Perlita Neilson (born Margaret Phillipa Sowden; 11 June 1933 – 7 April 2014) was an English film, stage and television actress. She was educated at the Aida Foster Theatre School."Theatre school closes... 40 years on", The Times London, UK, 20 January 1970, p. 8 (The Times Digital Archive; accessed 26 October 2013). One of her most notable roles was in 1957 as Anne Frank in the London production of The Diary of Anne Frank."Anne Frank's Diary To Be Filmed", The Times, 3 June 1958, p. 13 (The Times Digital Archive); accessed 26 October 2013.
Personal life
She was born Margaret Phillipa Sowden in Bradford, but spent her early life in Argentina, where her father, Wilson Sowden, worked as an engineer. After her birth, her mother Isabella (née Gibson) returned to Buenos Aires, where Margaret attended stage school. She began her career at age nine with a variety group of the British Community Players. She married Bruce Sharman in 1956 in Surrey, UK. She married Henry Neilson in 1961 in Surrey, UK. She died at age 80 in Brighton.
Filmography
DateProductionCharacter 1949 Three Bags Full 1951 Looking for Trouble Pamela 1952 Lace on Her Petticoat Lady Alexander Carmichael 1952 Portrait of Rembrandt Cornelia 1953 The Story of Gilbert and Sullivan Lettie 1953 Trouble in Store Mabel 1957 ITV Television Playhouse – The Roof Garden 1958 She Didn't Say No!A British Film Thriller With a Difference, The Times (London, UK), 6 October 1958, p. 3 (The Times Digital Archive, 26 October 2013). Mary Monaham 1959 William Tell Anna Gessler 1959 ITV Television Playhouse – The Skin of Our Teeth Gladys Antrobus 1959 The Eustace Diamonds Lucy Morris 1960 The Four Just Men Marie 1960 Emma Harriet Smith 1960 The Vise – The Maid Was CuriousThe Vise s5 e23 1961 Maigret – "On Holiday" Sister Marie des Anges 1965 The Flying Swan – "The Age of Consent" Sarah Barnes 1974 Fall of Eagles – "The English Princess" Queen Victoria 1981 The Day of the Triffids Miss Durant
References
External links
Perlita Neilson for the British Theatre Archive