Helen Fraser (actress)

Helen Fraser (born Helen Margaret Stronach; born 15 June 1942) is an English actress, who has appeared in many television series since the early 1960s.[1] For international audiences, she may be best known for her roles in Billy Liar (1963) and Repulsion (1965).[2] She is also well known for portraying the role of miserable warder Sylvia Hollamby in the prison drama series Bad Girls.[3] She appeared in the series from the first episode in 1999 to the last in 2006.[1]

Helen Fraser
Fraser in 2011
Born
Helen Margaret Stronach

(1942-06-15) 15 June 1942
Oldham, Lancashire, England
OccupationActress
Years active1962–present
Spouse(s)Peter Handford (1964–2007, his death)

Career

She trained at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art alongside Tom Courtenay and John Thaw, among others.[4] She gained her breakthrough role alongside Courtenay in Billy Liar (1963).[5] They later played the parents of character Dave Best in the Christmas special of The Royle Family (2008).[6]

She is best known to television viewers for her long-running role in the ITV women's prison drama Bad Girls as unpleasant prison officer Sylvia Hollamby[7] from the first episode in 1999 to the last in 2006.[1] She reprised the role in the West End production of Bad Girls: The Musical in 2007.[6]

She made her TV debut in the early 1960s and her credits include Z-Cars, Dixon of Dock Green, The Likely Lads, Doctor in the House, The Dustbinmen, On the Buses, Rising Damp, Tales of the Unexpected, Duty Free, One Foot in the Grave and Casualty.[8] She also worked on TV with comedians like Dick Emery and the Two Ronnies in the 1970s.[6]

She has also appeared on stage, including with the Royal National Theatre, in the West End and in regional theatres across the country.[9] In 2009 and 2010, she toured the UK as Mrs Fisher in a stage version of Billy Liar.[3] In 2011, she joined the tour of Calendar Girls.[10]

Fraser has appeared in the ITV soap Coronation Street twice – in 1998 as Magenta Savannah and again in 2013 as Doris Babbage.[11][12][13]

In 2015, she appeared in an episode of the BBC daytime soap Doctors.[14]

Personal life

In 1964, she married the recording engineer Peter Handford, the couple had met on the set of Billy Liar.[3] Handford died in 2007.[15] Fraser lives in Eye, Suffolk.[16]

