Lynda Bellingham

Lynda Bellingham

Born: May 31, 1948
Died: October 19, 2014
in Montreal, Quebec, Canada
Lynda Bellingham played many roles during her five-decade professional career, but became synonymous with one. "Being a mum making gravy was not quite how I had seen my career advancing," she said once. But between 1983 and 1999 that's what she did in 42 "episodes" of an award-winning TV ad. Since the early 1980s, her name was rarely mentioned in print without it being prefaced with "Oxo mum".

During her career, though, she starred on TV as the vet's wife Helen Herriot in All Creatures Great and Small in the 80s and as one of two divorcees trying to forge a relationship in the 90s sitcom Second Thoughts, opposite James Bolam. On stage she was best known for playing the lead in a touring production of Calendar Girls between 2008 and 2012. She was also, for four years between 2007 and 2011, a regular member of the team on Loose Women, the daytime TV chat show. She had few regrets about how her career turned out, summarising its trajectory thus on her website: "Arrived in London at the Central School [for Speech and Drama] in 1966 and never looked back. I had a ball!"

Bellingham, though, knew that gravy, like Lady Macbeth's damned spot, left an indelible mark. "In many ways I was very proud of what we did, but there is no doubt that my credibility as an actress was knocked," she reflected. "Certain people in the industry would never employ me as a serious actress after it. On the other hand, it gave me the financial security to go off and work in the theatre for very little money." Her performances as Mrs Oxo were reportedly responsible for a 10% increase in stock cube sales.

Movies for Lynda Bellingham...

Title: Odd One In
Released: July 17, 2010
Type: TV
Odd One In was a British comedy panel game show, broadcast on the ITV Network. It is hosted by Bradley Walsh. The regular Home Team are Peter Andre and Jason Manford, the Away Team are two guest celebrities who change each week.
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Title: Mister Eleven
Character: Shirley
Released: December 11, 2009
Type: TV
Mister Eleven is an ITV romantic drama starring Michelle Ryan and Sean Maguire. The two-part series was broadcast on 11 and 18 December 2009. It also stars Adam Garcia, Lynda Bellingham, Olivia Colman and Denis Lawson. It is written by Shameless writer Amanda Coe. Mister Eleven was released on DVD in February 2010.
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Title: All Star Mr & Mrs
Released: April 12, 2008
Type: TV
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Title: The Alan Titchmarsh Show
Character: Self
Released: September 3, 2007
Type: TV
The Alan Titchmarsh Show is a British daytime chat show presented by Alan Titchmarsh. It was first broadcast on ITV on 3 September 2007 and currently airs on weekday afternoons. The show's main focus is the "Best of British" theme with many of the shows' segments focusing on fashion, health, nature, cookery and animals.
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Title: Bonkers
Released: February 1, 2007
Type: TV
Bonkers is a British comedy series written by Sally Wainwright and starring Liza Tarbuck as a school teacher who discovers her husband is having an affair. It was transmitted on ITV during 2007. It was also released on DVD. This series is available on DVD, distributed by Acorn Media UK.
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Title: Robin Hood
Released: October 7, 2006
Type: TV
An updated series following the life of Robin Hood and his Merry Men in Sherwood forest. Together they steal from the rich and give to the poor - all the while avoiding their enemies Sir Guy of Gisborne and the Sheriff of Nottingham.
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Title: The One Show
Character: Self
Released: August 14, 2006
Type: TV
A topical magazine-style daily television programme broadcast live on BBC One and BBC One HD. The programme is currently hosted by Alex Jones and Matt Baker from Monday-Thursday, with Chris Evans appearing instead of Baker on Fridays and relief presenters appearing when required.
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Devil's Gate
Title: Devil's Gate
Character: Marlene
Released: May 20, 2004
Type: Movie
Laura Fraser stars as a young woman forced to return to her hometown and confront the demons in her past, in this British thriller.
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Title: New Tricks
Released: January 1, 2004
Type: TV
New Tricks is a British comedy-drama that follows the work of the fictional Unsolved Crime and Open Case Squad of the Metropolitan Police Service. Originally led by Detective Superintendent Sandra Pullman, it is made up of retired police officers who have been recruited to reinvestigate unsolved crimes.
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Title: One Life
Released: September 24, 2003
Type: TV
One life is a BBC ONE's documentary programme. Each episode is a high quality and compelling film which reflects life in contemporary Britain.
