Dora May Broadbent, (7 February 1923 – 23 July 2014), known as Dora Bryan, was a British actress of stage, film and television."Feted Brighton actress Dora, 90, to make rare public appearance"
''The Argus'', 2 September 2013. Retrieved 6 September 2013.

Early life

Bryan was born in

Southport Southport is a seaside town in the Metropolitan Borough of Sefton in Merseyside, England. At the 2001 census, it had a population of 90,336, making it the eleventh most populous settlement in North West England. Southport lies on the Iris ...

, Lancashire. Her father was a salesman and she attended Hathershaw County Primary School in Oldham, Lancashire. Her career began in

pantomime Pantomime (; informally panto) is a type of musical comedy stage production designed for family entertainment. It was developed in England and is performed throughout the United Kingdom, Ireland and (to a lesser extent) in other English-speakin ...

before the Second World War, during which she joined

ENSA The Entertainments National Service Association (ENSA) was an organisation established in 1939 by Basil Dean and Leslie Henson to provide entertainment for British armed forces personnel during World War II. ENSA operated as part of the Navy, ...

in Italy to entertain British troops.

Career

Stage

Bryan made her stage debut as a child in a pantomime in Manchester, and encouraged by her mother, joined the Oldham Repertory while still a teenager. After spending six years honing her craft there, she moved to London to develop her stage career, becoming a regular performer in the West End. Cast in a production of Noël Coward's ''

Private Lives ''Private Lives'' is a 1930 comedy of manners in three acts by Noël Coward. It concerns a divorced couple who, while honeymooning with their new spouses, discover that they are staying in adjacent rooms at the same hotel. Despite a perpetu ...

'', the actress was encouraged to adopt a stage name by Coward himself. She opted for Dora Bryant, which she often said was inspired by a box of

Bryant and May Bryant & May was a British company created in the mid-19th century specifically to make matches. Their original Bryant & May Factory was located in Bow, London. They later opened other match factories in the United Kingdom and Australia, suc ...

matches that were lying on the table, but a typographical error left off the last letter on the theatre credits and she became Dora Bryan. In 1955, Bryan received theatrical recognition when, after the first night of a production of A.P. Herbert's '' The Water Gypsies'', the billing outside was changed to "Dora Bryan in A.P. Herbert's ''The Water Gipsies''. It was Bryan's first venture into West End musical comedy, in which she played Lily Bell, and was a personal triumph. The show's hit songs, sung by Bryan, included "Why Did You Call Me Lily?", "You Never Know with Men", and "It Would Cramp My Style". Throughout her career, she continued to perform on the stage, often appearing in musicals such as '' Gentleman Prefer Blondes'' (1962) and '' Hello, Dolly!'' (1966–1968). She also headlined a number of stage revues such as ''The Dora Bryan Show'' (1966), "My Name Is Dora" (1967) and ''An Evening with Dora Bryan and Friends'' (1968). She made her Broadway debut as Mrs. Pierce in '' Pygmalion'' (1987), starring

Peter O'Toole Peter Seamus O'Toole (; 2 August 1932 – 14 December 2013) was a British stage and film actor. He attended the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art and began working in the theatre, gaining recognition as a Shakespearean actor at the Bristol Old V ...

and

Amanda Plummer Amanda Michael Plummer (born March 23, 1957) is an American actress. She is known for her work on stage and for her roles in such films as ''Joe Versus the Volcano'' (1990), '' The Fisher King'' (1991), ''Pulp Fiction'' (1994), and '' The Hunge ...

. Other credits include her first Shakespearean role,

Mistress Quickly Mistress Nell Quickly is a fictional character who appears in several plays by William Shakespeare. She is an inn-keeper, who runs the Boar's Head Tavern, at which Sir John Falstaff and his disreputable cronies congregate. The character appe ...

in ''

The Merry Wives of Windsor ''The Merry Wives of Windsor'' or ''Sir John Falstaff and the Merry Wives of Windsor'' is a comedy by William Shakespeare first published in 1602, though believed to have been written in or before 1597. The Windsor of the play's title is a ref ...

