Phyllis Calvert facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Phyllis Calvert
Calvert in 1974
Born	Phyllis Hannah Bickle (1915-02-18)18 February 1915 Chelsea, London, England
Died	8 October 2002(2002-10-08) (aged 87) Cheam, London, England
Alma mater	Royal Central School of Speech and Drama
Years active	1927–2000
Spouse(s)	Peter Murray-Hill ​ ​ (m. 1941; died 1957)​
Children	2

Phyllis Calvert was a well-known English actress. She starred in many films, plays, and TV shows. She was especially famous for her roles in the "Gainsborough melodramas" during the 1940s. These were popular, dramatic movies. Phyllis Calvert was one of the most loved movie stars in Britain in the 1940s. Her acting career lasted for more than 50 years!

One film expert, Michael Brooke, said that Phyllis often played the "good girl" in movies. Even when the "bad" characters were more exciting, her talent and charm kept audiences interested. She herself said it was harder to play a truly nice person and make it believable than to play a wicked one.

About Phyllis Calvert

Early Life and First Roles

Phyllis Calvert was born in Chelsea, London, England. She started training at the Margaret Morris School of Dancing when she was young. She began performing on stage at just ten years old. Her very first film role was in The Arcadians in 1927, when she was only 12.

Phyllis also performed in plays at different theatres. She made her first London stage appearance in 1939. She also appeared in early films like Two Days to Live (1939).

Becoming a Star with Gainsborough Pictures

Phyllis Calvert was noticed in a play and signed a contract with Gainsborough Pictures. This was a big film studio. She got a main role in They Came by Night (1940). She also starred with popular actors like George Formby in Let George Do It! (1940).

She appeared in a war movie called Neutral Port (1940). Then she had an important role in Kipps (1941), directed by Carol Reed. After a detective film, she co-starred in Uncensored (1942), another war movie. Carol Reed chose her again for The Young Mr. Pitt (1942).

In 1942, she also played the main role in a popular play called Flare Path in London's West End.

Reaching Stardom

Phyllis Calvert was already well-known in British films. But she became a huge star after appearing in The Man in Grey (1943). This was a "Gainsborough melodrama," a type of film known for its strong emotions and dramatic stories. The movie was a massive hit! It made Phyllis and her co-stars – Stewart Granger, James Mason, and Margaret Lockwood – very famous in Britain.

She then starred in Fanny by Gaslight (1944) with Granger and Mason, which was another big success. Two Thousand Women (1944) was also popular. It was about British women held captive in France during the war. She also starred with Patricia Roc and Stewart Granger in Madonna of the Seven Moons (1945), another hit melodrama.

Phyllis Calvert's success continued with They Were Sisters (1945). By 1945, she was voted the fifth most popular star in Britain! She appeared in The Magic Bow (1946) and a drama about Africa called Men of Two Worlds (1946). The Root of All Evil (1947) was one of her last Gainsborough melodramas. In 1946, she was the sixth most popular British star at the box office.

Time in Hollywood

Phyllis Calvert's success in Britain was noticed in the United States. Universal-International signed her to star in Time Out of Mind (1947). She then signed a deal to make six movies with Paramount.

She returned to Britain to make Broken Journey (1948). Then she went back to Hollywood for two films with Paramount: My Own True Love (1949) and Appointment with Danger (1951), where she played a nun. She also performed in the stage play Peter Pan in Britain.

Later Career and TV Work

Back in Britain, Phyllis Calvert made two films that were not very successful. She even invested her own money in one of them, The Woman with No Name (1950). She had a big hit again with Mandy (1952).

She continued to act in films like The Net (1953) and It's Never Too Late (1956). She also appeared in many TV shows, including a six-part BBC series of Little Women.

Phyllis Calvert acted in over 40 films in total. Her later films include The Battle of the Villa Fiorita (1965) and Oh! What a Lovely War (1969). From 1970 to 1972, she had her own TV series called Kate. In this show, she played an "agony aunt" (someone who gives advice) who had her own problems.

She made many guest appearances on TV shows like Tales of the Unexpected and Midsomer Murders. In 1972, she was featured on the TV show This Is Your Life, where guests are surprised by their life story being told.

Personal Life

Phyllis Calvert was married to actor and bookseller Peter Murray-Hill. They were married until he sadly passed away in 1957. They had two children, Ann (born 1943) and Piers (born 1954). Phyllis Calvert never remarried. She passed away peacefully in her sleep in London in 2002, at the age of 87.

Partial filmography

Box Office Popularity

For several years, British movie theatre owners voted Phyllis Calvert as one of the top ten British stars. This was based on how popular her movies were at the box office.

• 1945 – 5th most popular
• 1946 – 6th most popular