Pamela Cundell

Pamela Cundell in May 2011

Pamela I. Cundell (born March 1920 in Croydon, England) is a British character actress. Her best known role was Mrs Fox in the long-running TV comedy Dad's Army.

She is a descendant of Henry Condell, one of the managers of the Lord Chamberlain's Men, the playing company of William Shakespeare.^{[citation needed]} Henry Condell also helped put together the first folio of Shakespeare's works after his death.

Life and career

Pam Cundell was born into a show business family, and trained at the Guildford School of Music and Drama before cutting her teeth in rep and summer shows as a stand up comic. She has worked with many of the great comics, including Frankie Howerd, Benny Hill and Bill Fraser, the last of whom she married. Making her first television appearance in 1957 with Peter Sellers and Michael Bentine, she has since appeared in many popular shows, including, The Bill, On The Buses, Casualty, Z Cars, and Big Deal. Pam Cundell has kept busy with theatre work and pantomime, has appeared in several feature films, and in 2002 worked on a new film by Mel Smith. Her most notable credits include Dad's Army (as Mrs Fox), later the on-screen wife of Clive Dunn, The Borrowers, The Benny Hill Show and, more recently, as Nora Swann in EastEnders.

She is the widow of the Scottish character actor Bill Fraser, who died in 1987. He appeared on British television during the 1960s, as Snudge (opposite Alfie Bass) in The Army Game.

Dad's Army

Character of Mrs Fox

During the course of the war, Mrs Fox sadly becomes a widow. This is good news to butcher Jack Jones (Lance-Corporal Jack Jones) who has admired her for some time. This admiration is returned, with little 'extras' being passed across the counter on her visits to his shop. Beset with bad luck during the war, we hear that her brother did not make it through by the time she has been courted by Jones and accepts his hand in marriage. She is also very fond of George Mainwaring and even asks him to give her away since she no longer has any male relatives. Always looking her best and with her trademark fox fur draped over her shoulders, Mrs Fox brings light to any room she steps into.

On 3 August 2008 Pamela Cundell was interviewed, alongside Bill Pertwee and Frank Williams, about her time on Dad's Army for the 40th anniversary tribute show Jonathan Ross Salutes Dad's Army.

She explained that her character Mrs. Fox was so-called because of the fox fur she wore draped over her shoulders.

External links

• Pamela Cundell at the Internet Movie Database
• Dad's Army Appreciation Society website