Renée Houston

Renée Houston

Born: July 24, 1902
Died: February 9, 1980
in Johnstone, Renfrewshire, Scotland, UK
Renée Houston (24 July 1902 - 9 February 1980) was a Scottish comedy actress and revue artist who appeared in television and film roles.

Born in Johnstone, Renfrewshire, as Katherina Houston Gribbin she toured music halls and revues with her sister Billie Houston as the "Houston Sisters".

In 1926, the sisters made a short musical film, the script of which Renée had written. It was produced by Lee De Forest, whose process, Phonofilm, enabled a soundtrack to be played alongside the film (a year before The Jazz Singer).

Houston married three times, the second was to the actor Pat Aherne, the brother of Brian Aherne. Her third husband was the actor Donald Stewart.

In her later years, she specialised in "battleaxe" roles, notably as shop steward Vic Spanner's (Kenneth Cope) formidable mother in Carry On at Your Convenience (1971). She published her autobiography in 1974 which was entitled Don't Fence Me In.

Houston was also in the early episodes of radio's The Clitheroe Kid and a regular guest on radio panel show The Petticoat Line chaired by Anona Winn.

She died in London at the age of 77 on 9 February 1980.

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Movies for Renée Houston...

Legend of the Werewolf
Title: Legend of the Werewolf
Character: Chou-Chou
Released: August 6, 1975
Type: Movie
A travelling circus in 19th century France adopts and showcases a feral "wolf boy", who grows into adulthood only to kill the one-man band. He runs off to Paris, where he develops a jealous, overprotective crush on a prostitute, leading him to attack her client, incurring a pursuit by a determined police surgeon.
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Carry On at Your Convenience
Title: Carry On at Your Convenience
Character: Agatha Spanner
Released: June 15, 1971
Type: Movie
This is the tale of industrial strife at WC Boggs' Lavatory factory. Vic Spanner is the union representative who calls a strike at the drop of a hat; eventually everyone has to get fed up with him. This is also the ideal opportunity for lots of lavatorial jokes...
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The Comic
Title: The Comic
Character: Olive
Released: November 29, 1969
Type: Movie
The story of a comedian with a talent close to genius but with an insecurity problem.
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Title: Doctor in the House
Released: July 12, 1969
Type: TV
The misadventures of a group of medical students.
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River Rivals
Title: River Rivals
Character: Mrs. Fredericks
Released: January 1, 1967
Type: Movie
Two families and their children are rivals in a forthcoming race for do-it-yourself boat builders. (7 episodes, each 14-21 minutes.)
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The Spy with a Cold Nose
Title: The Spy with a Cold Nose
Character: Lady Blanchflower
Released: December 19, 1966
Type: Movie
A dog with a spying device under its skin is sent to the Russian government as a present. When the Russians send the dog to a veterinary, British intelligence must get to the dog first and retrieve the spying device.
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Cul-de-sac
Title: Cul-de-sac
Character: Christopher's Mother
Released: June 17, 1966
Type: Movie
A wounded criminal and his dying partner take refuge at an old beachfront fortress. The owner of the fortress and his young wife, initially unwilling hosts, quickly experience their relationship with the criminal shift in a humorous and bizarre fashion.
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The Idol
Title: The Idol
Character: 1st Woman at Party
Released: February 1, 1966
Type: Movie
A rebellious student embarks on an affair with the mother of his best friend, leading to disastrous consequences.
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Secrets of a Windmill Girl
Title: Secrets of a Windmill Girl
Released: January 2, 1966
Type: Movie
One Windmill girl tells the tragic history of another who took to drink and, finally, killed herself after working in strip clubs.
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Repulsion
Title: Repulsion
Character: Mme Balch
Released: June 1, 1965
Type: Movie
Beautiful young manicurist Carole suffers from androphobia (the pathological fear of interaction with men). When her sister and roommate, Helen, leaves their London flat to go on an Italian holiday with her married boyfriend, Carole withdraws into her apartment. She begins to experience frightful hallucinations, her fear gradually mutating into madness.
