Notable Passings

Two great British actresses have passed on within the last few days.

...British actress Anna Massey, the daughter of actor Raymond Massey, has died at the age of 73.

Massey's mother was actress Adrianne Allen, and her brother was the late actor Daniel Massey, who starred in the original Broadway production of the underappreciated musical SHE LOVES ME. The infant Anna is pictured here with her parents.

Massey was the goddaughter of director John Ford, who directed Raymond Massey in THE HURRICANE (1937) the year she was born. Her first film appearance was in GIDEON OF SCOTLAND YARD (1958), which Ford directed.

I particularly appreciated Massey as spooky Mrs. Danvers in a marvelous British TV remake of REBECCA (1979). I've been hoping for a DVD release for years now. Massey's ex-husband, Jeremy Brett, played Maxim DeWinter, with Joanna David as the Second Mrs. DeWinter.

Massey was still acting as recently as a TV show which aired in 2010.

Another obituary was posted by the BBC.

...British actress Margaret Tyzack has passed away at the age of 79.

Tyzack was particularly known for her appearances in the British TV classics THE FIRST CHURCHILLS, THE FORSTYE SAGA, and I, CLAUDIUS. There's more on Tyzack's long career at the Daily Telegraph and the Express.

Tyzack acted in multiple projects airing or completed this year.