Helen Horton

Helen Horton

1923-09-28

Biography

Helen Virginia Horton (November 21, 1923 – September 28, 2007) was an American actress. She was born in Chicago and had a brief career in New York. She married Hamish Thomson and lived near London. She worked extensively in British television, radio and theatre, and had three children; her granddaughter is the English actress Lily James. Horton voiced the ship's computer, "Mother", in the 1979 film Alien. Horton attended Northwestern University where she became lifelong friends with Patricia Neal (Helen Benson in The Day the Earth Stood Still). She was well thought of in the drama department and was cast as Viola, the lead role in Twelfth Night, with Neal cast as Olivia, in a university production of the Shakespeare play. In September 1945, Horton and Neal took a shared apartment in New York and looked for work. They both got parts in a production of Seven Mirrors at the Blackfriars Theatre. Horton took over from Vivien Leigh as Blanche in A Streetcar Named Desire after the play's London run was completed and it began to tour the United Kingdom. When Neal mentioned the connection to Leigh, she remarked "No one takes over for me, dear. When I leave a play, it's over."

Also appears in

Alien

Alien

8.2

Superman III

Superman III

5.5

Phase IV

Phase IV

6.3

The Razor’s Edge

The Razor’s Edge

6.3

Never Take Sweets from a Stranger

Never Take Sweets from a Stranger

7.2

Endless Night

Endless Night

6.1

The Chairman

The Chairman

5.5

The Mark of the Hawk

The Mark of the Hawk

3.0

Strange Stories

Strange Stories

Not yet rated

The Woman He Loved

The Woman He Loved

10.0

Reunion at Fairborough

Reunion at Fairborough

4.8

Forgotten Prisoners: The Amnesty Files

Forgotten Prisoners: The Amnesty Files

Not yet rated

Let’s Be Happy

Let’s Be Happy

4.8

Widows’ Nest

Widows’ Nest

Not yet rated

Thunder on Sycamore Street

Thunder on Sycamore Street

Not yet rated

Auntie Kathleen’s Old Clothes

Auntie Kathleen’s Old Clothes

Not yet rated

The Pueblo Affair

The Pueblo Affair

Not yet rated

The Best of Friends

The Best of Friends

Not yet rated