Deborah Kerr Birthday & Fun Facts

Deborah Kerr Birthday Highlights

Birth Name

Deborah Jane Trimmer

Place Of Birth

Glasgow, Scotland

Age

102 years old

Birth Date

September 29 1921

Deborah Kerr Facts

Child Star?

no

Occupation

Actress

Education & Qualifications

Rossholme School

Net Worth

$10,000,000

Current Partner

Peter Viertel

Children

Francesca Shrapnel, Melanie Jane Bartley, Christine Viertel

Parents

Capt. Arthur Charles Kerr Trimmer, Kathleen Rose

Siblings

Edmund Kerr-Trimmer

'The English Rose' was how this Golden Globe Award winner was referred to as.

Believe it or not, Deborah Kerr isn’t actually this Hollywood star's real name. She was originally Deborah Jane Trimmer but later preferred to be professionally referred to as Deborah Kerr.

The talented actress has been known to be a common name in various award ceremonies. Her realistic acting skills got her nominated not once or twice, but six times for the category of Best Actress for the Academy Awards. The ‘Major Barbara’ debutant has also bagged the Golden Globe Award, as well as received multiple honorary awards from the BAFTA, Cannes Film Festival, and the Academy Honorary Award. She has not only charmed her way in films but has also been a famous name in theater, television, and radio.

What was Deborah Kerr’s net worth?

While there are no confirmed sources on the exact net worth of the Glasgow-born star, it has been estimated that her net worth was about $10 million.

How much did Deborah Kerr earn per year?

Unfortunately, the exact amount earned by Deborah Kerr per year is not known.

How tall was Deborah Kerr?

This Hollywood star stood tall at 5 ft 6 in (170 cm).

How old was Deborah Kerr?

The 'The King And I' star was born on September 30, 1921, in Glasgow, Scotland. She was 86 years old when she passed away in Suffolk, England on October 16, 2007.

Scotland-born actress, Deborah was the daughter of Capt. Arthur Charles Kerr Trimmer and Kathleen Rose. The ‘Heaven Knows, Mr. Allison’ talent spent a few years of her childhood in Helensburgh, Scotland with her parents and grandparents. 
Deborah pursued her education in Bristol, England at the Northumberland House School, as well as the Rossholme School situated in the seaside town of Weston.

Who was Deborah Kerr previously married to?

Deborah Kerr was first married to a Royal Air Force Squadron Leader named Anthony Bartley on November 29, 1945. The couple had two children, the older being Melanie Jane and the younger, Francesca Ann. Unfortunately, the 15-year marriage ended with a divorce when Bartley showed traits of jealousy over Kerr’s success. Kerr also had to stay away from home for long periods, which added to their downfall.

Who was Deborah Kerr’s partner?

In the year 1960, Kerr tied the knot with German screenwriter and author, Peter Viertel. She became the stepmother of Christine Viertel, Peter’s daughter.

British actor Stewart Granger sparked rumors of an alleged affair with Kerr.

Career And Professional Highlights

Best Known For…

Deborah Kerr received professional training as a ballet dancer and first appeared on stage in the year 1938 at Sadler’s Wells, a performing arts venue in England. Soon, she switched careers and entered the world of acting.

She first appeared on stage as Harlequin in 1937 for ‘Harlequin And Columbine’. 

After training at Sadler's Wells ballet school, it was ‘Prometheus’ which marked her first steps in the corps de ballet.

You may not believe this, but her first movie was not 'Major Barbara'. Her first role in films was in the British movie 'Contraband', but unfortunately her scenes were edited out of the movie.

The British actress was well known for her performance in films such as 'Heaven Knows, Mr. Allison', 'The King And I', 'The Grass Is Greener', 'From Here To Eternity', 'The Sundowners', 'The Life And Death Of Colonel Blimp', 'Tea And Sympathy', 'Separate Tables', 'The Night Of The Iguana', 'Black Narcissus', 'The Chalk Garden', 'An Affair To Remember', and 'The Innocents'.

What awards did Deborah Kerr win?

Receiving an Oscar nomination was nothing new for this talented actress. Kerr was nominated six times for the category of Best Actress by the Academy Awards and bagged the Honorary Oscar title in the year 1994.

She received four nominations for the Best British Actress category at the British Academy Film Awards for her spectacular performances as well and was presented with the Special Award by the committee in 1991.

She was also nominated once by the Primetime Emmy Awards for her role in 'A Woman Of Substance'.

Kerr's successful career got her five nominations at the Golden Globe Awards, two of which were won by her.

She was also nominated five times at the NYFCC Awards and won three of these awards as well.

• The name ‘Kerr’ was a family name, which went all the way back to the name of her grandfather, Arthur Kerr Trimmer’s maternal grandmother.
• Her last movie was 'The Assam Garden' in the year 1985 in which she played the role of Helen Graham.
• 'Heartbreak House' was her first work in theatre in the year 1943 in which she played the role of Ellie Dunn.
• 'Tea And Sympathy' by Robert Anderson became the Broadway debut of Kerr in 1953 and even received a Tony Award nomination for her performance as Laura Reynolds. She played the role once again in the film adaptation of the same play, directed by Vincent Minnelli. John Kerr, her stage partner for the play, was also a co-star in the film.
• There were often misconceptions of Deborah Kerr being related to John Kerr, but they are related in no way.
• Some of Kerr's best and most convincing roles were as a nun in the 1947 movie 'Black Narcissus' and in 1957 hit 'Heaven Knows, Mr. Allison'.

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