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Title: The Last Detective
Released: February 7, 2003
Type: TV
"Dangerous" Davies always gets the cases no one else wants, and no one notices when he eventually succeeds. But his old-fashioned decency and dogged determination have won him legions of loyal fans.
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Title: My Uncle Silas
Character: Mrs. Gadsby
Released: October 28, 2001
Type: TV
In 1901, a middle-class schoolboy whose parents are working abroad spends his summer in Bedfordshire with his great-uncle Silas. Though 60 years old, Silas relishes life—he’s a womanizer, drinker, and a poacher. At the prompting of his long-suffering housekeeper, Mrs. Betts, he takes on the occasional odd job.
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Bodywork
Title: Bodywork
Character: Poppy Fields
Released: September 4, 2001
Type: Movie
Virgil Guppy buys a sleek-looking used Jaguar, but the car turns out to be a lemon. Unfortunately, that's just the start of his problems; a dead prostitute is discovered in the trunk, and Virgil is accused of her murder. Aided by a dysfunctional family of thieves, unorthodox police procedure and some clever body work of his own, he sets out to clear his name.
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Title: Waking the Dead
Character: Mary Mantel
Released: June 18, 2001
Type: TV
A detective team apply new techniques to old crimes as they solve cold cases.
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The Romanovs: A Crowned Family
Title: The Romanovs: A Crowned Family
Character: Empress Alexandra Fyodorovna
Released: July 19, 2000
Type: Movie
The story of the last year and a half of Tsar Nicholas II and his family from the February Revolution of 1917 to their execution in July 1918.
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Title: At Home with the Braithwaites
Character: Pauline Farnell
Released: January 20, 2000
Type: TV
At Home with the Braithwaites is a British comedy-drama television series, created and written by Sally Wainwright. The storyline follows a suburban family from Leeds, whose life is turned upside down when the mother of the family wins 38 million pounds on the lottery. It was broadcast on ITV, for 26 episodes, from 20 January 2000 to 9 April 2003. At the beginning of the first series, each member of the Braithwaite family has an issue. Alison has to decide what to do with the winnings, and when to tell her family. David is having an affair with Elaine, his secretary at work. Virginia is on the verge of flunking out of university. Sarah has a crush on her drama teacher. Charlotte suspects that her mother may be the mystery lottery winner.
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Don't Go Breaking My Heart
Title: Don't Go Breaking My Heart
Character: Maxine
Released: February 12, 1999
Type: Movie
Well meaning friends try to persuade Suzanne, a beautiful widow, to remarry and the choice seems to be between Frank, a philandering dentist, and Tony, a sensitive, failing sports trainer who helps her son.
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Hey, Mr. Producer! The Musical World of Cameron Mackintosh
Title: Hey, Mr. Producer! The Musical World of Cameron Mackintosh
Released: November 7, 1998
Type: Movie
'Hey, Mr Producer!' features selected scenes from the productions of the world's most successful musical producer, Cameron Mackintosh - classic songs from classic musicals performed by the ultimate cast.
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The Scarlet Tunic
Title: The Scarlet Tunic
Character: Emily Marlowe
Released: June 12, 1998
Type: Movie
Passions erupt between a German hussar (Jean-Marc Barr) serving with King George III's personal cavalry and the only daughter of an English solicitor (Emma Fielding) in this period tearjerker adapted from a short story by Thomas Hardy. Longing to escape their own personal imprisonments -- he, his service to the king, and she, her engagement to a man she doesn't love -- they find solace in each other's arms.
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An Audience with Ronnie Corbett
Title: An Audience with Ronnie Corbett
Released: October 25, 1997
Type: Movie
Super-talented comic Ronnie Corbett pulls out all the stops to entertain a celebrity audience including on-screen sidekick Ronnie Barker, Damien Hirst and Frank Skinner in this 1997 special.
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Title: Midsomer Murders
Character: Jane Willows
Released: March 23, 1997
Type: TV
The peacefulness of the Midsomer community is shattered by violent crimes, suspects are placed under suspicion, and it is up to a veteran DCI and his young sergeant to calmly and diligently eliminate the innocent and ruthlessly pursue the guilty.
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Title: Dalziel & Pascoe
Released: March 16, 1996
Type: TV
British crime drama based on the "Dalziel and Pascoe" series of books by Reginald Hill, set in the fictional Yorkshire town of Wetherton. The unlikely duo of politically incorrect elephant-in-a-china-shop-copper Detective Superintendent Andrew Dalziel (pronounced Dee-ell) and his more sensitive and university educated sidekick Detective Sargent, later Detective Inspector, Peter Pascoe is always on hand to solve the classic murder mystery, while maintaining a down to earth wit and humour.
