Charlotte Mitchell

Charlotte Mitchell

Born: July 23, 1926
Died: May 2, 2012
in Ipswich, Suffolk, England, UK
In the 1950s she provided lyrics, sketches, and occasionally acted in revues on London's West End. She was especially successful in her ventures providing lyrics for Madeleine Dring in Airs on a Shoestring (1953), Pay the Piper (1954), and Fresh Airs (1956), all productions of Laurier Lister.

She was once (allegedly) the girlfriend of Peter Sellers, and appeared in The Goon Show episodes Ye Bandit of Sherwood Forest (1954) as Maid Marian and Tales of Montmartre (1956) as Seagoon's love interest, Fifi. Charlotte Mitchell was married to the actor Philip Guard[3] and was the mother of three children, actors Christopher Guard[4] and Dominic Guard[5] and animator and novelist Candy Guard. Charlotte lived in West London during the later part of her life and continued to be active as a poet.

She appeared on BBC Radio with Ian Carmichael in The Small, Intricate Life of Gerald C. Potter. Carmichael played Gerald C. Potter, mystery writer, while she played Diana, his wife, who, under the pseudonym of Miss Magnolia Badminton, wrote romantic novels. She also played, on radio, the Dowager Duchess (Lord Peter Wimsey's mother) in the radio adaption of Strong Poison that starred Ian Carmichael as Peter Wimsey and the character of Kath Miller in the BBC Radio 2 daily serial Waggoners' Walk. [9] She also featured as Maid Marion in The Goon Show's "Ye Bandit of Sherwood Forest"[10] in December 1958. On television, she played Amy Winthrop the housekeeper in The Adventures of Black Beauty (1972–74), and Monica Spencer in And Mother Makes Five. Her poetry was published in collections such as "Twelve Burnt Saucepans", "Looking Round Dangerously", "I Want to Go Home" and "Just in Case". These provided the basis of a series of popular programmes on BBC Radio 4 in which she read her own work. Her poetry is often requested and read on the BBC Radio 4's Poetry Please, and one of her poems was chosen by Judi Dench and Michael Williams in their joint BBC Radio 4 programme With Great Pleasure

Movies for Charlotte Mitchell...

