Renowned for her acting prowess, Susan Shaw, whose real name was Patricia Gwendoline Sloots, faced a tumultuous life that ultimately left her destitute and solitary. Born in London in 1929, Shaw’s career took off in the 1940s with performances in musicals like “Walking on Air.” Her talent soon propelled her to more prominent roles in films such as “It Always Rains on Sunday” and “To the Public Danger.”

Despite her impressive career, her off-screen life was marred by personal tragedies. Susan’s first marriage was to German actor Albert Lieven, with whom she had a daughter named Anna. However, their union ended in divorce. Nevertheless, Susan didn’t take long to find love again, marrying actor Bonar Colleano in 1954. The couple had a son named Mark, but by 1958, Bonar faced financial ruin, with debts amounting to nearly £10,000—equivalent to about £205,000 today—due to his lavish spending habits.

Tragedy struck in August 1958 when Bonar died in a car accident, a blow that left Susan shattered. Struggling with her grief, she succumbed to alcohol addiction and had to entrust her son to his grandmother as she was unable to care for him.

Susan’s life continued on a downward trajectory. In 1959, she wed TV producer Ronald Rowson, marking her third marriage. However, the union was short-lived, dissolving within a year amid allegations from Ronald that she had been unfaithful with writer Stanley Mann.

While Shaw’s name remains celebrated in the annals of theatrical and cinematic history, her personal life serves as a poignant reminder of the hidden struggles that can accompany even the most glamorous of careers.

By the 70s, Susan was penniless and alone, living in Soho. She died in 1978 of cirrhosis of the liver – and her funeral was paid for by the Rank Organisation.

Pub landlord Charlie Stevenson admitted at the time: “She came in here every day. They say she died of cirrhosis of the liver and she lived next door to prostitutes in Soho. But this is Soho. We all live next door to prostitutes.

“We loved her and we weren’t going to see her buried in a pauper’s grave. Now we shall give the money to medical charities.”