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Roderick Andrew Anthony Jude McDowall was born in Herne Hill, London, to Winifriede Lucinda (Corcoran), an Irish-born aspiring actress, and Thomas Andrew McDowall, a merchant seaman of Scottish descent. Young Roddy was enrolled in elocution courses at age five. By age 10, he had appeared in his first film, Murder in the Family (1938), playing Peter Osborne, the younger brother of sisters played by Jessica Tandy and Glynis Johns.

His mother brought Roddy and his sister to the U.S. at the beginning of World War II, and he soon got the part of "Huw", the youngest child in a family of Welsh coal miners, in John Ford's How Green Was My Valley (1941), acting alongside Walter Pidgeon, Maureen O'Hara and Donald Crisp in the film that won that year's best film Oscar. He went on to many other child roles, in films like My Friend Flicka (1943) and Lassie Come Home (1943) until, at age eighteen, he moved to New York, where he played a long series of successful stage roles, both on Broadway and in such venues as Connecticut's Stratford Festival, where he did Shakespeare. He became a naturalized United States citizen in 1949.

In addition to making many more movies (over 150), McDowall acted in television, developed an extensive collection of movies and Hollywood memorabilia, and published five acclaimed books of his own photography. He died at his Los Angeles home, aged 70, of cancer. He never married and had no children.

Stephen Beckett was born on 24 May 1967 in Herne Hill, London, England, UK. He is an actor, known for Robin Hood (2006), Coronation Street (1960) and The Knowledge (2019). He has been married to Anna Brecon since 2002. They have one child.

English silent screen siren Lillian Rich was 19 when she arrived in New York, courtesy of her Canadian husband Lionel Edward Nicholson. The couple had met while "Leo" was on active duty as a fighter pilot with the Royal Naval Air Service during World War I. He came from a well-to-do middle-class family and was both able and keen to bankroll Lillian's entry into Hollywood with a stake of $1000. Prior to entering films, the dimple-chinned, auburn-haired Londoner had briefly made a name in musical comedy on the stage. In 1919, she started out on the screen playing sultry leads in westerns opposite stalwart sagebrush heroes like Jack Hoxie and Harry Carey. By the end of 1922, Lillian had already amassed 19 feature film credits on her resume. Following a divorce from Leo, she took a year's sabbatical from the screen before resuming her career with renewed vigor in 1924. The next year she was cast by the ever-extravagant Cecil B. DeMille in her defining role, as an aristocratic social-climbing, impecunious vamp in Paramount's The Golden Bed (1925). Attired in sables and bedecked with diamond bracelets, Lillian added to the general opulence (and excess) of the proceedings. She then gave what is considered her other notable performance, opposite H.B. Warner in the western railroad drama Whispering Smith (1926). There was also a minor Christie comedy, Seven Days (1925), a crime thriller with Boris Karloff and a host of low-budget B-pictures for independent producers and Poverty Row outfits like Chesterfield and Tiffany.

Between 1928 and 1930, Lillian unsuccessfully attempted a comeback in sound pictures, filming in England at Beaconsfield and at Nettlefold Studios (Walton-on-Thames, Surrey). Alas, these low-budget "quota quickies" were made for the mass market and did nothing to reboot her career. Back in the States she found herself relegated to the bottom of the bill in "Our Gang" shorts. She saw out the rest of the 1930's in uncredited, no-name bits as "nurse", "nun", "telephone operator", and so on, before fading into relative obscurity.

George Robey was born on 20 September 1869 in Herne Hill, London, England, UK. He was an actor and writer, known for Chu Chin Chow (1934), Don Quixote (1933) and The Temperance Fete (1932). He was married to Blanche Littler (manager) and Ethel Haydon (performer). He died on 29 November 1954 in Saltdean, Sussex, England, UK.

R.V. Jones was born on 29 September 1911 in Herne Hill, London, England, UK. He was married to Vera Cain. He died on 17 December 1997 in Aberdeen, Aberdeenshire, Scotland, UK.

Barbara Valerie was born on 26 November 1900 in Herne Hill, London, England, UK. She was an actress, known for Black Sheep of Whitehall (1942). She died on 22 February 1975 in Eastbourne, Sussex, England, UK.

William Hutchison was born on 26 September 1904 in Herne Hill, London, England, UK. He was an actor, known for Androcles and the Lion (1938), Ann and Harold (1938) and The White Chateau (1938). He died on 18 July 1975 in Hackney, London, England, UK.

Joe Ackerley, later known as J.R. Ackerley, was the son of Roger Ackerley, who had at least two separate families, both of which he lived with at times. Joe's mother Janetta Aylward had another son, Peter Ackerley, and a daughter, Nancy, by the same father. Joe realized in school that he was attracted to his own sex, but was slow to act on his feelings. During the First World War, he and his older brother, Peter, became officers in the British army. Both were wounded and Peter was killed. Ackerley was taken prisoner by the Germans, an experience which would lead him to write a modestly successful play called "Prisoners of War", which was first performed in 1925.

After the war, Ackerley attended Magdalene College at Cambridge University where he graduated in 1921. After working for part of a year in India (which later led to his writing a book called "Hindoo Holiday") he returned to London where he began to enjoy the literary life. He worked for the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) as a literary editor, starting a career that included reviewing books and plays. He encouraged many young literary figures including W.H. Auden.

He wrote several books on a variety of subjects, including two books about his dog, Queenie. His memoir "My Father and Myself" was published in 1968, the year after Ackerley's death. In it, he frankly discussed his life, including homosexuality and illegitimacy.

At least three of his books have been made into movies, and the BBC series "Omnibus" presented a drama based on his life.

Stella Pearce was born on 17 April 1901 in Herne Hill, London, England, UK. Stella was a costume designer, known for Ad Lib (1937). Stella was married to Eric Newton. Stella died on 18 May 2001 in Camden, London, England, UK.

Babs Valerie was born on 26 November 1900 in Herne Hill, London, England, UK. She was an actress, known for Honeymoon Hotel (1946) and Ashes (1930). She died on 22 February 1975 in Eastbourne, Sussex, England, UK.