Rachel Thomas

Rachel Thomas

Born: February 10, 1905
Died: February 8, 1995
in Alltwen, Pontardawe, Glamorgan, Wales, UK
Rachel Thomas was a Welsh character actress, who almost always played the stereotypical Welsh mother or grandmother, and appeared regularly on both Welsh and English language television.

She appeared in such classic films as "The Proud Valley "(1940) with Paul Robeson, "Blue Scar" (1949) and "Tiger Bay" (1959). In 1954 she was part of the original BBC Radio cast of Dylan Thomas' radio play "Under Milk Wood", playing the roles of Rosie Probert, Mary Ann Sailors and Mrs. Willy Nilly and went on to play Mary Ann Sailors again in the 1972 film version.

Movies for Rachel Thomas...

The Clock
Title: The Clock
Character: Mari
Released: December 25, 1986
Type: Movie
A film about a twelve-year-old girl who has the opportunity to go back in time with the help of the family's big old clock.
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Title: The District Nurse
Released: January 10, 1984
Type: TV
The District Nurse is a British television series, produced by BBC Wales and shown on BBC One between 1984 and 1987. The series was a period drama created by Julia Smith and Tony Holland and starred Nerys Hughes as Megan Roberts, the titular district nurse fighting to improve living conditions for the people living in a poverty stricken mining town, Pencwm, in south Wales during the late 1920s. The School scenes were filmed at Pont-y-gof school in Ebbw Vale, shortly before the old school was demolished. The children and teachers at the school were involved in the first two series. The outdoor school and street scenes were filmed at a small village near Tredegar. Most of the houses used have now been demolished, however the street still remains. In the third series, shown in 1987 and set in the early 1930s, Megan had moved on to the seaside town of Glanmor where she worked with a father/son pair of doctors - Emlyn Isaacs and James Isaacs.
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Title: Ennal's Point
Released: January 7, 1982
Type: TV
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The Life and Times of David Lloyd George
Title: The Life and Times of David Lloyd George
Character: Mrs Richard Owen
Released: March 4, 1981
Type: Movie
The Life and Times of David Lloyd George charts the life of the controversial Liberal politician with Philip Madoc in the titular role. The title theme, Chi Mai, was by Ennio Morricone
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Title: Hawkmoor
Character: Agnes
Released: January 29, 1978
Type: TV
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Title: How Green Was My Valley
Released: December 29, 1975
Type: TV
Life is harsh but uncomplicated and happy for the Morgan family in their coal mining village in the Rhondda Valleys. But as the 20th century approaches, the younger generation is restless.
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Title: How Green Was My Valley
Character: Mrs Nicholas
Released: December 29, 1975
Type: TV
Life is harsh but uncomplicated and happy for the Morgan family in their coal mining village in the Rhondda Valleys. But as the 20th century approaches, the younger generation is restless.
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Title: Shadows
Released: September 3, 1975
Type: TV
Shadows is a British Supernatural television anthology series produced by Thames Television for ITV between 1975 and 1978. Extending over three seasons, it featured ghost and horror dramas for children. Guest actors included John Nettleton, Gareth Thomas, Jenny Agutter, Pauline Quirke, Brian Glover, June Brown, Rachel Herbert, Jacqueline Pearce and Gwyneth Strong. The series was also notable for reviving the character of Mr. Stabs. Notable writers for the series included J. B. Priestley, Fay Weldon and PJ Hammond.
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Sea Song
Title: Sea Song
Character: Lil Carter
Released: September 10, 1974
Type: Movie
Millionaire recluse Ray Carter takes part in a single handed race across the Atlantic - but soon discovers a stowaway.
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Title: Menace
Released: September 29, 1970
Type: TV
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Title: Sanctuary
Released: June 29, 1967
Type: TV
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Title: BBC Play of the Month
Character: Peasant's wife
Released: October 19, 1965
Type: TV
