Sheila Keith, a renowned character actress, was born to Scottish parents on June 9, 1920, in London, England. Following her parents' departure, Keith was taken in by an aunt at the tender age of two and raised in Aberdeen, Aberdeenshire, Scotland.
This formative upbringing laid the foundation for Keith's future endeavors, as she subsequently trained at the prestigious Webber Douglas Academy of Dramatic Art in London, England. Keith's early career was marked by her involvement in repertory theater, with notable performances at the Pitlochry Festival Theatre in Scotland and the Bristol Old Vic in Bristol, England.
Sheila's impressive resume boasts a range of West End theater productions, including "Present Laughter," "Mame" (starring alongside the legendary Ginger Rogers),"Deathtrap," and "Anyone for Denis?". Keith's transition to television began in the mid-1960s, with appearances in various British TV shows, followed by her film debut in the early 1970s.
However, it was her memorable portrayals of nasty middle-aged women in several horror films directed by Pete Walker that cemented Keith's cult cinema status. Her chilling performances as prison warder Walker in House of Whipcord (1974) and aging, yet still lethal, cannibal Dorothy Yates in Frightmare (1974) remain particularly iconic.
Sadly, Sheila Keith passed away on October 14, 2004, at the age of 84, in Chertsey, Surrey, England. She left behind a son and a legacy that continues to captivate audiences to this day.
