Rachel Kempson

Rachel, Lady Redgrave (28 May 1910 – 24 May 2003), known primarily by her birth name, Rachel Kempson, was an English actress. She married Michael Redgrave, and was the matriarch of the famous acting dynasty.

Early life Kempson was born in Dartmouth, Devon, the daughter of Eric William Edward Kempson, who became headmaster of the Royal Naval College, and Beatrice Hamilton, daughter of Laurence (all other sources give "Lawrence") Thomas Ashwell, of London, a homeopathic pharmacist.

Career Kempson trained at RADA before joining the Royal Shakespeare Company. She married Michael Redgrave in 1935 and the couple appeared together many times on stage. She also appeared many times on film and television, most notably in the films The Captive Heart, The Sea Shall Not Have Them (both opposite her husband Michael), The Jokers, Two Gentlemen Sharing, Out of Africa, Uncle Vanya; and the television series Tales of Unease, ('It's too Late Now', episode, 1970), Jennie: Lady Randolph Churchill (1974), and The Jewel in the Crown. She made three films with her daughter Lynn (Tom Jones, Georgy Girl and The Virgin Soldiers), and two films with her other daughter Vanessa (The Charge of the Light Brigade – which also starred her son Corin – and Déjà Vu). Her 1986 autobiography, Life Among the Redgraves was published by Dutton. According to Publishers Weekly, "Lady Redgrave writes with candour, wit, restraint and some sadness about her background, beginnings in the theatre in 1932, marriage and motherhood, the trials of moving and the problems of being married to a handsome matinee idol."

Personal life and death

Kempson married fellow actor Michael Redgrave in 1935, and became the daughter-in-law of Roy Redgrave and Margaret Scudamore. Kempson was the mother of Vanessa (born 1937), Corin (1939–2010) and Lynn Redgrave (1943–2010) and the grandmother of Joely and Natasha Richardson (1963–2009), Jemma Redgrave, Luke Redgrave, Arden Redgrave, Harvey Redgrave, Carlo Gabriel Nero, Benjamin B. Clark, Kelly B. Clark and Annabel Lucy Clark.

In 1959, her husband was knighted, and she formally became Lady Redgrave. However, she refused to use her title professionally. In 2003, four days before what would have been her 93rd birthday, she died of a stroke at the home of her granddaughter, Natasha Richardson, in Millbrook, New York. Richardson died on 18 March 2009 in a skiing accident and was buried near Kempson. Kempson's youngest daughter, Lynn Redgrave, was buried in the same cemetery on 8 May 2010, near Kempson and Richardson.

Filmography

Year Title Role Notes1941 Jeannie Maggie, Jeannie's sister 1946 The Captive Heart Celia Mitchell 1948 A Woman's Vengeance Emily Maurier 1954 The Sea Shall Not Have Them Mrs. Waltby 1963 Tom Jones Bridget Allworthy 1964 The Third Secret Mildred Hoving 1965 Curse of the Fly Madame Fournier 1966 Georgy Girl Ellen Leamington 1966 Grand Prix Mrs. Stoddard 1967 The Jokers Mrs. Tremayne 1968 The Charge of the Light Brigade Mrs. Codrington 1969 A Touch of Love Sister Henry 1969 Two Gentlemen Sharing Mrs. Ashby-Kydd 1969 The Virgin Soldiers Mrs. Raskin 1970 Jane Eyre Mrs. Fairfax 1980 Little Lord Fauntleroy Lady Lorradaile 1984 Camille Hortense TV film1984 The Jewel in the Crown Lady Ethel Manners TV film1985 Out of Africa Lady Belfield 1988 Stealing Heaven Prioress 1991 Uncle Vanya Prioress 1997 Déjà Vu Skelly's Mother