Natasha Parry

Natasha Parry (2 December 1930 – 22 July 2015) was an English actress of Russian descent. The daughter of film director Gordon Parry, she was married to theatre director Peter Brook from 1951 until her death, and is the mother of filmmakers Irina Brook and Simon Brook.

Natasha Parry
Born
Natalie Wills

(1930-12-02)2 December 1930
London, England
Died22 July 2015(2015-07-22) (aged 84)
La Baule, France
Resting placeJouars-Pontchartrain Churchyard, Île-de-France
OccupationActor
Years active1949–2014
Spouse
​
(m. 1951)​
ChildrenIrina Brook
Simon Brook
Parent

Early life

Born in London,[1] Parry was the daughter of the Anglo-Greek film director Gordon Parry and his Russian wife.[2] (Some sources say Gordon Parry was her stepfather[3]).

Stage

Parry made her stage debut at age 12[4] in The Wingless Victory. At 14, she was in A Midsummer Night's Dream, and later she played in Big Ben and Bless the Bride.[5] On Broadway she appeared in The Fighting Cock (1959–1960).[6] Toward the end of her career, she was in The Tragedy of Hamlet at the Young Vic in London.[1]

Film

Parry made her screen debut in Dance Hall (1950).[7] She appeared in many of her husband's productions including a live American television version of King Lear (1953) opposite Orson Welles,[8] in Anouilh's The Fighting Cock with Rex Harrison,[9] Meetings with Remarkable Men, The Cherry Orchard, and Happy Days.[10]

Personal life

Parry was out from performing for a year after contracting tuberculosis in 1952.[3]

Marriage

In 1951, she married director Peter Brook at the Russian Orthodox Cathedral of the Dormition of the Mother of God and All Saints, Ennismore Gardens, Knightsbridge, London.[11] The couple had two children, Irina and Simon.[12][13]

Death

Parry died on 22 July 2015 (Some sources say 23 July 2015[1]) while on holiday in La Baule, Brittany, France, at the age of 84 after a stroke.[2]

Filmography
Year Title Role Notes
1949Golden ArrowBetty Felton
1950Dance HallEve
1950Midnight EpisodeJill Harris
1951The Dark ManMolly Lester
1952Crow HollowAnn Amour
1953King LearCordelia
1954Knave of HeartsPatricia
1957Windom's WayAnna Vidal
1959The Rough and the SmoothMargaret Goreham
1960Midnight LacePeggy Thompson
1961The Fourth SquareSandra Martin
1963Girl in the HeadlinesPerlita Barker
1968Romeo and JulietLady Capulet
1969Oh! What a Lovely WarSir William Robertson's Lady
1979Meetings with Remarkable MenVitvitskaia
1981La fille prodigueLa mère
1982Le LitEva
2014Le goût des myrtillesJeanne

Selected television

Selected theatre

References
  1. "Natasha Parry obituary". The Guardian. 26 July 2015. Retrieved 16 October 2015.
  2. Chazan, David (24 July 2015). "Actress Natasha Parry dies aged 84". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 25 July 2015.
  3. "Natasha Parry: Actress hailed for her grace and control who forged a solo career while also working with husband Peter Brook". The Independent. Archived from the original on 18 June 2022. Retrieved 16 October 2015.
  4. Shulman (5 June 1953). "The Beauties of 1953". London Evening Standard.
  5. "English Girl Has Enviable Stage Credits". The Odessa American. 28 September 1968. p. 24. Retrieved 15 October 2015 – via Newspapers.com. open access
  6. "Natasha Parry". Playbill Vault. Retrieved 16 October 2015.
  7. Charles Barr (1998). Ealing Studios. University of California Press. pp. 201–. ISBN 978-0-520-21554-2.
  8. King Lear, Internet Movie Database. Retrieved 24 July 2015.
  9. R. Helfer; G. Loney (12 November 2012). Peter Brook: Oxford to Orghast. Routledge. pp. 103–. ISBN 978-1-136-65040-6.
  10. Happy Dats with Natasha Parry: review, The Guardian. Retrieved 24 July 2015.
  11. Kustow, Michael (2006). Peter Brook: a biography. London: Bloomsbury. p. 62. ISBN 0-7475-7913-X.
  12. Profile, Internet Movie Database. Retrieved 24 July 2015.
  13. Profile, ftvdb.bfi.org.uk. Retrieved 24 July 2015.
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