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Carry On Spying
Title: Carry On Spying
Character: Funhouse Madame
Released: June 1, 1964
Type: Movie
Carry On favourite Barbara Windsor makes her debut in this outrageous send-up of the James Bond movies. Fearless agent Desmond Simpkins and Charlie Bind, aided and abetted by the comely Agent Honeybutt and Agent Crump, battle against the evil powers of international bad guys STENCH and their three cronies.
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Carry On Cabby
Title: Carry On Cabby
Character: Molly
Released: June 1, 1963
Type: Movie
Speedee Taxis is a great success, which means its workaholic owner Charlie starts neglecting Peggy, his wife. Suddenly a fleet of rival taxis appears from nowhere and start pinching all the fares. The rivals are Glamcabs, and they have a secret weapon. All their drivers are very attractive women! Who's behind Glamcabs? It's open warfare and only one fleet can survive!
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Nurse on Wheels
Title: Nurse on Wheels
Character: Mrs. Beacon
Released: January 3, 1963
Type: Movie
Quietly competent young Joanna moves with her scatterbrain mother to a country village to take up her first job as District Nurse. She soon overcomes the suspicion of her patients used to someone rather older, while becoming romantically involved with a local farmer - at least until he tries to evict a newly-arrived expectant couple who park their caravan on his land.
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The Rescue Squad
Title: The Rescue Squad
Released: January 1, 1963
Type: Movie
A party of children playing on a moor lose their toy aeroplane which flies through the window of a lonely tower. A multitude of objects found in the town to help rescue the aeroplane prove very difficult to get out to the moor, involving them with barrows, traffic and the local hunt. At last they succeed in entering the tower only to get trapped themselves. Finally Neddy, the donkey, shows them the way out.
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Title: The Saint
Character: Ida Warshed
Released: October 4, 1962
Type: TV
Simon Templar is The Saint, a handsome, sophisticated, debonair, modern-day Robin Hood who recovers ill-gotten wealth and redistributes it to those in need.
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Title: The Saint
Character: Mrs. McAlister
Released: October 4, 1962
Type: TV
Simon Templar is The Saint, a handsome, sophisticated, debonair, modern-day Robin Hood who recovers ill-gotten wealth and redistributes it to those in need.
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Out of the Fog
Title: Out of the Fog
Character: Ma
Released: September 1, 1962
Type: Movie
Scotland Yard is thrown into an uproar when a mad killer begins knocking off beautiful young blondes.
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Tomorrow at Ten
Title: Tomorrow at Ten
Character: Masie Maddox
Released: September 1, 1962
Type: Movie
A British policeman (John Gregson) tries to find a rich man's (Alec Clunes) son before a kidnapper's (Robert Shaw) time bomb blows.
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Title: Dr. Finlay's Casebook
Released: August 16, 1962
Type: TV
Dr Finlay's Casebook is a television series that was broadcast on the BBC from 1962 until 1971. Based on A. J. Cronin's novella ‘Country Doctor’, the storylines centred on a general medical practice in the fictional Scottish town of Tannochbrae during the late 1920s. Cronin was the primary writer for the show between 1962 and 1964.
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The Phantom of the Opera
Title: The Phantom of the Opera
Character: Mrs. Tucker
Released: June 25, 1962
Type: Movie
A London opera house is haunted by tragic events on its opening night, but when its star is kidnapped, a producer tracks down the Phantom who is intent on seeking his revenge.
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Twice Round the Daffodils
Title: Twice Round the Daffodils
Character: Matron
Released: April 2, 1962
Type: Movie
Twice Round the Daffodils is a 1962 British comedy drama film directed by Gerald Thomas and starring Juliet Mills, Donald Sinden, Donald Houston, Kenneth Williams, Ronald Lewis, Andrew Ray, Joan Sims and Jill Ireland. A new group of patients arrive at a hospital to be treated for tuberculosis where they all take a fancy to one of the nurses. The film was adapted from the play Ring for Catty by Patrick Cargill and Jack Beale. Carry on Nurse from 1959 was based on the same play. The cast and production team of Twice Round the Daffodils create a noticeable similarity with the Carry On films, but the film is not an official member of the Carry On series.
