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Irene Handl

Irene Handl

Actor · 1901 – 1987 · Maida Vale, London, England, UK

Irene Handl (27 December 1901 – 29 November 1987) was a British character actress who appeared in more than 100 British films; she also wrote novels. Irene Handl was born in Maida Vale, London, the younger of two daughters of an Austrian-born father—Friedrich (later Frederick) Handl (1874–1961) and German mother, Marie (née Schiepp or Schuepp; 1875 – before 1924). Both of Handl's parents became naturalised British citizens. Her father came to England via Switzerland and started as a bank clerk, before becoming a stockbroker, then became a private banker. The Handls lived a comfortable middle-class life, with a German cook and housekeeper living in the family home. From 1907 to 1915, Handl attended the Paddington and Maida Vale High School. In the 1920s Handl travelled several times to New York with her father, with the ship's log listing her on each occasion as having no occupation and residing in the family home. Handl studied at an acting school run by a sister of Dame Sybil Thorndike, and then made her stage debut in London in February 1937, at the relatively advanced age of 36. In 1939, and by now an actress, she was living with her widower father in London. She continued to live with her father until his death in 1961. Her elder sister Liane (1898–1977) had married Russian electrical engineer and photographer Victor Kraminsky (born Viktor Azar'evich Kraminskii; later known as Victor Kennett; 1894–1980) in 1920 in Marylebone, Middlesex (now London). They had at least one child, a son, Charles Kennett. Handl appeared in supporting roles in more than 100 British films, mostly comedy character parts such as slightly eccentric mothers, grannies, landladies and servants. She was a passionate lover of rock and roll, especially the work of Elvis Presley, and was president of the Lewisham branch of the Elvis Presley fan club. She was also a fellow of the Royal Geographical Society, and one of Britain's most avid champions of Chihuahuas, being inseparable from the pair that she owned. Handl had minor roles in such landmark films as Night Train to Munich and Brief Encounter. Her other notable roles included the wife of the union activist Fred Kite (played by Peter Sellers) in I'm All Right Jack (1959); Mrs Gammon, the formidable cook, opposite Gordon Harker in Small Hotel (1957); Tony Hancock's landlady in The Rebel (1961); Sherlock Holmes's housekeeper, Mrs Hudson, in The Private Life of Sherlock Holmes (1970); and Morgan's Communist mother, Mrs Delt, in Morgan – A Suitable Case for Treatment (1966). She also had small roles in two of the Carry On films, Carry On Nurse and Carry On Constable), and played Miss Peach in the original version of The Italian Job. She worked until 1987, the year of her death. Her last role was released posthumously the following year. Handl died in her flat in Kensington, West London, on 29 November 1987, aged 85, reportedly from cancer. She never married. She was cremated at Golders Green Crematorium, North London.

Movies24

  • Movie6.9

    The Italian Job

    1969 · 897 votes

  • Movie6.8

    Stage Fright

    1950 · 377 votes

  • Movie7.7

    Brief Encounter

    1945 · 730 votes

  • Movie6.4

    Carry On Nurse

    1959 · 66 votes

  • Movie5.5

    Absolute Beginners

    1986 · 72 votes

  • Movie6.8
  • Movie6.7
  • Movie6.4

    The Wrong Box

    1966 · 69 votes

  • Movie5.7
  • Movie6.1

    The Key

    1958 · 34 votes

  • Movie7.2

    Night Train to Munich

    1940 · 96 votes

  • Movie4.8

    Come Play with Me

    1977 · 30 votes

  • Movie6.6

    I'm All Right Jack

    1959 · 83 votes

  • Movie4.3
  • Movie6.4
  • Movie6.3
  • Movie7.7

    Woman Hater

    1948 · 3 votes

  • Movie6.7

    Two-Way Stretch

    1960 · 56 votes

  • Movie6.3
  • Movie4.4
  • Movie5.4

    You Must Be Joking

    1965 · 12 votes

  • Movie6.4
  • Movie6.7

    A Kid for Two Farthings

    1955 · 30 votes

  • Movie6.3

    Carry On Constable

    1960 · 62 votes

Series20

  • TV7.2

    Theatre 625

    1964 · 5 votes

  • TV6.4
  • TV7.3

    Dramarama

    1983 · 4 votes

  • TV7.3
  • TV8.1
  • TV7.4

    Hancock's Half Hour

    1956 · 9 votes

  • TV5.2

    Metal Mickey

    1980 · 5 votes

  • TV6.4

    Super Gran

    1985 · 16 votes

  • TV5.8

    The Fosters

    1976 · 8 votes

  • TV6.3

    Mapp & Lucia

    1985 · 8 votes

  • TV
  • TV
  • TV7.0

    Misleading Cases

    1967 · 2 votes

  • TV
  • TV6.0

    Armchair Theatre

    1956 · 6 votes

  • TV8.0

    For the Love of Ada

    1970 · 4 votes

  • TV7.5

    Legacy of Murder

    1982 · 2 votes

  • TV7.5

    Maggie and Her

    1976 · 2 votes

  • TV10.0

    World in Ferment

    1969 · 1 votes

  • TV