Linda Regan

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Linda Regan
Born
Linda Mary Drinkwater

(1949-11-05) 5 November 1949 (age 71)
Brixton, London[1]
OccupationActress
Years active1970–present
Spouse(s)
(m. 1995)
Parent(s)Peter Regan
Phyllis Drinkwater
RelativesCarol Drinkwater (sister)[2]
Websitelindareganonline.co.uk

Linda Regan (born 5 November 1949)[3] born Linda Mary Drinkwater, is a British actress and author, who has appeared on television, film, radio and on stage. She is best known for her role as Yellowcoat April in the British holiday camp sitcom Hi-de-Hi!.

Early life[]

Born in Brixton, London, Regan is a daughter of bandleader and agent Peter Regan (born Peter Albert Drinkwater) and Phyllis Drinkwater, an Irish nurse; Regan's older sister is the actress and writer Carol Drinkwater.[4][2] They moved to Rochester, before settling in Bromley when Regan was five. Regan often helped her father while entertaining, such as helping with Punch and Judy and balloon modelling. After leaving school, Regan attended the Worcester Repertory Company.[5]

Career[]

Regan made her television debut in an episode of the popular ITV sitcom On the Buses in 1970, shortly after, she appeared in the film version of the same name. This was followed by roles in well known programmes such as Doctor at Large, Softly, Softly: Task Force, Special Branch and Dixon of Dock Green. In the mid-1970s, Regan appeared in several sex comedy films including Carry On England, Confessions of a Pop Performer and Adventures of a Private Eye. She also starred in the high profile films The Hiding Place and Quadrophenia and had a main role in the hospital drama General Hospital from 1976 to 1977. Regan appeared in the first episode of popular drama series Minder in 1979 starring George Cole and Dennis Waterman and played a Swedish pop star in Bergerac, and followed this with a main role in the holiday camp sitcom Hi-de-Hi! as April, a character she would play from 1984 until the show's end in 1988.

After appearances in Birds of a Feather, thriller Framed and hard hitting crime drama The Knock, Regan starred in five episodes of The Bill before appearing as Harry's mother in all 4 series of children's drama series Harry and Cosh from 1999 to 2003. She continues her career on both stage and screen, including Holby City, Doctors and Run for Your Wife, as well as appearing in several short films and commercials, and writing award winning crime novels.[4]

Personal life[]

Regan married the actor Brian Murphy in 1995.[6] She is dyslexic and was not encouraged at school but wrote stories from a young age. Just before her first book was published, in 2005, she was kidnapped at knifepoint and forced into a car, later jumping from the vehicle to escape. Soon after, she was diagnosed with cancer, which she believes was caused by her kidnap ordeal; she overcame the disease.[5]

A dog lover since childhood, Regan runs her own blog in which she communicates with other dog owners.[7]

Filmography[]

Film[]

Year Title Role Notes
1971 On the Buses Pretty Girl on Bus
1973 Adolf Hitler: My Part in His Downfall Girl at Dance
1974 Keep It Up, Jack Gloria
1974 A Private Enterprise
1975 The Hiding Place Prostitute
1975 Confessions of a Pop Performer Brenda Climax
1976 Carry On England A.T.S. Private Taylor
1977 Hardcore Secretary
1977 Adventures of a Private Eye Clarissa
1979 Quadrophenia Chief Rocker Girl
1999 Janice Beard
1999 Holding On Pru
2003 The Last Horror Movie Terri
2004 Let Go Susan
2012 Blitz and Bananas Emily Spratt
2012 Run for Your Wife Allotment woman
2016 After Hours Shirley
2018 The Vampire of Soho Beryl

Television[]

