Winifred Dangerfield, acted in silent films
deb...@comcast.net
South London UK
By Ross Lidbetter
A PIONEER of cinema who first appeared on the big screen in 1913 has
died, aged 96.
Winifred Doris Dangerfield recorded her first movie - Sweep! Sweep!!
Sweep!!! - at the Clarendon Company's studio in Limes Road, Croydon,
aged just four.
At the time the town was part of a burgeoning pre-Hollywood
silent-movie scene, and the Croydon-born child actress appeared in a
motion picture written by her father Ernest.
She played a mischievous child who ended up scaling a chimney when the
sweep had been distracted by the parlour maid.
Winifred went on to appear in many other silent movies, although Sweep!
Sweep!! Sweep!!! is the only one which now survives.
It is now preserved in the National Film Archive in Berkhamsted,
Hertfordshire.
Better known as Winnie - and professionally called Unita Hanson - she
was born in Hathaway Road, Croydon, into a family steeped in the
traditions of theatre.
Her grandfather was the then famous comedian Johnny Hanson.
After appearing in silent films, she trained to become a top soprano.
Winnie appeared in countless stage musicals, including Around The World
in 80 Days and Walk This Way, becoming a leading entertainer across the
country.
But for most of her life she remained in the borough, living in St
James's Road.
She enjoyed a stage career with her brother Leslie.
They later created their own production company, Dangerfield
Productions, with variety performances that continued to entertain
until 1985, when Winnie moved to Bromley to be closer to her only
child, Regina.
But she continued to share her vocal talents, singing in the church
choir of St Mary's, in Shortlands, until reluctantly retiring in 1999.
For the past five years, Winnie was surrounded by music in her final
home, Ivor Newton House, run by the Musicians' Benevolent Fund, in
Bromley.
She died last month after a short illness.
Paying a moving tribute, her daughter, Regina Claiborne-Dixon, 64,
said: "I can't begin to explain how proud I am of her achievements.
"She was a beautiful, bright shining star. "Despite her wide range of
talent, she was always humble."