Polly Ward

''Polly Ward'' is a British actress, singer, and dancer known for her lively performances in British musical comedies and films during the 1930s and 1940s. ^[1] She frequently appeared in supporting and leading roles in light-hearted features, including several collaborations with comedian George Formby. ^{[2] [1]} Born Byno Poluski on 30 June 1909 in Mitcham, Surrey, England, Ward came from a prominent theatrical family as the daughter of music hall performer Winnifred Ward. ^[3] She trained at the Italia Conti School and made her stage debut in 1924, building a career across revues, pantomimes, and variety shows before transitioning to film. ^[2] Her screen credits include early sound musicals such as ''Harmony Heaven'' (1930) and dramatic adaptations like ''The Old Curiosity Shop'' (1934), as well as Formby vehicles ''Feather Your Nest'' (1937) and ''It's in the Air'' (1938). ^[1] Described as a pert, brunette performer who excelled at singing and dancing, she later shifted toward supporting parts after changing her hair color to blonde. ^[2] Ward was recognized within the entertainment community, serving as Queen Ratling of the Grand Order of Lady Ratlings in 1974. ^[2] She passed away on 23 February 1987 in Reading, Berkshire, England. ^[1]

Early life

Family heritage

Polly Ward was born Byno Poluski (also spelled Bino) on 30 June 1909 in Mitcham, Surrey, England. ^{[1] [2]} As the daughter of Winnifred Ward, a prominent music-hall performer and male impersonator who died in 1975 at the age of 95, she was immersed from childhood in Britain's vibrant theatrical and music-hall traditions. ^{[3] [2]} Her grandfather was Will Poluski, part of a long-established theatrical and circus family with deep roots in British entertainment. ^{[3] [4]} She was also the great-niece of Sam T. Poluski and the niece of character actor Gus McNaughton, who was married to her aunt Charlotta Poluski, a sister of her mother. ^[3] This lineage connected her to multiple generations of performers and provided early exposure to the stage and circus worlds. ^[2] She adopted the stage name "Polly Ward" for her career in the performing arts. ^[2] Such heritage gave her a strong foundation in entertainment, shaping her path into performance from an early age. ^[2]

Education and training

Polly Ward trained at the Italia Conti School (also known as the Conte School of theatrical arts) for her professional preparation as a performer. ^{[3] [2]} She made her theatrical debut in 1924 under her birth name Bino Poluski in the revue The Punch Bowl, which was launched by the Conte School and presented at the Duke of York Theatre on May 21. ^{[2] [5]} This marked her entry into professional theatre following her training. ^[3] Note: Some sources vary on her exact birth year (e.g., 1908 or 1912), though 1909 is most widely cited. ^[2]

Career

Stage career

Polly Ward was recognized as a talented singer-dancer who performed in stage revues and other theatrical productions during the 1920s and 1930s.^[2] A notable highlight of her early stage work was understudying Jessie Matthews in the 1929 musical revue Wake Up and Dream.^[2] Ward frequently appeared in British pantomimes, often in principal or leading roles, including Aladdin (1934), The Forty Thieves (1935), Puss in Boots (1936), Red Riding Hood (1938), and Babes in the Wood (1941 and 1942).^[2] She also performed in legitimate theatre, playing Maria in a 1937 production of Twelfth Night.^[2]

Early film roles

Polly Ward began her film career with her screen debut in the silent production This Marriage Business (1927). ^[2] She quickly transitioned to the early sound era, appearing in Alf's Button (1930) and starring in Harmony Heaven (1930), the second British film musical. ^{[2] [6]} In the latter, she played Billie Breeze in a lively backstage story that highlighted her singing and dancing talents. ^[6] Described as an adorably pert, saucer-eyed brunette who lit up the screen and danced up a storm, Ward built a reputation as a vibrant singer-dancer in supporting and featured roles throughout the early to mid-1930s. ^[2] Her credits from this period include His Lordship (1932) as Leninia, Kentucky Minstrels (1934, uncredited), The Old Curiosity Shop (1934) as 'The Marchioness', It's a Bet (1935) as Maudie, Show Flat (1936) as Mary Blake, and Shipmates o' Mine (1936). ^[2] These appearances established her as a reliable presence in British comedy, musical, and dramatic films before her more prominent leading roles later in the decade. ^[2]

Peak film period and George Formby collaborations

Polly Ward experienced the height of her screen career in the late 1930s, a period when she featured prominently in British musical comedies and appeared opposite popular comedian George Formby in two films. ^{[2] [1]} She stands out as one of only four actresses to serve as Formby's leading lady more than once—the others being Florence Desmond, Kay Walsh, and Beryl Formby—during his peak popularity in musical comedy features. ^[2] In Feather Your Nest (1937), Ward played Mary Taylor, the fiancée of Formby's character Willie Wattle, and took an active role throughout the story. ^[2] She carries his ukulele case, runs and falls frequently in comedic sequences, rides on his motorcycle, and engineers a jailbreak scheme that helps secure his recording contract. ^[2] The film concludes with their marriage, though it ends on a humorous note as Formby's character accidentally drops her into a mud puddle instead of delivering a romantic kiss. ^[2] Her second collaboration with Formby came in It's in the Air (1938, also known as George Takes the Air), where she portrayed Peggy, a canteen attendant and the daughter of a sergeant-major. ^{[2] [7]} Ward's role was largely peripheral to the central mistaken-identity plot involving Formby's character joining the RAF, but she participates in practical jokes, later expresses affection for him, and guides him via radio during a plane-landing scene. ^[2] Physical interactions include Formby wrestling her to the ground after mistaking machine-gun fire for danger and her giving him a cheek kiss in a darkened bedroom after mistaking him for her father. ^[2] Ward also appeared in several other films during this prolific phase, including Television Talent (1937) as Mary Hilton, Hold My Hand (1938) as Paula Pond where she performed the soundtrack songs "Hold My Hand", "Spring Time", and "As Long As I Can Look At You", Thank Evans (1938) as Rosie, and Sidewalks of London (1938) as Frankie. ^{[2] [1]} As the decade progressed, she adopted a blonde hairstyle and shifted toward supporting roles in her screen work. ^[2]

Later film appearances

In the early 1940s, Polly Ward made two final film appearances before retiring from the screen. ^[1] In 1940, she played Miss Fortescue in Bulldog Sees It Through, a British mystery war film directed by Harold Huth and starring Jack Buchanan. ^[8] The picture involved a plot centered on sabotage in armaments production, with Ward in a supporting role. ^[8] Her last credited film role came in 1943, when she portrayed Frankie Delane in Women Aren't Angels, a comedy directed by Lawrence Huntington and starring Robertson Hare and Alfred Drayton. ^[9] The film followed two music publishers entangled in wartime espionage antics alongside their wives. ^[10] Ward did not appear in any subsequent films, concluding her on-screen career after this role. ^[1]

Personal life

Marriage and later years

Polly Ward married Robert Sydney Freeman. ^[4] In her later years, she was known as Winifred Charlotte (Polly) Freeman and resided in Surrey with her husband, Robert S. Freeman. ^[2]

Honors

Death