Title: Heartbeat
Character: Granny Bellamy
Released: April 10, 1992
Type: TV
Set during the 1960s in the fictional North Yorkshire village of Aidensfield, this enduringly popular series interweaves crime and medical storylines.
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Title: The Paradise Club
Character: Dolly Mellors
Released: September 19, 1989
Type: TV
The Paradise Club is a BBC television drama starring Don Henderson and Leslie Grantham as Frank & Danny Kane. Two series were produced and were broadcast between 1989 and 1990. The show focuses upon two brothers, Frank & Danny Kane. Their mother, Ma Kane, is the matriarch of a criminal gang in South London, helped by her son Danny. Frank has become a priest but leaves the church; he inherits The Paradise Club on the death of their mother and returns to London to try and steer Danny away from crime.
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The Woman He Loved
Title: The Woman He Loved
Character: Lady Chatfield
Released: April 3, 1988
Type: Movie
In 1936, Edward VIII abdicated in order to marry the woman he loved, Wallis Simpson, a twice divorced American. These events caused a scandal around the world and Wallis has since been demonised as the woman who stole the King of England.
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Title: The Two Mrs. Grenvilles
Character: Emma Adams
Released: February 8, 1987
Type: TV
Ann, a former chorus girl marries above herself into a rich society family, but her mother-in-law regards her with great suspicion from the start. When Ann shoots her husband dead, claiming she thought he was a prowler, the older Mrs. Grenville decides to back the woman she despises, to protect the family image.
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Title: Inspector Morse
Character: Mrs Staveley
Released: January 6, 1987
Type: TV
Inspector Morse is a detective drama based on Colin Dexter's series of Chief Inspector Morse novels. The series starred John Thaw as Chief Inspector Morse and Kevin Whately as Sergeant Lewis, as well as a large cast of notable actors and actresses.
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The Lady's Maid's Bell
Title: The Lady's Maid's Bell
Character: Mrs. Blinder
Released: May 27, 1983
Type: Movie
Based on a short story by Edith Wharton. A lady's maid named Hartley finds employment with Mrs. Brympton, a lady who is confined to her country estate because of delicate health. Almost immediately Ms. Hartley realizes something ominous is occurring in the old house.
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The French Lieutenant's Woman
Title: The French Lieutenant's Woman
Character: Mrs. Tranter
Released: August 28, 1981
Type: Movie
In this story-within-a-story, Anna is an actress starring opposite Mike in a period piece about the forbidden love between their respective characters, Sarah and Charles. Both actors are involved in serious relationships, but the passionate nature of the script leads to an off-camera love affair as well. While attempting to maintain their composure and professionalism, Anna and Mike struggle to come to terms with their infidelity.
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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: Miss Jones And Son
Released: April 18, 1977
Type: TV
Miss Jones and Son was a comedy series first broadcast on ITV in 1977. It starred Paula Wilcox, Christopher Beeny, Charlotte Mitchell and Norman Bird. It was written by Richard Waring and produced and directed by Peter Frazer-Jones.
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In This House of Brede
Title: In This House of Brede
Character: Mrs. Fraser
Released: February 27, 1975
Type: Movie
Philippa Talbot is a talented London businesswoman who has decided to give up her position and power to become a nun. The man who loves her is in shock over her departure from his life. When Philippa arrives at Brede, a cloistered Benedictine monastery, the abbess who was responsible for convincing her to enter this vocation suddenly dies. Her successor is Catherine, a sensitive leader who's the first to tell the newcomer to the community that all nuns are to love without a preference for one over another. This becomes very difficult when Joanna, a young nun, singles Sister Philippa out and grows very attached to her.
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Title: Father Brown
Released: September 26, 1974
Type: TV
Father Brown was a Catholic priest who doubled as an amateur detective in order to solve mysteries.
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Title: ...And Mother Makes Five
Released: May 1, 1974
Type: TV
...And Mother Makes Five is a British sitcom that aired on ITV from 1974 to 1976. Starring Wendy Craig, it is the sequel of ...And Mother Makes Three and aired for four series. ...And Mother Makes Five was written by Richard Waring, Brian Cooke and Johnnie Mortimer. Wendy Craig also wrote some episodes under the pseudonym Jonathan Marr. It was made for the ITV network by Thames Television.
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Title: Crown Court
Character: Heather Wynne
Released: October 11, 1972
Type: TV
Crown Court is an afternoon television courtroom drama produced by Granada Television for the ITV network that ran from 1972, when the Crown Court system replaced Assize courts and Quarter sessions in the legal system of England and Wales, to 1984.
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Title: Crown Court
Released: October 11, 1972
Type: TV
Crown Court is an afternoon television courtroom drama produced by Granada Television for the ITV network that ran from 1972, when the Crown Court system replaced Assize courts and Quarter sessions in the legal system of England and Wales, to 1984.
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Title: The Adventures of Black Beauty
Released: September 17, 1972
Type: TV
Black Beauty is a pure black, thoroughbred horse in late 19th Century rural England who is adopted into the household of James Gordon, a local doctor and widower, and befriended by his daughter Vicky, son Kevin, and their friends Albert and Robbie.
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Title: Persuasion
Character: Mrs. Clay
Released: April 18, 1971
Type: TV
British television adaptation of the Jane Austen novel of the same name.
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The Blood on Satan's Claw
Title: The Blood on Satan's Claw
Character: Ellen Vespers
Released: January 28, 1971
Type: Movie
The accidental unearthing of Satan’s earthly remains causes the children of a 17th-century English village to slowly convert into a coven of devil worshipers.
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Title: Never A Cross Word
Released: August 10, 1968
Type: TV
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Title: The Ronnie Barker Playhouse
Released: April 3, 1968
Type: TV
The Ronnie Barker Playhouse was a series of six comedy half hours showcasing the talents of Ronnie Barker. All were broadcast by Associated-Rediffusion in 1968. The series was written by Brian Cooke, Hugh Leonard, Johnnie Mortimer and Alun Owen. The producers were Stella Richman and actress Stella Tanner. The executive producer was David Frost.
