Nanette Newman

As a teenager Nanette attended RADA for two years, and just after leaving, she went to see a producer about a part of a brassy blonde in "Wheel of Fate" (1953). He was pleased with her but said that she needed to see the director for approval and that he was doing a night shoot at Marylebone shunting yards. If she went to see him there and if he approved she'd start filming the next week. She got to the yard and saw a man 'committing suicide' by jumping onto tracks in front of a train. After shooting the scene, he climbed onto the platform and asked who she was and what she was doing there. She'd already found out that he was Bryan Forbes and introduced herself saying that she understood that she might be in the film. He replied that this had been the last night of shooting, to which she said that she'd come all the way from Streatham. He said he'd take her home to make sure that she'd be safe and continued to do so for nearly 60 years. He had made quite a few films by that time, plus a lot of stage work. They did a play together at the Aldwych Theatre and worked separately until he started to produce and direct, casting her in a number of his films.

In 1961, she had a small part in 'The Rebel' with Tony Hancock. After the first day, she went home in tears as she'd been made up with bright green lips and mud in her hair for her part as an extra sensualist. While she liked making the film and working with Tony she didn't enjoy the part.