Patricia Roc

Patricia Roc (born Felicia Miriam Ursula Herold; 7 June 1915 – 30 December 2003) was an English film actress, popular in the Gainsborough melodramas such as Madonna of the Seven Moons and The Wicked Lady (1945), though she only made one film in Hollywood, Canyon Passage (1946). She also appeared in Millions Like Us (1943), Jassy (1945), The Brothers (1947) and When the Bough Breaks (1947).

She was employed by the studio of J. Arthur Rank, who called her "the archetypal British beauty". She achieved her greatest level of popularity in British films during the Second World War in escapist melodramas for Gainsborough Studios.

West End theatre producer Sydney Carroll discovered her and cast her in The Mask of Virtue at the Ambassadors Theatre in London. When Carroll thought Felicia Riese sounded "too foreign" and without character, he suggested she change her name to something short and memorable. As there was then a Rock Film Studios Carroll suggested "Rock" as a surname. She agreed but she suggested dropping the "k" to make the surname more memorable and shorter and "Patricia" was the nearest name to "Felicia".

Film career Roc began her career as a stage actress, debuting in the 1938 London production of Nuts in May, in which she was seen by Alexander Korda, who gave her an uncredited bit in The Divorce of Lady X (1938) and then a leading role as a Polish princess in The Rebel Son.

Her parts grew bigger: My Wife's Family (1941), Suspected Person (1942), Let the People Sing (1942), and We'll Meet Again (1943) with Vera Lynn.

Stardom Roc was top-billed in Millions Like Us (1943) from Gainsborough Studios. It was a success, and Gainsborough gave her another lead, as a nun interned by the Germans in Two Thousand Women (1944). According to one writer these movies "established her as a symbol of war's transformative effect upon the status of women."

She appeared alongside two of Gainsborough's biggest stars, Margaret Lockwood and Stewart Granger, in Love Story (1944), a big hit. Roc played the jealous rival of Margaret Lockwood. She later commented that although they were required to slap each other's faces, she and Lockwood were always the best of friends. ) and "the Goddess of Odeons", whilst Noël Coward said she was "a phenomenon" and "an unspoiled film star who can act".

Her brief move to Hollywood to film Canyon Passage (1946), a Western in Technicolor, was a lend-lease agreement between Rank Pictures and Universal Studios of British in return for American film actors. During filming, Roc was romantically linked with Ronald Reagan, while her US co-star Susan Hayward stated "that Limey glamour girl is a helluva dame." Despite good reviews and a remarked likeness to Deanna Durbin, she did not click with the American filmgoing public.

Roc returned to Britain to make The Brothers (1947), a melodrama that was a commercial disappointment. She was in an expensive British-US co production So Well Remembered (1947), which was a hit in Britain but failed to recoup its cost. Jassy (1947), a melodrama with Lockwood, was a big hit. When the Bough Breaks (1947), another melodrama, performed reasonably well.

In 1947 British exhibitors voted Roc the sixth-most-popular British star in the country. The following year she was ninth.

She walked out of London Belongs to Me saying she was miscast.

After making a cameo as herself in Holiday Camp (1947), Roc was in One Night with You (1948), a musical comedy with Nino Martini.

France She made two films in France, Return to Life (1949) and The Man on the Eiffel Tower. She returned to Britain to appear in a comedy The Perfect Woman (1949) then walked out on her contract with Rank in March 1949.

In August 1949 she married French cameraman André Thomas.

In Paris she made Black Jack (1950). She also appeared in Fugitive from Montreal (1951), a French-Canadian co production.

Roc returned to Britain for the first time in 18 months to make Circle of Danger (1951) with Ray Milland. She then returned for Something Money Can't Buy (1952).

Later films Roc's later films included The Widow (1955) and The Hypnotist (1957).

Roc returned to Britain later in the decade following the death of husband André Thomas. She produced only three more films and made a few television appearances (including the first episode of The Saint, her final acting role).

Later life and death

In 1964 she married businessman Walter Reif and retired from acting. She was all but forgotten until 1975 when she made the headlines for being fined £25 for shoplifting from Marks & Spencer in Oxford Street. It is thought that this was a means of regaining attention from the public. Soon after, she and her husband moved to Switzerland. Reif died in 1986, Roc died in 2003.

Filmography

Film

Year Title Role Notes 1938 The Divorce of Lady X Minor role Uncredited The Gaunt Stranger Mary Lenley The Barbarian and the Lady Marina 1939 The Mysterious Mr. Reeder Doris Bevan The Missing People 1940 Pack Up Your Troubles Sally Brown A Window in London Pat Released as Lady in Distress in USA Dr. O'Dowd Rosemary Three Silent Men Pat Quentin It Happened to One Man Betty Quair 1941 The Farmer's Wife Sibley My Wife's Family Peggy Gay 1942 Suspected Person Joan Raynor Let the People Sing Hope Ollerton 1943 We'll Meet Again Ruth Millions Like Us Celia Crowson 1944 Love Story Judy Two Thousand Women Rosemary Brown / Mary Maugham 1945 Madonna of the Seven Moons Angela Labardi Johnny Frenchman Sue Pomeroy The Wicked Lady Caroline 1946 Canyon Passage Caroline Marsh 1947 The Brothers Mary So Well Remembered Julie Morgan Jassy Dilys Helmar When the Bough Breaks Lily Bates Holiday Camp Herself 1948 One Night with You Mary Santell 1949 The Perfect Woman Penelope Belman Return to Life Lieutenant Evelyne (segment 2 : "Le retour d'Antoine") The Man on the Eiffel Tower Helen Kirby 1950 Fugitive from Montreal Helen Bering Black Jack Ingrid Dekker 1951 Circle of Danger Elspeth Graham 1952 Something Money Can't Buy Anne Wilding 1953 La mia vita è tua Laura 1955 Cartouche Donna Violante The Widow Diana 1957 The Hypnotist Mary Foster The House in the Woods Carol Carter 1960 Bluebeard's Ten Honeymoons Mme. Vivienne Dureaux

Television

Year Title Role Notes 1956 The Errol Flynn Theatre Episode : "Farewell Performance" 1958 White Hunter Marge Wilson Episode: "Pegasus" 1959 No Hiding Place Mrs. Ottlone Episode: "Who Is Gustav Varnia?" 1960 Skyport Iris West 1 episode 1961 Dixon of Dock Green Brenda Episode: "A Kiss for the Constable" 1962 The Saint Madge Clarron Episode: "The Talented Husband", (final appearance)