Geraldine Sherman

Geraldine Sherman (born Geraldine Judith Schoenmann on 20 October 1940, Staines, Middlesex, England)[1] known as Dena Hammerstein, is a British actress and writer, and theatre producer. She was the third wife of James Hammerstein, and after his death became president/CEO of James Hammerstein Productions Ltd.[2][3][4][5]

This article is about the British actress. For the Native American fashion designer, see Geraldine M. Sherman.
Geraldine Sherman
Born
Geraldine Judith Schoenmann

(1940-10-20) 20 October 1940
Staines, Middlesex, England
Other namesDena Hammerstein
OccupationActress, Writer, Theatre Producer
Years active1964 – present
Spouse(s)James Hammerstein (197x? – 1999)
ChildrenSimon Hammerstein (born 1977)
Parent(s)Kurt Wilhelm Schoenmann (1915 – 1999),
Edith Schoenmann (née Peller) (1921 – 1992)

Early life

Sherman's parents were refugees from Czechoslovakia.[6] Her father Kurt Wilhelm Schoenmann was born in Teplitz in Bohemia[Note 1] in 1915. He married Edith Peller, later coming to Britain to escape Nazi persecution, but was interned in March 1940 because his nationality was Austrian.[Issue 1] He was then transported to Australia on the infamous 1940 Dunera voyage, and held in Loveday and Tatura internment camps until 1942.[7][8][9]

Dena came from a bedsit in Ladbroke Grove, long before Notting Hill became fashionable.

Her parents were Jewish refugees. When Dena – Geraldine Sherman – was born, her father was in an internment camp in Australia and her nervous mother sent her out of London to the safety of a Jewish orphanage in Shenfield, Essex.

The kindly matron was her mother figure, so, when she was sent back to live with her parents at the age of 11, she was miserable.

"All I wanted was to go back to the orphanage," she says. "I was embarrassed by my parents, by their broken English and their permanent refugee complex. I hadn't been brought up to think that every time the doorbell rang, it was the Gestapo."

One happy memory from the orphanage to which she clung during the difficult years with her parents was of an outing to the theatre. "We were taken to see a frothy pink and white fantasy show," she remembers.

"Afterwards, I was taken to the stage door and I didn't have my arm through the sleeve of my jacket, so it was hanging loose. When the star came out, she said: 'Would the little girl with only one arm please step forward?' I immediately put on a limp as well and, from that moment, I was on the road to make-believe."

At the age of 17, she ran away to join a theatre group.

— I was on the road to make-believe – Cassandra Jardine, The Telegraph, 16 June 2004

Notes:

  1. The Kingdom of Bohemia was in the Austro-Hungarian Empire until both were dissolved in 1918 at the end of World War I, when Bohemia became part of Czechoslovakia

Actress
Film
Year Title Role Notes
1964 A Hard Day's Night Girl Outside Secondhand Shop Uncredited
1967 Poor Cow Trixie
1968 Interlude Natalie
1968 Deadfall Delgado's Receptionist
1968 The Bliss of Mrs. Blossom Dr. Krunhauser
1968 Song of Summer Girl next door TV Series documentary
1969 Take a Girl Like You Anna Le Page
1970 There's a Girl in My Soup Caroline
1971 Get Carter Girl in Café
1971 Cry of the Penguins Penny
1995 Thin Ice Dena
1997 Bent Prostitute (final film role)
Television
Date Title Role Notes
1964 Foreign Affairs peasant girl Granada Television [10]
1 July 1964 Catch Hand: Stop Counting at One Marian BBC tv [11]
25 August 1964 Love Story: Arranged for Strings Miss Fish ATV
18 September 1964 The Big Noise, or Episodes in the Uneasy Life of a Top Pop Disc Jockey Jackie BBC tv [12]
3 November 1965 Up the Junction Rube BBC tv [13] [14]
9 March 1966 Softly, Softly: The Key Eileen Murphy BBC tv [15]
4 June 1966 Juke Box Jury Self – panellist BBC tv [16]
6 July 1966 – 26 October 1966 King of the River Susanna King BBC tv [17] [18]

15 episodes: [19] [20] [21] [22] [23] [24] [25] [26] [27] [28] [29] [30] [31] [32] [33]

