Brenda Cowling

Brenda Cowling
Born	Brenda Rose Cowling (1925-04-23)23 April 1925 Islington, London, England
Died	2 October 2010(2010-10-02) (aged 85) Northwood, London, England
Alma mater	RADA
Occupation	Actress

Brenda Rose Cowling (23 April 1925 – 2 October 2010) was an English actress from London. Cowling wanted to be a film actress from the time she was a child; however, upon leaving school, she trained instead as a shorthand typist.

Biography[]

After a time she joined the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, where she was a member of the same class as Warren Mitchell and Jimmy Perry.^[1] While there, she made her film debut in a small role in Alfred Hitchcock's Stage Fright (1950).^[2]

Much of her early acting work was in repertory, before she began her television career. She also appeared in films, such as The Railway Children (1970), Please Sir! (1971), Carry On Girls (1973), Carry On Behind (1975). International Velvet (1978), Oliver Twist (1982) and Octopussy (1983).^[3] Television serials in which she appeared include Follyfoot, Miss Marple in They Do It With Mirrors as Mrs Rodgers in 1991, Fawlty Towers as a nurse in "The Germans", Only When I Laugh as the matron nurse in "Last Tango" in 1980, Are You Being Served? as a customer in "The Erotic Dreams of Mrs Slocombe", The Bill (1989), Jonathan Creek, Gorgons Wood as Mrs Thrimpson (2004), Dad's Army as Mrs Prentice in "All is Safely Gathered In", It Ain't Half Hot Mum in "The Last Roll Call" as the WVS Lady, The Famous Five, three episodes of Hi-De-Hi, as a VoiceOver role as a station announcer in "Together Again", a camper in "Raffles", and a maid in "Wedding Bells", and The Legacy of Reginald Perrin.^[4] One of her better known roles was as the cook, Mrs. Lipton, in You Rang, M'Lord?.^[5]

Later life and death[]

Cowling retired in 2006 after suffering a stroke. She died on 2 October 2010, at the actors' retirement home, Denville Hall, aged 85.^[6]

Selected filmography[]

• Stage Fright (1950) – Plump RADA Girl (uncredited)
• The Silken Affair (1956) – Minor Role (uncredited)
• Bindle (One of Them Days) (1966) – Martha Hearty
• Up in the Air (1969) – Lady Pennyweight
• The Railway Children (1970) – Mrs. Viney
• Please Sir! (1971) – Mrs. Duffy
• Young Winston (1972) – Mrs. Dewsnap (uncredited)
• Carry On Girls (1973) – Matron
• The Black Windmill (1974) – Pleasant Secretary (uncredited)
• Carry On Behind (1975) – Wife (uncredited)
• Jabberwocky (1977) – Mrs. Fishfinger
• The Black Panther (1977)
• International Velvet (1978) – Alice
• Oliver Twist (1982) – Mrs. Bedwin
• Pink Floyd – The Wall (1982) – Teacher
• Octopussy (1983) – Schatzi
• Dream Lover (1986) – Hotel Manager
• Greenfingers (2000) – Book Shop Customer
• Room to Rent (2000) – Church Lady

References[]

External links[]

• Brenda Cowling at IMDb