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Title: Faith in the Future
Released: November 17, 1995
Type: TV
Faith in the Future is a British comedy television show running from 17 November 1995 to 27 February 1998. A sequel to the show Second Thoughts, it aired on ITV for 22 episodes. The show continues the story of Faith Greyshott, newly single after splitting from her long-term partner, Bill, at the end of Second Thoughts. With her daughter Hannah away travelling and her son Joe now in a shared flat, Faith decides it's time to stop being a wife and mother and live her life for herself; however, her plans are scuppered when Hannah returns and expects to move back home.
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Title: Martin Chuzzlewit
Character: Mrs. Lupin
Released: November 7, 1994
Type: TV
When old Martin Chuzzlewit disinherits his grandson, he falls prey to a host of rapacious relatives.
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Title: Junior Masterchef
Released: August 14, 1994
Type: TV
Junior MasterChef is a British TV cookery competition, broadcast by the BBC, in which nine- to twelve-year-olds compete to be crowned Junior MasterChef. It is a spin-off from the main series MasterChef. Junior MasterChef first ran from 1994 to 1999, presented by Loyd Grossman. After a long hiatus, it was revived in 2010 in a revamped format, presented by writer and actress Nadia Sawalha, previously a Celebrity MasterChef contestant and restaurant owner, and professional chef John Torode, who also presents MasterChef. The revival series was commissioned by CBBC Controller Anne Gilchrist and produced by Shine Television, and was broadcast on BBC One. A further series was commissioned in 2012 for broadcast on CBBC.
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Title: Gibberish
Released: March 16, 1992
Type: TV
Gibberish was a celebrity panel game show hosted by Kenny Everett. Two teams of celebrities had to answer questions.
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Title: Second Thoughts
Character: Faith
Released: May 3, 1991
Type: TV
Second thoughts is a British sitcom that ran from 3 May 1991 to 14 October 1994. It was broadcast on ITV and made by LWT. It was followed by a sequel, Faith in the future. Second thoughts followed the lives of two middle-aged divorcees, Bill MacGregor and Faith Greyshott, from very different backgrounds trying to develop a relationship, despite the pressures pulling it apart. Second thoughts was based upon the real-life relationship of the writers, husband and wife Jan Etherington and Gavin Petrie. It originally aired as a radio series on BBC Radio 4 broadcast between 1 November 1988 and 23 July 1992. The radio series consisted of four series and a Christmas special broadcast in 1992 with a total of 31 episodes. The radio scripts were used for the television series on ITV. The fifth series was considered weaker than the first four series; it was the only series not to be based on the original radio scripts. Second thoughts ended on 14 October 1994, but has since been repeated on ITV3. The original radio series is often replayed on BBC7.
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Title: This Morning
Character: Self
Released: October 3, 1988
Type: TV
This Morning features a variety of news, as well as show business, fashion, beauty, lifestyle, home and garden, food, tech, live phone-ins, and competitions.
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The Vision
Title: The Vision
Character: Mary Morris
Released: November 25, 1987
Type: Movie
Veteran broadcaster James Marriner is persuaded to front a new big budget national family TV channel. But he begins to suspect that the channel is a front for something much more sinister and political.
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Title: Filthy Rich & Catflap
Character: Ms Tomkins
Released: January 7, 1987
Type: TV
The series featured former The Young Ones stars Nigel Planer, Rik Mayall and Adrian Edmondson as its three title characters respectively. It was written by Ben Elton with additional material credited to Mayall. One series of six half-hour episodes was produced. (The notion of a second series is played upon in the final episode, and the continuity announcer on the last instalment says "...and Filthy Rich and Catflap will return next year." They didn't.)
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Doctor Who: The Ultimate Foe
Title: Doctor Who: The Ultimate Foe
Character: The Inquisitor
Released: December 6, 1986
Type: Movie
Charged with genocide by the treacherous Valeyard at his trial, the Doctor receives help from an unlikely source to turn the tide of the High Council's rulings in his favour and reveal the Valeyard as a wrongdoer: the Master. For the Valeyard's own crimes are so atrocious, even the Doctor's archenemy will help him to ensure that the villain won't see the light of day again. Cornered, the Valeyard flees to the Matrix, where he can be the Doctor's judge, jury and executioner...
