Actual suicide was a result of swallowing lye, alkali, or another unidentified caustic substance on top of the barbiturates which were ingested as detailed in her posthumously published journals. The acidic effect of the poisonous agent was an immediate cause of death which propelled her body through a decorative glass screen. She was found by her gardener cut to ribbons in a negligee on her kitchen floor amongst the shards of glass on November 26, 1980.
Became the first Welsh actress to win a BAFTA (British version of the "Oscar") for "Best British Actress" for her sterling performance in Saturday Night and Sunday Morning (1960).
Her marriage to Rex Harrison surprised many of her friends, since she was a dedicated socialist and he a fervent Tory.
Making her debut as Ceres in Twelfth Night with Sir Michael Redgrave in 1951, she performed at the Old Vic Company in 1954 and 1955 with Shakespearean roles in Macbeth, Love's Labour's Lost, Othello and Henry V.
Played quite a few gravelly-voiced musical roles in the 1950s on stage before she focused on drama, including Talk of the Night, The Buccaneer, Oh, My Papa! and Maggie May.
The only actress to date that kept a vivid account of her life on record up until the very eve of her death. This account was published posthumously as No Bells on Sunday: The Rachel Roberts Journals (edited by the late Alexander Walker and interwoven with commentary and interviews from friends and colleagues; Pavilion Books and Simon & Schuster, London & New York, first editions 1984)
Trained at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art where she was awarded the Athene Seyler Award for Comedy.
Was nominated for Broadway's 1974 Tony Award as Best Actress (Dramatic) for performances with the New Phoenix Repertory Company.