Anna Dawson (born 27 July 1937) is an

English English usually refers to: * English language * English people English may also refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England ** English national ide ...

actress and singer. Born in Bolton,

Lancashire Lancashire ( , ; abbreviated Lancs) is the name of a historic county, ceremonial county, and non-metropolitan county in North West England. The boundaries of these three areas differ significantly. The non-metropolitan county of Lancashi ...

, Dawson spent part of her childhood in

Tanganyika Tanganyika may refer to: Places * Tanganyika Territory (1916–1961), a former British territory which preceded the sovereign state * Tanganyika (1961–1964), a sovereign state, comprising the mainland part of present-day Tanzania * Tanzania Main ...

, where her father worked. She attended the

Elmhurst Ballet School Elmhurst Ballet School is an independent school for professional classical ballet in the United Kingdom. It takes students aged 11–19 years who intend to pursue a career in professional classical ballet. Elmhurst provides a full academic day i ...

and after training at the Central School of Speech and Drama she learned her craft by playing in

repertory theatre A repertory theatre is a theatre in which a resident company presents works from a specified repertoire, usually in alternation or rotation. United Kingdom Annie Horniman founded the first modern repertory theatre in Manchester after withdrawing ...

companies. Dawson went on to star in several West End musicals. She featured in episodes of ''

Dixon of Dock Green ''Dixon of Dock Green'' was a BBC police procedural television series about daily life at a fictional London police station, with the emphasis on petty crime, successfully controlled through common sense and human understanding. It ran from 19 ...

'' during the 1960s, '' The Benny Hill Show'' during the 1980s, and played Hyacinth Bucket's sister

Violet Violet may refer to: Common meanings * Violet (color), a spectral color with wavelengths shorter than blue * One of a list of plants known as violet, particularly: ** ''Viola'' (plant), a genus of flowering plants Places United States * Viol ...

("the one with the Mercedes, sauna and room for a pony") in the final series of the sitcom '' Keeping Up Appearances'', though her character was only featured on screen briefly in four episodes. Dawson is married to former ''Black and White Minstrel Show'' soloist

John Boulter John Boulter is a British tenor best known for his appearances as a soloist in the BBC's long-running variety series ''The Black and White Minstrel Show''. Along with bass Tony Mercer and baritone Dai Francis, Boulter was one of the show's three ...

TV credits

Filmography

References

English television actresses English women comedians Actresses from Bolton 1937 births Living people People educated at the Elmhurst School for Dance {{UK-tv-actor-1930s-stub