Heather Chasen facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Heather Chasen
Born	Heather Jean Chasen (1927-07-20)20 July 1927 British Singapore
Died	22 May 2020(2020-05-22) (aged 92) Marylebone, London, England
Occupation	Actress
Years active	1945–2014
Notable work	See below
Television	Crossroads Marked Personal EastEnders
Children	1
Parent(s)	F.N. Chasen (father)

Heather Jean Chasen (born 20 July 1927 – died 22 May 2020) was an English actress. She was well-known for her parts in popular TV shows called soap operas. These included playing Valerie Pollard in Crossroads from 1982 to 1986. She also had guest roles in Doctors, Holby City, and Family Affairs.

Heather Chasen also voiced many characters in the The Navy Lark radio show from 1959 to 1977. She appeared in the TV series Marked Personal from 1973 to 1974. Later, she played Lydia Simmonds in the BBC soap opera EastEnders. This role was praised by critics and the show's cast. Besides TV and radio, she performed a lot in theatre plays and films. In 2012, she was in the movie Les Misérables.

Early Life and Family

Heather Chasen was born on 20 July 1927, in British Singapore. Her mother was Agnes H. (née McCullock) and her father was F.N. Chasen. Her father was an English ornithologist, which means he studied birds.

During World War I, her father was a trooper in the Norfolk Yeomanry. In 1921, he moved from England to work at the Raffles Library and Museum in Singapore. He married Heather's mother, Agnes, in 1926. Heather's sister, Christine Elizabeth, was born on 4 May 1931. Her parents separated in 1938 and both later remarried.

Before the Japanese took over Singapore during World War II, Heather and her mother left on the very last boat. Sadly, her father was on a different ship, HMS Giang Bee. This ship was sunk by the Japanese on 12 February 1942, and he died. Heather's stepfather, G.C.R. Franks, also died in the fighting on 22 March.

Heather and her mother then moved to the UK. Heather trained at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art. She performed on stage and went on tour with famous actors like Frankie Howerd and Sybil Thorndike. She also toured with Douglas Fairbanks Jr. in Toronto.

In 1949, Heather Chasen married John Webster. They had one son named Rupert. Heather Chasen passed away on 22 May 2020, at the age of 92.

Acting Career

Roles in Crossroads and EastEnders

In 2011, Heather Chasen was chosen to play Lydia Simmonds in the BBC soap opera EastEnders. Lydia was the grandmother of Janine Butcher, played by Charlie Brooks. Another actress, Margaret Tyzack, was first cast in the role but had to leave due to personal reasons. Heather Chasen took over the part.

The show's producer, Bryan Kirkwood, said that Heather Chasen was chosen to continue Lydia's story. Heather's last appearance as Lydia was on 13 June 2011, when her character died. Kirkwood later said that Lydia's storyline was "perfect" and that Heather Chasen made the role her own. Charlie Brooks, who played Janine, said she loved exploring Janine's past and was proud of her scenes with Heather Chasen.

Other Acting Work

Heather Chasen appeared in many other TV shows. These included The Bill, The Harry Hill Show, Z-Cars, and Dixon of Dock Green. She also voiced characters like WREN Heather Chasen and Ramona Povey in the radio show The Navy Lark.

In the soap opera Doctors, she appeared four times, most recently in 2014. She played Sylvie Leigh in Holby City and Madge Bennet in Family Affairs for five episodes. Earlier in her career, she played Caroline Kerr in The Newcomers and Isabel Neal in Marked Personal.

On stage, Heather Chasen played the headmistress in Schoolgirls in Uniform. She also appeared in The Rat Trap, where a critic from The Guardian newspaper described her character as "trundling." Other plays included Pardon Ma Prime Minister, which the Birmingham Mail called "hilarious." One of her last plays was My Three Angels. She also played Margaret Thatcher in Who Bombed Birmingham. Heather Chasen said she had a "lovely time" playing Miss Marple in A Murder is Announced.

In 2009, she was in the film Season of Mists, which won several international awards. Other films she appeared in include The Kiss of Tosca (2000), The Toybox (2003), and Cat Run (2011).

Awards and Nominations

Heather Chasen was nominated for a Tony Award for Best Performance by a Featured Actress in a Musical. This was for her role in the New York version of A Severed Head between 1963 and 1965. The film Seasons of Mists, in which she acted, won many awards around the world.

Filmography

Film

Television

Radio

Stage/Theatre