Deborah Kerr, the beautiful redhead that charmed the hearts of Cary Grant, Burt Lancaster and Yul Brynner has left us at the age of 86 from Parkinson's Disease.
Born Deborah Jane Kerr Trimmer on September 30, 1921, she entered the Hicks-Smale Drama School at the age of 15 after the death of her father.
Excelling in dancing and ballet, her hopes of being a ballet dancer were crushed when she realized she would be too tall(5'6") to dance professionally.
But, every cloud has a silver lining and she then focused on acting appearing in Shakespearian plays at the Open Air Regents Park in the UK.
Her first film was in 1940 with the famed director/producer team Michael Powell and Emeric Pressberger in "Contraband," but her scenes were left of the cutting room floor.
She would continue working with veteran actors Robert Newton and James Mason perfecting her craft. She then was chosen for the role of "Jenny Hill" in "Major Barbara" where she even took on a job working for the Salvation Army to gain insight into her character.
In the meantime, she met RAF Squadron Leader Anthony Bartley and was married in 1945 resulting in the birth of her two beautiful daughters, Melanie Jane and Francesca Ann.
Powell always thought of her as a gifted actress and hired her again in the difficult task of portraying three different romantic love interests in "The Life And Death Of Colonel Blimp."
But, it was her role as a troubled nun in one of the most beautifully photographed films, the Powell/Pressberger 1947 classic, "Black Narcissis" that caught Hollywood's eye.
That lead her to "From Here To Eternity" working with an incredible cast such as Frank Sinatra and Ernest Borgnine with Burt Lancaster as her love interest.
The memorable scene where Lancaster and Kerr kiss passionately on the beach as the waves break over them was a landmark in film and became one of the most recognized images in motion picture history.
She soon appeared in "Heaven Knows Mr. Allison" with Robert Mitchum leading her to her two great roles in "An Affair To Remember" with Cary Grant and "The King And I" where she danced away with the great, Yul Brynner.
By now, Miss Kerr had divorced and remarried to writer Peter Vieltel.
In 1961, led her to the role of "Miss Giddens" in the creepy, subliminal, "The Innocents."
In 1967, at 46, she became a Bond girl and love interest to 007 in the bizarre comedy, "Casino Royale" starring David Niven as James Bond.
Her only nude scene was in John Frankenheimer's 1969 production of the "Gypsy Moths" where she worked with Burt Lancaster once more.
After that, she abandoned film and focused more on television and theater.
In 1998, Miss Kerr was appointed a Commander of the British Empire in 1998, but was unable to accept the honor due to her ill health.
She also has the distinguished honor of having a star on Hollywood Boulevard located at 1709 Vine Street.
Goodnight, Sweet Lady, your films will always be remembered.