'' (1984), Mrs. Hardcastle in ''

She Stoops to Conquer ''She Stoops to Conquer'' is a comedy by Oliver Goldsmith, first performed in London in 1773. The play is a favourite for study by English literature and theatre classes in the English-speaking world. It is one of the few plays from the 18th ...

'' (1985) and Carlotta Campion (singing "

I'm Still Here I'm Still Here may refer to: * ''I'm Still Here'' (book), a 2018 memoir by Austin Channing Brown In film and television: * '' I'm Still Here: The Truth About Schizophrenia'', a 1996 documentary film * ''I'm Still Here'' (2010 film), a 2010 mockum ...

") in the 1987 London production of the

Stephen Sondheim Stephen Joshua Sondheim (; March 22, 1930November 26, 2021) was an American composer and lyricist. One of the most important figures in twentieth-century musical theater, Sondheim is credited for having "reinvented the American musical" with sho ...

-James Goldman musical ''

Follies ''Follies'' is a musical with music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim and a book by James Goldman. The plot takes place in a crumbling Broadway theater, now scheduled for demolition, previously home to a musical revue (based on the ''Ziegfeld Fol ...

''. In 1992, she toured the country including appearing at the

Theatre Royal, Brighton The Theatre Royal, Brighton is a theatre in Brighton, England presenting a range of West End and touring musicals and plays, along with performances of opera and ballet. History In 1806 the Prince of Wales (later George IV) gave Royal Assent fo ...

, her home town, and starred in London's West End at the Vaudeville Theatre in Kander and Ebb's ''70 Girls 70'' to great acclaim. She appeared with

Trevor Peacock Trevor Edward Peacock (19 May 1931 – 8 March 2021) was an English actor, screenwriter and songwriter. He made his name as a theatre actor, later becoming known for his Shakespearean roles. Later in his career, he became best known for playing ...

in the National Theatre's 1994 revival of

Harold Pinter Harold Pinter (; 10 October 1930 – 24 December 2008) was a British playwright, screenwriter, director and actor. A Nobel Prize winner, Pinter was one of the most influential modern British dramatists with a writing career that span ...

's '' The Birthday Party''.

Screen roles and other work

Instantly recognisable from her voice, which became a trademark of her performances, she followed many of her theatre contemporaries into film acting, generally playing supporting roles. She often played women of easy virtue—for example in '' The Fallen Idol'' (1948), one of her early films, and Ealing's '' The Blue Lamp'' (1950). She appeared in similarly stereotypical female roles in other films, for example '' Gift Horse'' (1952), ''

The Cockleshell Heroes ''The Cockleshell Heroes'' is a 1955 British Technicolor war film with Trevor Howard, Anthony Newley, Christopher Lee, David Lodge and José Ferrer, who also directed. The film depicts a heavily fictionalised version of Operation Frankton, the ...

'' (1955), '' The Green Man'' (1956) and '' Carry On Sergeant'' (1958). She appeared in cameo on radio comedy series of which included

Much-Binding-in-the-Marsh ''Much-Binding-in-the-Marsh'' was a comedy show broadcast from 1944 to 1950 and 1951 to 1954 by BBC radio and in 1950–51 by Radio Luxembourg. It was written by and starred Richard Murdoch and Kenneth Horne as officers in a fictional RAF sta ...

(1951), ''

Hancock's Half Hour ''Hancock's Half Hour'' was a BBC radio comedy, and later television comedy series, broadcast from 1954 to 1961 and written by Ray Galton and Alan Simpson. The series starred Tony Hancock, with Sidney James; the radio version also co-starr ...

'' an episode commonly known as "Cinderella Hancock" (1955).

British Pathe British may refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * British people, nationals or natives of the United Kingdom, British Overseas Territories, and Crown Dependencies. ** Britishness, the British identity and common culture * British English, ...

filmed Bryan in 1957 in 'Home on Wheels', featuring her and friends in her personal caravan. She appeared in the film ''

A Taste of Honey ''A Taste of Honey'' is the first play by the British dramatist Shelagh Delaney, written when she was 19. It was intended as a novel, but she turned it into a play because she hoped to revitalise British theatre and address social issues that ...

