Vivien Merchant

Biography

Vivien Merchant was a British actress born Ada Thompson on July 22, 1929, who achieved notable success in stage and film productions from the 1950s to the 1970s. Her career highlight includes winning the BAFTA TV Award for Best Actress in 1964 and receiving an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress for her role in Alfie (1966). She was married to playwright Harold Pinter, with whom she performed in many of his plays, until their divorce in 1980.