Deddie Davies (born Gillian Nancy Davies, 2 March 1938 – 21 December 2016)[1] was a Welsh character actress.[2]
Deddie Davies | |
|---|---|
| Born | Gillian Nancy Davies 2 March 1938 Bridgend, Wales |
| Died | 21 December 2016 (aged 78) Swansea, Wales |
| Occupation | Actress |
| Years active | 1967–2016 |
Biography
editDavies was born in Bridgend, Wales.[2] She trained at RADA and is most familiar to television viewers for comedy roles in a host of series, including The Rag Trade, That's My Boy, Some Mothers Do 'Ave 'Em and Chance in a Million.[2][3]
She appeared in non-comedic roles in series such as The Bill, Upstairs, Downstairs, The Forsyte Saga and Grange Hill.[2] Her film roles include that of Nell Perks in The Railway Children (1970), and The Amazing Mr. Blunden (1972).[2]
In her later life, Davies was concerned for issues facing the elderly. In May 2007 she had musical success as a member of superannuated pop group The Zimmers. Their cover version of "My Generation" reached number 26 in the UK Singles Chart.[citation needed] In 2008, Davies investigated the quality of life in elderly care facilities by posing as the aunt of a BBC reporter, being admitted to a rest home, and spending five days there.[4] She recorded her experiences and treatment and concluded that life in many facilities was a "slow death", featuring inactivity, loneliness and minimal interpersonal interaction. Davies's research was reported on BBC Radio 4's Today programme.[5][6] She became a trustee and recorded a video for UK registered charity Compassion in Care.[7]
From 2012, she appeared as Marj Brennig in the British TV series Stella.[8][9]
She died of ovarian cancer on 21 December 2016, aged 78.[10]
Partial filmography
editTV
edit| Year | Title | Character | Original Network | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1967 | The Forsyte Saga | Millie | BBC Two | 2 episodes |
| Vanity Fair | Lady Crawley | 2 episodes | ||
| 1968 | Late Night Horror | Yvonne | Episode: "The Kiss of Blood" | |
| 1971 | Doctor at Large | Mrs. Coates | London Weekend Television | Episode: "Upton Sells Out" |
| 1972 | Both Ends Meet | Flo | 7 episodes | |
| Clochemerle | Madame Fouache | BBC Two | 7 episodes | |
| 1973 | Some Mothers Do 'Ave 'Em | Miss Thomas | BBC One | Episode: "The Hospital Visit" |
| The Adventures of Black Beauty | Miss Hudson | London Weekend Television | Episode: "Wild Justice" | |
| 1975 | My Old Man | Bride | Yorkshire Television | 1 episode |
| Upstairs, Downstairs | Mrs Tibbitt | London Weekend Television | Episode: "Noblesse Oblige" | |
| 1977 | Just William | Miss Fairman | Episode: "Waste Paper Please" | |
| 1977–78 | The Rag Trade | Mabel | 22 episodes | |
| 1978 | Get Some In! | Akela | Thames Television | Episode: "Labrador" |
| The Mayor of Casterbridge | Nancy | BBC Two | 2 episodes | |
| 1981 | You're Only Young Twice | Flo | Yorkshire Television | Episode: "Breakfast at Peabody's" |
| 1982 | A.J. Wentworth, B.A. | Miss Coombes | Thames Television | 4 episodes |
| The Gentle Touch | Miss Thing | London Weekend Television | Episode: "One of Those Days" | |
| Solo | Mrs McNally | BBC One | 1 episode | |
| 1983 | Give Us a Break | Penny | Episode: "When It Rains, It Pours" | |
| Grange Hill | Cook | 1 episode | ||
| 1984–86 | Chance in a Million | Doreen Little | Channel 4[11] | 6 episodes |
| That's My Boy | Miss Edith Parfitt/Polly Bennett | Yorkshire Television | 12 episodes | |
| 1985 | The Pickwick Papers | Mrs. Cluppins | BBC One | 2 episodes |
| Titus Andronicus | Nurse | BBC Two | TV Movie [12] | |
| 1986 | Miss Marple | Mrs. Salisbury | BBC1 | Episode: "The Murder at the Vicarage" |
| 1987 | C.A.T.S. Eyes | Mrs Best | TVS | Episode: "Country Weekend" |
| My Husband and I | Bambi Bamber | Yorkshire Television | 15 episodes | |
| No Place Like Home | Mrs. Dagwood | BBC One | Episode: "Hero" | |
| The Growing Pains of Adrian Mole | Flapper | Thames Television | 1 episode | |
| 1989 | Forever Green | Rose | London Weekend Television | 1 episode |
| 1990 | Close to Home | Miss Trible | Episode: "And Then There Was One" | |
| Jeeves and Wooster | Serving Lady | Granada Television | Episode: "The Purity of the Turf" | |
| You Rang M'Lord? | Queen of Dalmatia | BBC One | Episode: "Royal Flush" | |
