Hilary Mason was a prolific television character actress for almost half a century, leaving a lasting impact on the screen. She will be best remembered for her chilling portrayal of the blind, psychic Heather in the macabre supernatural thriller Don't Look Now (1973).
Born in Birmingham in 1917, Mason won a scholarship to the London School of Dramatic Art before gaining repertory theater experience in Preston, Southport, York, and Guildford. During the Second World War, she performed with the troops entertainment organization Ensa.
Mason made her television debut as Mrs. Drummond in the drama series Thunder in the West (1957) and went on to play a wide range of characters in various television shows and series. She took eight different parts in Z Cars (1962) and another three in Dixon of Dock Green (1955) before playing Lady Boleyn in the acclaimed drama The Six Wives of Henry VIII (1970).
In addition to her dramatic roles, Mason also appeared in several comedy series, including My Brother's Keeper (1975) and Maid Marian and Her Merry Men (1989). She played the mother of Michael Palin's character in the Ripping Yarns (1976) episode The Curse of the Claw (1977).
After her part in Don't Look Now, Mason was cast in several horror films, including Sharon's Baby (1975),Dolls (1986),Afraid of the Dark (1991),and Haunted (1995). She also appeared twice in One Foot in the Grave (1990) during the 1990s.
Mason died in 2006 in Milton Keynes, England, leaving behind a husband of 50 years, Roger Ostime, whom she married in 1955 in Surrey.
