Diana Sowle
Diana Mae Sowle (née Laumer; June 19, 1930 – October 19, 2018) was an American actress. She was best known for her role as Charlie Bucket's mother in the 1971 film Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory.
Diana Sowle | |
|---|---|
 in Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory (1971) | |
| Born | Diana Mae Laumer June 19, 1930 Chico, California, U.S. |
| Died | October 19, 2018 (aged 88) Laurel, Maryland, U.S. |
| Occupation | Actress |
| Years active | 1971–2013 |
| Spouses | Robert K. Gibson
(m. 1956; div. 1961)William David Sowle (died 2013) |
| Children | 2 |
Early life
Born as Diana Mae Laumer in Chico, California, she was one of five siblings. She attended Chico High School, and appeared in school plays, where she became interested in drama. She graduated in 1949, and attended the University of Denver, after which she appeared in the play "The Drunkard". She did voice-over for American plays and appeared in theater in Germany.[1]
Career
Film roles
Diana is best known for playing Mrs. Bucket, Charlie Bucket's mother, in the 1971 film Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory and her performance of "Cheer Up Charlie" in that film, although her singing voice was dubbed by Diana Lee.[2] Sowle joined the cast in Germany, where it was filmed.[1] Apart from Chocolate Factory, her only other screen roles were cameos in Clear and Present Danger and Guarding Tess, both in 1994.[3]
Video game
Sowle also gave voice to "Agatha" and other characters in the 2008 video game Fallout 3.[4]
Theatre
She frequently performed in the long-running play Shear Madness at the Kennedy Center, portraying socialite Eleanor Shubert.[5] Her last-known appearance was in May–June 2013. In mid-2012, she appeared in a production of Love Letters, opposite actor Larry Storch in Farmville, Virginia, to benefit the Tom Mix Rangers.
Personal life
Sowle lived in Germany for about 20 years starting in 1960 and had other homes, including one in Maryland (in the Washington, D.C., area). She was a mother of two and grandmother of four. Her husband Bill Sowle worked for the CIA and died in 2013.[6] She ran a free tutoring program for underprivileged children in Washington D.C. for almost a quarter-century.[7][8]
Filmography
Film
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1971 | Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory | Mrs. Bucket | |
| 1994 | Guarding Tess | Hairdresser | |
| Clear and Present Danger | Cartel Maid | Final film role |
Television
| Year | Title | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 2003 | After They Were Famous | 1 episode, Archive footage |
Video games
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | Fallout 3 | Old Lady Palmer / Agatha / Margaret Primrose / Manya Vargas / Bloomseer Poplar / Tiffany Cheng / Leaf Mother Laurel / Old Lady Dithers / Mother Maya | Voice |
References
- Nugent, Mary (October 24, 2018). "Chico native who played in 'Willy Wonka' dies at 88". Enterprise-Record.
- "Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory (1971) – Notes – TCM.com". Turner Classic Movies.
- "Diana Sowle". BFI. Archived from the original on April 3, 2019.
- "Willy Wonka actress Diana Sowle dies". bbc.com. October 22, 2018. Retrieved October 23, 2018.
- Sommers, Pamela (August 7, 1993). "JUST MAD ABOUT 'MADNESS'" – via www.washingtonpost.com.
- III, Harris M. Lentz (June 3, 2019). Obituaries in the Performing Arts, 2018. McFarland. ISBN 978-1-4766-7033-1 – via Google Books.
- Akingbade, Tobi (October 21, 2018). "Willy Wonka And The Chocolate Factory actress Diana Sowle dies aged 88". Metro.
- Jedra, Christina (December 5, 2015). "Wonka's Mrs. Bucket to appear at Annapolis chocolate festival". Capital Gazette. Retrieved April 16, 2017.
- McDermott, Maeve (October 22, 2018). "'Willy Wonka' actress Diana Sowle dies at 88". USA Today. Retrieved October 23, 2018.