ARCHIVED PRESS RELEASE - September 21st 2011
SCREEN LEGEND JEAN KENT AIDS WESTHORPE’S CAMPAIGN FOR NEW £200,000 VILLAGE HALL
In her 90th birthday year, the legendary British stage and
screen idol Jean Kent is helping the villagers of Westhorpe,
where she has lived for 25 years, to raise the £200,000 they
need to build a new village hall.
Jean, a glamorous superstar of the 1940s and 1950s, who
headlined in movies alongside Marilyn Monroe, Laurence
Olivier and Dirk Bogarde, and in the theatre with Sir David
Jason and Penelope Keith, received a prolonged standing
ovation from a packed cinema audience when she appeared on
stage at London’s National Film Theatre on her 90th birthday
on June 29.
Now she is to attend screenings at Westhorpe Village Hall on
September 29 and 30 of one of her biggest movie hits, the
1949 Technicolor musical, Trottie True, in which she plays a
stage star who becomes a Duchess. She is supported in the
film by Last of the Summer Wine actor Bill Owen, Carry On
legend Hattie Jacques, with early appearances as Stage Door
Johnnies by screen knights Sir Roger Moore and Sir
Christopher Lee.
At her secluded home in Westhorpe, Jean said: "The local
villagers are trying desperately to raise the £200,000 they
need to build a new village hall to replace the rather
dilapidated existing one."
"They asked if I would attend two screenings of Trottie
True, which is my personal favourite out of all my 47 films,
in order to raise money, and I said that of course I would
do my bit for the fund-raising. Westhorpe so badly needs a
new village hall".
Those wishing to attend one of the two screenings can order
tickets at £5 each by sending cheques made payable to
Westhorpe Village Hall to the local organiser, Philip
Aldous, at 9 Church Road, Westhorpe, IP14 4SY, or by
telephoning 01449 780299.
Mr. Aldous said: "Jean Kent has always lived a very private
life here in Westhorpe, and the local residents respect her
privacy. But we are all thrilled that she is making an
exception by attending our two film shows. She has agreed to
talk to the audience and to introduce the film on both
nights. We are all really excited about it".
Jean Kent will be introduced to Westhorpe audiences, as she
was at the National Film Theatre in London, by the Daily
Mail columnist and former national film critic, Michael
Thornton.
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