Susannah York facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Susannah York
Born	Susannah Yolande Fletcher (1939-01-09)9 January 1939 Chelsea, London, England
Died	15 January 2011(2011-01-15) (aged 72) Brompton, London, England
Alma mater	Royal Academy of Dramatic Art
Occupation	Actress
Years active	1959–2011
Spouse(s)	Michael Wells ​ ​ (m. 1959; div. 1976)​
Children	2, including Orlando Wells

Susannah York (born Susannah Yolande Fletcher; January 9, 1939 – January 15, 2011) was a famous English actress. She became well-known around the world for her roles in movies during the 1960s. Some of her most famous films include Tom Jones (1963) and They Shoot Horses, Don't They? (1969).

People often described her as a beautiful "English rose" with blue eyes and fair skin. She was seen as a symbol of the exciting "swinging sixties" era. Later in her career, she showed everyone that she was a very talented actress with a wide range of emotions. She could play many different kinds of characters.

Susannah York was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for her role in They Shoot Horses, Don't They?. She also won the Best Actress award at the Cannes Film Festival in 1972 for the movie Images. She appeared in many other popular films like A Man for All Seasons (1966) and Superman (1978), where she played Superman's mother, Lara.

Early life and acting dreams

Susannah York was born in Chelsea, London, in 1939. Her father, Simon William Peel Vickers Fletcher, was a banker. Her mother was Joan Nita Mary Bowring. Her parents divorced when she was young.

When Susannah was a child, her mother remarried and they moved to Scotland. She went to Marr College in Troon, Scotland, when she was 11. Later, she attended other schools like Wispers School and East Haddon Hall School.

Susannah loved acting from a young age. She played an ugly sister in a school play of Cinderella when she was only nine. This made her want to become an actress. After her mother moved back to London, Susannah auditioned for the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA). This is a very famous acting school. While at RADA, she won an award for being the most promising student. She graduated in 1958.

Film career highlights

Susannah York with Montgomery Clift in Freud: The Secret Passion (1962).

Susannah York's movie career started with Tunes of Glory in 1960. She starred alongside famous actors like Alec Guinness. In 1961, she played the main role in The Greengage Summer. The next year, she appeared in Freud: The Secret Passion.

She played Sophie Western in the Oscar-winning movie Tom Jones (1963). She actually turned down the role three times! She finally agreed because she felt bad after cooking a difficult meal for the director, Tony Richardson. She also appeared in A Man for All Seasons (1966) and Battle of Britain (1969). In 1970, she played the main character in a TV movie of Jane Eyre.

Susannah York was nominated for a Best Supporting Actress Oscar for They Shoot Horses, Don't They? (1969). She was very honest about her feelings, saying she felt it was rude to be nominated without being asked first. Even though she didn't win, her performance was highly praised.

In 1972, she won the Best Actress award at the Cannes Film Festival for her role in Images. She is also well-known for playing Superman's mother, Lara, in Superman and its sequels.

In 1984, Susannah York starred as Mrs. Cratchit in A Christmas Carol. This movie was based on the famous book by Charles Dickens. She acted alongside George C. Scott, who played Ebenezer Scrooge.

Her last film was The Calling, which came out in 2010. She also supported the Children's Film Unit and appeared in some of their movies.

Stage performances

Besides movies, Susannah York also had a successful career on stage. In 1978, she performed in a play called The Singular Life of Albert Nobbs in London. She also acted in Paris, speaking French in a play by Henry James.

In the 1980s, she continued to perform in plays. In 1985, she appeared in Fatal Attraction. From 1986 to 1987, she starred as Mary in The Women at the Old Vic theatre.

In 2007, she toured the UK in a play called The Wings of the Dove. She also performed her popular solo show, The Loves of Shakespeare's Women, around the world. In 2008, she played Nelly in a play based on Wuthering Heights.

Her last stage performance was in a play called Quartet in August 2010.

Writing and personal life

In the 1970s, Susannah York wrote two fantasy novels for children. They were called In Search of Unicorns (1973) and Lark's Castle (1976). A part of her first book was even used in the movie Images.

In 1959, Susannah married Michael Wells. They had two children together: a daughter named Sasha and a son named Orlando. They divorced in 1976. In the 1984 TV movie A Christmas Carol, Susannah played Mrs. Cratchit, and both of her children also acted in the movie as Cratchit children.

Susannah York was known for her strong beliefs. She publicly supported Mordechai Vanunu, an Israeli who spoke out about something he believed was wrong. When she performed in Tel Aviv in 2007, she dedicated her show to him. This caused some people in the audience to cheer and others to boo.

Later years and passing

Susannah York was diagnosed with cancer in late 2010. She chose not to have chemotherapy treatment. She continued to honor her acting commitments, including performing in the play Quartet.

She passed away from a type of cancer called multiple myeloma on January 15, 2011. She was 72 years old, and her death happened just six days after her birthday.

TV and filmography

See also

In Spanish: Susannah York para niños