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| Jean Kent: Suffolk Gainsborough melodramas actress dies | Jean Kent: Suffolk Gainsborough melodramas actress dies |
| (2 days later) | |
| Film and television actress Jean Kent, one of Britain's biggest stars in the 1940s and 1950s, has died. | Film and television actress Jean Kent, one of Britain's biggest stars in the 1940s and 1950s, has died. |
| She was injured in a fall at her home in Westhorpe, Suffolk, and died at the West Suffolk Hospital in Bury St Edmunds at 03:40 GMT. | She was injured in a fall at her home in Westhorpe, Suffolk, and died at the West Suffolk Hospital in Bury St Edmunds at 03:40 GMT. |
| Her death was announced by a close family friend, author and former film critic Michael Thornton. | Her death was announced by a close family friend, author and former film critic Michael Thornton. |
| Her last public appearance was in 2011 when she was honoured by the British Film Institute on her 90th birthday. | Her last public appearance was in 2011 when she was honoured by the British Film Institute on her 90th birthday. |
| Mr Thornton said: "I knew Jean for more than 50 years. She was a feisty, funny, outspoken character who never took herself too seriously. | Mr Thornton said: "I knew Jean for more than 50 years. She was a feisty, funny, outspoken character who never took herself too seriously. |
| "She knew what it meant to be a star and regarded it as her job to live up to that position and never to disappoint the public." | "She knew what it meant to be a star and regarded it as her job to live up to that position and never to disappoint the public." |
| Kent's career included regular appearances in Gainsborough melodramas, which were popular with large numbers of newly-independent women following the outbreak of the Second World War. | Kent's career included regular appearances in Gainsborough melodramas, which were popular with large numbers of newly-independent women following the outbreak of the Second World War. |
| She made 45 films and during her career starred alongside Marilyn Monroe, Michael Redgrave and Laurence Olivier. | She made 45 films and during her career starred alongside Marilyn Monroe, Michael Redgrave and Laurence Olivier. |
| 'Bodice-ripping melodramas' | 'Bodice-ripping melodramas' |
| Born in Brixton, south London on 29 June 1921, she was the only child of variety performers Norman Field and Nina Norre. As a 13-year-old she performed at the Windmill Theatre in London's West End. | |
| Kent met her husband Josef Ramart on the set of Caravan and they married four months later in 1946, with Stewart Granger as best man. | |
| They bought a farm near Sudbury, Suffolk in the 1950s and stayed there for 20 years until they moved to Westhorpe. Her husband died in 1989. | They bought a farm near Sudbury, Suffolk in the 1950s and stayed there for 20 years until they moved to Westhorpe. Her husband died in 1989. |
| Kent also had a television career, which started in the mid-1930s in a musical called The Ship In The Bay which was broadcast live. | Kent also had a television career, which started in the mid-1930s in a musical called The Ship In The Bay which was broadcast live. |
| Her post-war television appearances included roles in Up Pompeii!, Crossroads and Lovejoy. | Her post-war television appearances included roles in Up Pompeii!, Crossroads and Lovejoy. |
| Mr Thornton added: "Because she became one of the most famous stars of the Gainsborough era, with its bodice-ripping melodramas, she was underrated as an actress. But she was a great actress." | Mr Thornton added: "Because she became one of the most famous stars of the Gainsborough era, with its bodice-ripping melodramas, she was underrated as an actress. But she was a great actress." |
| Speaking on her 90th birthday she told the BBC she was still available for work. | Speaking on her 90th birthday she told the BBC she was still available for work. |
| "Oh yes, I'd work like a shot, as long as I didn't have to walk," she said. | "Oh yes, I'd work like a shot, as long as I didn't have to walk," she said. |
| "A nice sitting-down part would be fine." | "A nice sitting-down part would be fine." |