Lynda Baron: 1939-2022
It has been reported today that actress Lynda Baron has passed away at the age of 82. Lynda was well known to Doctor Who fans, firstly for lending her vocal talents in “The Gunfighters” (1966) singing “The Ballad of the Last Chance Saloon” staring William Hartnell. She returned to the series for it’s 20th season in 1983 playing Captain Wrack in “Enlightenment” opposite Peter Davison and more recently “Closing Time” (2011) starring Matt Smith. A little known fact is that Lynda’s daughter Sarah Lee was John Nathan Turner’s production secretary in the 1980’s.
Lilian Baron (24 March 1939 – March 2022), known professionally as Lynda Baron, was an English actress, comedian, and singer. She is best known for having played Auntie Mabel in the award-winning children’s series Come Outside (1993–1997), Nurse Gladys Emmanuel in the BBC comedy series Open All Hours (1976–1985) and its sequel, Still Open All Hours (2013–2016), and the part of Linda Clarke in EastEnders in 2006 and from 2008 to 2009, with a brief return in 2016.
Early life
Baron was born on 24 March 1939 in Urmston, Lancashire. She originally trained as a dancer at the Royal Academy of Dance. Early in her career, she appeared in repertory theatre and several West End venues.
Career
Television
Baron’s early television roles included small parts in Crossroads (1964), Up Pompeii (1970), Z-Cars (1971), and the British horror film Hands of the Ripper (1971). Baron appeared on television in BBC-3 (1965), a series in the vein of That Was the Week That Was, involving some of the same performers. She also alternated with Annie Ross as the resident singer on Not So Much a Programme, More a Way of Life (1965). Baron has taken part in the BBC science fiction series Doctor Who three times. She was heard as a singer in the 1966 serial The Gunfighters. She appeared in front of the cameras as Captain Wrack in the 1983 serial Enlightenment, and again in 2011 in “Closing Time” as Val.
Baron is best known playing Nurse Gladys Emmanuel in the BBC sitcom Open All Hours with Ronnie Barker and David Jason which ran for four series in 1976, 1981 to 1982 and in 1985, and was subsequently voted eighth in Britain’s Best Sitcom in 2004.
In the 1970s and 1980s, Baron co-starred in the ITV sitcom Oh No It’s Selwyn Froggitt and the BBC sitcom A Roof Over My Head. She had a small part in Minder, and played the middle-aged temptress Lily Bless’er in the Last of the Summer Wine episode Getting Sam Home. In 1986, she acted in a party political broadcast for the SDP–Liberal Alliance. Baron also appeared in the 1987 Christmas special of The Two Ronnies. Baron then went on to appear in the BBC Two comedy series KYTV.
In the 1990s, Baron played Auntie Pat in five episodes of the ITV sitcom The Upper Hand (1992–1993). Baron then went on to star in the children’s television series Come Outside (1993–1997) playing Auntie Mabel, an everyday woman living in a bungalow set in Denham, who flew around on various adventures in her spotted aeroplane with her dog Pippin.
In 1997, Baron played the minor part of Renee Turnbull in Coronation Street and took guest roles in dinnerladies (1998), The Mrs Bradley Mysteries (1998), Sunburn (1999), Nancherrow (1999) and Goodnight Sweetheart (1999).
Baron continued to work regularly on television and the stage in the 2000s, with credits including Fat Friends (2000–2005), The Bill (2000), Doctors (2000, 2006, 2010, 2011 and 2014), Peak Practice (2001), Holby City (2002 and 2006), Down to Earth (2005), Rome (2005) and Casualty (2009).
Baron briefly appeared in the BBC One soap opera EastEnders in 2006 as Linda Clarke, the mother of Jane Beale. In September 2008, it was announced that Baron would be returning to EastEnders. She appeared regularly in the series from November 2008 to February 2009. On 8 April 2016, it was announced that Baron would return to the soap once again alongside John Partridge. She appeared on screen in May and June 2016.
In August 2010, Baron appeared in an episode of Agatha Christie’s Marple on ITV. In September 2010, Baron appeared in a one-off television drama, The Road to Coronation Street on BBC Four, which looked back at the early days of the British television soap opera Coronation Street. Baron portrayed actress Violet Carson who played Ena Sharples in the soap. Baron was nominated for the 2011 British Academy Television Award for Best Supporting Actress for this role.
On 26 December 2013, Baron reprised her role in a special one-off episode of Open All Hours on BBC One, entitled Still Open All Hours. It was watched by 12.23 million viewers, almost a 40% share in audience figures on Boxing Day. The following day, Baron took part in Open All Hours: A Celebration, a programme looking back on the sitcom. Following the success of the Christmas episode, the cast made a full series, which began on 26 December 2014, followed by a second series in December 2015. A third series began in December 2016, but Baron was unable to return because of other commitments. Baron did not appear in the fourth series, and it is believed that she has quit the show.
In December 2016, Baron made a guest appearance in a Christmas special of Citizen Khan and, in January 2017, she appeared in an episode of Father Brown, which to date is her most recent television appearance.
