Susannah York

Susannah York (born January 9, 1939, London, England—died Janhary 15, 2011, London, England) was a British actor who was initially cast as a blue-eyed blonde ingenue, but whose gamine beauty belied acting skills that came to the fore in such roles as the feisty Sophie Western, the object of the eponymous hero’s affections in Tom Jones (1963), and as Sir Thomas More’s daughter, Margaret, in A Man for All Seasons (1966). York finally overcame this “English rose” typecasting with powerful performances as the duplicitous lesbian Childie in the X-rated The Killing of Sister George (1968) and as the deluded dance marathon participant Alice in They Shoot Horses, Don’t They? (1969), which earned her an Academy Award nomination and a British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) award for best supporting actress.

York grew up in Scotland, and after graduating (1958) from the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London, she earned her first major role as Alec Guinness’s daughter in Tunes of Glory (1960). Other motion pictures include Freud (1962), Kaleidoscope (1966), Happy Birthday, Wanda June (1971), The Maids (1975), and three Superman movies in which she played the Man of Steel’s biological mother.

York secured an Emmy Award nomination for a TV adaptation of Jane Eyre (1970) and won best actress honours at the 1972 Cannes film festival for her portrayal of a woman suffering from schizophrenia in Robert Altman’s film Images. She later focused on the stage and TV, including the miniseries We’ll Meet Again (1982) and recurring roles on Trainer (1991–92) and Holby City (2003). She also wrote two children’s books.