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No, My Darling Daughter
Title: No, My Darling Daughter
Character: Miss Yardley
Released: August 22, 1961
Type: Movie
A British business tycoon is surprised to discover his teenage daughter is being courted by a mysterious young man.
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Watch It, Sailor!
Title: Watch It, Sailor!
Character: Mrs. Mottram
Released: August 14, 1961
Type: Movie
Sailor Albert gets a message from the Navy saying he can't marry for certain unexplained legal reasons. Everyone, including his domineering mother-in-law to be, jumps to the conclusion that there must be another woman involved.
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Three on a Spree
Title: Three on a Spree
Character: Mrs. Gray
Released: June 28, 1961
Type: Movie
A young man will inherit a huge fortune--8 million pounds--but to qualify, he must spend a million pounds in just two months. Easy to do? That's what you think!
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Title: Maigret
Character: Ja-Ja
Released: October 31, 1960
Type: TV
BBC series based on the novels by Georges Simenon which starred Rupert Davies as Inspector Maigret, a French police detective who preferred to watch and listen in order to solve crimes. The series ran from 1960-63 on British television.
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The Flesh and the Fiends
Title: The Flesh and the Fiends
Character: Helen Burke
Released: February 2, 1960
Type: Movie
Edinburgh surgeon Dr. Robert Knox requires cadavers for his research into the functioning of the human body; local ne'er-do-wells Burke and Hare find ways to provide him with fresh specimens...
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And the Same to You
Title: And the Same to You
Character: Mildred Pomphret
Released: February 1, 1960
Type: Movie
Dickie Dreadnought is the boxing-mad nephew of pious clergyman Reverend Sydney Mullet. To mollify his disapproving uncle, Dickie embarks on an elaborate plan to keep his budding boxing career a secret, with he and his tough-talking promoter Wally Burton both pretending to be devout 'men of the cloth'.
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Title: No Hiding Place
Released: September 16, 1959
Type: TV
No Hiding Place is a British television series that was produced at Wembley Studios by Associated-Rediffusion for the ITV network between 16 September 1959 and 22 June 1967. It was the sequel to the series Murder Bag and Crime Sheet, all starring Raymond Francis as Detective Superintendent, later Detective Chief Superintendent Tom Lockhart.
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The Horse's Mouth
Title: The Horse's Mouth
Character: Sara Monday
Released: November 11, 1958
Type: Movie
Gulley Jimson is a boorish aging artist recently released from prison. A swindler in search of his next art project, he hunkers down in the penthouse of would-be patrons the Beeders while they go on an extended vacation; he paints a mural on their wall, pawns their valuables and, along with the sculptor Abel, inadvertently smashes a large hole in their floor. Jimson's next project is an even larger wall in an abandoned church.
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The Big Money
Title: The Big Money
Character: Bobbie
Released: June 9, 1958
Type: Movie
Petty thief Willie Frith steals a suitcase full of bank notes, only to find out that they have been given all the same serial number. But this is only the start of his troubles, now he has to find a way of changing the notes, so he can impress the barmaid of his local pub.
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The Key
Title: The Key
Character: Canteen Worker (uncredited)
Released: May 28, 1958
Type: Movie
In wartime England, circa 1941, poorly-armed tugs are sent into "U-Boat Alley" to rescue damaged Allied ships. An American named David Ross arrives to captain one of these tugs. He's given a key by a fellow tugboat-man -- a key to an apartment and its pretty female resident. Should something happen to the friend, Ross can use the key.
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The Nice Americans
Title: The Nice Americans
Character: Mrs. Adams
Released: January 1, 1958
Type: Movie
American airman loves English girl whose father refuses permission for their marriage out of hatred for all Yankees.
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Time Without Pity
Title: Time Without Pity
Character: Mrs. Harker
Released: March 21, 1957
Type: Movie
