Daughter of film legend dies at 84; TRIBUTE: Actress shared memories with pupils at screening of Ealing comedy.

Byline: GrahamYoung

ACTRESS Jill Balcon, the daughter of Birmingham-born film legend Sir Michael Balcon and the mother of double Oscar-winning actor Daniel DayLewis, has died. She was 84.

Miss Balcon came to the Birmingham Odeon on New Street last October to introduce a screening of her father's 1949 Ealing comedy classic, Kind Hearts and Coronets.

She told the audience: "My father was very strict, which is no bad thing. The last thing he wanted me to be was an actress. That wasn't easy, but it didn't stop me... just like he tried to help Daniel to become a cabinet maker."

Former Birmingham International Film Festival director Roger Shannon organised the Into The Light event to celebrate Sir Michael's life.

Before and after the screening of the 1949 hit film, Miss Balcon met pupils from Edgbaston's George Dixon International School who were making a record about her father's life. Sir Michael , who died in 1997 aged 81, an old boy of the school, gave previews to pupils of movies like Whisky Galore! in order to test them before they went on release.

Mr Shannon said today: "Everyone who met Jill last year was captivated by her memories of her father and son Daniel DayLewis as well as her love of movies.

"As well as being a very well regarded actress in her own right, Jill spoke very fondly of Birmingham, her father's home, and how proud she was to represent him in the city.

"She had a wealth of stories about the UK film industry, most of which began at her father's knee."

Jill Angela Henriette Balcon was born * on January 3, 1925 and died on July 18, 2009.

CAPTION(S):

Love of movies: Jill Balcon with George Dixon High School pupils (from left) Morah Simelane, Nailah Bakhsh, Cameron McIver, Bobbette Kenge, Rhian Newell and Jennifer Ikouara, (front) at Into the Light, and (left) Daniel Day-Lewis and Sir Michael Balcon.