| 1991 | The Upper Hand | Mrs. Olive | Central | Episode: "Common Evidence" |
| Trouble in Mind | Charlotte | London Weekend Television | Episode: "The Chance to Dream" | |
| 1992 | Covington Cross | Sybil | ABC | Episode: "Blinded Passions" |
| 1992-4 | Waiting For God | Sister Sheila | BBC One | 4 episode |
| 1994–95 | Time After Time | Auntie Dot | London Weekend Television | 10 episodes[13] |
| 1995 | Coogan's Run | Post Office Barbara | BBC2 | Episode: "Handyman For All Seasons" |
| 1997 | Casualty | Marjorie | BBC1 | Episode: “Monday Bloody Monday” |
| 1997 | Cows | Cook | Channel 4 | TV Movie [13] |
| 1998 | Dangerfield | Mrs. Robinson | BBC One | Episode: "The Last Picture" |
| Keeping Mum | Elsie | Episode: "The Picnic" | ||
| 2001 | Bernard's Watch | Agnes Bell | Central | 5 episodes |
| 2005 | My Hero | Mrs. Osborne | BBC One | Episode: "The First Husband's Club" |
| Ultimate Force | Sylvia | ITV | Episode: "Deadlier Than the Male" | |
| 2007 | Sensitive Skin | Deddie | BBC Two | Episode: "Three Lost Loves" [14] |
| 2009 | Midsomer Murders | Mrs Fuller | ITV | Episode: "The Great and The Good" |
| The Catherine Tate Show | Gail | BBC Two | 1 episode [15] | |
| 2011 | Land Girls | Miss Betty Ganderton | BBC One | Episode: "Fight the Good Fight" |
| White Van Man | Irene | BBC Three | Episode: "The Stand" | |
| 2012 | The Neighbourhood | TBC | BBC North | Comedy pilot, screened at BBC's Salford Comedy Festival[16] |
| 2013 | Whitechapel | Dorothy Cade | ITV | 3 episodes |
| 2012–16 | Stella | Marj Brennig | Sky One | Series 1–5 |
Film
edit| Year | Title | Character | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1970 | The Railway Children | Nell Perks | |
| 1972 | The Amazing Mr Blunden | Miss Meakin | [17] |
| 1986 | The Canterville Ghost | Aunt Caroline | [18] |
| 1988 | Consuming Passions | Mrs Coot | |
| 1990 | The Fool | TBC | |
| 1997 | Food of Love | Village Woman | |
| 2010 | Bad Night for the Blues | Dorothy | Short film |
| 2011 | Swinging with the Finkels | Older woman | |
| 2014 | Pride | Old Lady |
References
edit- ^ Hayward, Anthony (2 January 2017). "Deddie Davies obituary". Theguardian.com. Retrieved 2 August 2020.
- ^ a b c d e "Railway Children actor Deddie Davies dies aged 78". The Guardian. 21 December 2016. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 22 December 2016.
- ^ Eddie Pedder (1985). Who's Who on Television, 3rd Edition. Michael Joseph. ISBN 0-907965-31-8.
- ^ "BBC NEWS | UK | Care home life is 'slow death'". BBC. 4 June 2008. Retrieved 22 December 2016.
- ^ Ceci, Christine (2012). Perspectives on Care at Home for Older People. New York: Routledge. p. 39.
- ^ "BBC NEWS | UK | Deddie Davies". BBC. 4 June 2008. Retrieved 22 December 2016.
- ^ "Videos | Compassion in Care". Compassionincare.com. Retrieved 2 August 2020.
- ^ "Cast List - TV Guide UK TV Listings". Archived from the original on 24 November 2016. Retrieved 21 December 2016.
- ^ Hayward, Anthony (2 January 2017). "Deddie Davies obituary". The Guardian. Retrieved 7 January 2017.
- ^ Williams, Kathryn (21 December 2016). "Stella actress Deddie Davies dies at the age of 78". Walesonline. Retrieved 2 August 2020.
- ^ Blethyn, Brenda; Callow, Simon (1 January 2013), Chance in a million: the complete series., OCLC 862848950
- ^ Howell, Jane; Sutton, Shaun; Ranson, Malcolm; Simpson, Dudley George; Lavers, Colin; Anthony, Chick; Wilders, John; Burrough, Tony; Davies-Prowles, Paul (1 January 1984). Titus Andronicus. New York, N.Y.: Ambrose Video Publishing.
- ^ a b Perry, Christopher (2015). The British Television Pilot Episodes Research Guide 1936–2015. Lulu. p. 230.
- ^ "Three Lost Loves, Series 2, Sensitive Skin – BBC Two". BBC. Retrieved 22 December 2016.
- ^ "Nan's Christmas Carol, The Catherine Tate Show – BBC Two". BBC. Retrieved 22 December 2016.
- ^ "BBC – BBC Comedy presents four comedy pilots at Salford Sitcom Showcase – Media Centre". BBC. Retrieved 22 December 2016.
- ^ Levinson, Barry; Jeffries, Lionel; Shingleton, Wilfrid; Darvas, Teddy; Fisher, Gerry; Bernstein, Elmer; Smith, Roy; Graves, Bryan; Moore, Pat (1 January 1972), The amazing Mr. Blunden, Hemdale Group, OCLC 422869247
- ^ Sherman, Fraser (2000). Cyborgs, Santa Claus and Satan: Science Fiction, Fantasy and Horror Films Made for Television. North Carolina, U.S.: MacFarland. p. 31.
