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Judy Cornwell

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Judy Cornwell
Born
Judy Valerie Cornwell

(1940-02-22) 22 February 1940 (age 84)
OccupationActress
Years active1959–present
Notable workKeeping Up Appearances
Spouse
John Kelsall Parry
(m. 1960)
Children1

Judy Valerie Cornwell (born 22 February 1940) is an English actress and writer. She is best known for her role as Daisy in the successful British sitcom Keeping Up Appearances (1990–1995). She also played Anya Claus in Santa Claus: The Movie (1985). In her later years she became known for playing Miss Marple in many stage productions, including A Murder is Announced between 2015 and 2016.[1]

Biography

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Cornwell's father served in the RAF and she grew up in Britain, where she attended a convent school, with Penelope Keith. She later attended Saint Michael Boarding school in Heacham, Norfolk, before moving to Australia with her family. She has written about her childhood experiences in her autobiography Adventures of a Jelly Baby. She later returned to Britain and became a professional dancer and comedian in her teens, working her act between the nudes at Dhurjati Chaudhury's Irving Theatre Club, on Irving Street, off Leicester Square, London.,[2][3][4][5] before becoming an actress. Her career includes roles in radio's The Navy Lark, the play Oh! What A Lovely War,[6] her own TV comedy series Moody and Pegg,[6] and a season with the Royal Shakespeare Company.

Films and television

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Cornwell's film roles include Santa Claus: The Movie (as Anya Claus) and Mad Cows. On television she has appeared in Dixon of Dock Green, Cakes and Ale, Bergerac, Doctor Who (the serial Paradise Towers), several episodes of Farrington of the F.O., The Famous Five, The Bill, Heartbeat, The Royal, Miss Marple, Midsomer Murders and The Devil's Lieutenant. Cornwell also appeared in BBC soap opera EastEnders as Queenie Trott, the mean tyrant mother of lovable loser Heather Trott. In 1987, she appeared as the English spinster Rosemary Tuttle in the episode "Rumpole and the Official Secret" from Season 4 of Rumpole of the Bailey.

She is best known however, for her portrayal of lovable working class housewife Daisy in all 44 episodes of the sitcom Keeping Up Appearances, which ran for 5 series from 1990 to 1995.

She also appeared in an episode of Birds of a Feather in 2014.

Published works

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Cornwell's books include her autobiography Adventures of a Jelly Baby (ISBN 0-283-07001-3) published in 2005 which describes her childhood growing up in Britain during the war, and then in Australia where her family emigrated.

She has also published several novels, including Cow and Cow Parsley in 1985, Fishcakes at the Ritz in 1989, The Seventh Sunrise in 1994, and Fear and Favour in 1996.

Personal life

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Cornwell married John Kelsall Parry on 18 December 1960 and they have one son together. The couple reside in Brighton.[7] There, Parry was a reporter for The Argus.

Filmography

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Film

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Year Title Role Notes
1959 Friends and Neighbours 4th Girl
1965 Dr. Terror's House of Horrors Nurse (segment Disembodied Hand), uncredited
1967 Two for the Road Pat
Jules Verne's Rocket to the Moon Lady Electra
1968 The Wild Racers Pippy
1969 Can Heironymus Merkin Ever Forget Mercy Humppe and Find True Happiness? Filigree Fondle
Cry Wolf Stella
1970 Every Home Should Have One Liz Brown
Country Dance Rosie
Paddy Breeda
Wuthering Heights Nelly Dean
1971 Whoever Slew Auntie Roo? Clarine
1985 Santa Claus: The Movie Anya Claus
1987 Cry Freedom Receptionist
1995 Persuasion Mrs. Musgrove
1999 Mad Cows Maddy's Mother

Television

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Year Title Role Notes
1964 The Sullavan Brothers Helen 1 episode
1965 The Worker (TV series) Mary 1 episode
1972 Man of Straw Guste Daimchen 4 episodes
1974–1976 Moody and Pegg Daphne Pegg 12 episodes
1976 Cakes and Ale Rosie 3 episodes
1977 Supernatural Margaret Graham Episode: Viktoria
1980–1981 The Good Companions Elizabeth Trant 9 episodes
1982 Look and Read Mrs Watson Episode: Fairground
1983 Jane Eyre Mrs Reed 2 episodes
Rumpole of the Bailey Miss Tuttle Season 4 Episode 3
Good Behaviour Mrs. Brock 1 episode
1984 The Devil's Lieutenant Rose von Siebert TV film
1985 There Comes a Time Vanessa James 7 episodes
1987 Doctor Who Maddy 3 episodes: Paradise Towers
Dorothy L. Sayers Mysteries Miss Booth Episode: Strong Poison
Bergerac Belle Young Episode: The Memory Man
1990–1995 Keeping Up Appearances Daisy Main role; 44 episodes
1992 Nice Town Aunt Peggy 3 episodes
The Mirror Crack'd Heather Badcock TV film
1994 Under the Hammer 'Batty' 1 episode
1996 Famous Five Mrs Baker Episode: Five on a Hike Together
1997 The Memoirs of Hyacinth Bucket Daisy TV film
1998 Midsomer Murders May Cuttle Episode: Death in Disguise
1998 The Life and Crimes of William Palmer Mrs Palmer 2 episodes
1999 Heartbeat Isabelle Sheba Christie Episode: Shotgun Wedding
2000 David Copperfield Peggotty TV film
2007–2008 EastEnders Queenie Trott 8 episodes
2008 Keeping Up Appearances: Life Lessons from Onslow Daisy (archive footage only)
2014 Birds of a Feather Annie Episode: You Can't Always Get What You Want
2020 Pointless Herself Contestant
2023 Keeping Up Appearances - 30 Years Of Laughs Herself/Daisy Documentary

References

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  1. ^ "Keeping Up Appearances star reveals she will retire from touring after Miss Marple". The Argus (22 April 2016). Retrieved 1 June 2024.
  2. ^ Ference, Ian (18 December 2020). "The Irving Theatre: VistaScreen's rarest set shows London's first strip joint". Brooklyn Stereography. Retrieved 10 October 2022.
  3. ^ Lloyd, Matthew. "St. Martin's Theatre, West Street, London WC2". ArthurLloyd.co.uk. Retrieved 10 October 2022. The Irving Theatre name was eventually used for a small review Theatre nearby in Leicester Square which opened in 1951 as an art gallery by day and a Theatre at night, closing in 1964.
  4. ^ "Vues from Revues – Souvenir Magazine of the Irving Theatre (Club) – Autumn 1958 (Shows the featured artists in their various non-costumes)". Priory Antiques. Retrieved 10 October 2022.
  5. ^ "The Irving Theatre Club — Revues with Vues". Pamela Green. 9 May 2021. Retrieved 10 October 2022.
  6. ^ a b Jones, Alison (29 October 2001). "Judy's latest touch of fate; Historic events run hand in hand with Judy Cornwell's career". The Birmingham Post. Retrieved 2 January 2014.
  7. ^ "Actress Judy Cornwell and husband John Parry celebrate their Golden Wedding". Sussex Life. 19 January 2011. Retrieved 2 January 2014.
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