Renée Houston

Renée Houston (born Katherina Rita Murphy Gribbin;

Biography Born in Johnstone, Renfrewshire, into a theatrical family who performed as James Houston and Company, she toured music halls and revues with her sister Billie Houston (born Sarah McMahon Gribbin; 1906–1972) as the "Houston Sisters". They became a leading variety act in the 1920s, sometimes performing as two children in over-sized furniture; Billie played the part of a boy. The sisters ended their working partnership in 1936, when Billie reportedly became ill,

Renee Houston continued as a solo comedienne and actress, appearing in the Noel Gay revue Love Laughs!. She eventually revived her double act, this time with her third husband, the actor Donald Stewart, until his death in 1966. She also worked for director Roman Polanski in Repulsion (1965) and Cul-de-sac (1966). She published her autobiography in 1974 which was entitled Don't Fence Me In.

Houston was also in early episodes of radio's The Clitheroe Kid, playing his Scottish mother in half a dozen 1958 broadcasts (but the role was quickly recast to use an English actress instead), and was a regular guest on radio panel show Petticoat Line chaired by Anona Winn. According to entertainment historian Richard Anthony Baker: "So many listeners found her forthright language unacceptable that she was eventually limited to two swear words per show." Her third husband was the actor Donald Stewart.

Filmography

Film

Television