Alec Graham is sentenced to death for the murder of his girlfriend Jennie, with whom he spent a weekend at the English country home of the parents of his friend Brian Stanford. Alec’s father, David Graham, a not-so-successful writer and alcoholic who has neglected his son in the past, flies in from Canada to visit his son on death row. David then goes on a quest to try and clear his son’s name while battling “the bottle.”
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A Town Like Alice
Title: A Town Like Alice
Character: Ebbey
Released: March 1, 1956
Type: Movie
In 1941 Malaysia, the advancing Japanese army captures a lot of British territory very quickly. The men are sent off to labor camps, but they have no plan on what to do with the women and children of the British.
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Track the Man Down
Title: Track the Man Down
Character: Pat Sherwood
Released: June 6, 1955
Type: Movie
A newspaper reporter finds himself drawn into the aftermath of a racetrack robbery.
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The Belles of St. Trinian's
Title: The Belles of St. Trinian's
Character: Miss Brimmer
Released: September 28, 1954
Type: Movie
The unruly schoolgirls of St Trinian's are more interested in men and mischief than homework and hockey. But greater trouble than ever beckons when the arrival at the school of Princess Fatima of Makyad coincides with the return of recently expelled Arabella Fritton, who has the kidnap of a prize racehorse on her mind. The first film in the classic comedy series.
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Lady Godiva Rides Again
Title: Lady Godiva Rides Again
Character: Beattie
Released: October 25, 1951
Type: Movie
Marjory Clark wins a competition in her Midland town and finds herself in a Festival of Britain procession as Lady Godiva - though not in the buff. This leads by way of a suspect beauty competition to the show-business world of London. But it could be a slippery slope for simple home-town Marge.
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Two Thousand Women
Title: Two Thousand Women
Character: Maud Wright
Released: November 6, 1944
Type: Movie
During the Second World War, three downed English airmen hide out with women's internment camp in France.
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The Peterville Diamond
Title: The Peterville Diamond
Character: Lady Margaret
Released: January 11, 1943
Type: Movie
Frantic farce involving a neglected wife, a stolen diamond and four identical briefcases.
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Old Bill and Son
Title: Old Bill and Son
Character: Stella Malloy
Released: March 1, 1941
Type: Movie
Old Bill has grumbled his way through the trenches of the First World War. Now it is the Second and, envious of his son, Young Bill, he decides to enlist. He finally enters the Pioneer Corps, which is based near his son. When Young Bill goes missing during a raid, Old Bill shows that there's still life in the old dog yet!
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A Girl Must Live
Title: A Girl Must Live
Character: Gloria Lind
Released: September 24, 1939
Type: Movie
A run-away school-girl falls among chorus girls planning to marry into the nobility.
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Happy Days Are Here Again
Title: Happy Days Are Here Again
Character: Kitty Seymour
Released: August 10, 1936
Type: Movie
A pair of sisters have ambitions to take to the stage when they realize that their parent's act is finished.
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Lost In The Legion
Title: Lost In The Legion
Character: Mary McFee
Released: July 13, 1934
Type: Movie
Two ship's cooks get lost in the desert and unwittingly enroll in the Foreign Legion!
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Mister Cinders
Title: Mister Cinders
Character: Mrs. Phipps
Released: January 1, 1934
Type: Movie
The Cinderella story is reversed in this light-hearted adaptation, with Cinders a young man who eventually wins the 'princess' – in this case, an oil millionaire's daughter!
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Radio Parade
Title: Radio Parade
Released: October 1, 1933
Type: Movie
Radio Parade (1933) is a variety film featuring such stars of the time as Clapham and Dwyer, Gert and Daisy, Reginald Gardiner, Florence Desmond, and Roy Fox.
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Their Night Out
Title: Their Night Out
Character: Maggie Oliphant
Released: March 1, 1933
Type: Movie
An evening of cocktails and frolicking lands a chap in hot water when he's suspected of masterminding a criminal gang!
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Come Into My Parlour
Title: Come Into My Parlour
Character: Jenny MacDonald
Released: March 1, 1932
Type: Movie
A British crime film directed by John Longden