Image of Valerie Hobson

Valerie Hobson

Valerie Hobson (14 April 1917 – 13 November 1998) was a British actress who appeared in a number of British films during the 1940s and 1950s. She was born Babette Valerie Louise Hobson in Larne, County Antrim, Ireland. She appeared as Baroness Frankenstein in Bride of Frankenstein (1935) with Boris Karloff and Colin Clive, taking over the role from Mae Clarke, who had played it in the original Frankenstein (1931). Hobson also played opposite Henry Hull that same year in Werewolf of London, the first Hollywood werewolf movie, predating The Wolf Man by six years. The latter half of the 1940s saw Hobson in perhaps her two most memorable roles: as the adult Estella in David Lean's 1946 adaptation of Great Expectations, and as the refined and virtuous Edith D'Ascoyne in the 1949 black comedy Kind Hearts and Coronets. In 1952 she divorced her first husband, film producer Sir Anthony Havelock-Allan (1904–2003), and married MP John Profumo (1915–2006) in 1954, giving up acting shortly afterwards Valerie Hobson's last starring role was in the original London production of Rodgers and Hammerstein's musical play The King and I which opened at the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane on October 8, 1953. She played Mrs. Anna Leonowens opposite Herbert Lom's King. After Profumo's ministerial career ended in disgrace in 1963, following revelations he had lied to the House of Commons about his affair with Christine Keeler, she stood by him, and they worked together for charity for the remainder of her life. Hobson's eldest son, Simon Anthony Clerveaux Havelock-Allan was born in May 1944 with Down's Syndrome. Her middle child, Mark Havelock-Allan, was born on 4 April 1951. Her youngest child is author David Profumo, (b. 16 October 1955) wrote Bringing the House Down (2006) about the scandal. She died of a heart attack in London in 1998 and is buried in Surrey, England. Description above from the Wikipedia Valerie Hobson, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.


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Born:
Apr 14, 1917 In Larne, Northern Ireland
Movie/TV Credits:
36
First Appeared:
In the movie His Lordship 1932-06-02
Latest Project:
Movie Monsieur Ripois 1954-09-30
Known For
Poster of Monsieur Ripois
Poster of This Man in Paris
Poster of This Man Is News
Poster of No Exit
Filmography
Movie Monsieur Ripois Catherine Ripois 1954-09-30
Movie Background Barbie Lomax 1953-11-09
Movie Who Goes There! Alex Cornwall 1952-06-09
Movie The Card Countess of Chell 1952-02-25
Movie Meet Me Tonight Stella Cartwright 1952-09-09
Movie The Voice of Merrill Alycia Roche 1952-12-01
Movie Train of Events Stella 1949-01-18
Movie Kind Hearts and Coronets Edith D'Ascoyne 1949-06-21
Movie The Interrupted Journey Carol North 1949-10-11
Movie The Rocking Horse Winner Hester Grahame 1949-11-30
Movie Blanche Fury Blanche Fury 1948-02-19
Movie The Small Voice Eleanor Byrne 1948-11-27
Movie The Years Between Diana Wentworth 1946-07-08
Movie Great Expectations Estella 1946-12-26
Movie The Adventures of Tartu Maruschuka Lanova 1943-10-01
Movie Unpublished Story Carol Bennett 1942-08-10
Movie Atlantic Ferry Mary Ann Morison 1941-09-06
Movie Contraband Mrs. Sorensen 1940-05-11
Movie The Spy in Black The School Mistress 1939-08-03
Movie The Silent Battle Draguisha 1939-03-01
Movie Q Planes Kay Lawrence 1939-02-21
Movie This Man in Paris Pat Drake 1939-07-01
Movie This Man Is News Pat Drake 1938-09-16
Movie The Drum Mrs. Carruthers 1938-09-29
Movie When Thief Meets Thief Glory Fane 1937-01-01
Movie August Week End Claire Barry 1936-02-17
Movie Secret of Stamboul Tania 1936-10-05
Movie No Exit Laura Anstey 1936-11-26
Movie Rendezvous at Midnight Sandra Rogers 1935-02-11
Movie Life Returns Mrs. Kendrick 1935-01-02
Movie The Mystery of Edwin Drood Helena Landless 1935-02-04
Movie Bride of Frankenstein Elizabeth 1935-04-20
Movie The Great Impersonation Eleanor Dominey 1935-12-08
Movie Chinatown Squad Janet Baker 1935-05-31
Movie Werewolf of London Lisa Glendon 1935-05-13
Movie His Lordship Last Face in Montage (uncredited) 1932-06-02