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Doctor Who: Terror of the Vervoids
Title: Doctor Who: Terror of the Vervoids
Character: The Inquisitor
Released: November 22, 1986
Type: Movie
As evidence for the defense at his ongoing trial, the Doctor presents an adventure from his future when he is travelling with a computer programmer named Mel. Answering a mysterious distress call from the space liner Hyperion III, they find that the passengers aboard include unscrupulous scientists, secret agents, saboteurs, thieves and a murderer. And lurking in the shadows are the Vervoids, the product of sinister botanical experiments, who will stop at nothing to destroy all non-plant life.
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Doctor Who: Mindwarp
Title: Doctor Who: Mindwarp
Character: The Inquisitor
Released: October 25, 1986
Type: Movie
As the Doctor's trial continues, evidence is presented showing his most recent adventure, one where he faces an old adversary, Sil. As a scientist conducts his unethical experiments to prolong the life of Sil's boss Kiv, the Doctor's memories of the events begins to return and an unpleasant surprise awaits him.
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Doctor Who: The Mysterious Planet
Title: Doctor Who: The Mysterious Planet
Character: The Inquisitor
Released: September 27, 1986
Type: Movie
The Doctor is summoned before the High Council of Time Lords to stand trial for the charges of harmful interference to the course of events during his travels which have threatened the sanctity of the universe. Indignant at these accusations, the Doctor pleads his case to the Inquisitor with the hope that she will see him as a source of hope and goodwill for existence. However, his prosecuting attorney, a sinister Time Lord known simply as the Valeyard, begins a crusade against the Doctor with the motive of framing him as a villainous renegade.
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Title: Casualty
Character: Steph Yates
Released: September 6, 1986
Type: TV
Drama series about the staff and patients at Holby City Hospital's emergency department, charting the ups and downs in their personal and professional lives.
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Title: Surprise, Surprise
Character: Self
Released: May 6, 1984
Type: TV
Surprise, Surprise is a British television programme originally hosted by Cilla Black and produced by London Weekend Television for ITV. It ran for 14 series from 6 May 1984 to 5 September 1997, after which four annual specials were produced between 1998 to 2001. In 2012, the show returned after a 11-year hiatus. The revived version is produced by ITV Studios and presented by Holly Willoughby. The show is currently in its second series.
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Title: Wogan
Character: Self
Released: May 4, 1982
Type: TV
Wogan is a British television chat show
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Riding High
Title: Riding High
Character: Miss Mott
Released: May 1, 1981
Type: Movie
Riding High is a 1981 British drama film directed by Ross Cramer and starring Eddie Kidd, Irene Handl and Murray Salem. The screenplay concerns a bored young motorcycle messenger who begins training to take part in a major competition.
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Title: The Gentle Touch
Released: April 11, 1980
Type: TV
The Gentle Touch is a British police drama television series made by London Weekend Television for ITV which ran from 1980-1984. Commencing transmission on 11 April 1980, the series is notable for being the first British series to feature a female police detective as its leading character, ahead of the similarly themed BBC series Juliet Bravo by four months.
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Title: Shoestring
Released: September 30, 1979
Type: TV
Shoestring was a BBC television show set in Bristol. It featured a private detective with his own show on Radio West, the local radio station. The programme ran between 30 September 1979 and 21 December 1980, in two series with 21 one hour-long episodes. Star Trevor Eve decided not to return to the role after two series, as he wanted to diversify into theatre roles, so the same production team changed the format to be based in Jersey and created Bergerac, also about a detective returning to work after a bad period in his life.
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Title: The Pink Medicine Show
Released: June 9, 1978
Type: TV
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Title: Hazell
Released: January 16, 1978
Type: TV
Hazell is a British television series that ran from 1978–1979, about a fictional private detective named James Hazell.
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Title: An Audience with...
Character: Self
Released: January 8, 1978
Type: TV
An Audience with... is a British entertainment television show produced by London Weekend Television, in which a host, usually a singer or comedian, performs for an invited audience of celebrity guests, interspersed with questions from the audience, in a light hearted revue/tribute style.
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Title: All Creatures Great and Small
Character: Helen Herriot
Released: January 8, 1978
Type: TV
All Creatures Great and Small is a British television series, based on the books of the British veterinary surgeon Alf Wight, who wrote under the pseudonym James Herriot. Ninety episodes were aired over two three-year runs. The first run was based directly on Herriot's books; the second was filmed with original scripts.
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Title: Blake's 7
Character: Vena
Released: January 2, 1978
Type: TV
A group of convicts and outcasts fight a guerrilla war against the totalitarian Terran Federation from a highly advanced alien spaceship.
