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JOYCE GRENFELL
(1910-1979)
Joyce
Grenfell was a British film and television actress, comedienne,
and singer-songwriter.
Born Joyce Irene Phipps in London on February 10th 1910, she was
the daughter of architect Paul Phipps and an eccentric American
mother, Nora Langhorne, the daughter of an American railroad millionaire
and sister of Nancy Astor. As such, Joyce Phipps grew up around
money and privilege.
Wanting to pursue a career in the theatre, she made her stage
debut in 1939 in the "Little Revue." In 1942 she wrote what became
her signature song, "I'm Going to See You Today."
During World War II, Grenfell toured India, North Africa, and
the Middle East with a company performing for British troops.
In 1989 her wartime journals were published under the title The
Time of My Life: Entertaining the Troops.
Her singing and comedic talents on stage led to offers to appear
in motion picture comedies. Although she performed in a number
of films, she continued with her recording career, producing a
number of humoristic albums as well as books. As a writer at the
BBC during and just after the war, she collaborated with Stephen
Potter in writing the "How" series of 30 satirical programs from
"How to Talk to Children" to "How to Listen".
During the 1950s she made her name as a sidekick to such comedy
greats as Alastair Sim and Margaret Rutherford in films such as
The Happiest Days of Your Life (1950) and the St Trinian's series.
Grenfell is now best remembered for her one-woman shows and monologues,
in which she invented roles including a harassed nursery teacher
(George, don't do that). She gained additional popularity as a
result of her frequent appearances on the BBC's classical music
quiz show, Face the Music.
Diagnosed with cancer, she retired from performing and passed
away on November 30th 1979.
Her autobiography, The Time of My Life was published in 1990.
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