Play of the Month is a BBC television anthology series featuring productions of classic and contemporary stage plays which were usually broadcast on BBC1. Each production featured a different work, often using prominent British stage actors in the leading roles. The series was transmitted from October 1965 to September 1983; the producer most associated with the Play of the Month was Cedric Messina. Some of the 121 episodes are missing from the archives, having been junked in the 1960s and 1970s. Unless stated otherwise, the indication that the play is "lost" is taken from the lostshows.com website page as of 25 May 2013.
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Catacombs
Title: Catacombs
Character: Christine
Released: June 9, 1965
Type: Movie
A rich woman who uses meditation to deal with pain is visited by her niece who returns from Paris. The woman can be a handful and one of her employees suggests to her husband that he kill her freeing them both. When an affair starts between the husband and the niece murder becomes a real possibility. However some people won't stay dead.
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Title: Suspense
Released: April 30, 1962
Type: TV
Anthology series telling suspenseful tales.
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After the Funeral
Title: After the Funeral
Character: Aunty Blodwen
Released: April 3, 1960
Type: Movie
Play about two brothers who both want their Welsh grandfather to live with them.
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Tiger Bay
Title: Tiger Bay
Character: Mrs. Parry
Released: March 1, 1959
Type: Movie
In Tiger Bay, the docklands of Cardiff, rough-and-tumble street urchin Gillie witnesses the brutal killing of a young woman at the hands of visiting Polish sailor Korchinsky. Instead of reporting the crime to the authorities, Gillie merely pockets a prize for herself — Korchinsky's shiny black revolver — and flees the scene. When Detective Graham discovers that Gillie has the murder weapon, the fiery young girl weaves a web of lies to throw him off course.
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Valley of Song
Title: Valley of Song
Character: Mrs. Lloyd
Released: June 8, 1953
Type: Movie
A little Welsh village is sundered by rival factions when a coveted contralto role in the "Messiah" is given to Mrs. Davies instead of Mrs. Lloyd. Based on a stage play "Choir Practice".
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David
Title: David
Character: Mrs. Morgan
Released: July 1, 1951
Type: Movie
Told with authenticity and perception, David looks back on the life of a school caretaker in a Welsh mining town, from the marriage and birth of his son to the trauma of a pit accident. David was the first film produced by the BFI, in 1951, and the Welsh selection for the same year’s Festival of Britain screenings in London.
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Blue Scar
Title: Blue Scar
Character: Gwyneth Williams
Released: April 9, 1949
Type: Movie
1940s British realist film about the life and struggles of a family in a Welsh mining town.
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The Captive Heart
Title: The Captive Heart
Character: Mrs. Evans
Released: April 29, 1946
Type: Movie
A series of stories about the lives and loves of nine men in a Prisoner of War Camp over five years. Location shooting in the British occupied part of Germany adds believability. The main story is of Hasek (Redgrave) a Czech soldier who needs to keep his identity a secret from the Nazis, to do this he poses as a dead English Officer and corresponds with the man's wife. Upon liberation they meet and decide to continue their lives together. The other inmates' stories are revealed episodically.
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The Halfway House
Title: The Halfway House
Character: Miss Morgan - Landlady
Released: February 1, 1944
Type: Movie
A group of travellers, each with a personal problem that they want to hide, arrive at a mysterious Welsh country inn. There is a certain strangeness in the air as they are greeted by the innkeeper and his daughter. Why are all the newspapers a year old? And why doesn't Gwyneth seem to cast a shadow?
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Undercover
Title: Undercover
Character: Maria Petrovitch
Released: July 26, 1943
Type: Movie
Occupied Yugoslavia. With organised resistance shattered by the Nazi onslaught it is only the activity of small guerrilla bands that bring fresh hope to the people. But quislings and infiltrators are everywhere – and trusting the wrong person could easily get you killed...
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The Proud Valley
Title: The Proud Valley
Character: Mrs. Parry
Released: April 6, 1940
Type: Movie
In a Welsh coal mining valley, a young man with a beautiful singing voice is called upon to make the ultimate sacrifice when a pit disaster threatens.