Parents, Coral Browne's parents ?

I heard a rumour that my family may be distantly related to Coral Browne. Does anyone know who her parents were ?
Thanks very much.

Her parents were Leslie Clarence Brown (no "e") and Victoria Elizabeth (nee Bennett). Her Mother lived to a very good age (late 90s I think!).

Bruce Martin

The only reference I found to Coral Browne's mother was in Victoria Price's book, "Vincent Price:A Daughter's Biography". Here it is.

Not long afterward, Coral decided to sell the apartment, though she continued to make trips to London, where her mother lived in a nursing home until her death at age ninety-nine. Victoria Browne was, by all accounts, a tyrant. Jill Melford remarked, "Coral looked after her mother, who was a vicious old cow. I once said to Coral, I'll do anything in the world for you, but don't ask me to deal with that woman. She's the most unpleasant woman I've ever met." She would do anything to put Coral down. She was a really embittered lady who was horrible to Coral, and Coral took it. Coral could be deflated like that. Her mother used to come into the dressing room and say, "You look fat and old.' She was seriously evil to Coral." Nonetheless Coral always supported and visited her mother, enlisting the help of her friend Rosemary Merrick to look after her needs. This wasn't easy. At ninety-two, Victoria Browne had gone missing for two days. She was found in France, having organized a trip across the Channel for herself and a few of her fellow nursing-home residents. Victoria was indefatigable. In 1986, after Coral had come through and eight-week bout with pneumonia, she wrote Alan Bennett, "I don't go anyplace except hospitals for X rays and blood tests. Vinnie has thyroid trouble and is not himself at all . Mother is fine!!" Difficult as others jusifiably found Coral's mother, my father and she got along famously-a fact that understandably annoyed Coral.

Hi Simon. I'm working on a biography of Coral, as we speak.
Her parents were Victoria Elizabeth Benett, b.9 April 1890, d. 11 November 1989 in Kensington, originally from Ballarat, Aus.
Her father was Leslie Clarence Brown, b. 19 March 1890, Kaniva, Victoria. Parents were George Brown, station master and Ada Brown (nee Medcalf). They were 25 and 20 respectively when he was born. He died 13 October 1957, in Kew, Melbourne. His occupation given than was 'insurance clerk', though on Victoria's death certificate, he is listed as 'hotelier'.

Hope this is of some use to you, and do let me know if you have any luck!

Best regards

Rose Collis

You're all pretty right. Coral's parents were Victoria Elizabeth Bennett and Leslie Clarence Brown. He worked for the Victorian Railways as a victualler and later left them to do the same job for a group of hotels. Vicky lived to be 98 and died not long before Coral herself did. Coral was an only child.
Coral's biography "Another Coral Browne Story" is being published this coming June by New Holland (Aust) Pty Limited, with probable release also in UK.

Erm...she was 99, actually - 9 April 1890 to 11 November 1989.