'' (1961), which won four BAFTA awards, including Best Actress for Bryan and Best British Film. In 1963, she recorded the Christmas song "All I Want for Christmas Is a Beatle", which reached no. 20 on the UK charts. She played the Headmistress in '' The Great St Trinian's Train Robbery'' (1966), and she starred in ''According to Dora'' (1968–1969), her own television series for the BBC. Bryan appeared in the UK-Argentine thriller ''

Apartment Zero ''Apartment Zero'', also known as ''Conviviendo con la muerte'' ( Spanish: Living with Death),Martin Donovan Martin Donovan (born Martin Paul Smith; August 19, 1957) is an American actor. He has had a long collaboration with director Hal Hartley, appearing in many of his films, such as ''Trust'' (1990), ''Surviving Desire'' (1991), ''Simple Men'' (1992) ...

and starred Hart Bochner and

Colin Firth Colin Andrew Firth (born 10 September 1960) is an English actor and producer. He was identified in the mid-1980s with the " Brit Pack" of rising young British actors, undertaking a challenging series of roles, including leading roles in '' A M ...

. Bryan plays the role of one of two eccentric characters (the other was played by Liz Smith) described by ''

The Washington Post ''The Washington Post'' (also known as the ''Post'' and, informally, ''WaPo'') is an American daily newspaper published in Washington, D.C. It is the most widely circulated newspaper within the Washington metropolitan area and has a large n ...

'' as two "tea-and-crumpet gargoyle-featured spinsters who snoop the corridors". It featured in the 1988

Sundance Film Festival The Sundance Film Festival (formerly Utah/US Film Festival, then US Film and Video Festival) is an annual film festival organized by the Sundance Institute. It is the largest independent film festival in the United States, with more than 46,6 ...

. She appeared in two episodes of series one of the BBC sitcom ''On The Up'' in 1990 as Mrs Carpenter (the mother of main character Tony, played by Dennis Waterman), but left soon after to be replaced by actress Pauline Letts for series two and three. Around this time, she joked with

Terry Wogan Sir Michael Terence Wogan (; 3 August 1938 – 31 January 2016) was an Irish radio and television broadcaster who worked for the BBC in the UK for most of his career. Between 1993 and his semi-retirement in December 2009, his BBC Radio 2 week ...

and

Michael Barrymore Michael Ciaran Parker (born 4 May 1952), known by his stage name Michael Barrymore, is an English actor, comedian and television presenter of game shows and light entertainment programmes on British television in the 1980s, 1990s and 2000s ...

on their TV shows that she was aged not 70 but "sixty-several" and could still kick her leg higher than her head. In 1999, she made an appearance in the

Victoria Wood Victoria Wood (19 May 1953 – 20 April 2016) was an English comedian, actress, lyricist, singer, composer, pianist, screenwriter, producer and director. Wood wrote and starred in dozens of sketches, plays, musicals, films and sitcoms over se ...

sitcom '' dinnerladies''. In 2000, she joined the cast of the long-running BBC comedy series ''

Last of the Summer Wine ''Last of the Summer Wine'' is a British sitcom created and written by Roy Clarke and originally broadcast by the BBC from 1973 to 2010. It premiered as an episode of '' Comedy Playhouse'' on 4 January 1973, and the first series of episodes f ...

'' as Aunt Ros Utterthwaite, and in 2001 she was a guest star on ''

Absolutely Fabulous ''Absolutely Fabulous'' (also known as ''Ab Fab'') is a British television sitcom based on the ''French and Saunders'' sketch, "Modern Mother and Daughter", created by Dawn French and Jennifer Saunders. The show was created and written by Saund ...

'' as

June Whitfield Dame June Rosemary Whitfield (11 November 1925 – 29 December 2018) was an English radio, television, and film actress. Her big break was a lead in the radio comedy ''Take It from Here'', which aired on the BBC Light Programme in 1953. ...

