Janet Munro was a British actress who rose to fame in the late 1950s and early 1960s, starring in several Disney films such as Darby O’Gill and the Little People, Third Man on the Mountain, and Swiss Family Robinson. She was also nominated for a BAFTA Film Award for her performance in Life for Ruth, a drama about a child who dies due to her parents’ religious beliefs. Munro had a promising career ahead of her, but sadly, she died at the young age of 38. What was the cause of her death and what led to her downfall?
Early Life and Career
Munro was born Janet Neilson Horsburgh in Blackpool, Lancashire in 1934, the daughter of Scottish comedian Alex Munro and his wife, Phyllis Robertshaw. She used her father’s stage name professionally. She grew up on the road with her father, often appearing with him on stage. Her mother died when Janet was seven and she was brought up by her father and later by her stepmother. After leaving school, she worked in a shoe shop but her goal was to become an actress. She got a job at a repertory company as a student messenger and learned as she went along, playing small parts and becoming a stage manager. She also appeared in a BBC TV adaptation of I Capture the Castle, playing the lead part of Rose.
Munro made her film debut in the Gordon Harker comedy Small Hotel in 1957 and started appearing regularly on British TV shows such as ITV Television Playhouse and Armchair Theatre. She also starred in two horror films, The Trollenberg Terror and The Crawling Eye, in 1958. However, her big break came when she was discovered by Walt Disney, who cast her as the female lead in Darby O’Gill and the Little People, a fantasy film about an Irishman who encounters leprechauns. Munro impressed Disney with her singing and dancing skills, as well as her ability to do an Irish accent. She won a Golden Globe Award for her performance and became a contract star for Disney.
Disney Stardom and Personal Problems
Munro went on to star in two more Disney films, Third Man on the Mountain, a mountain-climbing adventure, and Swiss Family Robinson, a family classic about a shipwrecked clan. She also appeared in The Day the Earth Caught Fire, a British sci-fi film about a global catastrophe. Munro was praised for her versatility and charm, and was considered one of the most popular and promising actresses of her generation. She was also romantically linked to several co-stars, such as Sean Connery, James MacArthur, and Michael Craig.
However, Munro’s personal life was not as happy as her professional one. She married the actor Tony Wright in 1956, but they divorced in 1959. She then married another actor, Ian Hendry, in 1963, and had two daughters with him. However, their marriage was turbulent and marred by alcoholism, infidelity, and domestic violence. Munro also suffered from depression and anxiety, and developed a heart condition that required surgery. She also lost her contract with Disney after she became pregnant with her second child, and her career began to decline. She appeared in a few more films, such as Sebastian, a spy thriller, and The Vault of Horror, a horror anthology, but none of them were successful. She also tried to revive her career on stage and television, but she struggled to find good roles and recognition.
Death and Legacy
Munro died on December 6, 1972, on her way to hospital after collapsing at her London home in Tufnell Park. Her death was ruled due to a heart attack caused by chronic ischaemic heart disease, according to Dead or Kicking. She was only 38 years old. She was cremated and her ashes were scattered at Golders Green Crematorium, according to Found a Grave.
Munro’s death was a shock to her fans and the film industry, who mourned the loss of a talented and beautiful star. Her former co-stars and friends paid tribute to her, remembering her as a warm and generous person. Her films, especially her Disney ones, remain popular and beloved by generations of viewers. She is also remembered as a pioneer of British cinema, who paved the way for other actresses to succeed in Hollywood. Munro’s life and career were cut short by tragedy, but her legacy lives on in her films and in the hearts of her fans.