Year Title Role Notes
1970 Z Cars Factory Girl Episode: "Stop Over: Part 1"
1970 Carry On Christmas Island Girl
1970 On the Buses Edna Episode: "Christmas Duty"
1971 Doctor at Large Schoolgirl Episode: "Doctor Dish"
1971 Softly, Softly: Task Force Girl in Lorry Episode: "Copper Wire"
1972 Engelbert with the Young Generation Girl in Film Sequence Episode: "#1.11"
1972 Doctor in Charge Girl at Dance Episode: "The Taming of the Wolf"
1972 Villains Young Woman Episode: "Belinda"
1973 Special Branch Episode: "Red Herring"
1974 Seven Faces of Woman Barbara Episode: "Polly Put the Kettle On"
1975 Dixon of Dock Green Liz Rowley Episode: "On a Moody Complaint"
1975 Scene Polly Episode: "Because I Said So"
1976 Barney's Last Battle Lily Ayres
1976-1977 General Hospital Susan 3 episodes
1977 ITV Playhouse Valerie Episode: "The Proofing Session"
1978 Z Cars Woman at Bus Stop Episode: "A Woman's Place"
1979 Minder Liz Episode: "Gunfight at the O.K. Laundrette"
1980 The Gentle Touch Marilyn Episode: "Break-In"
1982 Kelly Monteith Episode: "#4.1"
1984 Bergerac Gudrun Olfsberg Episode: "A Cry in the Night"
1984-1988 Hi-de-Hi! April 24 episodes
1985 Dempsey and Makepeace Gloria Episode: "Blind Eye"
1985 C.A.T.S. Eyes Naval Computer Operator Episode: "Something Nasty Down Below"
1985 Lost in London Rosey
1986 C.A.T.S. Eyes Amber Episode: "Hit List"
1988 Comic Relief Hospital Patient
1988 The Bill Burnside's Girlfriend Episode: "Snout"
1991 Birds of a Feather Annie Episode: "We'll Always Have Majorca"
1992 The Bill Building Society Manageress Episode: "Sympathy for the Devil"
1992 Framed Mrs Minton Episode: "#1.2"
1992 Fool's Gold: The Story of the Brink's-Mat Robbery Brenda Noye
1992 The Linda Calvey Story Linda Calvey
1993 Over the Rainbow Jenny Episode: "The House of the Rising Sun"
1994 The Detectives Barmaid Episode: "Witness"
1994 The Bill Pub Manageress Episode: "Pals"
1994 The Knock June 3 episodes
1994 Hale and Pace Wife in Hospital 2 episodes
1995 Ghostbusters of East Finchley Prostitute Episode: "#1.1"
1997 The Bill Lizzie Byrne Episode: "Age Gaps"
1998 Barmaid Episode: "Like Family"
1999-2003 Harry and Cosh Harry's Mother All 45 episodes
2000 London's Burning Ivy Episode: "#12.6"
2001 Men Only Aerobics Teacher
2004 Doctors Noreen Topper Episode: "What the Doctor Saw"
2004 Billie: Girl of the Future Barbara Episode: "#1.4"
2005 Tittybangbang Various Episode: "Pilot"
2007 Holby City Polly Hunter Episode: "Past Imperfect"
2014 Doctors Hilary Cavendish Episode: "Good Guys"

Writing[]

  • Dead Like Her. (5 February 2007). Creme de La Crime. ISBN 0-9557078-8-9. ISBN 978-0-9557078-8-9.
  • Passion Killers. (2008). Creme de La Crime. ISBN 0-9551589-8-2. ISBN 978-0-9551589-8-8.
  • Behind You!. (2 September 2009). Creme de La Crime. ISBN 0-9551589-2-3. ISBN 978-0-9551589-2-6.
  • Brotherhood of Blades. (28 July 2011). Creme de La Crime. ISBN 1-78029-009-8. ISBN 978-1-78029-009-6.
  • Street Girls. (28 March 2012). Creme De La Crime.
  • Guts for Garters. (March 2015). Accent Press.
  • SisterHoods. (December 2016). Accent Press.
  • The Terror Within. (December 2019). Accent Press.

References[]

  1. ^ "Index entry". FreeBMD. ONS. Retrieved 6 October 2014.
  2. ^ Jump up to: a b "Enjoying the rich harvest". Independent.ie. Retrieved 15 May 2019.
  3. ^ "Byroc Play Productions Limited - Company Information - Endole". www.endole.co.uk. Retrieved 10 January 2017.
  4. ^ Jump up to: a b Maxford, Howard (2018). Hammer Complete: The Films, the Personnel, the Company. McFarland. p. 677. ISBN 1476670072. She is married to the actor Brian Murphy (1932 - ), whom she wed in 1995... Her father is the bandleader and agent Peter Regan (real name Peter Albert Drinkwater) and her sister is the actress and writer Carol Drinkwater (1948 - ).
  5. ^ Jump up to: a b Sturt, Sarah. "Bromley star Linda Regan-Murphy". Kent Life.
  6. ^ "'Allo 'Allo star dies". 4 August 2002 – via news.bbc.co.uk.
  7. ^ "Home". Canines in Kent.

External links[]



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