PATRICIA Barrie, who has died aged 94, was a successful actor in her early 20s before she gave up her career to raise a family.

Mrs Barrie, known as 'Paddy', fell in love with acting as a child. Born in Pembury, Kent, to Sydney Tucker, a doctor, and Winifred (née Chatwin), a nurse, she attended Hamilton House school in Tunbridge Wells and then became a prizewinning student at RADA in London.

She graduated in the summer of 1939 and landed a job at the Regent’s Park open air theatre, playing Hippolyta in A Midsummer Night’s Dream.

She appeared in that production with her flatmate, the future Hollywood star Deborah Kerr, who had a walk-on part.

The principal of RADA then recommended Mrs Barrie to John Gielgud, who offered her a job on the spot.

However, believing she should honour her commitment to the Regent's Park Theatre she turned Gielgud down, a decision she later called the biggest mistake of her career.

During the Second World War she appeared at the Vaudeville theatre in London at the height of the blitz – and had a narrow escape when a bomb landed outside her flat without exploding.

She also worked in repertory companies during the war, travelling all over the country.

She particularly liked performing in Dundee, appearing alongside Patrick Cargill in various productions and remembering in vivid detail one especially wild all-night party in the city that took place on board a submarine.

Wartime theatre also meant entertaining the troops around the country, occasionally with an all-female cast.

Around this time the film director Michael Powell asked to see Mrs Barrie and said he could give her work, although he insisted she go back to her 'natural' hair colour. Mrs Barrie indignantly retorted that she was a natural blonde.

Powell gave her a part in The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp (1943), although she ended up on the cutting room floor.

Her career was starting to take off when Alec Barrie, the man she loved, returned from the war.

She had met Alec, who was the great-nephew of the author JM Barrie, in 1940, shortly before he was posted abroad for four years with the Royal Artillery.

A civil engineer, Mr Barrie's job eventually took the couple down to the New Forest, where his wife decided to concentrate on raising a family.

After her husband's death in 1969 she worked briefly as a presenter for BBC Radio Solent, and later in a bookshop in Lymington.

A feisty, sharp woman with a zest for life, Mrs Barrie volunteered for local charities, was a keen sailor, and loved reading and walking.

She is survived by her three children, five grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren.