# Vida Hope

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{{Short description|British actress (1910–1963)}}
{{Use British English|date=May 2017}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2017}}
[[File:Actress_Vida_Hope.jpg|thumb|right|Vida Hope in ''[Lease of Life](/source/Lease_of_Life)'' (1954)]]

'''Vida Hope''' (16 December 1910 – 23 December 1963) was a British stage and [film actress](/source/film_actress),<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20090117131521/http://ftvdb.bfi.org.uk/sift/individual/165398 Profile], ftvdb.bfi.org.uk; accessed 4 April 2014.</ref> who also directed stage productions.

==Life and career==
Born in [Liverpool](/source/Liverpool), [Lancashire](/source/Lancashire), to theatrical parents, Hope travelled widely as a child.<ref name="LJ">Some of the Company – Vida Hope (autobiographical note). In : ''Late Joys at The Players' Theatre''. T V Boardman & Co Ltd, London, New York, 1943., p83</ref> She was "forbidden to go on the stage", so at age 16, she became a typist in an advertising office, going on to write copy.<ref name="LJ"/> She took every opportunity to take part in amateur dramatics, managing to get lead roles in plays by [Shaw](/source/George_Bernard_Shaw), [Ibsen](/source/Henrik_Ibsen), and [Chekhov](/source/Anton_Chekhov).<ref name="LJ"/>

Following the role of the Fairy Wish-Fulfilment in the pantomime ''The Babes in the Wood'' at the [Unity Theatre](/source/Unity_Theatre%2C_London), [London](/source/London), she was, in 1939, offered a role by [Herbert Farjeon](/source/Herbert_Farjeon) in ''The Little Revue'' and worked in his revues for more than three years.<ref name="LJ"/> In 1940, she supported and formed a strong friendship with [Dirk Bogarde](/source/Dirk_Bogarde), in his first West End play, ''Diversions''.<ref>Bogarde, Dirk. ''A Postillion Struck by Lightning''. Triad/Panther Books, Frogmore, 1978, p268.</ref> During the Second World War, she became a regular singer at the [Players' Theatre](/source/Players'_Theatre), where her repertoire included "Casey Jones", "[Daddy Wouldn't Buy Me a Bow-wow](/source/Daddy_Wouldn't_Buy_Me_a_Bow-wow)", "[Dashing Away with the Smoothing Iron](/source/Dashing_Away_with_the_Smoothing_Iron)", "The Lady Wasn't Going that Way" and "You May Pet Me as Much as You Please".<ref>List of Songs. In: ''Late Joys at The Players' Theatre''. T V Boardman & Co Ltd, London, New York, 1943, p113-115.</ref> In 1942 she appeared alongside [Geoffrey Dunn](/source/Geoffrey_Dunn_(20th_century_singer%2C_actor%2C_director_and_translator)) in a melodrama, ''The Streets of London''.<ref>[https://www.gettyimages.co.uk/detail/news-photo/british-actors-geoffrey-dunn-and-vida-hope-as-bloodgood-and-news-photo/131403952?adppopup=true Geoffrey Dunn and Vida Hope arguing during a scene from 'The Streets Of London', on stage in London, 5th December 1942. Picture Post - 1320 - The Streets of London - pub. 1943, photo by Felix Man at gettyimages] accessed 26 July 2024.</ref>

Hope played a prominent role alongside [Alec Guinness](/source/Alec_Guinness) in the [Academy Award](/source/Academy_Award)-nominated film ''[The Man in the White Suit](/source/The_Man_in_the_White_Suit)'' as Bertha, in 1951. She appeared in a range of roles in a production of ''[Peer Gynt](/source/Peer_Gynt)'' at the [New Theatre](/source/New_Theatre_(London)) in London (1944–45),<ref>Ibsen, Henrik. ''Peer Gynt'' – English version by Norman Ginsbury. Hammond, Hammond & Co Ltd, London, 1946, p7 (cast list for 1944 New London Theatre production).</ref> she directed the 1953 London production of ''[The Boy Friend](/source/The_Boy_Friend_(musical))'' (and is also credited as director on the 'original cast' recording of 1954 starring Julie Andrews)<ref>RCA Victor LP LOC 1018</ref> and directed ''[Valmouth](/source/Valmouth_(musical))'' at the [Lyric, Hammersmith](/source/Lyric%2C_Hammersmith) (1958) and a revival of ''The Boy Friend'' at the [Bristol Hippodrome](/source/Bristol_Hippodrome) (1958–59).<ref>[http://theatricalia.com/person/r58/vida-hope List of appearances for Vida Hope at the Theatricalia site] accessed 10 April 2015.</ref>

Hope was married to the film editor and director [Derek Twist](/source/Derek_Twist), and appeared in several of his films. She died in a road accident, on 23 December 1963, in [Chelmsford](/source/Chelmsford), [Essex](/source/Essex), aged 53.