30 January 1967 Till Death Us Do Part: A Woman's Place is in the Home BBC tv [34]
4 March 1967 Juke Box Jury Self – panellist BBC tv [35]
22 April 1967 – 13 May 1967 The Forsyte Saga Victorine Bicket BBC tv
4 episodes:
  • Part 16: A Family Wedding [36]
  • Part 17: The White Monkey [37]
  • Part 18: Afternoon of a Dryad [38] [39]
  • Part 19: No Retreat [40]
13 December 1967 The Wednesday Play: Death of a Private Mary BBC tv [41]
10 April 1968 Thirty-Minute Theatre: The Sinner the Girl BBC tv [42]
13 April 1968 Public Eye: Cross That Palm When We Come to It Fay ABC Television
30 October 1968 The Wednesday Play: A Bit of Crucifixion, Father Sheila BBC tv [43]
18 January 1969 ITV Sunday Night Theatre: Bangelstein's Boys Dick's Girl LWT [44]
9 November 1969 Strange Report: Report 2475: Revenge - When a Man Hates Secretary Arena Productions
19 November 1969 The Wednesday Play: There is also Tomorrow Rosemary BBC tv [45]
15 December 1969 The Root of All Evil?: Bloxham's Concerto for Critic and Carpenter Pippa Yorkshire Television [46]
19 April 1970 Play of the Month: E. M. Forster's Howards End Jacky BBC tv [47]
4 January 1971 Doomwatch: The Islanders Alice BBC tv [48]
21 October 1971 Play for Today: Edna, the Inebriate Woman Trudi BBC tv [49]
30 June 1976 – 7 July 1976 Killers: The Stinie Morrison Case Nellie Deitch Thames Television

2 episodes: [50] [51]

3 January 1982 Little Miss Perkins Mrs. Issacs LWT [52]
21 November 1982 The Professionals: You'll Be All Right Chrissie Stone LWT [53]
11 October 1992 Screen One: Running Late Mrs Zee BBC tv [54]
10 December 1996 Soldier Soldier: Hell and High Water Mrs. Beryl Grey Central Independent Television [55]
Stage
Date Title Role Theatre Notes
31 October 1972 – 24 February 1973 Butley Miss Heasman Morosco Theatre, New York [56][57]

Writer

When It's Over, by Geraldine Sherman and Eduardo Machado:

Long Wharf Theatre, New Haven, Connecticut: playreading 1985–1986, workshop 1986–1987 [58]
Finborough Theatre, London, 23 October – 16 November 1991 [59] [60]

Thin Ice, 1995 film [61]

Theatre producer
Theatre Producer
(Dena Hammerstein)
Dates Title Author Director Theatre Notes
1 August 1996 – 27 July 2008 I Love You, You're Perfect, Now Change Joe DiPietro and music by Jimmy Roberts Joel Bishoff Westside Theatre (Upstairs), New York
6 January 2004 – 22 February 2004 Allegro Rodgers & Hammerstein Eric Schaeffer Signature Theatre, Arlington, Virginia [62][63]
16 June 2004 – 28 August 2004 Dirty Blonde Claudia Shear James Lapine Duke of York's Theatre, London [64][65]
1 October 2005 – 13 November 2005 Slut Ben H. Winters & Stephen Sislen Gordon Greenberg American Theater of Actors / Century Promenade, New York [66][67][68]
13 May 2006 – 22 July 2006 Sunday in the Park with George Stephen Sondheim & James Lapine Sam Buntrock Wyndhams Theatre, London [69]
15 October 2006 – 17 December 2006 My Name Is Rachel Corrie Alan Rickman and Katharine Viner Alan Rickman Minetta Lane Theatre, New York [70]
11 December 2007 – 29 March 2008 Dealer's Choice Patrick Marber Samuel West Trafalgar Studios, London [71]
2 October 2008 – 21 December 2008 The Seagull Anton Chekhov, new version by Christopher Hampton, music by Stephen Warbeck Ian Rickson Walter Kerr Theatre, New York [72]
26 February 2009 – 12 September 2010 Our Town Thornton Wilder David Cromer Barrow Street Theatre, New York [73][74]
1 October 2009 – 3 January 2010 Superior Donuts Tracy Letts Tina Landau Music Box Theatre, New York [75]
27 April 2010 – 9 May 2010 Enron Lucy Prebble (words), Adam Cork (music) Rupert Goold Broadhurst Theatre, New York [76]
31 May 2011 – 27 August 2011 Butley Simon Gray Lindsay Posner Duchess Theatre, London [77]
15 January 2015 – 5 April 2015 Honeymoon in Vegas Jason Robert Brown Gary Griffin Nederlander Theatre, New York [78]

Philanthropist

Dena Hammerstein worked as a volunteer in New York City hospitals for over 15 years, and in 2003 received the United Hospital Funds New Leadership Group's Humanitarian Award.[5] She is Founder of Only Make Believe, a non-profit organisation that creates and performs interactive theatre for children in hospitals and care facilities, inspired by her early work as an actress in the UK touring special-needs schools.[79][80]

Her greatest pride is reserved for the charity, "Only Make Believe", which she founded with the idea of letting the theatre help institutionalised children as it had once helped her. At first, she had thought of taking sick children to the theatre, but it was such a problem getting them there that they were too exhausted to enjoy the shows.

