Monica Evans
Monica Evans (born 7 June 1940 in Camberwell, England) is an English actress known for her portrayal of Cecily Pigeon in Neil Simon's The Odd Couple.[1] She was in the original Broadway cast for its entire run, then appeared in the film version in 1968, and finally appeared in some episodes of the first season of the television series based on the play, all in the same role, alongside Carole Shelley as her sister Gwendolyn Pigeon.[2][3] She also provided voices for the Disney animated films The Aristocats, as Abigail Gabble (the Goose) (alongside Shelley as Amelia Gabble) and Robin Hood (1973) as Maid Marian (again alongside Shelley as her handmaiden, Lady Kluck).[4]
Monica Evans | |
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Evans as Cecily Pigeon in the Broadway production of The Odd Couple, 1965 | |
Born | Camberwell, England, UK | 7 June 1940
Occupation | Actress |
Years active | 1960–present |
Spouse(s) | Leo Maguire (divorced) Dave Cash (1973–2010) |
Evans trained at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in the 1950s and was the stand-in for Joan Plowright in Rhinoceros. She took over the role from Plowright when Plowright's's relationship with Laurence Olivier became public.[5] She was also one of the stars in a soap opera for BBC Television called Compact , set in the office of a magazine, and starred in The Severed Head in the West End.[6][7] Evans was the maid of honor at Carole Shelley's wedding in 1967.[8]
She lived in the United States for several years. After her return to the UK she married BBC Radio 1 DJ Dave Cash. Her brother-in-law is Charles Hayward, the drummer of This Heat.
In 2018, she was at the 2018 TCM Classic Film Festival, reuniting with her old friend, Carole Shelley.
TV and filmography
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
1960 | Make Mine Mink | 2nd Shop Assistant | Uncredited |
1961 | You Can't Win | Iris | TV series |
The Escape of R.D.7 | David's Secretary | TV series | |
1962–1963 | Compact | Sally Henderson / Harmon | TV series |
1964 | No Hiding Place | Elaine Holmes | TV series |
1965 | Be My Guest | Dyllis | |
1968 | The Odd Couple | Cecily | |
1970–1971 | The Odd Couple | Cecily | TV series |
1970 | Here Come the Brides | Renee | TV series |
The Aristocats | Abigail Gabble, the Goose | Voice | |
1973 | Robin Hood | Maid Marian, the Vixen | Voice, (final film role) |
References
- "Monica Evans – Broadway Cast & Staff | IBDB". www.ibdb.com.
- "The Odd Couple (1968) - Gene Saks | Synopsis, Characteristics, Moods, Themes and Related". AllMovie.
- "Monica Evans | TV, Documentary and Other Appearances". AllMovie.
- "Monica Evans". BFI.
- "Production of Rhinoceros | Theatricalia". theatricalia.com.
- "Compact[04/01/62] (1962)". BFI.
- "Monica Evans | Theatricalia". theatricalia.com.
- Barnes, Mike; Bartlett, Rhett (2 September 2018). "Carole Shelley, One of the Pigeon Sisters From 'The Odd Couple,' Dies at 79". Billboard. Retrieved 5 September 2018.