Geraldine Sherman (born Geraldine Judith Schoenmann) known as Dena Hammerstein, is a British actress and writer, and theatre producer. She was the third wife of James Hammerstein, and after his death became president/CEO of James Hammerstein Productions Ltd. Early life Sherman was born in Staines, Middlesex. Her parents were refugees from Czechoslovakia. Her father Kurt Wilhelm Schoenmann was born in Teplitz in Bohemia in 1915. He married Edith Peller, later coming to Britain to escape Nazi persecution, but was interned in March 1940 because his nationality was Austrian. He was then transported to Australia on the infamous 1940 Dunera voyage, and held in Loveday and Tatura internment camps until 1942. Notes: Actress Writer When It's Over, by Geraldine Sherman and Eduardo Machado: Long Wharf Theatre, New Haven, Connecticut: playreading 1985–1986, workshop 1986–1987 Finborough Theatre, London, 23 October – 16 November 1991 Thin Ice, 1995 film Theatre producer Philanthropist Dena Hammerstein worked as a volunteer in New York City hospitals for over 15 years, and in 2003 received the United Hospital Funds New Leadership Group's Humanitarian Award. She is Founder of Only Make Believe, a non-profit organisation that creates and performs interactive theatre for children in hospitals and care facilities, inspired by her early work as an actress in the UK touring special-needs schools. Personal life In 1970, a choreographer friend invited her to holiday in New York where she met Jamie Hammerstein. Married theatre director James Hammerstein who directed her in Butley, and has one son Simon Hammerstein (born 1977). Notes References External links Geraldine Sherman at BFI Pictures Extra in A Hard Day's Night: Girl Outside Secondhand Shop, 1964 from A Hard Day's Night Cast and Extras Publicity photo for King of the River, 1966 Publicity photo for Take a Girl Like You, 1970 Dena in 2013 Dena Living people Actresses from London British film actresses British television actresses British stage actresses Hammerstein family (show business) Theatre managers and producers British people of Czech-Jewish descent Women theatre managers and producers Year of birth missing (living people)