Delia Phyllis Daphne Heard (21 August 1904 – 22 June 1983) was an English actress and acting teacher. She was born in Plymouth,

Devon Devon ( , historically known as Devonshire , ) is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in South West England. The most populous settlement in Devon is the city of Plymouth, followed by Devon's county town, the city of Exeter. Devo ...

. She appeared in numerous made-for-TV movies and TV series. But was perhaps best known in latter years as Richard's elderly mother Mrs. Polouvicka in ''

To the Manor Born ''To the Manor Born'' is a BBC television sitcom that first aired on BBC1 from 1979 to 1981. A special one-off episode was produced in 2007. Starring Penelope Keith and Peter Bowles, the first 20 episodes and the 2007 special were written b ...

''.

Film

Her film credits include roles in ''

Goodbye Gemini ''Goodbye Gemini'' (also released as ''Twinsanity'') is a 1970 British psychological horror film directed by Alan Gibson and starring Judy Geeson, Michael Redgrave, and Martin Potter. Based on the novel ''Ask Agamemnon'' by Jenni Hall, it conce ...

'' (1970), the film version of ''

Please Sir! ''Please Sir!'' is a British television sitcom created by John Esmonde and Bob Larbey and featuring actors John Alderton, Deryck Guyler, Penny Spencer, Joan Sanderson, Noel Howlett, Erik Chitty and Richard Davies. Produced by London Week ...

'' (1971) as an old gypsy, ''

Jude the Obscure ''Jude the Obscure'' is a novel by Thomas Hardy, which began as a magazine serial in December 1894 and was first published in book form in 1895 (though the title page says 1896). It is Hardy's last completed novel. The protagonist, Jude Fawley ...

'' (1971) as Drusilla Fawley, and '' The Triple Echo'' (1972). She also appeared as the nanny in Laurence Olivier's film '' Three Sisters'' (1970) based on the Anton Chekhov play, with

Joan Plowright Joan Ann Olivier, Baroness Olivier, (née Plowright; born 28 October 1929), professionally known as Dame Joan Plowright, is an English retired actress whose career has spanned over seven decades. She has won two Golden Globe Awards and a Tony ...

, Alan Bates and Olivier himself as Chebutikin.

Television and radio

She performed in many other television serials, including ''

Wild, Wild Women ''Wild, Wild Women'' is a British television sitcom that aired on BBC from 1968 to 1969. Shot in black-and-white, it starred Barbara Windsor and was written by Ronald Wolfe and Ronald Chesney. Cast Pilot *Barbara Windsor – Millie *Derek Franc ...

'', '' Doctor Who'' (in a story-stealing turn in the serial ''

Image of the Fendahl ''Image of the Fendahl'' is the third serial of the 15th season of the British science fiction television series '' Doctor Who'', which was first broadcast in four weekly parts on BBC1 from 29 October to 19 November 1977. The serial was Chris B ...

'' as white witch 'Granny' Tyler), the sitcom '' Don't Forget to Write!'' as Mrs Field the cleaner, ''

Z-Cars ''Z-Cars'' or ''Z Cars'' (pronounced "zed cars") is a British television police procedural series centred on the work of mobile uniformed police in the fictional town of Newtown, based on Kirkby, near Liverpool. Produced by the BBC, it debut ...

'' and Nanny Webster in '' Upstairs, Downstairs'', series 2, episode 8, Out of the Everywhere. In 1966, she was cast as a beleaguered tenant in ''Vacant Possession,'' a TV play produced by

Rediffusion Rediffusion was a business that distributed radio and TV signals through wired relay networks. The business gave rise to a number of other companies, including Associated-Rediffusion, later known as Rediffusion London, the first ITV ( commer ...

. From its inception until her death in 1983, she played the part of Maud, the eccentric housekeeper, in the ''

Hinge and Bracket Dr Evadne Hinge and Dame Hilda Bracket were characters devised by George Logan and Patrick Fyffe for their comedy and musical act. Hinge and Bracket were elderly, intellectual female musicians; in these personae the male Logan and Fyffe play ...

'' radio series. In 1971, Heard starred in a couple of episodes in the TV sitcom '' For the Love of Ada'' playing the nosey, next door neighbour. In 1974, she played the part of Mrs. Froggitt in the pilot episode of ''

Oh No It's Selwyn Froggitt ''Oh No It's Selwyn Froggitt'' is a British television sitcom which ran on the ITV network from 1974 to 1978. Set in the fictional Yorkshire town of Scarsdale, the series stars Bill Maynard as Selwyn Froggitt, a council labourer, hapless handy ...

''.

Teaching career

During the 1950s and 1960s, she was a member of the teaching staff at the

Bristol Old Vic Theatre School The Bristol Old Vic Theatre School is a drama school in Bristol, England. The institution provides training in acting and production for careers in film, television and theatre. BOVTS is an affiliate of the Conservatoire for Dance and Drama. ...

Filmography

References

External links

*
a young Daphne Heard in the play ''She Stoops To Conquer''
Univ. of Washington Sayre Collection)(*url updated)
Daphne Heard
Aveleyman) 1904 births 1983 deaths 20th-century British actresses Actresses from Plymouth, Devon English stage actresses English television actresses 20th-century English women 20th-century English people 20th-century British businesspeople {{england-actor-stub