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Rachel RobertsWelsh actress
Date of Birth: 20.09.1927
Country:  USA |
Content:
- Biography of Rachel Roberts
- Breakthrough Films
- Theater Career
- Later Film Career
- Personal Life and Tragic Death
- She was cremated at the Chapel of the Pines Crematory in Los Angeles.
Biography of Rachel Roberts
Rachel Roberts was a passionate and fiery Welsh actress, born on September 20, 1927, in Llanelli, Carmarthenshire, Wales. She had a Baptist upbringing, which she actively rebelled against. After attending the University of Wales and the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in Bloomsbury, London, Roberts started working with a theater company in Swansea in 1950. This led to her film debut in the Welsh comedy "Valley of Song" in 1953.
Breakthrough Films
Rachel Roberts achieved critical success in the 1960s with her roles in two key films. She won a British Academy Film and Television Arts award for her portrayal of Brenda in Carol Reed's drama "Saturday Night and Sunday Morning" in 1960. She received a second nomination for this award, as well as an Oscar nomination from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, for her performance as the tormented Mrs. Hammond in Lindsay Anderson's drama "This Sporting Life" in 1963. Both films showcased the British New Wave movement.
Theater Career
Rachel Roberts' theater career flourished at the Royal Court Theatre, and she gained recognition for her role in Lionel Bart's musical "Maggie May," which was based on the famous ballad about a Liverpool prostitute. The unconventional musical, which featured choral parts and even rock and roll numbers, received mixed reviews from British critics in the 1960s and won the "Novello Awards" from the British Academy of Composers and Authors.
Later Film Career
In her later film career, Rachel Roberts continued to portray women with passionate appetites, including her role in the comedic fantasy "O Lucky Man!" in 1973. However, for the film "Picnic at Hanging Rock" in 1975, directed by Peter Weir, she persistently sought a different type of role and was cast as Mrs. Appleyard. Roberts also earned supporting roles in several American films, including Colin Higgins' thriller "The Ritz" in 1978. Her final British film appearance was in John Schlesinger's melodrama "Yanks" alongside Richard Gere, for which she won another British Academy Film Award for her portrayal of Mrs. Clarrie Morton.
Personal Life and Tragic Death
Rachel Roberts was married twice. Her first marriage was to actor Alan Dobie from 1955 to 1961, and her second marriage was to Rex Harrison from 1962 to 1971. After her divorce from Harrison, Roberts faced struggles with alcoholism and depression, which worsened over time. In an attempt to distract herself and forget about her second husband, she moved to Hollywood in 1975. She continued her acting career in the United States, performing in both theater and film, initially in her homeland and later in several Broadway productions. However, her attempts to find solace and acceptance after her divorce proved futile.
On November 26, 1980, driven by suicidal impulses, Roberts tragically took her own life at her home in Los Angeles. She ingested a lethal combination of barbiturates and alcohol. Her body was discovered by her gardener in the kitchen. The official cause of death was initially reported as "poisoning by corrosive substances" by the investigator, but later changed to "acute barbiturate intoxication." Rachel Roberts was 53 years old at the time of her death.
