Linda Regan
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!.
Linda Regan | |
---|---|
Born | Linda Mary Drinkwater 5 November 1949 |
Occupation | Actress |
Years active | 1970–present |
Spouse(s) | Brian Murphy (1995 – present) |
Parent(s) | Peter Regan Phyllis Drinkwater |
Relatives | Carol Drinkwater (sister)[2] |
Website | lindareganonline |
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
She is married to the actor Brian Murphy, whom she married in 1995.[6] Regan is dyslexic and was not encouraged at school but wrote stories from a young age.[5] Just before her first book was published, in 2005 Regan was kidnapped in a car at knifepoint and had to jump from the moving vehicle to escape.[5] Soon after, she was diagnosed with cancer, suspectedly caused by her kidnap ordeal, which she eventually beat.[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
- "Index entry". FreeBMD. ONS. Retrieved 6 October 2014.
- "Enjoying the rich harvest". Independent.ie. Retrieved 15 May 2019.
- "Byroc Play Productions Limited - Company Information - Endole". www.endole.co.uk. Retrieved 10 January 2017.
- 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 - ).
- Sturt, Sarah. "Bromley star Linda Regan-Murphy". Kent Life.
- "'Allo 'Allo star dies". 4 August 2002 – via news.bbc.co.uk.
- "Home". Canines in Kent.