Zena Walker

British actress Zena Walker would become better known for her output of theatre work than film. Born on March 7, 1934, in Birmingham, she was the daughter of George Walker, a grocer, and wife Elizabeth Louise (Hammond). A sensuous, graceful, dusky-voiced presence, she was educated at St. Martin's School and trained at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art. She turned down a film contract by Alexander Korda at this time in favor of additional training. Zena made her professional stage debut in Birmingham in 1950 in a walk-on part in "Smooth-Faced Gentleman". From there, she played a number of lovely Shakespearean femmes in repertory at the Stratford and the Old Vic, including "Miranda" in "The Tempest" (1952), "Juliet" in "Romeo and Juliet" (1954), "Katharine" in "Henry V" (1955) and "Perdita" in "The Winter's Tale" (1955). Following occasional TV work in the late 1950s, she entered 1960s films with little fanfare although she did meet and subsequently marry her first husband, actor Rober