Helen Fraser (actress)

Last updated

Helen Fraser
Helen Fraser in Cardiff.jpg
Fraser in 2011
Born
Helen Margaret Stronach

(1942-06-15) 15 June 1942 (age 82)
Oldham, Lancashire, England
OccupationActress
Years active1962–2015
Spouse
(m. 1964;died 2007)

Helen Fraser (born Helen Margaret Stronach; born 15 June 1942) is a retired English actress, who has appeared in many television series since the early 1960s. [1] For international audiences, she may be best known for her roles in Billy Liar (1963) and Repulsion (1965). [2] She is also well known in Britain for portraying the role of miserable warder Sylvia Hollamby in the prison drama series Bad Girls . [3] She appeared in the series from the first episode in 1999 until the last in 2006. [1]

Contents

Career

She trained at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art alongside Tom Courtenay and John Thaw, among others. [4] She gained her breakthrough role alongside Courtenay in Billy Liar (1963). [5] They later played the parents of character Dave Best in the Christmas special of The Royle Family (2008). [6]

She is best known to television viewers for her long-running role in the ITV women's prison drama Bad Girls as unpleasant prison officer Sylvia Hollamby [7] from the first episode in 1999 to the last in 2006. [1] She reprised the role in the West End production of Bad Girls: The Musical in 2007. [6]

She made her TV debut in the early 1960s and her credits include Z-Cars , Dixon of Dock Green , The Likely Lads , Doctor in the House , The Dustbinmen , On the Buses , Rising Damp , Tales of the Unexpected , Duty Free , One Foot in the Grave and Casualty . [8] She also worked on TV with comedians like Dick Emery and the Two Ronnies in the 1970s. [6]

She has also appeared on stage, including with the Royal National Theatre, in the West End and in regional theatres across the country. [9] In 2009 and 2010, she toured the UK as Mrs Fisher in a stage version of Billy Liar . [3] In 2011, she joined the tour of Calendar Girls . [10]

Fraser has appeared in the ITV soap Coronation Street twice – in 1998 as Magenta Savannah and again in 2013 as Doris Babbage. [11] [12] [13]

In 2015, she appeared in an episode of the BBC daytime soap Doctors . [14]

Personal life

In 1964, she married the recording engineer Peter Handford; the couple had met on the set of Billy Liar. [3] Handford died in 2007. [15] Fraser lives in Eye, Suffolk. [16]

