Photo: Trailer for "Start the Revolution Without Me" (1970) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g7pAZrOKQq4 / Public domain (source: Wikimedia Commons)
Billie Whitelaw was a stage actor and film actor, born on June 6, 1932 in Coventry, United Kingdom. Death is recorded on December 21, 2014, at the age of 82. Recorded honors include Commander of the Order of the British Empire.
My Take
Billie Whitelaw fascinates me because she lived at the extremes of her art. Her 25-year partnership with Samuel Beckett made her the definitive interpreter of his austere, demanding work, yet she could also terrify a mass audience as the demonic nanny in The Omen. That range, from rarefied avant-garde stage to popular horror, is genuinely uncommon. Multiple Television BAFTAs and a CBE only confirm what her career already proved. I admire performers who refuse to play it safe, and Whitelaw spent decades walking the hardest tightrope in the business.
1. Profile
- Name (English)
- Billie Whitelaw
- Name (Japanese)
- ビリー・ホワイトロー
- Reading
- びりー・ほわいとろー
- Born
- June 6, 1932 – December 21, 2014
- Zodiac / Chinese zodiac
- Gemini / Monkey
- Origin
- Coventry, United Kingdom
- Occupation
- stage actor / film actor / actor
2. Background
Awards & achievements
- Commander of the Order of the British Empire
3. Links
4. About this entry
Tags
- Last updated
- 2026-06-19
Facts are limited to publicly available information up to 2024; non-public or unconfirmed items are omitted. English text is machine-assisted (facts translated by Sonnet, "My Take" written by Opus 4.8). The Japanese page is the source of record.
Frequently asked questions
When was Billie Whitelaw born?
Born June 6, 1932.
When did Billie Whitelaw die?
Died December 21, 2014, aged 82.
Where was Billie Whitelaw from?
Billie Whitelaw was from Coventry, United Kingdom.
What did Billie Whitelaw do?
Billie Whitelaw worked as stage actor, film actor, actor.
Stage actor — see all → · Film actor — see all → · More people from the United Kingdom →