Viola Keats, a talented actress, enjoyed a successful career on the West End stage and in British films from the 1930s to the 1970s, although she never achieved national stardom.
Born in Worthing, Sussex, Viola Keats studied acting at the prestigious Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA),where she won the esteemed Bancroft Gold Medal in 1933. She made her professional debut the same year at the Liverpool Playhouse, appearing as Sarah in the repertory company's production of "Easy Virtue". She quickly transitioned to film roles, starring in a string of low-budget crime capers.
Throughout the 1940s, Viola Keats became a regular voice in BBC radio drama, and in the 1950s, she embarked on a tour of Australia, where she appeared in several plays, including a critically acclaimed performance as Blanche Dubois in "A Streetcar Named Desire" and Diana Hartland in "Down Came a Blackbird".
Throughout the 1960s and 1970s, Viola Keats continued to thrive on the West End stage, taking on a diverse range of character roles. Her notable performances during this period included Lady Frinton in "Aren't We All?" (1967),the mother in Pirandello's "Six Characters in Search of an Author" (1972),and Mrs. Culver in "The Constant Wife" (1975).
Throughout her career, Viola Keats was consistently praised by critics for her stylish and quirky acting. In her personal life, she was married twice, first to the actor Harold Petersen and then to William Kellner.
