Sheila Fearn (born 3 October 1940 in Leicester) is an English retired actress best known for playing Audrey, the sister of Terry Collier in BBC situation comedies The Likely Lads and Whatever Happened to the Likely Lads?, and also as Ann Fourmile, the next door neighbour in the Thames Television sitcom George and Mildred.

Sheila Fearn
Born (1940-10-03) 3 October 1940 (age 84)
Leicester, England
OccupationActress
Years active1957–1988

Early life

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Fearn attended Gateway Girls Grammar School on Elbow Lane in Leicester, which closed in 1960.

Career

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On film, Fearn appeared in Billy Liar (1963), Catch Us If You Can (1965) and Time Bandits (1981), as well as the film versions of both The Likely Lads (1976) and George and Mildred (1980). Fearn's other television credits include Adam Adamant Lives!, Paul Temple, Crown Court, East of Ipswich by Michael Palin, Emergency Ward 10, Thriller (1 episode, 1974), Walter, Z-Cars and The Avengers. She also played Freddie, a girlfriend of Ronnie Corbett's character Timothy, in Sorry! She also appeared many times with The Scaffold.

Likely Lads writer Ian La Frenais said of her "she was sexy and funny and she knew John Lennon. Sheila always found time for everyone, and I now think of her and Audrey with great affection".[1]

Fearn retired from acting in 1988 aged 48 after breaking a leg during a fall from a mountain, leaving her with a pronounced limp, which made her believe casting directors would no longer be inclined to employ her.

Filmography

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Year Title Role Notes
1963 Coronation Street Gloria Dee 2 episodes
1963 Billy Liar Telephonist Uncredited
1963–64 Emergency Ward 10 Nurse Elizabeth Benskin 7 episodes
1964 A Hard Day's Night Makeup-lady Uncredited
1964–66 The Likely Lads Audrey Collier 9 episodes
1965–76 Z-Cars Greer Hatton / Gwen Newcombe / Josie Benson / Lucy Morrison 5 episodes
1965 The Wednesday Play Ann Johnson Episode: "Wear a Very Big Hat"
1965 Catch Us If You Can Shirley Uncredited
1965 Dixon of Dock Green Pat Rogers Episode: "The Intruders"
1965–66 The Big Spender Polly 6 episodes
1966 Weavers Green Sue Patterson 3 episodes
1966 Adam Adamant Lives! Susie Episode: "Death Has a Thousand Faces"
1966 Drama 61-67 Loretta Mays Episode: "Drama '66: A Hero of Modern Industry"
1967 Armchair Theatre Roma Episode: "A World of Time"
1967 No Hiding Place Jennifer Hemlyn Episode: "A Murder Is a Murder"
1967 The Beverly Hillbillies Young lady Episode: "Clampett Castle"
1967 The Avengers Jenny Episode: "Murdersville"
1968 Public Eye Valerie Kitson Episode: "If This Is Lucky, I'd Rather Be Jonah"
1968 The Expert Jean Chambers Episode: "Nice Day"
1969 Barrister at Law Catherine Brent TV movie
1969 Special Branch Det. Sgt. Sarah Gifford Episode: "The Children of Delight"
1969 Hadleigh Shirley Spence Episode: "For Those in Peril"
1970 Paul Temple Leda Bailey Episode: "The Man from the Sea"
1971 Trial Gwen Chappell Episode: "Good People"
1972 Thirty-Minute Theatre Audrey Episode: "An Arrow for Little Audrey"
1972 New Scotland Yard Joan Prentice Episode: "And When You're Wrong"
1972–74 Whatever Happened to the Likely Lads? Audrey Collier 11 episodes
1973 ITV Sunday Night Theatre Barbara 11 episodes
1973 Love Story Sally Episode: "Walter"
1974 Thriller Prudence Claire Episode: "Sign It Death"
1975 Spy Trap Mrs. Church Episode: "A Nice Place to Live"
1975 Crown Court Mrs. Deborah Todd Episode: "A Nice Place to Live"
1976 The Likely Lads Audrey Collier
1976–80 George and Mildred Ann Fourmile 38 episodes
1977–78 The Flockton Flyer Kathy Carter 6 episodes
1978 Parables Carol Wibberley Episode: "Neighbours"
1980 George and Mildred Ann Fourmile
1981 Time Bandits Kevin's mother
1982 Sorry! Freddie 3 episodes
1987 Screen Two Mrs Hargreaves Episode: "East of Ipswich"
1988 News at Twelve Iris Swindley 6 episodes, (final appearance)
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References

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  1. ^ Webber, Richard with Clement, Dick and La Frenais, Ian (1999). Whatever Happened to the Likely Lads. Orion. ISBN 0-7528-3793-1.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)