Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role 1959
Wendy Hiller Separate Tables 1959
SEX WORKER ROLE
Sally Hardcastle in Love on the Dole 1934
Character Is A Sugar Baby
Wendy Hiller in Love on the Dole 1936
Similar to Lilly Dollar in Warlock, this character’s surname aligns well with her profession. Wendy Hiller portrays Sally Hardcastle, and her family is hard up for employment. The play deals with the struggles of poverty in the 1930s. To survive these challenging times, Sally agrees to become the “sugar baby” of a wealthy man who is a gambler. The term sugar baby describes a person who is supported financially and materially by an older companion. Lilly’s family will remain employed if she continues being this man’s sugar baby. This arrangement will ensure that her family has a roof over their heads and food on the table. The play “Love on the Dole” made Wendy Hiller a star in her native London. You can watch the film version of “Love on the Dole” below, with Deborah Kerr as Sally Hardcastle.
Interesting footnote. Wendy and Deborah Kerr and would star in the film “Separate Tables,” and both would be Oscar-nominated for their parts. Hiller would win her Oscar, but Kerr would lose her bid to Joanne Woodward.
Watch clip from the film version with Deborah Kerr in the part of Sally Hardcastle.
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