April Walker

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April Walker was born in 1943 in Sherborne, Dorset. She is a British actress and trained at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art between 1960-1962. She worked extensively in repertory and touring theatre before appearing on television in BBC TV comedy series such as The Two Ronnies, Fawlty Towers, Yes Minister, Dad's Army, Morecambe and Wise, The Dick Emery Show, Terry and June, Sykes, and The Les Dawson Show.

Interspersed with the comedy were drama series which included appearances in , Anna Karenina, Minor Complications, Father Brown, The Prince and the Pauper, Judge John Deed and Waking The Dead. She has also performed on radio, including the last series of The Navy Lark, and in films such as The Pink Panther Strikes Again, Rhubarb Rhubarb and .

Walker's experience of touring took her to Canada and South Africa in 1979, with Eric Sykes and Hattie Jacques, and to the Middle and Far East in 1990 with Tim Brooke Taylor in a Derek Nimmo production of Alan Ayckbourn's . She has appeared in West End productions: at the Lyric Theatre in 1968 (in which she played Jon Pertwee's niece), in at the Vaudeville in 1982, Present Laughter at both the Aldwych Theatre and the in 1996, and Brief Encounter at the Lyric Theatre in 2000.

In 1973, a new companion was being sought to star opposite Jon Pertwee in the long-running television series Doctor Who. After auditioning many women, producer Barry Letts selected Walker for the role of Sarah Jane Smith. Pertwee, who had been playing the Doctor for some time, had not been consulted and totally disagreed with the casting although he and Walker had worked harmoniously together in Oh Clarence. He was not comfortable with playing opposite his female co-star, who was tall and blonde. Already contractually protected, Walker was paid for the entire season^[1] but any monies earned at the BBC during the period of the contract were deducted. The role was re-cast with Elisabeth Sladen, who was not as tall as Walker and had dark hair. It was decided that the secret should be kept by those who knew the truth which it was until David Brunt who was compiling a Dr Who DVD came across a BBC memo about the payment.^{[citation needed]}

Also in 1973, Walker was cast as Jutta Baumgarten, Terry Collier's prospective wife in Whatever Happened to the Likely Lads. The intention was that she would become a regular character in the show's second series. After filming her first scene, the producers changed their minds about having both of the main male characters married and so Walker was released from the role, though her name appears on the credits.^{[citation needed]}

References[]

External links[]

• April Walker at IMDb

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