Portland Mason

Portland Mason (1948 – 2004) was an American-born British former child-actress.

Early life

Mason was born November 26, 1948 and was the eldest child of actors James Mason and Pamela Mason. She enjoyed a luxurious upbringing in her parent's Hollywood mansion, being allowed to wear makeup, stiletto heels and owning her own Mink coat and diamonds by the age of nine. Her highly publicized life began with her father becoming violent towards a photographer at the little girl's christening. When she attended high-school, Mason was dropped off every morning by a Rolls-Royce and picked up every evening by a white Cadillac. Reportedly, her father introduced her to smoking at the age of three in hope it would put her off it in later life. Despite her extremely Bohemian upbringing, a London reporter who interviewed Mason in 1966 found her "surprisingly unspoilt, somewhat shy and unassuming".

Career

Mason began her acting career very young, appearing on many television shows and by the age of four had starred in her own short entitled The Child. Mason then went onto play Gregory Peck's daughter in the 1956 film The Man in the Grey Flannel Suit. After that, she appeared in many films, shows and television series, most notably as Georgina in The Great St. Trinian's Train Robbery in 1966.

Personal Life and Death

Mason died in Santa Monica, California at the age of 55 in 2004, from undisclosed causes. She is survived by her brother Morgan Mason.