Irene Handl

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 Austrianborn fatherFriedrich later Frederick Handl 18741961 and German mother Marie née Schiepp or Schuepp 1875 before 1924 Both of Handls 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 middleclass 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 ships 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 18981977 had married Russian electrical engineer and photographer Victor Kraminsky born Viktor Azarevich Kraminskii later known as Victor Kennett 18941980 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 Britains 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 Im All Right Jack 1959 Mrs Gammon the formidable cook opposite Gordon Harker in Small Hotel 1957 Tony Hancocks landlady in The Rebel 1961 Sherlock Holmess housekeeper Mrs Hudson in The Private Life of Sherlock Holmes 1970 and Morgans 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