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Saturday, January 15, 2011

Legendary British actress Susannah York dies aged 72


The British actress Susannah York has died aged 72, it was confirmed tonight.

York, who was best known for her role in the 1969 film They Shoot Horses, Don't They?, passed away yesterday following a long battle with cancer.

Following her death, the actress' son Orlando Wells said: 'She was an absolutely fantastic mother, who was very down to earth.

English rose: Susannah York, pictured here in 1967, has died age 72

English rose: Susannah York, pictured here in 1967, has died age 72

'She loved nothing more than cooking a good Sunday roast and sitting around a fire of a winter's evening. In some sense, she was quite a home girl. Both my sister Sasha and I feel incredibly lucky to have her as a mother.

Film and stage star: York in Holby City in 2003

Film and stage star: York in Holby City in 2003

'She was a woman with grace and stature. She had advanced bone marrow cancer which she had an operation for.

'But, last Thursday, she had a scan and then the descent was fast. In the end, her death was painless and quick.'

As well as starring in They Shoot Horses, Don't They?, a role for which she received an Oscar nomination, York was also famed for roles in 1966 movie A Man For All Seasons and Zee And Co in 1972.

York is also well known for her extensive stage career, which included roles in critically-acclaimed plays including The Singular Life of Albert Nobbs and Henry James play Appearances.

In addition, York tried her hand at writing, penning two children's fantasy novels entitled In Search of Unicorns in 1973 and Lark's Castle in 1976.

It was in 1960 that York met and married Michael Wells, with whom she had two children, Orlando and Sasha.

Family was a very important part of York's life, as she explained in an interview in 2008.

She told The Telegraph: ''Seeing the family is a very important part of my weekend. I see a lot of my daughter Sasha and my son Orlando.

'We all live quite close to each other on different sides of Clapham Common in south London. My grandson, Rafferty, is absolutely lovely. He's a year old and there's another child on the way.'

York and Wells divorced in 1976 and she never remarried.

York is survived by her two children, as well as a grandson and a granddaughter.

Family: York with her son Orlando Wells in 2004. He described her as 'an absolutely fantastic mother' Family: York with her son Orlando Wells in 2004. He described her as 'an absolutely fantastic mother'

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