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Title: The Professionals
Character: Betty Hope
Released: December 30, 1977
Type: TV
The lives of Bodie and Doyle, top agents for Britain's CI5 (Criminal Intelligence 5), and their controller, George Cowley. The mandate of CI5 was to fight terrorism and similar high-profile crimes. Cowley, a hard ex-MI5 operative, hand-picked each of his men. Bodie is a cynical ex-SAS paratrooper and mercenary whose nature ran to controlled violence, while his partner, Doyle, comes to CI5 from the regular police force, and is more of an open minded liberal. Their relationship is often contentious, but they are the top men in their field, and the ones to whom Cowley always assigned to the toughest cases.
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Stand up, Virgin Soldiers
Title: Stand up, Virgin Soldiers
Character: Valerie
Released: April 4, 1977
Type: Movie
Some British soldiers in Singapore are more concerned with finding sex than finding Communists.
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Sweeney!
Title: Sweeney!
Character: Janice Wyatt
Released: January 14, 1977
Type: Movie
When one of Regan's snouts complains that his girlfriend's recent suicide was murder, the flying squad detective feels compelled to investigate. He uncovers a conspiracy that reaches the heart of the government, and finds himself fitted up, suspended and under the scrutiny of Special Branch.
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Confessions of a Driving Instructor
Title: Confessions of a Driving Instructor
Character: Mary Truscott
Released: September 1, 1976
Type: Movie
Timothy Lea and his brother-in-law Sidney decide upon opening a driving school as their latest get-rich-quick scheme. Though he sincerely wants to teach, young Timmy finds that his female students are far more interested in keeping their eyes on him than on the road.
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Title: Yus, My Dear
Character: Carol
Released: January 11, 1976
Type: TV
Wally and Lil Briggs have moved from the caravan site where they lived for many years and now live in a council house. Wally has even got a well-paid job on a building site and life is looking good for them. The arrival of Benny, Wally's younger brother, spoils their happiness as he sponges off Wally while looking for a permanent place to stay. Lil is all too aware of his tricks even if the gullible Wally is not ...
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Title: Angels
Released: September 1, 1975
Type: TV
Angels is a BBC medical soap-opera which launched on 1st September 1975 and was the blue print for such medical soaps as Casualty, Holby City, plus daytime soap, Doctors. The medical soap focuses on different departments within Heath Green Hospital and was a highly successful continuing drama.
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Title: The Sweeney
Character: Nancy King
Released: January 2, 1975
Type: TV
Jack Regan, an unethical officer of the Flying Squad, uses unorthodox methods to pursue criminals with the help of his partner, George Carter.
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Title: Within These Walls
Released: January 4, 1974
Type: TV
Within These Walls is a British television drama programme made by London Weekend Television for ITV and shown between 1974 and 1978. It portrayed life in HMP Stone Park, a fictional women's prison. Unlike the later women-in-prison TV series Prisoner and Bad Girls, Within These Walls tended to centre its storylines around the prison staff rather than the inmates. The lead character was the well-groomed, genteel governor Faye Boswell, and episodes revolved around her attempts to liberalise the prison regime while managing her personal life at home. Another prominent character was her Chief Officer, Mrs. Armitage. Googie Withers left after three series; in Series Four her character was replaced as governor by Helen Forrester, who in turn left to be replaced in the final Series Five by Susan Marshall. The creator and writer of the programme, David Butler, played the prison chaplain, the Rev Henry Prentice, in some episodes. As of November 2011 Network DVD have released all five series in the UK, with the exception of "Nowhere for the Kids", an episode from Series Two which appears to have been wiped from the archives.
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Title: Tell Tarby
Released: October 29, 1973
Type: TV
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Title: Doctor Who
Character: The Inquisitor
Released: November 23, 1963
Type: TV
The adventures of The Doctor, a time-traveling humanoid alien known as a Time Lord. He explores the universe in his TARDIS, a sentient time-traveling spaceship. Its exterior appears as a blue British police box, which was a common sight in Britain in 1963 when the series first aired. Along with a succession of companions, The Doctor faces a variety of foes while working to save civilizations, help ordinary people, and right many wrongs.
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Title: Z-Cars
Released: January 2, 1962
Type: TV
Z-Cars or Z Cars is a British television drama series centred on the work of mobile uniformed police in the fictional town of Newtown, based on Kirkby, Merseyside. Produced by the BBC, it debuted in January 1962 and ran until September 1978.