Film
Baron’s film appearances include roles in The Small World of Sammy Lee (1963), Hot Millions (1968), Mrs. Brown You’ve Got a Lovely Daughter (1968), Can Heironymus Merkin Ever Forget Mercy Humppe and Find True Happiness? (1969), Tiffany Jones (1973), and the Hammer film Hands of the Ripper (1971) as an ill-fated prostitute. She also appeared in the Barbra Streisand film Yentl (1983), Carry On Columbus (1992), Colour Me Kubrick (2005) and Scoop (2006) directed by Woody Allen.
Stage
In 1987, Baron starred in the London production of the musical Follies at the Shaftesbury Theatre. In 2007, she starred with Orlando Bloom and Tim Healy in a stage version of In Celebration. In May and June 2009, she appeared at the Menier Chocolate Factory in a production of Rookery Nook by Ben Travers.
From October 2010 to February 2011, Baron starred with Maureen Lipman and Roy Hudd in a West End production of When We Are Married by J.B. Priestley. In March 2013, she appeared in a production of D.H. Lawrence’s play The Daughter-in-Law at the Sheffield Crucible. She appeared at the Minerva Theatre, Chichester from April to May 2014 in Stevie by Hugh Whitemore, alongside Zoe Wanamaker and Chris Larkin. Baron again appeared in the play from March to April 2015 at the Hampstead Theatre.
Baron’s other theatre credits include An Inspector Calls, Stepping Out, Entertaining Mr Sloane, and The Full Monty.
Other work
In 1995, Baron voiced the character of Nanny Ogg in the BBC Radio 4 adaptation of the Discworld novel Wyrd Sisters. In April 2012, Richard Kates released an album entitled There’s Something About You, which featured Baron performing the track “A Hard Man Is Good to Find”. On 11 May 2012, Baron appeared in the Afternoon Play on BBC Radio 4, Mrs Lowry and Son, playing the mother of artist LS Lowry.
Personal life
In 1966, Baron married John M. Lee. The couple had two children.
Filmography
- Film
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1963 | The Small World of Sammy Lee | Yvette | |
| 1964 | Hide and Seek | Flying Jacket | |
| 1968 | Mrs. Brown You’ve Got a Lovely Daughter | Miss Fisher | |
| 1968 | Hot Millions | Louise the Waitress | |
| 1969 | Can Heironymus Merkin Ever Forget Mercy Humppe and Find True Happiness? | Baby Boobala Salesgirl | Uncredited |
| 1971 | Universal Soldier | Party Guest | Uncredited |
| 1971 | Hands of the Ripper | Long Liz | |
| 1973 | Tiffany Jones | Anna Karekin | |
| 1983 | Yentl | Peshe | |
| 1992 | Carry On Columbus | Meg | |
| 2001 | Diggity’s Treasure | Emma Stamps | |
| 2005 | Colour Me Kubrick | Mrs. Vitali | |
| 2006 | Scoop | Tenant | |
| 2010 | You Will Meet a Tall Dark Stranger | Alfie’s Date | |
| 2012 | Run for Your Wife | Nurse | Cameo |
| 2017 | Mary and the Witch’s Flower | Great-Aunt Charlotte | Voice |
| 2020 | Dream Horse | Elsie |
-
Television
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1962 | The Rag Trade | June | |
| 1966 | Doctor Who | Singer | Episode: “The Gunfighters” |
| 1976–1985 | Open All Hours | Nurse Gladys Emmanuel | Regular; 25 episodes |
| 1977 | Oh No It’s Selwyn Froggitt | Vera Parkinson | |
| 1983 | Last of the Summer Wine | Lilly Bless Her | Episode: Getting Sam Home |
| Doctor Who | Captain Wrack | Episode: “Enlightenment | |
| 1992–1993 | The Upper Hand | Aunty Pat | |
| 1993–1997 | Come Outside | Auntie Mabel | Regular; 40 episodes |
| 1996 | New Voices | Barmaid | |
| 1997 | Coronation Street | Renee Turnbull | Guest |
| 1998 | dinnerladies | Carmel | Episode: “Scandal” |
| 2000 | The Bill | Sadie Tyler | Episode: “Catch a Falling Star |
| Big Kids | Aunt Muriel | Episode: “Aunt Muriel” | |
| 2002–2005 | Fat Friends | Norma Patterson | Regular; 19 episodes |
| 2005 | Rome | Madame | 1 episode |
| 2006, 2008–2009, 2016 |
EastEnders | Linda Clarke | Recurring; 32 episodes |
| 2009 | Casualty | Molly | Episode: “As Others See Us” |
| 2010 | The Road to Coronation Street | Violet Carson | |
| Agatha Christie’s Marple | Mrs. Coppins | Episode: “The Pale Horse” | |
| Doctors | Ag Penrose | 9 episodes | |
| 2011 | Doctor Who | Val | Episode: “Closing Time” |
| 2013–2016 | Still Open All Hours | Nurse Gladys Emmanuel | Regular; 13 episodes |
| 2014 | Chasing Shadows | Regular; 4 episodes | |
| 2016 | Citizen Khan | Clarenza | 1 episode |
| 2017 | Father Brown | Mrs Rudge | Episode #5.12 “The Theatre of the Invisible” |