Anna Neagle

Anna Neagle
Neagle in 1935
Born
Florence Marjorie Robertson

(1904-10-20)20 October 1904
Forest Gate, Essex, England
Died3 June 1986(1986-06-03) (aged 81)
West Byfleet, Surrey, England
Resting placeCity of London Cemetery, Manor Park, London, England
Occupation(s)Actress, singer
Years active1917–1986
Spouse
(m. 1943; died 1977)
RelativesNicholas Hoult
(grand-nephew)

Dame Florence Marjorie Wilcox DBE (née Robertson; 20 October 1904 – 3 June 1986), known professionally as Anna Neagle, was an English stage and film actress, singer, and dancer.

Neagle with Paul Hartman and Ray Bolger in the film Sunny

She was a successful box-office draw in British cinema for 20 years and was voted the most popular star in Britain in 1949. She was known for providing glamour and sophistication to war-torn London audiences with her lightweight musicals, comedies, and historical dramas. Almost all of her films were produced and directed by Herbert Wilcox, whom she married in 1943.

In her historical dramas, Neagle was renowned for her portrayals of British historical figures, including Nell Gwyn (Nell Gwyn, 1934), Queen Victoria (Victoria the Great, 1937 and Sixty Glorious Years, 1938), Edith Cavell (Nurse Edith Cavell, 1939), and Florence Nightingale (The Lady with a Lamp, 1951).