Filmography
Film
Year Title Role Notes
1962A Kind of LovingIngrid's FriendUncredited
1963Billy LiarBarbara
1965RepulsionBridget
1966The UncleMary Ream
1968The Birthday PartyLulu
1972Something to HideMiss Bunyan
1970Start the Revolution Without MeMimi
1974From Beyond the GraveGuestSegment 1: The Gate Crasher; uncredited
1977Joseph AndrewsMrs. Adams
1988Gorillas in the MistMme. Van Vecten
Television
Year Title Role Notes
1962Silent EvidenceTina1 episode: "Driven to the Brink"
Z-CarsHilda Stansfield/Vicky Bell1962–1963; 2 episodes: "Contraband", "The Bad Lad"
ITV Play of the WeekEllen/Millie1962–1965; 2 episodes: The Door, The Way of All Flesh
1963Friday NightBetty/Sheila/Mavis/Brenda Holroyd4 episodes
1964The VillainsPat1 episode: "Amateurs"
No Hiding PlaceJill1 episode: "The Hoarders"
Thursday TheatreJaney Jenkins1 episode: "The Cure for Love"
1965The Valiant Varneys1 episode: season 2.3
Comedy PlayhouseMousy Bird (Greta Spavin)1 episode: Here I Come Whoever I Am
Pardon the ExpressionHilda Norton2 episodes: "The Trouble with Ada", "The Visitor"
Six of the BestVanessa1 episode: "Charlie's Place"
Dixon of Dock GreenGwen1 episode: "Castles in the Air"
Knock on Any DoorMadge1 episode: "A Paragraph of for Mr Blake"
Theatre 625Mrs. Hampton1 episode: "Portraits from the North: The Nutter"
The Likely LadsHelen1965–1966; 2 episodes: "Talk of the Town", "Love and Marriage"
BlackmailBrenda/Daphne Appleton1965–1966; 2 episodes: First Offender, Boys and Girls Commute to Play
1966The Wednesday PlayLinda/Polly1966–1967; 2 episodes: Way off Beat, The Fat of the Land
1967Love StorySue1 episode: A Diamond is Forever
The GamblersJoyce1 episode: "Oil and Water"
1969Doctor in the HouseRigor Mortis1 episode: "Getting the Bird"
Dombey and SonSusan NipperTV serial; 9 episodes
1970The DustbinmenThe Goddess1 episode: season 2.4
1971Never Mind the Quality, Feel the WidthDoreen Lawton1 episode: "Mix Me a Marriage"
Now Look HereTracey1 episode: Season 1.2
On the BusesLinda1 episode: "Boxing Day Social"
The Dick Emery ShowLampwick's Daughter12 episodes
1972A Day OutMrs. AckroydTelevision film
Doctor in ChargeDr. Mary Parsons/Dr. Mary Bingham1972–1973; 6 episodes
1973The Upper CrustsMrs. Smith1 episode: "Sitting Pretty"
Hunter's WalkJanet Kenwright1 episode: "Disturbance"
Man About the HouseGabrielle1 episode: "Three's a Crowd"
1974Sporting ScenesHelen1 episode: "The Needle Match"
1975Cilla's Comedy SixGloria1 episode: "Father's Doing Fine"
...And Mother Makes FiveMiss Finch1 episode: "Legs Eleven"
Rising DampGwen/Bride1975–1978; 2 episodes: "For the Man Who Has Everything", "Pink Carnations"
1976Jumbo SpencerMrs. Spencer
1978BBC2 Play of the WeekPolly Wright1 episode: Fairies
1980BBC2 PlayhouseLou Parker1 episode: The Black Madonna
1981PartnersMonica1 episode: "Fair Shares"
The Patricia Neal Story2nd NeighbourTelevision film
1982Tales of the UnexpectedBeryl1 episode: Blue Marigold
Sorry!Psychotherapist1 episode: "Perchance to Dream"
Play for TodayJoyce Midgley1 episode: "Intensive Care"
1983DramaramaJoan Osgerby1 episode: "Rig It Up"
1984Duty FreeEmily1 episode: "Spanish Lace"
The Box of DelightsEllen4 episodes
1986In Loving MemoryEnid Bracegirdle1 episode: "They Shoot Undertakers, Don't They"
1987Screen TwoMrs. Mortland1 episode: Northanger Abbey
1988Beryl Markham: A Shadow on the SunJune CarberryTelevision film
1990One Foot in the GraveDr. Snellgrove1 episode: "The Big Sleep"
1995Under the MoonMiss PrudhommeTelevision film
1997The UninvitedCharge NurseMini-series
1998Coronation StreetMagenta Savannah2 episodes: episode #4394, episode #4397
1999Bad GirlsSylvia Hollamby1999–2006; 92 episodes, main role
2003CasualtyJoan Jowell3 episodes: "Flash in the Pan, Truth or Dare, In the Frame"
2008The Royle FamilyJocelyn Best1 episode: "The New Sofa"
2012The UnforgettableHerself1 episode: The Unforgettable John Thaw
2013Coronation StreetDoris BabbageGuest appearance
2015DoctorsMary Star1 episode: "Pudding"

References
  1. "Helen Fraser". BFI.
  2. "Helen Fraser | Movies and Filmography". AllMovie.
  3. "Helen Fraser on life with Billy Liar". walesonline. 2 March 2009.
  4. "Helen Fraser — RADA". www.rada.ac.uk.
  5. McFarlane, Brian; Slide, Anthony (16 May 2016). The Encyclopedia of British Film: Fourth edition. Manchester University Press. ISBN 9781526111968 – via Google Books.
  6. "Helen Fraser – Actress". bslbt.co.uk. Retrieved 4 March 2011.
  7. "Helen Fraser plays Sylvia Hollamby". badgirls.co.uk. Archived from the original on 1 November 2010. Retrieved 4 March 2011.
  8. "Helen Fraser". www.aveleyman.com.
  9. "Helen Fraser | Theatricalia". theatricalia.com.
  10. "Calendar Girls open in Carlisle". ITV News.
  11. Young, Glenda (19 February 2013). "Coronation Street Blog: Helen Fraser joins Coronation Street".
  12. "Actress Helen Fraser's top five films". 10 May 2013.
  13. "Actress voices race row fears". Ipswich Star.
  14. "BBC One - Doctors, Series 17, Pudding". BBC.
  15. "Big Interview - Helen Fraser". www.lep.co.uk. Retrieved 15 December 2017.
  16. Clarke, Andrew. "Bad Girl Helen Fraser's journey back to the beginning of a dramatic career". Retrieved 15 December 2017.
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