Birth Name
Deborah Jane Kerr-Trimmer
Nickname
The English Rose
Biography
Deborah Kerr was born on 30 September 1921 in Helensburgh, Scotland, the daughter of Captain Arthur Kerr-Trimmer. She was educated at Northumberland House, Clifton, Bristol. She first performed at the...
Born Deborah Jane Kerr-Trimmer in Scotland in 1921, she was the daughter of a soldier who had been gassed in World War I. A shy, insecure child, she found an outlet for expressing her feelings in acti...
Spouse
Peter Viertel (23 July 1960 - 16 October 2007) (her death)
Anthony C. Bartley (28 November 1945 - 10 June 1960) (divorced); 2 children
Trade Mark
Playing 'classic' English ladies
Trivia
Similar to her losing streak at the Oscars, Deborah was finally awardeda BAFTA "Special Award" in 1991 after being nominated four times. Shedid, however, win the New York Film Critics Award three time...
Her last public appearance was in 1994 when she was awarded an honoraryOscar after six failed nominations over the years. Miss Kerr, alongwith Thelma Ritter, is one of the few actresses to have receiv...
Awarded a CBE (Commander of the Order of the British Empire) in the1997/8 New Years Honours List.
Has two daughters from her marriage to Anthony C. Bartley:Melanie Jane Bartley (born December 27, 1947) and Francesca Ann Bartley(born February 23, 1951). Bartley was a WWII Royal Air Force squadronle...
Her singing voice was dubbed by Marni Nixon inThe King and I (1956).
Suffered from Parkinson's disease.
Biography print
"Deborah Kerr", by Eric Braun Published by W. H. Allen, London1977
"Deborah Kerr" by Eric Braun. NY: St. Martin's Press, 1978.
Personal quotes
All the most successful people these seem to be neurotic. Perhaps weshould stop being sorry for them and start being sorry for me - forbeing so confounded normal.
I came over here [Hollywood] to act, but it turned out all I had to dowas to be high-minded, long suffering, white-gloved and decorative.
I am really rather like a beautiful Jersey cow, I have the same patheticdroop to the corners of my eyes.
[speaking in 1969] When I was under contract to MGM, with people likepoor Robert Taylor (I) and so many others, the cinema's job wassolely entertainment. It filled a public need then. Now the cinemase...
When You're young, you just go banging about, but you're more sensitiveas you grow older. You have higher standards of what's really good;you're fearful that you wont live up to what's expected of you.
He's a warm, kind-hearted, loving, generous, intellectual genius. [OnJohn Wayne (I)]
Article
"Classic Images" (USA), 1 August 2009, Vol. 410, Iss. August, pg. 6-15, 70-73, by: Neil Doyle, "Deborah Kerr: Innate Gentility"
"The Daily Telegraph" (UK), 20 October 2007, by: Anonymous, "Deborah Kerr"
"The Independent" (UK), 19 October 2007, Iss. 6555, pg. 48 - 49, by: Tom Vallance, "Obituary: Deborah Kerr - Film star who shed her patrician image with a steamy performance in 'From Here to Eternity'"
"The Times" (UK), 19 October 2007, by: Ben Hoyle, "Deborah Kerr, 'First Lady of Hollywood', is Dead at 86"
"The Daily Telegraph" (UK), 19 October 2007, by: Anonymous, "Deborah Kerr was one of our own"
"The Washington Post" (USA), 19 October 2007, Vol. 130, Iss. 318, pg. B7, by: Adam Bernstein, "Actress Deborah Kerr, 86[, Dies]; Shook Up Genteel Image in 'From Here to Eternity'"
Pictorial
"The New York Times" (USA), 19 June 2010, pg. A15
"Time" (USA), 5 November 2007, pg. 27, "Milestone"
"Playboy" (USA), June 2003, Vol. 50, Iss. 6, pg. 33, by: staff, "Sleaze Frame: Deborah Kerr"
"Celebrity Sleuth" (USA), 1990, Vol. 3, Iss. 4, pg. 40-41, by: staff, "Deborah Kerr"
"ABC Film Review" (UK), May 1967, Vol. 17, Iss. 5, pg. 16, "Royal occasions"
Cover Photo
"Le Samedi" (Canada), February 1957
"ABC Film Review" (UK), January 1953
Filmography
Black Narcissus (1947) Drama
The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp (1943) War
From Here to Eternity (1953) War
Hatter's Castle (1942) Drama
The Night of the Iguana (1964) Thriller
14th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards (2008) (TV)
Hollywood Singing and Dancing: A Musical Treasure (2008) (TV) Documentary
Julius Caesar (1953) History
The 60th Primetime Emmy Awards (2008) (TV)
The 80th Annual Academy Awards (2008) (TV)