==Partial filmography==
{{div col}}
* ''[The 39 Steps](/source/The_39_Steps_(1935_film))'' (1935) - Usherette<ref name="bfi">[https://web.archive.org/web/20120711152742/http://explore.bfi.org.uk/4ce2ba428ea8e BFI page of films with Vida Hope] accessed 10 April 2015.</ref>
* ''[Champagne Charlie](/source/Champagne_Charlie_(1944_film))'' (1944) – Rosie<ref name="bfi"/>
* ''[English Without Tears](/source/English_Without_Tears)'' (1944) 
* ''[The Life and Adventures of Nicholas Nickleby](/source/Nicholas_Nickleby_(1947_film))'' (1946) – Fanny Squeers<ref name="bfi"/>
* ''[Hue and Cry](/source/Hue_and_Cry_(film))'' (1947) – Mrs. Kirby
* ''[The Mark of Cain](/source/The_Mark_of_Cain_(1947_film))'' (1947) – Jennie
* ''[They Made Me a Fugitive](/source/They_Made_Me_a_Fugitive)'' (1947) – Mrs Fenshaw<ref name="bfi"/>
* ''[It Always Rains on Sunday](/source/It_Always_Rains_on_Sunday)'' (1947) – Mrs Wallis<ref name="bfi"/>
* ''[Woman Hater](/source/Woman_Hater_(1948_film))'' (1948)
* ''[For Them That Trespass](/source/For_Them_That_Trespass)'' (1949) – Olive Mockson<ref name="bfi"/>
* ''[Paper Orchid](/source/Paper_Orchid)'' (1949) – Jonquil Jones<ref name="bfi"/>
* ''[The Interrupted Journey](/source/The_Interrupted_Journey)'' (1949) – Miss Marchmont<ref name="bfi"/>
* ''[Double Confession](/source/Double_Confession)'' (1950) – Madam Zilia
* ''[The Woman in Question](/source/The_Woman_in_Question)'' (1950) – Shirley Jones<ref name="bfi"/>
* ''[The Man in the White Suit](/source/The_Man_in_the_White_Suit)'' (1951) – Bertha<ref name="bfi"/> 
* ''[Cheer the Brave](/source/Cheer_the_Brave)'' (1951) 
* ''[Green Grow the Rushes](/source/Green_Grow_the_Rushes_(film))'' (1951) – Polly Bainbridge<ref name="bfi"/>
* ''[Angels One Five](/source/Angels_One_Five)'' (1952) – W.A.A.F.
* ''[Emergency Call](/source/Emergency_Call_(1952_film))'' (1952) – Brenda<ref name="bfi"/> 
* ''[The Long Memory](/source/The_Long_Memory)'' (1952) – Alice Gedge<ref name="bfi"/>
* ''[Women of Twilight](/source/Women_of_Twilight_(film))'' (1952) – Jess Smithson<ref name="bfi"/>
* ''[The Broken Horseshoe](/source/The_Broken_Horseshoe_(film))'' (1953) – Jackie Leroy<ref name="bfi"/>
* ''[Marilyn](/source/Marilyn_(1953_film))'' (1953) - Rosie<ref name="bfi"/>
* ''[Fast and Loose](/source/Fast_and_Loose_(1954_film))'' (1954) – Gladys<ref name="bfi"/>
* ''[Lease of Life](/source/Lease_of_Life)'' (1954) - Mrs. Sproatley
* ''[Charley Moon](/source/Charley_Moon)'' (1955) – staging of the musical numbers<ref name="bfi"/>
* ''[Rx Murder](/source/Rx_Murder)'' (1958) - Louise
* ''[In the Doghouse](/source/In_the_Doghouse_(film))'' (1961) – Mrs Crabtree<ref name="bfi"/>
{{div col end}}

==References==
<references/>

==External links==
*{{IMDb name|0394051}}

{{authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Hope, Vida}}
Category:1910 births
Category:1963 deaths
Category:Actresses from Liverpool
Category:British stage actresses
Category:British film actresses
Category:British television actresses
Category:20th-century English actresses
Category:Road incident deaths in England
Category:English theatre directors
Category:British women theatre directors

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Vida Hope](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vida_Hope) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vida_Hope?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.