Irene Handl facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Irene Handl
Irene Handl in the 1966 BBC TV comedy Mum's Boys
Born	(1901-12-27)27 December 1901 Maida Vale, London, England
Died	29 November 1987(1987-11-29) (aged 85) Kensington, London, England
Resting place	Golders Green Crematorium, London, England
Occupation	Actress
Years active	1937–1987

Irene Handl (born 27 December 1901 – died 29 November 1987) was a well-known British character actress. She acted in more than 100 British films and also wrote some novels.

Life Story

Irene Handl was born in Maida Vale, London, England. Her father, Friedrich Handl, was from Austria, and her mother, Marie, was from Germany. Both of her parents later became British citizens. Her father was a successful banker, and the family lived a comfortable life with a cook and housekeeper.

Irene went to Paddington and Maida Vale High School from 1907 to 1915. In the 1920s, she traveled to New York several times with her father. At that time, she was listed as having no job and living at home.

Irene Handl started acting later in life. She studied at an acting school and made her first stage appearance in London in February 1937, when she was 36 years old. She performed in many plays, including playing the famous character Lady Bracknell in The Importance of Being Earnest in 1975.

She lived with her father until he passed away in 1961. It was quite common back then for younger daughters to stay home and care for their fathers if they were widowers. Irene's older sister, Liane, married in 1920 and had a son.

Irene Handl was known for playing funny, supporting roles in films. She often played characters like slightly unusual mothers, grandmothers, landladies, or servants. She loved rock and roll music, especially Elvis Presley, and was even the president of an Elvis fan club branch! She also loved Chihuahuas and was often seen with her two pet Chihuahuas. She was also a member of the Royal Geographic Society, which is a group for people interested in geography and exploration.

Her Career

Films She Starred In

Irene Handl had small but memorable roles in many important films, such as Night Train to Munich and Brief Encounter. She played Mrs. Kite, the wife of a union leader, in I'm All Right Jack (1959). She was also Mrs. Gammon, a tough cook, in Small Hotel (1957). In The Rebel (1961), she played Tony Hancock's landlady.

Later, she was Sherlock Holmes's housekeeper, Mrs. Hudson, in The Private Life of Sherlock Holmes (1970). She also appeared in two of the popular Carry On comedy films: Carry On Nurse and Carry On Constable. She played Miss Peach in the original The Italian Job movie. Irene Handl continued acting until 1987, the year she died. Her very last film role was released after her death.

Theatre Performances

Irene Handl appeared in several plays, including:

• Goodnight Mrs Puffin
• Move Over Mrs Markham
• Cry Liberty
• The Importance of Being Earnest

Television Shows

A plaque in Teddington celebrating Irene Handl's comedy

On television, Irene Handl was a guest star in many comedy shows. She was a regular on Educating Archie and played Ada Cresswell, a Cockney widow, in For the Love of Ada. This show was even made into a movie later. In 1969, she starred as Madame Astoria in the series World in Ferment.

She also appeared in Maggie and Her (1978) and played Gran in the children's comedy show Metal Mickey in the early 1980s. She took on some unusual roles too, like the Duchess of Sheffield in Mapp and Lucia and another rich character in Eric Sykes's TV film It's Your Move (1982). Her last TV appearance was in the BBC comedy In Sickness and in Health in 1987, shortly before she passed away at age 85.

Her Novels

Besides acting, Irene Handl also wrote two novels. Her first book was The Sioux (1965). A famous writer, Margaret Drabble, called it "strange and unforgettable." She wrote a sequel called The Gold Tip Pfitzer (1966). The Sioux was later reprinted with the title Green and Purple Dream (1973). Irene started writing The Sioux when she was only 19 years old while living in Paris, but she put it aside and didn't start writing again until 1961.

Her Passing

Irene Handl died in her flat in Kensington, West London, on 29 November 1987. She was 85 years old and reportedly passed away from cancer. She never married. Her body was cremated at Golders Green Crematorium in North London.

Selected Filmography

See also

In Spanish: Irene Handl para niños