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| Actress Billie Whitelaw dies aged 82 | Actress Billie Whitelaw dies aged 82 |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Acclaimed actress Billie Whitelaw, famous for her roles on stage and screen, has died at the age of 82. | Acclaimed actress Billie Whitelaw, famous for her roles on stage and screen, has died at the age of 82. |
| The Coventry-born star, who was made a CBE in 1991, worked in close collaboration with playwright Samuel Beckett, who described her as a perfect actress. | The Coventry-born star, who was made a CBE in 1991, worked in close collaboration with playwright Samuel Beckett, who described her as a perfect actress. |
| She died in the early hours of Sunday at a nursing home in London, her son Matthew Muller told the BBC. | She died in the early hours of Sunday at a nursing home in London, her son Matthew Muller told the BBC. |
| "I could not have asked for a more loving mum," he said. | "I could not have asked for a more loving mum," he said. |
| "She had an incredible career - but first and foremost she was my mum - and that's who I will miss," he added. | "She had an incredible career - but first and foremost she was my mum - and that's who I will miss," he added. |
| Whitelaw made her radio acting debut aged just 11. | Whitelaw made her radio acting debut aged just 11. |
| In 1950, she made her first stage appearance in Bradford in a performance of Pink String and Sealing Wax, before moving into films and television. | In 1950, she made her first stage appearance in Bradford in a performance of Pink String and Sealing Wax, before moving into films and television. |
| She was well known for her role as Mrs Baylock in horror film The Omen. | She was well known for her role as Mrs Baylock in horror film The Omen. |
| Whitelaw also played a starring role as Violet Kray in The Krays and more recently appeared in comedy Hot Fuzz. | Whitelaw also played a starring role as Violet Kray in The Krays and more recently appeared in comedy Hot Fuzz. |
| During her career, she won a British Academy Award for best newcomer for her role in Hell is a City. She also won Best Supporting Actress for her parts in Twisted Nerve and Charlie Bubbles. | During her career, she won a British Academy Award for best newcomer for her role in Hell is a City. She also won Best Supporting Actress for her parts in Twisted Nerve and Charlie Bubbles. |
| Whitelaw appeared in a number of TV series, including BBC One's Dixon of Dock Green. | Whitelaw appeared in a number of TV series, including BBC One's Dixon of Dock Green. |
| But in her autobiography Billie Whitelaw . . . Who He?, she said it was her work with Beckett that generated most interest. | |
| Beckett 'cared' | |
| Without their association, she wrote, "nobody would have been remotely interested in my autobiography." | Without their association, she wrote, "nobody would have been remotely interested in my autobiography." |
| She described Beckett as demanding and meticulous, but added: "Because I knew he was radiating love and he cared and he wanted you to be perfect... it didn't upset me." | She described Beckett as demanding and meticulous, but added: "Because I knew he was radiating love and he cared and he wanted you to be perfect... it didn't upset me." |
| In a 1997 interview with The Independent, the actress said death did not scare her. | In a 1997 interview with The Independent, the actress said death did not scare her. |
| She told the newspaper: "Death's not one of those things that frighten the life out of me." | She told the newspaper: "Death's not one of those things that frighten the life out of me." |
| She added: "Getting up on stage with the curtain going up frightens me more." | She added: "Getting up on stage with the curtain going up frightens me more." |
| She was married to actor Peter Vaughan between 1952 and 1966. | She was married to actor Peter Vaughan between 1952 and 1966. |
| Later, she married German actor and writer Robert Muller, who died in 1998. | Later, she married German actor and writer Robert Muller, who died in 1998. |