Helen Horton

Helen Horton

Born: September 28, 1923
Died: September 28, 2007
in Chicago, Illinois, USA
Helen Virginia Horton (November 21, 1923 – September 28, 2007) was an American actress. She was born in Chicago and had a brief career in New York. She married Hamish Thomson and lived near London. She worked extensively in British television, radio and theatre, and had three children; her granddaughter is the English actress Lily James. Horton voiced the ship's computer, "Mother", in the 1979 film Alien.

Horton attended Northwestern University where she became lifelong friends with Patricia Neal (Helen Benson in The Day the Earth Stood Still). She was well thought of in the drama department and was cast as Viola, the lead role in Twelfth Night, with Neal cast as Olivia, in a university production of the Shakespeare play.

In September 1945, Horton and Neal took a shared apartment in New York and looked for work. They both got parts in a production of Seven Mirrors at the Blackfriars Theatre.

Horton took over from Vivien Leigh as Blanche in A Streetcar Named Desire after the play's London run was completed and it began to tour the United Kingdom. When Neal mentioned the connection to Leigh, she remarked "No one takes over for me, dear. When I leave a play, it's over."

Movies for Helen Horton...

Forgotten Prisoners: The Amnesty Files
Title: Forgotten Prisoners: The Amnesty Files
Character: ALA Group Leader
Released: November 19, 1990
Type: Movie
A lawyer representing Amnesty International tries to find the whereabouts and condition of 17 political prisoners detained in a country known for its systematic torture of prisoners.
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Title: Agatha Christie's Poirot
Character: Julia Olivera
Released: January 8, 1989
Type: TV
From England to Egypt, accompanied by his elegant and trustworthy sidekicks, the intelligent yet eccentrically-refined Belgian detective Hercule Poirot pits his wits against a collection of first class deceptions.
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The Woman He Loved
Title: The Woman He Loved
Character: Martha
Released: April 3, 1988
Type: Movie
In 1936, Edward VIII abdicated in order to marry the woman he loved, Wallis Simpson, a twice divorced American. These events caused a scandal around the world and Wallis has since been demonised as the woman who stole the King of England.
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Title: The Two Mrs. Grenvilles
Character: Nurse at Playhouse
Released: February 8, 1987
Type: TV
Ann, a former chorus girl marries above herself into a rich society family, but her mother-in-law regards her with great suspicion from the start. When Ann shoots her husband dead, claiming she thought he was a prowler, the older Mrs. Grenville decides to back the woman she despises, to protect the family image.
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Reunion at Fairborough
Title: Reunion at Fairborough
Character: Mrs Bigard
Released: May 12, 1985
Type: Movie
World War II vets travel to England for a reunion at their old base. Stars Judi Trott, Barry Morse, Red Buttons, Deborah Kerr, Shane Rimmer, Robert Mitchum
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The Razor's Edge
Title: The Razor's Edge
Character: Red Cross Lady
Released: October 19, 1984
Type: Movie
An American WWI vet undertakes a spiritual quest that takes him from Paris to Nepal to the Himalayas and back to his hometown. Upon his return, he discovers he is not the only one who has changed.
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Superman III
Title: Superman III
Character: Miss Henderson
Released: June 17, 1983
Type: Movie
Aiming to defeat the Man of Steel, wealthy executive Ross Webster hires bumbling but brilliant Gus Gorman to develop synthetic kryptonite, which yields some unexpected psychological effects in the third installment of the 1980s Superman franchise. Between rekindling romance with his high school sweetheart and saving himself, Superman must contend with a powerful supercomputer.
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Title: Minder
Character: Judge's Wife
Released: October 29, 1979
Type: TV
This comedy drama series featured Terry McCann, a former boxer with a conviction for G.B.H., and Arthur Daley, a second-hand car dealer with an eye for a nice little earner. Alongside his many business ventures, Arthur would regularly hire Terry out as a minder or bodyguard, later replaced by nephew, Ray Daley.
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Alien
Title: Alien
Character: Mother (voice)
Released: May 25, 1979
Type: Movie
During its return to the earth, commercial spaceship Nostromo intercepts a distress signal from a distant planet. When a three-member team of the crew discovers a chamber containing thousands of eggs on the planet, a creature inside one of the eggs attacks an explorer. The entire crew is unaware of the impending nightmare set to descend upon them when the alien parasite planted inside its unfortunate host is birthed.
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Title: Tales of the Unexpected
Character: Martha
Released: March 24, 1979
Type: TV
A British television anthology of stories, often with sinister and wryly comedic undertones, and a twist at the end. With early episodes written and presented by Roald Dahl, the series featured a plethora of big name guest stars.
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Title: Tales of the Unexpected
Character: American Passenger
Released: March 24, 1979
Type: TV
A British television anthology of stories, often with sinister and wryly comedic undertones, and a twist at the end. With early episodes written and presented by Roald Dahl, the series featured a plethora of big name guest stars.
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Widows' Nest
Title: Widows' Nest
Character: Ana
Released: December 1, 1977
