Acclaimed British actress Billie Whitelaw has passed away yesterday aged 82, it has abeen announced. Whitelaw was best known for her role as Mrs. Blaylock in the horror classic The Omen, as well as her regular collaborations with playwright Samuel Beckett.
Born in Coventry in 1932, Whitelaw trained at RADA before making her stage debut in 1950, and first appeared on the big screen four years later in The Sleeping Tiger. She would enjoy regular movie appearances throughout the 1950s and 1960s, including a BAFTA Award-winning supporting turn in 1967’s Charlie Bubbles, and Alfred Hitchcock’s 1972 thriller Frenzy.
Beginning in 1963, Whitelaw gained acclaim for her work in the plays of Samuel Beckett, who penned many of his works specifically for the actress. She would also add a BAFTA TV Award in 1972’s The Sextet, before receiving international recognition with 1976’s The Omen., where she played the sinister nanny Mrs. Blaylock.
In later years, she lent her voice to the character of Aughra in The Dark Crystal, as well as playing Violet Kray, the mother of Ronnie and Reggie, in 1990’s The Krays. Her final role was in 2007, appearing in Edgar Wright’s Hot Fuzz.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&list=PL18yMRIfoszH_jfuJoo8HCG1-lGjvfH2F&v=3n3TnGczwV4
Originally published December 22, 2014. Updated April 13, 2018.
