Biography

Anne Heywood (born Violet Joan Pretty) was a British actress, best known for her Golden Globe-nominated performance in The Fox (1967). She was born on December 11, 1931, in Handsworth, Birmingham, England, and passed away on October 27, 2023, in Houston, Texas, USA. Heywood started her career as a beauty queen, winning the Miss Great Britain title in 1950. She later trained at the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art and signed a contract with the Rank Organisation, which launched her film career. She starred in notable films such as Violent Playground (1958), Floods of Fear (1958), The Chairman (1969), and Good Luck, Miss Wyckoff (1979). Her role in The Fox was groundbreaking, as it depicted a lesbian relationship, which was rare for mainstream cinema at the time. She continued to take on bold and unconventional roles throughout her career. Heywood was married to Raymond Stross, a film producer, until his passing in 1988. She later married George Danzig Druke in 1991.