Actors

The actors who have played Christine

May I have an assurance that no film dealing with the life of Miss Keeler will be allowed to be shown in this country?"
Irene Ward MP, House of Commons, 21 Nov 1963

Joan Collins and Peter Sellers - "Fool Britannia"

Joan Collins - probably the first to play Christine

.“Fool Britannia” 1963.

Probably the first dramatisation

A comedy satire written by Anthony Newley and Leslie Bricusse starring Peter Sellers, Daniel Massey, Michael Lipton and Joan Collins, who played Christine.

Performed live to an invited audience, in New York on 6 August 1963. The Lp and EP was released shortly after. Due to censorship at the time in the UK, they was not allowed to mention the Stephen Ward Trial or Profumo resigning, so on the last track a voice says:

“There’s no smoke without fire” or as my old Latin master would put it “Non Combusto Profumo”.

The original LP cover featuring an illustration by Barry Fantoni

Front cover

Back Cover

The film that is still banned to this day, 65 years later, "The Keeler Affair"

Yvonne Buckingham

Yvonne Buckingham starred as Christine Keeler in the film “The Keeler Affair” ,1963

It cost around £100,000 and starred John Drew Barrymore, (Drew Barrymore Father) as Ward. Wit even by two Daily Mirror journalists and Robert Spafford directed

The Keeler Affair still does not have a release in the UK, the (BBFC) British Board of Film Censors rejected the film twice, once in 1963 and again in 1970.

There is a very interesting piece on the censorship of this film by Richard Farmer

The film is still rejected in the UK to this day, but bootleg copies can be found on EBay.

"Scandal"

Joanne Whalley played Christine in film “Scandal” 1989

There was still pressure against making a film on the events, with some of the actors being warned off appearing in it.

It went to be a big success and even performed well at the US box office, Harvey Weinstein's Mirarmax helped finance it.

Christine and her son went on a set visit. John Hurt was filming the Stephen Ward suicide scene and one of the actors told Christine that there were "pervy" producers always asking for more sex in the film.

Things were never quite as out of control for the establishment in this country as they were for about three or four months in the middle of 1963.”
– Joe Boyd, executive producer of ‘Scandal’

Joanne Whalley

The first musical?

“A Model Girl” - January 30 to February 24 2007 a musical that played at the Greenwich Theatre.

Emma Williams played Christine.

Emma Wiiliams

Christine's favorite

Alice Coulthard 2011 at the Richmond Theatre

Sarah Armstrong 2013 at the Charing Cross Theatre

“Keeler” - Opened Feb 14 2007 and played again in 2011 and 2013. A stage play put together by Paul Nicholas who also played the part of Stephen Ward at the Charing Cross Theatre.

It was written by Gill Adams and had a run at the Richmond Theatre in 2011 then at the Charing Cross Theatre at the end of 2013. Alice Coulthard initially played Christine with Sarah Armstrong taking over for the Charing Cross run.

Christine helped with the script and enjoyed working with Paul Nicholas on this.

Musical at Colchester

Laura Wyatt (seated) played Christine at the Headgate Theatre.

Ashleigh Cole played Christine at the Mercury Theatre.

“Christine: The Musical” 2012 and 2015 by Tony Franchi. Tony wrote the music and lyrics and co wrote the script with Marion Wells.

It was staged in Colchester at the Headgate Theatre in 2012 and Mercury Theatres in 2015..

From Andrew Lloyd Webber

Charlotte Spencer

On the stage, there was the Andrew Lloyd Webber musical “Stephen Ward”. It opened at the Aldwych Theatre in late 2013 with Charlotte Spencer in the role of Christine.

Mandy Rice-Davies attended the premiere not long before her death. Although asked for her help with the show, Christine refused to be involved and didn't see it.

Netflix - "The Crown"

Gala Gordon

Gala Gordon had a fleeting appearance as Christine in “The Crown” season 2 episode 10 - Mystery Man 2017.

The mystery man of the title refers to Prince Phillip and his supposed involvement in the scandal.

BBC Drama

Sophie Cookson

Sophie Cookson played Christine in the BBC drama “The Trial of Christine Keeler” ,2019.

This six episode drama explored the characters and impact of the scandal. The drama also covered the trial that saw Christine go to prison for perjury, part of the story that has often been skirted over.