Ursula Howells
Born: 1922-09-17 in Hammersmith, London, England, UK
Died: 2005-10-16
Known For: Acting
Biography
Howells was born in London, the daughter of composer Herbert Howells, and was educated at St Paul's Girls' School, where her father worked as Director of Music. She made her first stage appearance at Dundee in 1939, in John Drinkwater's Bird in Hand, then moved to Oxford in 1942 and three years later made her London debut at the Embassy Theatre, Swiss Cottage. In 1947 she appeared in the comedy Jane at the Aldwych Theatre. After several years in the West End, and a brief stint on Broadway where she appeared in Springtime for Henry in 1951, she began to appear in films. After the death of her father in 1983, Ursula Howells instigated the "Herbert Howells Society" and became a standard bearer for the promotion of his work. She financially supported the recording of his compositions and did much to encourage the publishing and promotion of church music.
Filmography
2001
1999
- The Tichborne Claimant as Lady Doughty
1998
- A Rather English Marriage as Mary
1997
- Midsomer Murders as Lady Isabel Aubrey
1994
- A Pinch of Snuff as Alice Andover
1986
- Lovejoy as Olive Nettleton
- Time After Time as May Swift
1985
- Miss Marple: A Murder Is Announced as Miss Blacklock
1984
- The Cold Room as Headmistress
1982
- The Barchester Chronicles as Miss Thorne
1981
- Bergerac as Elizabeth Fouchet
1980
- The Enigma as Mrs Fielding
- Gentle Folk as Mrs Menant
1978
- Father, Dear Father as Barbara Mossman
- When the Actors Come as Barbara Karolina
1977
- BBC2 Play of the Week as Barbara Karolina
- Hard Times as Mrs Gradgrind
1974
- Playhouse as Mrs. Menant
- Fall of Eagles as Empress Maria Fyodorovna
- Miss Nightingale as Aunt May
- Little Fears as The Older Woman
1973
- Father Dear Father as Barbara
1972
- Franklin's Farm as Prue
1971
- Upstairs, Downstairs as Duchess of Buckminster
- Cousin Bette as Adeline Hulot
1970
- Play for Today as Sarah Chandler
- Mumsy, Nanny, Sonny & Girly as Mumsy
- Ryan International
1969
- ITV Saturday Night Theatre as Mrs. Clissold
- Crossplot as Maggi Thwaites
1968
- Ooh La La! as Mme Pontagnac
- Father, Dear Father as Barbara
- Assignment K as Estelle
1967
- Man in a Suitcase
- All Gas and Gaiters as Mrs Buckley
- Torture Garden as Miss Maxine Chambers (segment 3 "Mr. Steinway")
1966
- The Informer as Lady Tregunter
1965
- The Wednesday Thriller as Hilda
- Dr. Terror's House of Horrors as Mrs. Deirdre Biddulph (segment 1 "Werewolf")
1964
- A Choice of Coward as Liz Essendine
- A Choice of Coward: Present Laughter as Liz Essendine
1963
- The Human Jungle as Julia Gray
- 80,000 Suspects as Joanna Duten
- The Madhouse on Castle Street as Martha Tompkins
- The Sicilians as Mme. Perrault
1962
- Two Letter Alibi as Louise
1961
- Drama 61-67 as Claire
1960
1959
- No Hiding Place
- Interpol Calling as Miki
1957
- Now Let Him Go as Nurse Judith
- West of Suez as Eileen
- Account Rendered as Lucille Ainsworth
1956
- Armchair Theatre as Margaret
- The Long Arm as Mrs. Elliot / Mrs. Gilson
- Keep It Clean as Pat Anstey
1955
- Lilli Palmer Theatre as Mary
- They Can't Hang Me as Antonia Pitt
- The Constant Husband as Ann
- Track the Man Down as Mary Dennis
- The Gilded Cage as Brenda Lucas
1954
- Sherlock Holmes
- The Weak and the Wicked as Pam Vickers
1953
- Number Three as Maureen Dartington
- The Oracle as Peggy
- The Blakes Slept Here as Emily
1952
- I Believe in You as Hon. Ursula
- The Cocktail Party
1951
- Flesh and Blood as Harriet Marshall
1950
- Sunday Night Theatre as Mary Winsloe