Brenda Dean Paul
| Brenda Dean Paul | |
|---|---|
| Born |
Brenda Irene Isabelle Frances Theresa Dean Paul 8 May 1907 Kensington, London |
| Died | 26 July 1959 (aged 52) London, England |
| Occupation | Actress, socialite |
| Years active | 1925–1938 |
Brenda Irene Isabelle Frances Theresa Dean Paul (8 May 1907 – 26 July 1959), generally known by her stage name Brenda Dean Paul, was a British silent film actress and socialite, and a member of the Bright young things in the 1920s. Her use of illegal drugs landed her in court and in the tabloid press of the day. She served time in Holloway Prison and had many stints in hospitals in efforts to shake her addiction.
Dean Paul was the daughter of Sir Aubrey Edward Henry Dean Paul, 5th Bt and the Belgian-born pianist and composer known as Poldowski, the daughter of the Polish violin virtuoso Henryk Wieniawski. Her elder brother was Napier "Napper" Dean Paul, also involved with the 'Bright young things'.
She played minor roles in touring theatre companies and ventured to Berlin to build her film career, but she was quickly drawn into Berlin's hectic nightlife and failed her screen test in 1927.
On her return to England she became a fixture of London's bohemian youth culture, the Bright Young Things, and socialised with such celebrities as Evelyn Waugh and Cecil Beaton at the group's fancy dress parties. Following a miscarriage (which some claim was an abortion) she became chemically dependent on morphine, which led to her lifelong battle with drug addiction and made her one of the most talked-about young women in London.
In February 1931 Brenda Dean Paul made her first court appearance, having been charged with bouncing a cheque. The following decades saw her in and out of various courts, receiving sentences of up to six months in prison for possession of dangerous drugs, obtaining goods on false pretences, and theft of services (refusing to pay taxi drivers). With each court appearance her name appeared in the papers, which added to her notoriety.
In 1932 she was sent to Holloway Prison, where she developed bulimia, dropping to five stone (70 lb). Over the next few years she was in and out of nursing and care homes.
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