Olga Lowe
Overview
- Occupation Actress
- Birthdate September 14, 1919
- Birthplace Durban, South Africa
- Died September 2, 2013
- Character Lieutenant Anne-Marie Schwartz
Biography
Olga Lowe (14 September 1919 – 2 September 2013) was a South African–born British actor of film, stage, and television. After an uncredited screen debut in Trottie True (1949), she built a reputation for range—The Stage called her “extraordinarily versatile”—with credits spanning EastEnders, Where Eagles Dare, Carry On Abroad, Steptoe and Son Ride Again, and The Riddle of the Sands.
Born in Durban to a family of Russian-Jewish heritage on her father’s side, Lowe moved to London in 1935. She worked in Brazil with Carmen Miranda’s cabaret and, in 1942, survived the torpedoing of the liner City of New York while sailing back to South Africa. After the war she returned to Britain, toured in rep, and shared the London Palladium stage with Harpo Marx in 1949. Her breakthrough came in 1954 in the original London Pal Joey, cheekily delivering “Zip,” followed by success in The Pajama Game (1955). Later theatre included Kenneth Branagh’s Uncle Vanya (Lyric Hammersmith, 1991) and Peter Hall’s Old Vic company (1997).
A childhood friend of Sid James, Lowe—together with her first husband, John Tore—helped nudge his early British film career. In 1976 she was performing opposite James in The Mating Season at the Sunderland Empire when he suffered a fatal heart attack on stage.
Lowe married three times: to Tore (who died in 1959), then Peter Todd (divorced 1962), and, in 1970, to actor Keith Morris, who survived her. She died on 2 September 2013, aged 93, twelve days shy of her 94th birthday.
Selected films
- State Secret - 1950
- Hotel Sahara - 1951
- So Little Time - 1953
- Oh... Rosalinda!! - 1955
- Avengers, The (TV-series) - 1961
- Where Eagles Dare - 1969
- Persuaders!, The (TV-series) - 1971
- Steptoe and Son Ride Again - 1973
- Carry on Abroad - 1973
- Don't Drink the Water (TV-series) - 1974
- Return of the Saint (TV-series) - 1978
- Riddle of the Sands, The - 1979
- Nijinsky - 1980
- East Enders (TV-series) - 1985
- Hercule Poirot's Christmas (TV) - 1994
- Cous-cous - 1996
Hi i am looking for my family and i hope you can help olga lowe was married to my grandfathers brother, i believe he moved to america and i don’t know his first name but the surname was todd and he was a model post 2nd world any info would be gratefully recieved
hi michael
just picked up ur msg, olga married to peter todd in 1960 divorced in 1962 and went to the us thats all the info there is
does anybody have a e mail address fo olga lowe
kevintheate@live.co.uk
This may not be the same Olga but I am trying to trace my cousin Keith Morris who was/is married to an Olga Lowe
Olga is married to Keith Morris. I know how to contact them … richardabaker1@hotmail.co.uk
Met them both today.Will be seeing them both next week 🙂
i am looking 4 a fan address 2 write to olga lowe can anyone help as i am a huge carry on fan thank y
I had the great pleasure to meet Olga yesterday, as I performed at a retirement home in Thames Meade.
Richard
I lived next door to Keith Morris & his parents Eric & Jessie Morris when I was growing up. Would you be able to tell me how I can contact him