Louisa Rix

Last updated


Louisa Rix
Born
Louisa MacGregor Rix

(1955-02-02) 2 February 1955 (age 69)
Kensington, London, England
Occupation(s)Actress, interior designer
Years active1970s–2012 (acting)
Spouses
(m. 19801990)
(m. 1994)
Children2, including Jolyon

Louisa MacGregor Rix (born 2 February 1955) is a British former actress of theatre, film and television, and interior designer. She is perhaps best known for her role as "Mum" in the BBC sketch series, Harry Enfield & Chums , and its spin-off film, Kevin and Perry Go Large .

Contents

Early life

Rix was born in Kensington, London to actors Brian Rix [1] and Elspet Gray. [2] She has one sister and two brothers, one of which is children's author, Jamie Rix. [3] She studied drama at LAMDA and acted for many years on TV and in the theatre.

Career

Rix gained early theatre experience at the Nottingham Playhouse while Richard Eyre was the artistic director, and in Peter Cheeseman's company at Stoke-on-Trent. Her subsequent West End appearances included roles in How the Other Half Loves and Man of the Moment by Alan Ayckbourn; The Pocket Dream by Sandi Toksvig & Elly Brewer; and Whose Life is it Anyway? by Brian Clark, as well as several productions at the National Theatre.

Rix is known for playing Kevin the teenager's mum (Mrs Patterson) [4] in the TV series Harry Enfield and Chums , and in the movie Kevin & Perry Go Large . For Granada Television she co-starred with Tim Bentinck in Made In Heaven. She played Mel Smith's girlfriend in two series of Colin's Sandwich [5] and starred in two series of Side By Side , both for the BBC. In Brookside she performed with Anna Friel as the solicitor representing the Jordache family in the 'body under the patio' storyline. She played the vocally-challenged night club singer Melody Lane in a feature-length Coronation Street special with the QEII as the location. One of her final acting roles was as the Home Secretary in The Execution of Gary Glitter .

Having originally studied art before she went to drama school, Rix retired from acting to pursue her passion for design. Since 2012, she has run the interior design company Forbes Rix Designs with her business partner Natalie Forbes.

Personal life

In 1980, Rix married actor Jonathan Coy, with whom she has two children, Charlotte and Jolyon Coy. Charlotte Elizabeth (born 1983) is married to Tom Mison. Jolyon is married to Blanche Schofield, daughter of David Schofield and Lally Percy. Rix and Coy divorced in 1990. She married writer Richard Ommanney in 1994.

Louisa's elder sister Shelley was born with Down's Syndrome. From the date of her birth onward, her father, actor Brian Rix, promoted awareness and understanding of learning difficulties. Shelley died in 2005. Their brother Jamie Rix is a television producer and an author of children's books, while their other brother, Jonty Rix, is a Professor of Participation and Learning Support at the Open University and author of the rites-of-passage novel Some Hope. [6] Their paternal aunt, Sheila Mercier, played Annie Sugden in Emmerdale Farm for over 20 years.

Rix is a member of the House Committee at Denville Hall and a Trustee. [7]

Filmography

YearTitleRoleNotes
1977A Roof Over My HeadMaureenSeries 1, Episodes 1, 3 & 9 (recurring)
1978Breakaway GirlsSally WhartonSeries 1, Episode 4 (guest)
1978 Coronation Street Carole GordonEpisodes 1853, 1854, 1855 & 1856 (guest)
1979 Danger UXB AngieSeries 1, Episodes 2 & 3 (guest)
1979KidsJenny BramleySeries 1, Episode 9 (guest)
1980 The Professionals Judy ShawSeries 4, Episode 13 (guest)
1981Goodbye DarlingBethSeries 1, Episode 5 (guest)
1981 A Fine Romance AnnSeries 1, Episode 6 (guest)
1983 Agatha Christie's Partners in Crime Mary ChilcottSeries 1, Episode 3 (guest)
1987 Alas Smith & Jones Series 4, Episodes 2 & 3 (guest)
1988 French and Saunders Woman in ShowerSeries 2, Episode 2 (guest)
1988 Paris by Midnight NurseFeature film
1988–89 Colin's Sandwich Jenny AndersonSeries 1 & 2 (regular, 12 episodes)
1989 The Return of Shelley DonnaSeries 2, Episode 2 (guest)
1990Made in HeavenHelen NicholsonMiniseries (regular, 4 episodes)
1991 Second Thoughts HilarySeries 1, Episode 4 (guest)
1991 Boon Diana FawleySeries 6, Episode 3 (guest)
1992–93 Side by Side Gilly BellSeries 1 & 2 (regular, 13 episodes)
1993 Harry Margaret ClarkeSeries 1, Episodes 11 & 12 (guest)
1994 The Detectives Mrs. SharpeSeries 2, Episode 6 (guest)
1994 Brookside Alison DicksEpisodes 1597 & 1600 (guest)
1994–97 Harry Enfield and Chums MumSeries 1 & 2 (supporting, 13 episodes)
1995Coronation Street: The Feature Length SpecialMelody LaneVideo
1997 Paul Merton in Galton and Simpson's... WifeSeries 2, Episode 4 (guest)
1999Harry Enfield Presents Kevin's Guide to Being a TeenagerMumVideo
2000 Kevin & Perry Go Large MumFeature film
2000 Always and Everyone BelindaSeries 2, Episode 9 (guest)
2009 Doctors Cynthia RobertsonSeries 11, Episode 70 (guest)
2009 The Execution of Gary Glitter Valerie ClarkeTV movie
2010 Miranda JenniferSeries 2, Episode 6 (guest)
2010 Come Fly with Me Posh LadySeries 1, Episode 2 (guest)

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References

  1. Barker, Dennis; Brindle, David (21 August 2016). "Lord Rix obituary". The Guardian . Guardian News & Media Limited . Retrieved 17 December 2019.
  2. Barker, Dennis (19 February 2013). "Elspet Gray obituary". The Guardian . Guardian News & Media Limited . Retrieved 17 December 2019.
  3. "Who is this man?". jamierix.com. Retrieved 5 June 2023.
  4. "Kevin & Perry go large". Cine Image. Retrieved 17 December 2019.
  5. "Colin's Sandwich". British Comedy Guide . Retrieved 17 December 2019.
  6. "The Open University".
  7. "Denvillehall". Archived from the original on 10 January 2019. Retrieved 10 January 2019.