Polly James

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For the American screenwriter, see Polly James (screenwriter).

Polly James
Born (1941-07-08) 8 July 1941 (age 80)
Blackburn, Lancashire, England
Years active1966–2001
Spouse(s)Clive Francis
Children1

Polly James (born 8 July 1941) is an English actress with a career in theatre, film, television and radio.

Career[]

Pauline James was born in Blackburn, Lancashire, under the name Pauline Devaney.[1] After graduating from RADA, her TV career began in BBC2's Thirty-Minute Theatre, followed by the role of a drug addict in Z-Cars in 1967.[2] She played Audrey Hargreaves in Coronation Street in 1967.[3][4]

She is best known for her role as Beryl Hennessey in the first four series of the British sitcom The Liver Birds (1969–74), mostly alongside Nerys Hughes.[5][6] She played Cicely Courtneidge in the biographical musical of the actress in 1976, and appeared as a soubrette in Alan Clarke's 1982 production of Baal. She played the role of Jane Hampden on "The Awakening" episode of Doctor Who in 1984.[7] She appeared in the West End musicals I and Albert and Anne of Green Gables. In 1971, James appeared with the Royal Shakespeare Company in The Merchant of Venice with Judi Dench.[8]

James appeared as Jenny Wren in the 1976 BBC adaptation of Dickens's Our Mutual Friend.[9]

Personal life[]

She is divorced[10] and has one child by actor Clive Francis.

Television roles[]

Comedy[]

Year Title Role
1969 to 1974 The Liver Birds Beryl Hennessey
1996 The Liver Birds Beryl Fenning, née Hennessey

Children's[]

Year Title Role
2000 to 2001 The Worst Witch Miss Lavinia Crotchet

References[]

  1. ^ Adrian Room (1981). Naming Names: Stories of Pseudonyms and Name Changes, with a Who's Who. Routledge & Kegan Paul. ISBN 978-0-7100-0920-3.
  2. ^ TV.com. "Polly James (I)". TV.com. Retrieved 4 January 2020.
  3. ^ Webber, Richard (13 April 2013). "Whatever happened to The Liver Birds?". Express.co.uk. Retrieved 4 January 2020.
  4. ^ "The Liver Birds DVD release brings back memories East Lancashire actress Polly". Lancashire Telegraph. Retrieved 4 January 2020.
  5. ^ Guide, British Comedy. "The Liver Birds - BBC1 Sitcom". British Comedy Guide. Retrieved 4 January 2020.
  6. ^ Bryant, Tom; Robertson, Peter (25 January 2018). "Liver Birds' Nerys Hughes reveals brushes with sleazy men in showbiz". mirror. Retrieved 4 January 2020.
  7. ^ "BBC - Doctor Who Classic Episode Guide - The Awakening - Details". www.bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 4 January 2020.
  8. ^ "Search | RSC Performances | MER197103 - The Merchant of Venice | Shakespeare Birthplace Trust". collections.shakespeare.org.uk. Retrieved 4 January 2020.
  9. ^ Sean Grass (15 May 2017). Charles Dickens's Our Mutual Friend: A Publishing History. Taylor & Francis. p. 152. ISBN 978-1-317-16822-5.
  10. ^ Isobel Wolff (2 June 1996). "How We Met". Retrieved 1 November 2018.

External links[]


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