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Title: Not in Front of the Children
Released: May 26, 1967
Type: TV
Not in Front of the Children is a BBC television situation comedy, which ran for four series from 1967 to 1970. It starred Wendy Craig as a rather scatter-brained middle class housewife. Her husband was a school art teacher, played by Paul Daneman in the first series, and Ronald Hines subsequently. They had three children, a boy in his early teens and two girls who were slightly younger. Charlotte Mitchell played her friend Mary. In later series she had a baby, and they moved from the suburbs to the country. It is significant mainly as Wendy Craig's first role as a scatty housewife; she played similar roles in several other series over the next fifteen years.
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Arthur Clears the Air
Title: Arthur Clears the Air
Character: Joan Smedly
Released: January 2, 1961
Type: Movie
A National Coal Board film produced to promote a 'Housewarming Plan' initiative following the 1956 Clean Air Act.
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Village of the Damned
Title: Village of the Damned
Character: Janet Pawle
Released: June 16, 1960
Type: Movie
In a small English village everyone suddenly falls unconscious. When they awake every woman of child bearing age is pregnant. The resulting children have the same strange blond hair, eyes and a strong connection to each other.
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The Bridal Path
Title: The Bridal Path
Character: Mrs. Mavis Bruce (uncredited)
Released: August 5, 1959
Type: Movie
Based on a novel by Nigel Tranter, The Bridal Path is a light-hearted look at the somewhat unfortunate results that can come of the continued marrying of fairly close cousins in a restricted and remote community. Set in the Hebrides off Scotland, the story tells how Ewan MacEwan leaves the isle of Eorsa in search of the perfect wife, but finally returns to marry Katie.
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Lost
Title: Lost
Character: Farmer's Wife (Uncredited)
Released: January 31, 1956
Type: Movie
U.S. Embassy employee Lee Cochrane and his wife, Sue, receive a shock when they discover that their 18-month-old son, Simon, has disappeared in London. He was last seen with their nanny, and the couple seemingly have no leads that might help police Detective Craig in his investigation. The media sensationalizes the incident, causing an unnecessary distraction as the couple prepares to confront the culprit face-to-face.
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Street Corner
Title: Street Corner
Character: Lily Propert
Released: March 17, 1953
Type: Movie
London policewomen handle rescues and larceny as they go about their work in Chelsea.
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Time Bomb
Title: Time Bomb
Released: February 5, 1953
Type: Movie
When a saboteur places an explosive device on a train full of sea mines, the authorities call for bomb expert Peter Lyncort to diffuse the situation, unaware that he has explosive problems of his own.
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Curtain Up
Title: Curtain Up
Character: Daphne Ray
Released: March 12, 1952
Type: Movie
In a small town in the 1950s a repertory company meets on Monday morning to start rehearsing the following week's play. This is a ghastly thing written by the aunt of one of the theatre's directors. The producer doesn't try to hide his annoyance about it, and is further exercised when the authoress herself arrives to help. The cast have to try and sort out real-life problems that keep intruding as they wrestle with the play's dire dialogue.
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Lady Godiva Rides Again
Title: Lady Godiva Rides Again
Character: Lucille
Released: October 25, 1951
Type: Movie
Marjory Clark wins a competition in her Midland town and finds herself in a Festival of Britain procession as Lady Godiva - though not in the buff. This leads by way of a suspect beauty competition to the show-business world of London. But it could be a slippery slope for simple home-town Marge.
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The Man in the White Suit
Title: The Man in the White Suit
Character: Mill Girl
Released: August 7, 1951
Type: Movie
The unassuming, nebbishy inventor Sidney Stratton creates a miraculous fabric that will never be dirty or worn out. Clearly he can make a fortune selling clothes made of the material, but may cause a crisis in the process. After all, once someone buys one of his suits they won't ever have to fix them or buy another one, and the clothing industry will collapse overnight. Nevertheless, Sidney is determined to put his invention on the market, forcing the clothing factory bigwigs to resort to more desperate measures...
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Laughter in Paradise
Title: Laughter in Paradise
Character: Ethel, the maid
Released: June 1, 1951
Type: Movie
When an eccentric practical joker dies, he divides his fortune among four heirs. But before they can collect the cash they must each do something which goes completely against their nature. NB: This is the film which introduced Audrey Hepburn.
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The Happiest Days of Your Life
Title: The Happiest Days of Your Life
Character: Ethel (Uncredited)
Released: March 8, 1950
Type: Movie
Nutbourne College, an old established, all-boys, boarding school is told that another school is to be billeted with due to wartime restrictions. The shock is that it's an all-girls school that has been sent. The two head teachers are soon battling for the upper hand with each other and the Ministry. But a crisis (or two) forces them to work together.
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Title: Pond Life
Released: December 31, 1969
Type: TV
Pond Life is a British animated television series that was written and directed by Candy Guard and follows the misadventures of its neurotic and self-obsessed protagonist, Dolly Pond. Two series were broadcast on Channel 4 in 1996 and 2000. A series of 13x15minute episodes was screened from 3 to 18 December 1996, mainly at 5.45pm, but two episodes exploring more adult themes were reserved for a double screening at 11.25pm. This series was repeated between March and June 1998. A second series of 7x30minute episodes followed between 19–30 September 2000 to tie-in with Channel 4's Animation Week of 23–29 September 2000. The series began life in 1992 with a pilot episode entitled I Want a Boyfriend ... Or Do I?, co-commissioned by Channel 4 and S4C. Pond Life was Guard's second breakthrough and was commissioned by Channel 4 in 1996. Scheduling problems marred the series' reception; it was originally intended for broadcast at 9.45pm, but was shown four hours earlier, which required edits to remove adult language. It was shown at the same time as Australian soap Neighbours, and was aimed at the same core audience as the soap. Despite these problems, Pond Life won several awards and received a Writer's Guild nomination for Best Sitcom. Guard was pleased because it was up against several live-action comedy series, including Only Fools and Horses. A second series was broadcast in 2000.