason King – The Times 18 January 2018
- ^ "Last Night's Cable Flashes". The Argus. Melbourne, Australia. 24 November 1956. p. 6 – via Trove.
- ^ a b "Alan Hodgson on ITV". Daily Herald. 9 June 1956. p. 4 – via British Newspaper Archive. (subscription required)
- ^ "Spring Decorating". Winnipeg Free Press. Winnipeg, Canada. 6 June 1956. p. 38 – via Newspaperarchive.com.
- ^ Doreen M Stevens in the England & Wales, Civil Registration Birth Index, 1916-2005
- ^ Henry C Stevens and Winifred Lucas in the England & Wales, Civil Registration Marriage Index, 1916-2005 (1923)
- ^ Interview with Dorinda Stevens - 'The Siren', TVTimes - 20–26 November 1955
- ^ Shelley, Gary (8 May 1972). "Peter Wyngarde – An Incurable Romantic". The Sydney Morning Herald. p. 9.
- ^ Peter Wyngarde in the London, England, Electoral Registers, 1832-1965 - Ancestry.com (subscription required)
- ^ Partridge, Janet (20 April 1957). "Town Talk". The Vancouver Sun. p. 27.
- ^ Thompson, Howard (3 December 1964). "'Night Train to Paris' at Local Theaters". The New York Times.
- ^ Baker, Richard Anthony (5 November 2012). "Obituaries: Dorinda Stevens". The Stage. Archived from the original on 13 June 2018.
- ^ "Film Gossip". The Sydney Morning Herald. Sydney, Australia. 12 August 1956. p. 51 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ Holmes, Su (2005). British TV and Film Culture of the 1950s: Coming to a TV Near You. UK: Intellect Books. p. 191. ISBN 9781841501215.
- ^ "Film Reviews: Not Wanted on Voyage". Variety. 13 November 1957. p. 20.
- ^ Grieg, Michael (14 February 1960). "A New Twist for a Ripping Old Horror Story". San Francisco Examiner. p. 13 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ Watmough, David (7 June 1959). "Film Hypnosis - A New Kick for Horror Fans". San Francisco Examiner. pp. 20–21 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ Chibnall, Steve; McFarlane, Brian (2017). The British 'B' Film. Bloomsbury Publishing. p. 185. ISBN 9781844575749.
External links[edit]
- Dorinda Stevens at IMDb
- Dorinda Stevens at British Film Institute
- Dorinda Stevens at Aveleyman