Diana Dors
23/10/1931 to 04/05/1984
Diana Dors was born in Swindon, England. Diana and her mother both nearly died from the traumatic birth. Because of the trauma, her mother lavished on Diana, anything and everything she wanted, clothes, toys, and dance lessons. Dianas love of films came when her mother took her to the local movie theatres. The actresses on the screen caught Diana's attention and she said, herself, that from the age of three she wanted to be an actress. She was educated in the finest private schools, much to the chagrin of her father. Apparently, he thought private education was a waste of money.
Physically, Diana grew up fast. At 12 years old, she looked and acted much older than her years. Much of this was due to the actresses she studied on the silver screen and Diana was keen to emulate them. She wanted nothing more than to go to the United States and Hollywood to have a chance to make her place in film history. After placing well in a local beauty contest, aged 13, Diana was offered a part in a thespian group. The following year she enrolled in an acting school to hone her acting skills. She was the youngest in her class.
Her first fling at the camera was in The Shop at Sly Corner in 1947. Diana didn't care that it was a small, uncredited part. She was on film and at the age of 16, that's all that mattered. That was quickly followed by a walk-on role Dancing With Crime. Up until this time, Diana had pretended to be 17 years old. If the producers knew her true age, they, probably wouldn't have let her test for the part. Since she looked and acted older this was no problem. In 1948 she appeared in no less than six films for the silver screen, including the part of Charlotte in the classic, Oliver Twist. Throughout the fifties she appeared in several more films. She continued to play sexy sirens and filled the British theatres. As the sixties turned into the seventies, she began to play more mature roles with an effectiveness that was hard to match.
After filming STEAMING in 1982, Diana was diagnosed with cancer. It was too much for her to overcome. The British were saddened when word came of her death on May 4, 1984 in Berkshire, England, UK. She was just 53 years old. STEAMING was released the following year.
She was married 3 times, her third and last husband Alan Lake, committed suicide 5 months after her death. |
