Helen Fraser | |
---|---|
Born | Helen Margaret Stronach 15 June 1942 Oldham, Lancashire, England |
Occupation | Actress |
Years active | 1962–2015 |
Spouse |
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]
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]
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]
Film | |||
---|---|---|---|
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
1962 | A Kind of Loving | Ingrid's Friend | Uncredited |
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 | Guest | Segment 1: The Gate Crasher; uncredited |
1977 | Joseph Andrews | Mrs. Adams | |
1988 | Gorillas in the Mist | Mme. Van Vecten | |
Television | |||
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
1962 | Silent Evidence | Tina | 1 episode: "Driven to the Brink" |
Z-Cars | Hilda Stansfield/Vicky Bell | 1962–1963; 2 episodes: "Contraband", "The Bad Lad" | |
ITV Play of the Week | Ellen/Millie | 1962–1965; 2 episodes: The Door, The Way of All Flesh | |
1963 | Friday Night | Betty/Sheila/Mavis/Brenda Holroyd | 4 episodes |
1964 | The Villains | Pat | 1 episode: "Amateurs" |
No Hiding Place | Jill | 1 episode: "The Hoarders" | |
Thursday Theatre | Janey Jenkins | 1 episode: "The Cure for Love" | |
1965 | The Valiant Varneys | 1 episode: season 2.3 | |
Comedy Playhouse | Mousy Bird (Greta Spavin) | 1 episode: Here I Come Whoever I Am | |
Pardon the Expression | Hilda Norton | 2 episodes: "The Trouble with Ada", "The Visitor" | |
Six of the Best | Vanessa | 1 episode: "Charlie's Place" | |
Dixon of Dock Green | Gwen | 1 episode: "Castles in the Air" | |
Knock on Any Door | Madge | 1 episode: "A Paragraph of for Mr Blake" | |
Theatre 625 | Mrs. Hampton | 1 episode: "Portraits from the North: The Nutter" | |
The Likely Lads | Helen | 1965–1966; 2 episodes: "Talk of the Town", "Love and Marriage" | |
Blackmail | Brenda/Daphne Appleton | 1965–1966; 2 episodes: First Offender, Boys and Girls Commute to Play | |
1966 | The Wednesday Play | Linda/Polly | 1966–1967; 2 episodes: Way off Beat, The Fat of the Land |
1967 | Love Story | Sue | 1 episode: A Diamond is Forever |
The Gamblers | Joyce | 1 episode: "Oil and Water" | |
1969 | Doctor in the House | Rigor Mortis | 1 episode: "Getting the Bird" |
Dombey and Son | Susan Nipper | TV serial; 9 episodes | |
1970 | The Dustbinmen | The Goddess | 1 episode: season 2.4 |
1971 | Never Mind the Quality, Feel the Width | Doreen Lawton | 1 episode: "Mix Me a Marriage" |
Now Look Here | Tracey | 1 episode: Season 1.2 | |
On the Buses | Linda | 1 episode: "Boxing Day Social" | |
The Dick Emery Show | Lampwick's Daughter | 12 episodes | |
1972 | A Day Out | Mrs. Ackroyd | Television film |
Doctor in Charge | Dr. Mary Parsons/Dr. Mary Bingham | 1972–1973; 6 episodes | |
1973 | The Upper Crusts | Mrs. Smith | 1 episode: "Sitting Pretty" |
Hunter's Walk | Janet Kenwright | 1 episode: "Disturbance" | |
Man About the House | Gabrielle | 1 episode: "Three's a Crowd" | |
1974 | Sporting Scenes | Helen | 1 episode: "The Needle Match" |
1975 | Cilla's Comedy Six | Gloria | 1 episode: "Father's Doing Fine" |
...And Mother Makes Five | Miss Finch | 1 episode: "Legs Eleven" | |
Rising Damp | Gwen/Bride | 1975–1978; 2 episodes: "For the Man Who Has Everything", "Pink Carnations" | |
1976 | Jumbo Spencer | Mrs. Spencer | |
1978 | BBC2 Play of the Week | Polly Wright | 1 episode: Fairies |
1980 | BBC2 Playhouse | Lou Parker | 1 episode: The Black Madonna |
1981 | Partners | Monica | 1 episode: "Fair Shares" |
The Patricia Neal Story | 2nd Neighbour | Television film | |
1982 | Tales of the Unexpected | Beryl | 1 episode: Blue Marigold |
Sorry! | Psychotherapist | 1 episode: "Perchance to Dream" | |
Play for Today | Joyce Midgley | 1 episode: "Intensive Care" | |
1983 | Dramarama | Joan Osgerby | 1 episode: "Rig It Up" |
1984 | Duty Free | Emily | 1 episode: "Spanish Lace" |
The Box of Delights | Ellen | 4 episodes | |
1986 | In Loving Memory | Enid Bracegirdle | 1 episode: "They Shoot Undertakers, Don't They" |
1987 | Screen Two | Mrs. Mortland | 1 episode: Northanger Abbey |
1988 | Beryl Markham: A Shadow on the Sun | June Carberry | Television film |
1990 | One Foot in the Grave | Dr. Snellgrove | 1 episode: "The Big Sleep" |
1995 | Under the Moon | Miss Prudhomme | Television film |
1997 | The Uninvited | Charge Nurse | Mini-series |
1998 | Coronation Street | Magenta Savannah | 2 episodes: episode #4394, episode #4397 |
1999 | Bad Girls | Sylvia Hollamby | 1999–2006; 92 episodes, main role |
2003 | Casualty | Joan Jowell | 3 episodes: "Flash in the Pan, Truth or Dare, In the Frame" |
2008 | The Royle Family | Jocelyn Best | 1 episode: "The New Sofa" |
2012 | The Unforgettable | Herself | 1 episode: The Unforgettable John Thaw |
2013 | Coronation Street | Doris Babbage | Guest appearance |
2015 | Doctors | Mary Star | 1 episode: "Pudding" |
Amanda Barrie is an English actress. She appeared in two of the Carry On films before being cast as Alma Halliwell in ITV soap opera, Coronation Street, which she played on and off for 20 years. Between 2003 and 2006, she played the role of Bev Tull in the ITV prison drama, Bad Girls. She has since enjoyed a varied stage and television career.
