| Renée Houston | |
| Birth Name: | Katherina Rita Murphy Gribbin |
| Birth Date: | 24 July 1902 |
| Birth Place: | Johnstone, Renfrewshire, Scotland |
| Death Place: | Brinsworth House, Twickenham, England |
| Nationality: | Scottish |
| Occupation: | Actress, comedian |
| Years Active: | 1910s - 1980 |
Renée Houston (born Katherina Rita Murphy Gribbin; 24 July 1902 – 9 February 1980) was a Scottish comedy actress and revue artist who appeared in television and film roles.[1]
Born in Johnstone, Renfrewshire, into a theatrical family who performed as James Houston and Company,[2] she toured music halls and revues with her sister Billie Houston (born Sarah McMahon Gribbin; 1906 - 1972) as the "Houston Sisters".[3] They became a leading variety act in the 1920s, sometimes performing as two children in over-sized furniture; Billie played the part of a boy.[2]
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).[4] [5] [6] The sisters ended their working partnership in 1936, when Billie reportedly became ill,[2] although it is suggested that the split may have been due to the sisters' frequent disagreements.[7] Renee Houston continued as a solo comedienne and actress, appearing in the Noel Gay revue Love Laughs!. She eventually revived her double act, this time with her third husband, the actor Donald Stewart, until his death in 1966.[2] 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).[8] She also worked for director Roman Polanski in Repulsion (1965) and Cul-de-sac (1966).[9] [10] She published her autobiography in 1974 which was entitled Don't Fence Me In.[11]
Houston was also in early episodes of radio's The Clitheroe Kid, playing his Scottish mother in half a dozen 1958 broadcasts (but the role was quickly recast to use an English actress instead), and was a regular guest on radio panel show Petticoat Line chaired by Anona Winn.[12] [13] According to entertainment historian Richard Anthony Baker: "So many listeners found her forthright language unacceptable that she was eventually limited to two swear words per show."[7]
She died in London at the age of 77 on 9 February 1980. Houston was married three times. The second was to the actor Pat Aherne, the brother of Brian Aherne.[14] Her third husband was the actor Donald Stewart.[15]
| Year | Title | Role | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1932 | Come Into My Parlour | Jenny MacDonald | ||
| 1933 | Their Night Out | Maggie Oliphant | ||
| 1933 | Radio Parade | Herself | ||
| 1934 | Lost in the Legion | Mary McFee | ||
| 1934 | Mr. Cinders | Mrs. Phipps | ||
| 1935 | No Monkey Business | Jessie | ||
| 1936 | Happy Days Revue | Kitty Seymour | ||
| 1937 | Fine Feathers | Teenie McPherson | ||
| 1939 | Gloria Lind | |||
| 1941 | Old Bill and Son | Stella Malloy | ||
| 1943 | Lady Margaret | |||
| 1944 | Two Thousand Women | Maud Wright | ||
| 1951 | Lady Godiva Rides Again | Beattie | AKA, Bikini Baby | |
| 1954 | Miss Brimmer | |||
| 1955 | Track the Man Down | Pat Sherwood | ||
| 1956 | Ebbey | |||
| 1956 | Bobbie | |||
| 1957 | Time Without Pity | Mrs. Harker | ||
| 1958 | Sara Monday | |||
| 1958 | Them Nice Americans | Mrs. Adams | ||
| 1960 | Helen Burke | |||
| 1960 | And the Same to You | Mildred Pomphret | ||
| 1961 | Three on a Spree | Mrs. Gray | ||
| 1961 | Watch It, Sailor! | Mrs. Mottram | ||
| 1961 | No My Darling Daughter | Miss Yardley | ||
| 1962 | Mrs. Tucker | |||
| 1962 | Fog for the Killer | Ma Johnson | ||
| 1963 | Nurse on Wheels | Mrs. Beacon | ||
| 1963 | Mrs. Manse | |||
| 1963 | Tomorrow at Ten | Masie Maddox | ||
| 1963 | Carry On Cabby | Molly | ||
| 1964 | Carry On Spying | Madame | ||
| 1965 | Repulsion | Miss Balch | ||
| 1966 | Cul-de-sac | Christopher's Mother | ||
| 1966 | Secrets of a Windmill Girl | Molly | ||
| 1966 | Lady Blanchflower | |||
| 1971 | Carry On at Your Convenience | Agatha Spanner | ||
| 1975 | Legend of the Werewolf | Chou-Chou |
| Year | Title | Role | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1956–57 | ITV Television Playhouse | Mrs. MacDonald, Marthy | Episodes: "The Blood Is Strong", "Anna Christie" | |
| 1957 | Mrs. Bridie | Episode: "Take the High Road" | ||
| 1957 | Armchair Theatre | Ethel Watts | Episode: "Rappaport Always Pays" | |
| 1957 | Anna Christie | Marthy | TV film | |
| 1957–58 | Sunday Night Theatre | Vi Vining, Bessie | Episodes: "The Day's Mischief", "A Nest of Robins" | |
| 1960 | Maigret | Madame Ja Ja | Episode: "Liberty Bar" | |
| 1960–61 | No Hiding Place | Grannie Wheedon, Mrs. Lacey | Episodes: "Footsteps on the Ceiling", "Fever" | |
| 1961 | Doctor Knock | Madame Remy | Episode: "Act 3" | |
| 1962 | Dinner with the Family | Madame de Montrachet | TV film | |
| 1962 | Korableva | TV film | ||
| 1962 | Man of the World | Mrs. Van Kempson | Episode: "The Runaways" | |
| 1963 | Z-Cars | Big Rosie | Episode: "Scare" | |
| 1963 | Taxi! | Gig Lambert | Episode: "Barricades in Bailey Street" | |
| 1963–64 | Ida Warshed, Mrs. McAlister | Episodes: "The Gentle Ladies", "The Wonderful War" | ||
| 1964, 1967 | Dr. Finlay's Casebook | Mrs. Bright, Mrs. Johnston | Episodes: "My Late Dear Husband", "Over My Dead Body" | |
| 1966 | Dixon of Dock Green | Mrs. Loman | Episode: "Death of a Donkeyman" | |
| 1966 | ITV Play of the Week | Mother Brinicombe | Episode: "The First Thunder" | |
| 1966 | Knock on Any Door | Marion Scoullar | Episode: "The Dear Ones" | |
| 1967 | Trapped | Ivy | Episode: "Goodnight Mrs Dill" | |
| 1967 | River Rivals | Mrs. Fredericks | TV series | |
| 1969 | W. Somerset Maugham | "Frank" Hickson | Episode: "The Three Fat Women of Antibes" | |
| 1969 | Doctor in the House | Mrs. Muir | Episodes: "Peace and Quiet", "If In Doubt - Cut It Out!" | |
| 1969 | ITV Sunday Night Theatre | Olive | Episode: "The Comic" | |
| 1973 | Special Branch | Scotswoman | Episode: "You Won't Remember Me" |