Instead, she has brought the theatre to the children. The actors arrive with a large dressing-up trunk to rehearse a play in hospital using a script by Dena and children as performers.

— I was on the road to make-believe – Cassandra Jardine, The Telegraph, 16 June 2004

Personal life

In 1970, a choreographer friend invited her to holiday in New York where she met Jamie Hammerstein.[3]

Married theatre director James Hammerstein[Issue 2] who directed her in Butley, and has one son Simon Hammerstein (born 1977).[4]

Notes
  1. Why was Kurt's nationality Austrian if born in Teplitz which had in 1918 become part of Czechoslovakia?
    What was Edith's nationality?
  2. Can't find date of marriage

References
  1. "FreeBMD Entry Info". Freebmd.org.uk. Retrieved 4 August 2017.
  2. "Obituary: James Hammerstein". Independent.co.uk. 11 January 1999. Retrieved 4 August 2017.
  3. Jardine, Cassandra. "I was on the road to make-believe". Retrieved 4 August 2017.
  4. "The Hammerstein Family". Observer.com. 18 December 2006. Retrieved 4 August 2017.
  5. Board of Only Make Believe
  6. "CAST - WW2 BCRC and CRTF - Registered Individuals". Webspace.webring.com. Retrieved 4 August 2017.
  7. 3600, scheme=AGLSTERMS.AglsAgent; corporateName=National Archives of Australia; address=Queen Victoria Terrace, Parkes, ACT 2600; contact=+61 2 6212. "RecordSearch - National Archives of Australia". recordsearch.naa.gov.au. Retrieved 4 August 2017.CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  8. 3600, scheme=AGLSTERMS.AglsAgent; corporateName=National Archives of Australia; address=Queen Victoria Terrace, Parkes, ACT 2600; contact=+61 2 6212. "RecordSearch - National Archives of Australia". recordsearch.naa.gov.au. Retrieved 4 August 2017.CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  9. 3600, scheme=AGLSTERMS.AglsAgent; corporateName=National Archives of Australia; address=Queen Victoria Terrace, Parkes, ACT 2600; contact=+61 2 6212. "RecordSearch - National Archives of Australia". recordsearch.naa.gov.au. Retrieved 4 August 2017.CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  10. BFI – Foreign Affairs
  11. BBC – Catch Hand: Stop Counting at One
  12. BBC – The Big Noise
  13. BBC – Up the Junction
  14. BBC – Up the Junction
  15. BBC – Softly, Softly: The Key
  16. BBC – Juke Box Jury 4 June 1966
  17. "CTVA UK "King of the River" (BBC) (1966-67) starring Bernard Lee". ctva.biz. Retrieved 4 August 2017.
  18. Publicity photo for King of the River
  19. BBC – King of the River: Foreign Invasion 6 July 1966
  20. BBC – King of the River: Sunset for a Sailorman 12 July 1966
  21. BBC – King of the River: Shipwreck 19 July 1966
  22. BBC – King of the River: What Shall We Do with a Drunken Sailor? 27 July 1966
  23. BBC – King of the River: It's an Ill Wind 3 August 1966
  24. BBC – King of the River: By Guess and by God 10 August 1966
  25. BBC – King of the River: Down River to Glory 17 August 1966
  26. BBC – King of the River: Once Aboard the Lugger 24 August 1966
  27. BBC – King of the River: Sling Your Hook 31 August 1966
  28. BBC – King of the River: A Beautiful Pea-green Boat 7 September 1966
  29. BBC – King of the River: Keeping The Old Spirit Alive 14 September 1966
  30. BBC – King of the River: Flash Point 28 September 1966
  31. BBC – King of the River: The Great Albert Mystery 5 October 1966
  32. BBC – King of the River: Susanna Goes Fishing 19 October 1966
  33. BBC – King of the River: The End of the Voyage 26 October 1966
  34. BBC – Till Death Us Do Part: A Woman's Place is in the Home
  35. BBC – Juke Box Jury 4 March 1967
  36. BBC – The Forsyte Saga: Part 16: A Family Wedding 22 April 1967
  37. BBC – The Forsyte Saga: Part 17: The White Monkey 29 Apr 1967
