Pat Ashton
Pat Ashton | |
|---|---|
| Born | 28 February 1931 |
| Died | 23 June 2013 (aged 82)[1] |
| Occupation | Actress |
| Years active | 1965–1984 |
| Spouse | Geoff Godwin (1953 - 1985) ( divorced) ( 2 children) |
Pat Ashton (28 February 1931 – 23 June 2013) was an English actress. Her engaging cockney, blonde persona is best remembered for appearances in English TV-sitcom film spin-offs On the Buses (1971) and Mutiny on the Buses (1972).[2] She was married to Geoff Godwin 1953-1985, separated with 1 child.
Early life
Ashton was born and raised in Wood Green, North London. Trained from childhood as a singer and tap-dancer, she performed in the 1950s at seaside resorts around England in summer season shows. In the early 1960s, she toured Europe with Joan Littlewood's Theatre Workshop in Oh, What a Lovely War!. Early West End appearances included Half a Sixpence and The Matchgirls.
Career
Ashton's first television break was taking the role of Fanny Cornforth opposite Oliver Reed in Ken Russell's Danté's Inferno (1967), a film in the Omnibus series on the life of Dante Gabriel Rossetti. The part later led to a small role in Russell's 1971 film The Devils.
In 1970, Ashton's chirpy, blonde persona found her understudying Barbara Windsor in the Ned Sherrin-produced musical Sing a Rude Song, based on the life of music hall singer Marie Lloyd; she successfully took the lead role when Windsor was struck down with laryngitis.
Ashton played numerous TV roles; credits include: On the Buses (1971) - subsequently making memorable appearances in two spin-off films; The Benny Hill Show (1972–80); Both Ends Meet (1972, with Dora Bryan); Don't Drink the Water (1975, an On the Buses spin-off); Yus, My Dear (1976, with Arthur Mullard), Rooms (1977); Only When I Laugh (1980, with James Bolam); The Gaffer (1981–83, with Bill Maynard), and Tripper's Day (1984, with Leonard Rossiter) Beer Hunter Minder Episode 1980 (with Dennis Waterman, George Cole.
A notable television role was that of Annie, wife of a burglar (Bob Hoskins) who comes out of prison to find that his old friend (John Thaw) has moved in, in Thick As Thieves (1974). When LWT declined a second series, the writers Dick Clement and Ian La Frenais took the idea to the BBC, where it was developed into the much-loved series Porridge.
On stage, she later appeared in Stepping Out, and was a regular performer at the Players' Theatre in London.[3]
Partial filmography
- Half a Sixpence (1967) - Pub Character
- On the Buses (1971) - Sally
- The Devils (1971) - Gossiping woman (uncredited)
- Mutiny on the Buses (1972) - Norah
- Nearest and Dearest (1972) - Freda
- The Optimists of Nine Elms a.k.a. The Optimists (1973) - Woman at Nursery
- Party Party (1983) - Johnny's Mum
- Bloodbath at the House of Death (1983) - Barmaid
References
- ^ "Pat Ashton obituary". Pictures that Talk. Retrieved 23 October 2013.
{{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in:|publisher=(help) - ^ "Biography for Pat Ashton obituary". IMDb. Retrieved 23 October 2013.
{{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in:|publisher=(help) - ^ Nick Godwin (23 June 2013). "Pat Ashton obituary". The Guardian. Retrieved 23 October 2013.
{{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in:|publisher=(help)
External links
Pat Ashton at IMDb
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