Lana Morris

[vampyros]

I have read conflicting reports as to the 1998 death of this actress - the imdb says she died from a heart attack, another reference book says she committed suicide with pills, does anybody know which is the correct cause of death? Thank you

[batman]

Wikipedia says heart attack ....



Lana Morris - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

[CaptainWaggett]

News reports at the time didn't suggest it was a heart attack



Forsyte star who never got over her nerves

Daily Mail (London); Jun 6, 1998; Paul Bracchi; p. 20

Full Text:

(Copyright Associated Newspapers Ltd. Jun 6, 1998)



LANA MORRIS graced stage and screen for more than 50 years.



But throughout her illustrious career, the woman who was a picture of sophistication in TV series such as Howards' Way and The Forsyte Saga was haunted by stage fright. It was a condition, it has now emerged, which is believed to have led to her death from a suspected drugs overdose ten days ago.



The 68-year-old actress, who kept a supply of tranquillisers in her handbag to combat nerves, was taken ill hours before the premiere of the Barbara Taylor Bradford play Dangerous To Know at the Theatre Royal, Windsor. She died in hospital later that day.



A police spokesman said: 'It is now thought that she mistakenly took too many pills to fight her lifelong fear.' Family and showbusiness friends paid tribute to the star as they gathered for her funeral in Putney, South-West London, yesterday. Among the mourners were Dorothy Tutin who gave the address, Rula Lenska and Michael Praed, together with other cast members from what turned out to be Miss Morris's last production.



Miss Morris, real name Avril Waldman, had, according to those close to her, become increasingly anxious about her role. At the preview, she gave a 'good and dignified performance' as Countess Zoe Granille, a showgirl-turned aristocrat, but became visibly more nervous as the evening progressed.



The next day in her hotel room she was, said a friend, in a state of mounting anxiety and a doctor was called. She was taken to Wexham Park Hospital in Slough, where she died. Tranquillisers were later found in her bag. Her only son, Simon Waldman, a BBC editor, told police she kept the pills to combat stage fright.



Miss Lenska said after the funeral: 'We had worked together in rehearsals.

She was terribly nervous but that was to be understood. She had an immense sense of the absurd. She was able to be very rude and very reverent at the same time. She was, I think, a great actress.' Miss Morris began her career in the 1940s. Her sultry good looks and sexuality, coupled with her ability to master a part quickly and thoroughly, made her a favourite with TV audiences and producers alike.



Her first film Spring in Park Lane, a romantic comedy starring Anna Neagle and Michael Wilding, was a box office hit.



She became a household name as Helene, the French governess in the The Forsyte Saga in the 1960s, but is perhaps best known for her role as mature temptress Vanessa Andenberg in the 1980s yachting soap Howards' Way.



Her husband Ronald Wald-man, a former head of BBC TV light entertainment, died in 1978



Actress death probe

Mail (Birmingham); May 29, 1998; p. 14

Full Text:

(Copyright Mirror Regional Newspapers May 29, 1998)



A CORONER was today investigating the sudden death at the age of 68 of actress Lana Morris.



The former Howards' Way actress was taken ill shortly before the first performance of Barbara Taylor Bradford's play Dangerous To Know at the Theatre Royal, Windsor.



Instead Eileen Paige read her part from the script in Miss Morris's role as Countess Zoe Granille, alongside Rula Lenska.



Miss Morris's death has been referred to Windsor coroner's office.



Thames Valley Police said that the actress - real name Avril Maureen Anita Waldman - was taken from her hotel to Wexham Park Hospital, Slough, on Wednesday afternoon. She died there later that evening.



"There were no suspicious circumstances," a spokesman said.

[Able Abel]

Even in her film performances, she seemed to come across as a sensitive, nervous type. There was something in her eyes (don't know what) which always made me think this of her ... but I liked her, anyway.



I remember just before she undertook that last acting role, she appeared on tv, in the morning magazine show, "This Morning", being interviewed by Richard Madeley and Judy Finnegan. This was just a couple of weeks before her death.

[suzepulcheria]

Even in her film performances, she seemed to come across as a sensitive, nervous type. There was something in her eyes (don't know what) which always made me think this of her ... but I liked her, anyway.



I remember just before she undertook that last acting role, she appeared on tv, in the morning magazine show, "This Morning", being interviewed by Richard Madeley and Judy Finnegan. This was just a couple of weeks before her death.