Type: Movie
The arrival of some unwanted visitors interrupts the peaceful Cuban home life of sisters Dolores, Carmen and Elvira, as their presence stirs up unwelcome memories.
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Title: Two's Company
Character: Clare
Released: September 6, 1975
Type: TV
Two's Company is a British television situation comedy series that ran from 1975-79. Produced by London Weekend Television for the ITV Network, the programme starred Elaine Stritch and Donald Sinden.
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Phase IV
Title: Phase IV
Character: Mildred Eldridge
Released: September 1, 1974
Type: Movie
Arizona ants mock the food chain on their way to a desert lab to get two scientists and a woman.
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Endless Night
Title: Endless Night
Character: Aunt Beth
Released: October 5, 1972
Type: Movie
Shiftless dreamer Michael Rogers fantasizes about a lifestyle above his means and marries a wealthy, young girl who just came of age. They hire a famous architect to build their dream home amidst a series of suspicious incidents. The spouse has dark intentions toward his naive, inexperienced bride. Secrets from his past and sinister ties to their house guest Greta lead to a terrible turn of unexpected events.
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Title: Van der Valk
Character: Mrs Lovell Wallace
Released: September 13, 1972
Type: TV
Van der Valk is a British television series that was produced by Thames Television for the ITV network. It starred Barry Foster in the title role as Dutch detective Commissaris "Piet" van der Valk. Based on the characters and atmosphere of the novels of Nicolas Freeling, the first series was shown in 1972.
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The Pueblo Affair
Title: The Pueblo Affair
Character: Mrs. Bucher
Released: January 19, 1970
Type: Movie
A reconstruction of an event in 1968 when a converted cargo ship the USS Pueblo was seized by the North Korean Navy as a spy ship. It was supposed to be protected by the US Pacific Fleet but they are out of range at this time. The play concerns Captain Bucher and his crew left on their own to deal with duty, their own lives and preventing another Korean War.
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Title: The Benny Hill Show
Released: November 19, 1969
Type: TV
The Benny Hill Show is a British comedy television show that starred Benny Hill and aired in various incarnations between 15 January 1955 and 30 May 1991 in over 140 countries. The show focused on sketches that were full of slapstick, mime, parody, and double-entendre. Thames Television cancelled production of the show in 1989 due to declining ratings and large production costs at £450,000 per show.
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The Chairman
Title: The Chairman
Character: Susan Wright
Released: June 25, 1969
Type: Movie
An American scientist is sent to Red China to steal the formula for a newly developed agricultural enzyme. What he is not told by his bosses is that a micro-sized bomb has been planted in his brain so that should the mission ever look likely to fail, he can be eliminated at the push of a button!
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Title: Hurricane
Character: Mrs. Van Diemen
Released: July 2, 1961
Type: TV
The story of two newly qualified nurses on their first assignment in the West Indies.
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Never Take Sweets from a Stranger
Title: Never Take Sweets from a Stranger
Character: Sylvia Kingsley
Released: March 4, 1960
Type: Movie
Peter Carter, his wife Sally and their young daughter Jean move to a sleepy Canadian village, where Peter has been hired as a school principal. Their idyll is shattered when Jean becomes the victim of an elderly, and extremely powerful, paedophile. The film was neither a box office nor a critical success, it garnered criticism for breaking a significant public taboo.
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The Mark of the Hawk
Title: The Mark of the Hawk
Character: Barbara Craig
Released: December 1, 1957
Type: Movie
The man called Obam struggles with the increasingly hostile forces facing each other in a colonial African country. The African natives want their land and lives back from the British colonists. Obam's motives are questioned by his own people, in particular his brother Kanda. With the help of his wife Renee and missionary Bruce Craig, will he be able to get things under control before the country self-destructs? Written by Greg Bruno
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Thunder on Sycamore Street
Title: Thunder on Sycamore Street
Character: Clarice Morrison
Released: October 11, 1957
Type: Movie
When Joseph Blake, who once did prison time, and his daughter, Anna, move to Sycamore Street, their neighbors on the otherwise "peaceful" street converge to chase them out. But the Blakes don't back down.
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Let's Be Happy
Title: Let's Be Happy
Character: Sadie Whitelaw
Released: May 7, 1957
Type: Movie
On receiving an inheritance from her grandfather, Canadian Jeannie MacLean decides to visit the family's Scottish roots. On the plane she meets businessman Stanley Smith, and romance blossoms in Edinburgh. The complications begin when Stanley breaks a date with Jeannie to woo voluptuous redhead Helene, and Jeannie is flattered by the attentions of the impoverished Lord McNairn; he's heard about her good fortune, and gallantly offers to show her the city.
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Strange Stories
Title: Strange Stories
Character: Marie ('Strange Journey')
Released: January 1, 1953
Type: Movie
'Strange Stories' consists of two stories, 'The Strange Mr Bartleby' and 'The Strange Journey'. The stories were sometimes shown individually on television.