Actress Deborah Kerr dies at age 86

#1LiddyBuckFan · #1 10-18-2007, 10:42 AM

She is one of my favorites...

LONDON - British actress Deborah Kerr, who shared one of cinema's most famous kisses with Burt Lancaster in "From Here to Eternity," has died, her agent said Thursday. She was 86.

Kerr, who suffered from Parkinson's disease, died Tuesday in Suffolk, eastern England, agent Anne Hutton said.

Born in Scotland in 1921, Kerr began her career in regional British theaters and entertained the troops during World War II. Her first major screen role was in "Major Barbara" in 1941.

For many she will be remembered best for her clinch in the surf with Lancaster in the wartime drama "From Here to Eternity" — regularly voted among the greatest screen kisses.

Other memorable roles included Anna Leonowens, the British governess who falls for the king of Siam in "The King and I."

Kerr is survived by her husband, Peter Viertel, two daughters and three grandchildren.

CelticGypsy · #2 10-18-2007, 11:27 AM

How very sad. She was a beautiful and talented actress. Loved her movies.

David · #3 10-18-2007, 12:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by #1LiddyBuckFan

She is one of my favorites...

Me, too. I have The Innocents, The Life & Death of Colonel Blimp, & Black Narcissus on DVD.

#1LiddyBuckFan · #4 10-18-2007, 01:36 PM

Such a beautiful voice...

BombaySapphire3 · #5 10-19-2007, 08:30 PM

Oddly she almost didn't get the part in From Here to Eternity but Joan Crawford had a dispute with the producers over the wardrobe and was booted off the film .Deborah was great it in though.

amber · #6 10-19-2007, 08:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BombaySapphire3

Oddly she almost didn't get the part in From Here to Eternity but Joan Crawford had a dispute with the producers over the wardrobe and was booted off the film .Deborah was great it in though.

Oh, my. Joan Crawford?! Was the dispute about how she was way too fug and "of a certain age and temperament" to possibly give justice to that role? Or a bit too hard and lesbionic (not that those things go together, my lovely lesbians of the ledge)? Or perhaps not really desirable enough to make it believable? Guh, I'd love to know for what price that woman sold her soul. I'm glad people like her, and she's had good roles, but she rubs me the WRONG way.
I want to know her secret (old fashioned whore like scrabbling and insistence), because in my mind, she's lucky she got onscreen. I saw that in the early years she was a good dancer, though, and that is cool.

Well, thank goodness.

JK, I'm sure it was about wardrobe, I've heard that lots of times before about her. Fights about wardrobe and makeup and percs.
Not a huge fan of JC, though, admittedly. She was always worried about wardrobe when she should have been thinking about acting, or not being fug. Or being nice to her kids. Or something more important then wardrobe.

And RIP, Deborah Kerr. I thought she was older, I didn't really know she was still alive. She had a nice presence, didn't she? Lovely woman.

BombaySapphire3 · #7 10-19-2007, 08:55 PM

Joan wanted to use her own wardrobe and the producers wouldn't let her..I don't think Joan was fug at all ..she had fantastic bone structure and yes she could be a be-yotch .personalitywise I'd say she had a good deal in common with Madonna and understood how to change her image with the times and to manipulate the media .. that is how she managed to survive for so long ..Madonna is better at it though.. she has gotten very far on far less talent than Crawford had .