A E. Mason

Pamela Helen Mason, born Pamela Helen Ostrer, was an English actress, author, and screenwriter who lived from 1916 to 1996. She was the first wife of actor James Mason and his creative partner for many years. Born into a wealthy family, her father was a prominent industrialist in the film industry. Mason began her acting career at a young age, using the name Pamela Kellino, and also worked as a screenwriter and producer. She met James Mason while married to cinematographer Roy Kellino, and after her divorce from Kellino, she married James Mason in 1940. The couple later moved to Hollywood and had two children. Mason was known for her sharp intellect and outspoken nature, famously winning a significant financial settlement in her divorce from James Mason, which was reportedly the first "million-dollar divorce." She continued to live in their Beverly Hills home until her death, surrounded by her cats.

Pamela Helen Ostrer was born in England in 1916. Her father, Isidore Ostrer, was a wealthy Jewish industrialist and banker who held a significant position in the Gaumont British Picture Corporation. Pamela left formal schooling at age nine. At eighteen, she married cinematographer Roy Kellino. She met actor James Mason in 1935 on the set of a film her husband was working on. A close relationship quickly developed between Pamela and James, leading to collaborations on various projects. Following her divorce from Roy Kellino, in which James Mason was named, she married James Mason in 1940. She continued to use the name Pamela Kellino professionally for some time. The Masons relocated to Hollywood in the late 1940s, where Pamela became known for hosting social gatherings. They had two children: Portland, who later passed away, and Morgan, who became an advisor to President Ronald Reagan.

Mason began her film career as Pamela Kellino in the 1934 Gaumont British film "Jew Süss." She was under contract with her father's company for several years, though her acting appearances were infrequent as she also pursued screenwriting and production. Throughout the late 1930s to the 1950s, she collaborated with James Mason and Roy Kellino on numerous films, often writing, producing, and acting in them. She co-starred with James Mason in "The Upturned Glass" and "Charade," both of which she also co-wrote. The Masons co-produced "I Met a Murderer" and "Lady Possessed," both directed by Roy Kellino. Later in her career, she appeared in films without James Mason, including "The Child" and "The Sandpiper." On television, she appeared with James Mason on "The James Mason Show" and was a frequent, captivating contestant on Groucho Marx's "You Bet Your Life." She also hosted her own talk shows, "The Pamela Mason Show" and "The Weaker (?) Sex," and made guest appearances on various TV series before her final acting role in a 1985 television film.

Beyond her work in film and television, Pamela Mason authored several books, some published under the name Pamela Kellino. Her novel "Del Palma" (1948) was adapted into the film "Lady Possessed." Other notable literary works include "Ignoramus, Ignoramus" (1950), a novel illustrated by James Mason, and "The Cats in Our Lives" (1949), a non-fiction book about their pets, also co-written and illustrated by her husband. Mason also wrote "Marriage Is the First Step Toward Divorce" (1968) and "The Female Pleasure Hunt" (1972). In business, she held controlling shares in Illingworth, Morris, a textile company previously managed by her father and uncle. Additionally, she managed a mail-order vitamin business and oversaw properties in Las Vegas and Los Angeles.