A Hollywood actress recalled anecdotes from a starry film career playing alongside greats like Charlie Chaplin and Laurence Olivier at a fundraising talk.

Claire Bloom CBE was in conversation with theatre director Richard Digby Day at Lauderdale House in Highgate on Friday as part of a series of events raising money for the historic house.

The 83-year-old spoke of her 60-year acting career, ranging from how she got her break into film through Charlie Chaplin to winning leading roles in Romeo and Juliet, A Streetcar Named Desire and an appearance as the Queen Mother in The King’s Speech.

The evening raised about £1,000 for Lauderdale Transformed, the project to raise £2.1million to restore the Grade II-listed house.

Director Katherine Ives said: “She was absolutely charming. The audience was enraptured.”