Julie Claire Hesmondhalgh is an English actress and narrator. She is known for her role as Hayley Cropper in the ITV soap opera Coronation Street between 1998 and 2014. For this role, she won "Best Serial Drama Performance" at the 2014 National Television Awards and "Best Actress" at the 2014 British Soap Awards.
Wendi Louise Peters is an English actress. She is a Leapling. Peters began her acting career in theatre, with appearances in various productions including The Scarlet Pimpernel (1991), Guys and Dolls (1991), Into the Woods (1992), Bedroom Farce (1996) and Noises Off (1997). Then from 2003 to 2007 and again in 2014, she portrayed Cilla Battersby-Brown in the ITV soap opera Coronation Street.
Bad Girls is a British television drama series that was broadcast on ITV from 1 June 1999 until 20 December 2006. It was created by Maureen Chadwick and Ann McManus of Shed Productions, who initiated the idea of developing a series primarily focusing on the inmates and staff of the fictional women's prison, Larkhall, located in the South London region. Following the success of previous series Within These Walls and the Australian-imported Prisoner: Cell Block H, both of which screened on ITV, Bad Girls was commissioned by the network and was viewed as a realistic, modern portrayal of life in a women's prison. The series featured a large ensemble cast, including Linda Henry, Claire King, Simone Lahbib, Mandana Jones, Debra Stephenson, Jack Ellis, Alicya Eyo, Helen Fraser, Kika Mirylees, Victoria Alcock, James Gaddas, Victoria Bush, Dannielle Brent and Liz May Brice.
Stephanie Beacham is an English actress. In a career spanning six decades, she has a wide number of credits to her name on film, television, stage and radio in both the United Kingdom and the United States.
Deborah Lee Duffield, known professionally as Debra Stephenson, is an English actress, comedian, impressionist and singer, best known for her roles as Diane Powell in Playing the Field (1999–2000), Shell Dockley in Bad Girls and as Frankie Baldwin in Coronation Street (2004–2006).
Geoffrey Hinsliff was an English actor best known for his portrayal of Don Brennan in Coronation Street from 1987 to 1997.
Sherrie Lynn Hutchinson, known professionally as Sherrie Hewson, is an English actress, television personality and novelist. She is known for her roles as Maureen Holdsworth in Coronation Street, Virginia Raven in Crossroads (2001–2003), Lesley Meredith in Emmerdale (2004–2006), Joyce Temple-Savage in Benidorm (2012–2018) and Martha Blake in Hollyoaks (2024–present).
Jayne Claire King is an English actress. She is known for her roles as Kim Tate in the ITV soap opera Emmerdale since 1989, and as Karen Betts in Bad Girls from 2000 until 2004. She has appeared in the fourth series of Strictly Come Dancing in 2006, Safari School in 2007, and Celebrity Big Brother 14 in 2014. She also played Erica Holroyd in Coronation Street from 2014 until 2017.
Bad Girls: The Musical is a stage musical based on the ITV prison drama series Bad Girls, with a book by Maureen Chadwick and Ann McManus, and music and lyrics by Kath Gotts.
Katherine Kelly is an English actress. She rose to prominence with her portrayal of Becky McDonald on the ITV soap opera Coronation Street (2006–2012), for which she received multiple awards, including the British Soap Award for Best Actress (2009) and the NTA for Best Serial Drama Performance (2012).
Juliet Cadzow is a Scottish actress. She played Edie McCredie in the children's television series Balamory, Suzie Fraser in BBC series River City and various roles in BBC series Still Game.
June Ritchie is a British actress.
Sylvia is a feminine given name of Latin origin, also spelled Silvia. The French form is Sylvie. The name originates from the Latin word for forest Silva and its meaning is spirit of the wood. The mythological god of the forest was associated with the figure of Silvanus.
Elsie Noël Dyson was an English character actress.
Bad Girls returned to ITV with its third series on 20 March 2001 and ended on 3 July 2001. It consists of 16 episodes.
The fifth series of Bad Girls was broadcast on ITV from 8 May 2003 and concluded on 21 August 2003, it was the third and final series to feature 16 episodes.
Sally Watts is a British film, television and stage actress whose career has spanned four decades and who is perhaps best remembered for playing Barbara in the sitcom Billy Liar (1973–1974).
Jennifer Wenda Wilson was an English actress. Beginning her on-screen acting career in the 1950s, she played Kate Nickleby in a BBC dramatisation of Nicholas Nickleby in 1957. Wilson's last acting roles were as Mrs. Bradbury in Coronation Street in 2014 and as Nancy Milne in three episodes of the BBC lunchtime soap Doctors between 2014 and 2015.
Jane Lowe is an English actress. She is best known for portraying the roles of Aunt Blodwen in Lizzie Dripping (1973–1975), Mam in the BBC children's programme Jonny Briggs (1985–1987) and Monica Lindsey in the ITV drama Bad Girls (1999–2001). Throughout her career on stage and screen that has spanned over five decades, she has appeared in Coronation Street, The Bill and Doctors on numerous occasions as various characters and co-starred in the horror film The Creeping (2022).