Diana Sowle facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Diana Sowle
in Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory (1971)
Born	Diana Mae Laumer (1930-06-19)June 19, 1930 Chico, California, U.S.
Died	October 19, 2018(2018-10-19) (aged 88) Laurel, Maryland, U.S.
Occupation	Actress
Years active	1971–2013
Spouse(s)	Robert K. Gibson ​ ​ (m. 1956; div. 1961)​ William David Sowle (m. 19??; died 2013)
Children	2

Diana Mae Sowle (born Laumer) was an American actress. She was born on June 19, 1930, and passed away on October 19, 2018. Many people remember her best as Mrs. Bucket, Charlie's kind mother, in the classic 1971 movie Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory.

Discovering Acting

Diana Mae Laumer was born in Chico, California. She was one of five children. She went to Chico High School. There, she found her love for acting by performing in school plays. After graduating in 1949, she studied at the University of Denver. Later, she acted in a play called "The Drunkard." She also did voice-over work for plays and performed in theaters in Germany.

Her Acting Career

Famous Movie Roles

Diana Sowle is most famous for playing Mrs. Bucket. This was Charlie Bucket's mother in the 1971 film Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory. She sang the song "Cheer Up Charlie" in the movie. However, another singer, Diana Lee, actually provided the singing voice. Diana joined the movie cast in Germany, where the film was made. Besides Willy Wonka, she also had small roles in two other movies in 1994. These were Clear and Present Danger and Guarding Tess.

Video Game Voice

Diana also lent her voice to characters in the 2008 video game Fallout 3. She voiced a character named "Agatha" and several others in the game.

On Stage

She often performed in a long-running play called Shear Madness. This play was shown at the Kennedy Center. In it, she played a socialite character named Eleanor Shubert. Her last known performance was in 2013. In 2012, she also appeared in a play called Love Letters. She acted alongside Larry Storch in Farmville, Virginia, to help raise money for a good cause.

Her Life Outside Acting

Diana Sowle lived in Germany for about 20 years, starting in 1960. She also had homes in other places, including Maryland. She was a mother to two children and a grandmother to four. Her husband, Bill Sowle, worked for the CIA. He passed away in 2013. Diana also ran a free tutoring program. This program helped children who needed extra support in Washington D.C. She did this for almost 25 years.

Later Years

Diana Sowle passed away peacefully on October 19, 2018. She was 88 years old.

Movies and Games

Film

Television

Video Games