Helen Horton

Personal Info

Known For

Acting

Known Credits

28

Gender

Female

Birthday

1923-09-28

Day of death

2007-09-28 (84 years old)

Place of Birth

Chicago, Illinois, USA

Helen Horton

Biography

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."

Known For

  • Agatha Christie's Poirot

    Agatha Christie's Poirot

  • Minder

    Minder

  • Tales of the Unexpected

    Tales of the Unexpected

  • Tales of the Unexpected

    Tales of the Unexpected

  • BBC Play of the Month

    BBC Play of the Month

  • Alien

    Alien

  • Van der Valk

    Van der Valk

  • The Benny Hill Show

    The Benny Hill Show

  • Widows' Nest

    Widows' Nest

  • The Chairman

    The Chairman

  • Superman III

    Superman III

  • The Razor's Edge

    The Razor's Edge

  • The Mark of the Hawk

    The Mark of the Hawk

  • Phase IV

    Phase IV

  • Endless Night

    Endless Night

  • Two's Company

    Two's Company

  • The Two Mrs. Grenvilles

    The Two Mrs. Grenvilles

  • Thunder on Sycamore Street

    Thunder on Sycamore Street

  • Let's Be Happy

    Let's Be Happy

  • Reunion at Fairborough

    Reunion at Fairborough

  • Forgotten Prisoners: The Amnesty Files

    Forgotten Prisoners: The Amnesty Files

  • The Woman He Loved

    The Woman He Loved

  • Hurricane

    Hurricane

  • Never Take Sweets from a Stranger

    Never Take Sweets from a Stranger

  • Strange Stories

    Strange Stories

  • The Pueblo Affair

    The Pueblo Affair

  • Auntie Kathleen's Old Clothes

    Auntie Kathleen's Old Clothes

  • The Best of Friends

    The Best of Friends