Shirley Stelfox

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Shirley Stelfox
Born
Shirley Rosemary Stelfox

(1941-04-11)11 April 1941
Dukinfield, Cheshire, England
Died7 December 2015(2015-12-07) (aged 74)
Nottinghamshire, England
OccupationActress
Years active1954–2015
Known forEmmerdale as Edna Birch
Keeping Up Appearances as Rose
Spouses
Keith Edmundson
​
​
(m. 1962⁠–⁠1965)​
​
​
(m. 1979; died 1997)​
Children3

Shirley Rosemary Stelfox (11 April 1941 – 7 December 2015) was an English actress, known for her portrayal of the character

ITV soap opera Emmerdale, and as Rose, the vampy sister of the snobby and overbearing Hyacinth Bucket in the first series of the comedy series Keeping Up Appearances
.

Early life

Stelfox was born at

RADA, where her classmates included Edward Fox, John Thaw, and Sarah Miles.[1] She was playing in pantomimes at the Old Chapel, Dukinfield, and in productions during the years of her study the town's Lakes Road Secondary School.[2]

Career

Television

After the

Common as Muck, and roles in Juliet Bravo, Coronation Street, The Bill and Crossroads, and Inspector Morse
,

She played

Jane Healy, Melanie Owen's mother, in an episode of EastEnders. She appeared in the short-lived series Albion Market
.

Stelfox had a long life in different soap operas, briefly appearing in

Common as Muck (1994) and Mrs Nolan in Lucy Sullivan Is Getting Married (1999–2000).[2]

Film roles

Stelfox played the mother of Julie Walters and Victoria Wood in the TV film Pat and Margaret (1994). But her best-known film role came as the "$2.00 Prostitute" in Nineteen Eighty-Four, a film adaptation of the George Orwell novel, starring John Hurt and Richard Burton. Somewhat typecast as a prostitute she played another in Terry Jones's comedy Personal Services (1987) based on the life of Madame Cyn, the brothel owner who entertained celebrities and politicians.

Stage

On the West End stage, Stelfox played Sue Lawson in Not Now, Darling (Strand theatre, 1968) and Phoebe in Toad of Toad Hall (Duke of York's theatre, 1970).[2] Stelfox portrayed a stand-up comedian in Stand Up Sweetie Pie, directed by

Ludlow Festival in 1972 and at the Connaught Theatre, played Lady Macbeth in 1973, Titania in A Midsummer Night's Dream in 1978 and Yelena in Uncle Vanya
in 1974. [6]

Personal life

Stelfox was married to Keith Edmundson for three years. She had a daughter, Helena, from this marriage. She later married actor

throat cancer in 1997.[7] They lived in Stratford-upon-Avon, where she helped bring up Henderson's two children from his first marriage. She moved to rural Nottinghamshire
after Henderson's death.

Stelfox died on 7 December 2015, aged 74, four weeks after being diagnosed with terminal cancer.[8]

Filmography

Year Title Role Notes
1964-1994 Coronation Street Norma / Barmaid / Margot Sutcliffe / Shirley Henderson 10 episodes
1966 Pardon the Expression Sales Assistant Episode: "The Dinner Party"
1967 Who Is Sylvia? Episode: "A Pool of Blood and a Red Carnation"
1968 Corruption Girl at Party
1971-1972 Nearest and Dearest Det. Constable Gloria Simpkins / Clara Wilson 2 episodes
1971 Carry On at Your Convenience Bunny Girl Waitress
1972 Budgie The Barmaid Episode: "Our Story So Far..."
1973 Pathfinders Grete Episode: "Sweets from a Stranger"
1973 Crown Court Mrs. Catherine Barnes Episode: "Regina v Barnes: Whatever Happened to George Robins?: Part 3"
1980-1983 Juliet Bravo Mrs. Collis / Mavis 'Colette' Newby 2 episodes
1981 Play for Today Mrs. Smith Episode: "A Brush with Mr Porter on the Road to El Dorado"
1981 The Chinese Detective Arlene Episode: "Release"
1983 Grange Hill Secretary 1 episode
1984 Nineteen Eighty-Four Prostitute
1984-1988 Bergerac Anna Ackerman / Pam Lewis 2 episodes
1984 Bootle Saddles Rita Henderson 6 episodes
1987 Brookside Madge Richmond 7 episodes
1987 Knights of God Beth Edwards 7 episodes
1987 Personal Services Shirley
1988 Inspector Morse Mrs. Kane Episode: "Last Bus to Woodstock"
1989–1991 Making Out Carol May 24 episodes
1990 Keeping Up Appearances Rose 6 episodes
1991-1999 The Bill Mrs. Fowler / Gill Gibson / Mrs. Larch / Mrs. Mitchell 4 episodes
1992 Heartbeat Mrs. Parkin Episode: "Fruits of the Earth"
1993–1994 Three Seven Eleven Julie Clegg 16 episodes
1994 Screen One Vera Episode: "Pat and Margaret"
1994–1997 Common As Muck Jean 5 episodes
1995 Harry's Mad Mrs. Turtle 6 episodes
1999–2000 Lucy Sullivan Is Getting Married Mrs. Nolan 16 episodes
1999 EastEnders
Jane Healy
 Episode: "New Year's Eve 1999": Part 1 and 2
2000–2015 Emmerdale Edna Birch 901 episodes, (final appearance)
2015 Butterflies & Diamonds Prison Facility Psychologist

References

  1. ^ The Daily Telegraph, Thursday 10 December 2015, Obituaries [paper only], p.37
  2. ^
    ISSN 0261-3077
    . Retrieved 7 December 2018.
  3. ^ "Obituary: Mary Millar". The Independent. 13 November 1998. Retrieved 8 December 2015.
  4. IMDb Edit this at Wikidata
  5. ^ Shirley Stelfox, actress - obituary Retrieved on 31 Jan 2018
  6. ^ Shirley Stelfox: Character actress who was best known as the prudish spinster, busybody Edna Birch, in Emmerdale, The Independent. Retrieved on 31 Jan 2018
  7. ^ "OBITUARY: Don Henderson". The Independent. 24 June 1997. Retrieved 8 December 2015.
  8. ^ "Emmerdale actress Shirley Stelfox dies aged 74". BBC News. 8 December 2015. Retrieved 8 December 2015.

External links

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Shirley_Stelfox&oldid=1215368202"