Filmography

Film
YearTitleRoleNotes
1962 A Kind of Loving Ingrid's FriendUncredited
1963 Billy Liar Barbara
1965 Repulsion Bridget
1966 The Uncle Mary Ream
1968 The Birthday Party Lulu
1972 Something to Hide Miss Bunyan
1970 Start the Revolution Without Me Mimi
1974 From Beyond the Grave GuestSegment 1: The Gate Crasher; uncredited
1977 Joseph Andrews Mrs. Adams
1988 Gorillas in the Mist Mme. Van Vecten
Television
YearTitleRoleNotes
1962Silent EvidenceTina1 episode: "Driven to the Brink"
Z-Cars Hilda Stansfield/Vicky Bell1962–1963; 2 episodes: "Contraband", "The Bad Lad"
ITV Play of the Week Ellen/Millie1962–1965; 2 episodes: The Door, The Way of All Flesh
1963Friday NightBetty/Sheila/Mavis/Brenda Holroyd4 episodes
1964The VillainsPat1 episode: "Amateurs"
No Hiding Place Jill1 episode: "The Hoarders"
Thursday Theatre Janey Jenkins1 episode: "The Cure for Love"
1965The Valiant Varneys1 episode: season 2.3
Comedy Playhouse Mousy Bird (Greta Spavin)1 episode: Here I Come Whoever I Am
Pardon the Expression Hilda Norton2 episodes: "The Trouble with Ada", "The Visitor"
Six of the BestVanessa1 episode: "Charlie's Place"
Dixon of Dock Green Gwen1 episode: "Castles in the Air"
Knock on Any Door Madge1 episode: "A Paragraph of for Mr Blake"
Theatre 625 Mrs. Hampton1 episode: "Portraits from the North: The Nutter"
The Likely Lads Helen1965–1966; 2 episodes: "Talk of the Town", "Love and Marriage"
BlackmailBrenda/Daphne Appleton1965–1966; 2 episodes: First Offender, Boys and Girls Commute to Play
1966 The Wednesday Play Linda/Polly1966–1967; 2 episodes: Way off Beat, The Fat of the Land
1967 Love Story Sue1 episode: A Diamond is Forever
The GamblersJoyce1 episode: "Oil and Water"
1969 Doctor in the House Rigor Mortis1 episode: "Getting the Bird"
Dombey and Son Susan NipperTV serial; 9 episodes
1970 The Dustbinmen The Goddess1 episode: season 2.4
1971 Never Mind the Quality, Feel the Width Doreen Lawton1 episode: "Mix Me a Marriage"
Now Look Here Tracey1 episode: Season 1.2
On the Buses Linda1 episode: "Boxing Day Social"
The Dick Emery Show Lampwick's Daughter12 episodes
1972A Day OutMrs. AckroydTelevision film
Doctor in Charge Dr. Mary Parsons/Dr. Mary Bingham1972–1973; 6 episodes
1973The Upper CrustsMrs. Smith1 episode: "Sitting Pretty"
Hunter's WalkJanet Kenwright1 episode: "Disturbance"
Man About the House Gabrielle1 episode: "Three's a Crowd"
1974Sporting ScenesHelen1 episode: "The Needle Match"
1975Cilla's Comedy SixGloria1 episode: "Father's Doing Fine"
...And Mother Makes Five Miss Finch1 episode: "Legs Eleven"
Rising Damp Gwen/Bride1975–1978; 2 episodes: "For the Man Who Has Everything", "Pink Carnations"
1976Jumbo SpencerMrs. Spencer
1978BBC2 Play of the WeekPolly Wright1 episode: Fairies
1980 BBC2 Playhouse Lou Parker1 episode: The Black Madonna
1981PartnersMonica1 episode: "Fair Shares"
The Patricia Neal Story2nd NeighbourTelevision film
1982 Tales of the Unexpected Beryl1 episode: Blue Marigold
Sorry! Psychotherapist1 episode: "Perchance to Dream"
Play for Today Joyce Midgley1 episode: "Intensive Care"
1983 Dramarama Joan Osgerby1 episode: "Rig It Up"
1984 Duty Free Emily1 episode: "Spanish Lace"
The Box of Delights Ellen4 episodes
1986 In Loving Memory Enid Bracegirdle1 episode: "They Shoot Undertakers, Don't They"
1987 Screen Two Mrs. Mortland1 episode: Northanger Abbey
1988 Beryl Markham: A Shadow on the Sun June CarberryTelevision film
1990 One Foot in the Grave Dr. Snellgrove1 episode: "The Big Sleep"
1995Under the MoonMiss PrudhommeTelevision film
1997 The Uninvited Charge NurseMini-series
1998 Coronation Street Magenta Savannah2 episodes: episode #4394, episode #4397
1999 Bad Girls Sylvia Hollamby 1999–2006; 92 episodes, main role
2003 Casualty Joan Jowell3 episodes: "Flash in the Pan, Truth or Dare, In the Frame"
2008 The Royle Family Jocelyn Best1 episode: "The New Sofa"
2012 The Unforgettable Herself1 episode: The Unforgettable John Thaw
2013 Coronation Street Doris Babbage Guest appearance
2015 Doctors Mary Star1 episode: "Pudding"

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References

  1. 1 2 3 "Helen Fraser". BFI. Archived from the original on 9 April 2016.
  2. "Helen Fraser | Movies and Filmography". AllMovie.
  3. 1 2 3 "Helen Fraser on life with Billy Liar". walesonline. 2 March 2009.
  4. "Helen Fraser — RADA". www.rada.ac.uk.
  5. McFarlane, Brian; Slide, Anthony (16 May 2016). The Encyclopedia of British Film: Fourth edition. Manchester University Press. ISBN   9781526111968 via Google Books.
  6. 1 2 3 "Helen Fraser – Actress". bslbt.co.uk. Retrieved 4 March 2011.
  7. "Helen Fraser plays Sylvia Hollamby". badgirls.co.uk. Archived from the original on 1 November 2010. Retrieved 4 March 2011.
  8. "Helen Fraser". www.aveleyman.com.
  9. "Helen Fraser | Theatricalia". theatricalia.com.
  10. "Calendar Girls open in Carlisle". ITV News.
  11. Young, Glenda (19 February 2013). "Coronation Street Blog: Helen Fraser joins Coronation Street".
  12. "Actress Helen Fraser's top five films". 10 May 2013.
  13. "Actress voices race row fears". Ipswich Star.
  14. "BBC One - Doctors, Series 17, Pudding". BBC.
  15. "Big Interview - Helen Fraser". www.lep.co.uk. Retrieved 15 December 2017.
  16. Clarke, Andrew. "Bad Girl Helen Fraser's journey back to the beginning of a dramatic career" . Retrieved 15 December 2017.