Actress. Born Gwendoline Watford in London, England, to a retired British Army officer she was a star of the British stage, film and television. Trained at the Old Vic and at the Embassy Theatre she at first wanted to be a concert pianist but later turned her attention to acting. She made her film debut playing Lady Usher in "The Fall of the House Of Usher" (1949). She is probably best known for her role as Martha Hargood in the Christopher Lee horror film, "Taste The Blood Of Dracula" (1970), and that of Mable Maple in the TV series "Don't Forget To Write!" (1977 to 1979). Her other films include, "The Winslow Boy" (1958), "The Desirable Residence" (1959), "The Three Princes" (1959), "Never Take Sweets From A Stranger" (1960), "The Grass Is Greener" (1960), "The Barretts Of Wimpole Street" (1961), "The Very Edge" (1963), "Cleopatra" (1963), "Do You Know This Voice?" (1964), "Valley Of The Kings" (1964), "The Rise And Rise Of Cesar Birotteau" (1965), "£12 Look" (1973), "A Face Of Your Own" (1973), "The Person Responsible" (1974), "In This House Of Brede" (1975), "The Ghoul" (1975), "The Case Of The Middle-Aged Wife" (1982), "Cry Freedom" (1987), "Behaving Badly" (1989), "The Winslow Boy" (1989), "Relatively Speaking" (1990), and "The Mirror Crack'd" (1992). For television, she appeared in "David Copperfield", "Hour Of Mystery", "White Hunter", "The Silver Sword", "ITV Television Playhouse", "Blackmail", "Shadows Of Fear", "Court Martial", "Half Hour Story", "The Company Of Five", "Ripping Yarns", "Jubilee", "Do You Remember?", "Crown Court", "Sharing Time", and "Theatre Night". Watford was the recipient of the Society of Film and Television Arts Television Award (later BAFTA TV Award) in 1958, and again in 1965 for Best Performance by an Actress in Television, and the Laurence Olivier Theatre Award in 1982 for Best Actress in a Supporting Role for her performance in "Present Laughter" (1981). She was married to actor Richard Bebb, with whom she had two sons. She died from cancer.∼Actress of the 1990's 1980's 1970's 1960's 1950's and 1940's starred in The Mirror Crack'd 1992 The Winslow Boy 1990 Relatively Speaking 1990 Behaving Badly 1989 Cry Freedom 1987 The Body In The Library 1984 Sorrell And Son 1984 mini tv series Don't Forget To Write! 1977 TV series In This House Of Brede 1975 TV The Ghoul 1975 The Person Responsible 1974 TV Man Above Men 1973 TV A Face Of Your Own 1973 TV The Alien Corn 1970 Taste The Blood Of Dracula 1970 Let's Murder Vivaldi 1968 Broome Stages 1966 mini TV series Do You Know The Voice 1964 Cleopatra 1963 The Very Edge 1962 The Barretts Of Wimpole Street 1961 TV The Grass Is Greener 1960 uncredited Never Take Sweets From A Stranger 1960 The Winslow Boy 1958 TV The Silver Sword 1957 TV series The Fall Of The House Of Usher 1949 Cause Of Death Cancer∼Gwen Watford was born in London and from an early age wanted to be a music teacher. Later she had the urge to be an actress - Gwen trained at the Embassy Theatre and The Old Vic. She liked performing on stage the stimulating rush of excitement which comes from performing live, was a feeling which Gwen liked to experience and also sensing the mood of an audience. When an audience likes a play or a certain actor or actress this can be felt by those on stage.
Watford was also a very accomplished film actress showing both presence and camera technique.
Gwen made her film debut in 1949 - The Fall of The House of Usher. Other film roles followed..Never Take Sweets From a Stranger (1960), The Very Edge(1962), Cleopatra(1963) and Cry Freedom (1987 - multi award winning film)
Gwen was married in 1952 - husband Richard Bebb (Two Sons)
Watford also appeared in many television series in the 50's and 60's and also many television plays.
AWARDS:
Society of Film & Television Arts Awards (1958)
Laurence Olivier Award (1982) for her performance in 'Present Laughter.'
Other Selected Films:
The Mirror Crack'd (1992)
The Winslow Boy(1990)
Miss Marple: The Body in the Library.
In This House of Brede (1975)
The Ghoul (1975)
A Face of Your Own (1973)

Cause of Death : Terminal Cancer.