  38. BBC – The Forsyte Saga: Part 18: Afternoon of a Dryad 6 May 1967
  39. BBC – The Forsyte Saga: Part 18: Afternoon of a Dryad 6 May 1967
  40. BBC – The Forsyte Saga: Part 19: No Retreat 13 May 1967
  41. BBC – The Wednesday Play: Death of a Private
  42. BBC – Thirty-Minute Theatre: The Sinner
  43. BBC – The Wednesday Play: A Bit of Crucifixion, Father
  44. BFI – Bangelstein's Boys
  45. BBC – The Wednesday Play: There is also Tomorrow
  46. BFI – Bloxham's Concerto for Critic and Carpenter
  47. BBC – Play of the Month: E. M. Forster's Howards End
  48. BBC – Doomwatch: The Islanders
  49. BBC – Play for Today: Edna, the Inebriate Woman
  50. BFI – The Stinie Morrison Case: Part 1
  51. BFI – The Stinie Morrison Case: Part 2
  52. BFI – Little Miss Perkins
  53. BFI – You'll Be All Right
  54. BBC – Screen One: Running Late
  55. BFI – Hell and High Water
  56. League, The Broadway. "Butley – Broadway Play – Original - IBDB". Ibdb.com. Retrieved 4 August 2017.
  57. Hischak, Thomas S.; Hischak, Thomas; Bordman, Gerald Martin (2001). American Theatre: A Chronicle of Comedy and Drama, 1969-2000. OUP USA. p. 50. ISBN 978-0-19-512347-0.
  58. "Show Archive: 1985 - 1990 - Long Wharf Theatre". Longwharf.org. Retrieved 4 August 2017.
  59. "Finborough Theatre". Finboroughtheatre.co.uk. Retrieved 4 August 2017.
  60. Reunited, Genes. "Register with Genes Reunited - Genes Reunited". Genesreunited.co.nz. Retrieved 4 August 2017.
  61. "Coming in from the cold". Independent.co.uk. 28 April 1995. Retrieved 4 August 2017.
  62. "An Intriguing Second Life For Allegro". Rnh.com. Retrieved 4 August 2017.
  63. Harris, Paul (11 May 2005). "'Lost' musicals find way to Hayes kudos". Variety.com. Retrieved 4 August 2017.
  64. "Dirty Blonde review at Duke of Yorks London - Review - Theatre - The Stage". Variety.com. Retrieved 4 August 2017.
  65. Wolf, Matt (21 March 2004). "'Blonde' ambition". Variety.com. Retrieved 4 August 2017.
  66. "'Slut,' a new musical written by Ben H. Winters and Stephen Sislen, at the American Theatre of Actors on the 13 Sep - 13 Nov 2005". Newyorktheatreguide.com. Retrieved 4 August 2017.
  67. Rooney, David (3 October 2005). "Review: 'Slut'". Variety.com. Retrieved 4 August 2017.
  68. "Slut - 2005 Off-Broadway - Creative Team". Broadwayworld.com. Retrieved 4 August 2017.
  69. Billington, Michael (25 May 2006). "Sunday in the Park With George". The Guardian. Retrieved 4 August 2017.
  70. Robertson, Campbell (22 June 2006). "My Name Is Rachel Corrie - Review - Theater". The New York Times. Retrieved 4 August 2017.
  71. "Marber's Dealer's Choice to Return to the West End - Playbill". Playbill.com. Retrieved 4 August 2017.
  72. The Seagull (2008 production) at the Internet Broadway Database
  73. Isherwood, Charles (26 February 2009). "21st-Century Grover's Corners, With the Audience as Neighbors". The New York Times. Retrieved 4 August 2017.
  74. User, Super. "BARROW STREET THEATRE - OUR TOWN". Barrowstreettheatre.com. Retrieved 4 August 2017.
  75. League, The Broadway. "Superior Donuts – Broadway Play – Original - IBDB". Ibdb.com. Retrieved 4 August 2017.
  76. League, The Broadway. "Enron – Broadway Play – Original - IBDB". Ibdb.com. Retrieved 4 August 2017.
  77. "Butley review at Duchess Theatre London - Review - Theatre - The Stage". Thestage.co.uk. Retrieved 4 August 2017.
  78. League, The Broadway. "Honeymoon in Vegas – Broadway Musical – Original - IBDB". Ibdb.com. Retrieved 4 August 2017.
  79. About Only Make Believe
  80. "D.C. gets Only Make Believe: Charity expands in 13th year". Articles.orlandosentinel.com. Retrieved 4 August 2017.

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