Do you remember the Francis Durbridge TV serial she did with (I think) Jack Hedley in which heroin is smuggled in the fibres of a sweater? In the course of horseplay her head is dunked in water in which the sweater is soaking and she is taken ill. Does anyone remember which FD it was? She was so much a symbol of the late 50s/early 60s for me. Slightly goitrous (but attractive!) eyes and a great voice.

[batman]

Do you remember the Francis Durbridge TV serial she did with (I think) Jack Hedley in which heroin is smuggled in the fibres of a sweater? In the course of horseplay her head is dunked in water in which the sweater is soaking and she is taken ill. Does anyone remember which FD it was? She was so much a symbol of the late 50s/early 60s for me. Slightly goitrous (but attractive!) eyes and a great voice.

The only Durbridge she appears to have been in was an episode of Paul Temple called 'Requiem for a Don'. According to IMDB she never worked with Jack Hedley.

[Dame Starry]

I loved her in Howard's Way with the fantastic, and also sadly-missed, Glyn Owen.



DS x.

[smudge]

I loved her in Howard's Way with the fantastic, and also sadly-missed, Glyn Owen.



DS x.

I never realised she was in HOWARD'S WAY - I might hve watched some if I'd known...



Smudge

[Dame Starry]

I never realised she was in HOWARD'S WAY - I might have watched some if I'd known...



Smudge

She turned up as an old flame of Jack Rolfe's (Owen) and they rekindled their romance and got married. It was her last TV job before she passed away.

She was a very beautiful woman and it was a lovely story line.



DS x.

[suzepulcheria]

The only Durbridge she appears to have been in was an episode of Paul Temple called 'Requiem for a Don'. According to IMDB she never worked with Jack Hedley.

I've just looked at imdb too now and I see that Requiem for a Don was 1971. The episode I remember was definitely earlier than that. I will do some more searching!

[AdobeFlats]

Had a crush on her ever since clapping eyes on her in The Chiltern Hundreds.

I'm sure she also went under another name, which led to some early confusion in my attempt to find out anything about her. Pre-Internet, of course.

Anyone...?



Have just done a bit of detective werk...





Pamela Mathews / Lana morris

[Ray]

She was delightful as Jean Kent's friend Bouncy Barrington in Trottie True, her fourth film.

[Brief Encounter]

Indeed she was, Ray.



I wonder if this condition is why she never became a massive star? She certainly had the talent and personality.

[AdobeFlats]

She also had a decent singing voice, if it was her own, in Trouble In Store with Norman Wisdom.

[Ray]

Indeed she was, Ray.



I wonder if this condition is why she never became a massive star? She certainly had the talent and personality.

Theo, as we know so well, many of the really great talents were badly handled in British films. Jean Kent, Diana Dors, Margaret Lockwood and Lana to name just a few. Margaret proved just how good she was when she got some great roles on stage and TV.

[Brief Encounter]

I agree, Ray. As I've said before, Margaret was actually very lucky compared to some other less fortunate ladies.





Lovely Lana...

[cully]

I agree, Ray. As I've said before, Margaret was actually very lucky compared to some other less fortunate ladies.





Lovely Lana...

Brief, I can see where you found that pic (Flikr) under the name of Pamela Mathews/Lana Morris but....she doesn't look like any pic of Lana I've seen before or my memory of what she looked like...even in the late 40s. Are we sure that's genuine? I posted the two names together in my search engine and the only hit I got was that one Flikr photo....

[Brief Encounter]

Yes, I noticed that on the website, cully! Most confusing. I thought perhaps PM was her real name, but of course, it isn't. Now there was a British actress called Pamela Matthews, who appeared in several films, including School For Secrets (1946).



However! GettyImages claims that Lana went under the name Pamela Matthews.

Getty Images - Unsupported browser detected

To me, the photo looks exactly how I remember Lana...

[Ray]

Yes, I noticed that on the website, cully! Most confusing. I thought perhaps PM was her real name, but of course, it isn't. Now there was a British actress called Pamela Matthews, who appeared in several films, including School For Secrets (1946).



However! GettyImages claims that Lana went under the name Pamela Matthews.

Getty Images - Unsupported browser detected

To me, the photo looks exactly how I remember Lana...

I am glad someone else noticed, because I was about to say that wasn't the Lana that I remember.

[AdobeFlats]

Oh, yeah, that's Lana. Admittedly glammed-up, but still Lana. As per a previous post, when I first tried to track down some info about her, I found her under another name (Presumably PM. It was a long time ago now), it certainly wasn't Lana Morris.