Joan Rice Cuts The Cake

The manager G.W Ridler watches Joan cut the cake

On Saturday 22nd September 1951 the 'New Victoria/Gaumont' Cinema in Bradford commemorated its 21st birthday. It was the first cinema in Britain to be purposely designed for ‘talking pictures.’ On the stage of the cinema they not only held a 'Birthday Queen' competition, but the ‘new British rising star Joan Rice’ was invited to cut the birthday cake.

In July of that year filming of Walt Disney's live-action movie The Story of Robin Hood and his Merrie Men (1952) had finished at Denham Studios in Buckinghamshire. Joan Rice (1930-1997) had been hand-picked by Walt himself to play the part of Maid Marian. The film was released in March the following year and was a huge success. Joan was the toast of the British film industry and Hollywood now beckoned. This blog is dedicated to her memory.

To read more about our Maid Marian, please click on the Joan Rice link where there are over 79 pages about her life and career.