's on-screen friend Dolly (originally called Milly). She received a BAFTA nomination in 2002 for this role. A few years later in 2005 her role in ''Last of the Summer Wine'' came to an end. At about the same time, she stopped making films. Her last screen appearance was in the short film '' Gone to the Dogs'' (2006) with

Antony Booth Anthony George Booth (9 October 1931 – 25 September 2017) was an English actor, best known for his role as Mike Rawlins in the BBC series ''Till Death Us Do Part''. He was the father-in-law of former Prime Minister Tony Blair and the widower ...

. In 2006, she intended to appear both in the comedy ''Rock-a-Hula Rest Home'' at a pub theatre in Brighton and in the comedy '' There's No Place Like a Home'', but she had to withdraw because of her inability to memorise her lines.

Awards and testimonials

Her autobiography ''According to Dora'' was published in 1987. In 1996, she was awarded the OBE in recognition of her services to acting and the same year she was awarded a

Laurence Olivier Award The Laurence Olivier Awards, or simply the Olivier Awards, are presented annually by the Society of London Theatre to recognise excellence in professional theatre in London at an annual ceremony in the capital. The awards were originally known a ...

for her role in the West End production of the

play '' The Birthday Party''. She was the subject of ''

This Is Your Life This Is Your Life may refer to: Television * ''This Is Your Life'' (American franchise), an American radio and television documentary biography series hosted by Ralph Edwards * ''This Is Your Life'' (Australian TV series), the Australian versio ...

'' on two occasions, in April 1962 when she was surprised by

Eamonn Andrews Eamonn Andrews, (19 December 1922 – 5 November 1987) was an Irish radio and television presenter, employed primarily in the United Kingdom from the 1950s to the 1980s. From 1960 to 1964 he chaired the Radio Éireann Authority (now the RTÉ A ...

at her home in Brighton, and in January 1989 when

Michael Aspel Michael Terence Aspel (born 12 January 1933) is an English retired television newsreader and host of programmes such as '' Crackerjack'', ''Aspel & Company'', '' Give Us a Clue'', ''This is Your Life'', '' Strange but True?'' and ''Antiques Ro ...

surprised her on the stage of the

Opera House An opera house is a theatre building used for performances of opera. It usually includes a stage, an orchestra pit, audience seating, and backstage facilities for costumes and building sets. While some venues are constructed specifically fo ...

at the curtain call of ''Hello, Dolly!''. An exhibition about Bryan opened on 13 September 2013 at Rottingdean Museum.

Personal life

Dora was married for 54 years to former

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 Lancas ...

and

Cumberland Cumberland ( ) is a historic counties of England, historic county in the far North West England. It covers part of the Lake District as well as the north Pennines and Solway Firth coast. Cumberland had an administrative function from the 12th c ...

cricketer Bill Lawton until his death in August 2008. The couple met in Oldham during World War II and were married at Werneth St Thomas, Oldham in 1954. During her husband's final years, she reduced her public commitments to enable herself to look after him, and she suffered with her health, including a serious operation for a hernia. Bryan once owned Clarges Hotel at 115–119 Marine Parade on Brighton's seafront, which was used as an exterior location in the films '' Carry On Girls'' and '' Carry On at Your Convenience''. She and her husband lived there for more than 40 years but were forced to sell the bulk of the building because of bankruptcy, but they retained a flat with a sea view on the first floor for many years. Still maintaining its original structure, the rooms of the hotel have been reconverted into flats. By 2013, she was a wheelchair user and resided in a nursing home in Hove in frail health. On 31 May 2009, ''Dora – A Gala Charity Show'' was held at Her Majesty's Theatre in London to raise funds for two charities nominated by Bryan: the Variety Club Children's Charity and the

Alzheimer's Society Alzheimer's Society is a United Kingdom care and research charity for people with dementia and their carers. It operates in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, while its sister charitieAlzheimer Scotlandand Alzheimer's Society of Ireland cover ...

. Sir Cliff Richard was the star performer, but among the performers and celebrity guests were old friends and colleagues, including

Rita Tushingham Rita Tushingham (born 14 March 1942) is an English actress. She is known for her starring roles in films including ''A Taste of Honey'' (1961), ''The Leather Boys'' (1964), '' The Knack ...and How to Get It'' (1965), ''Doctor Zhivago'' (1965), ...

, and

Joanna Lumley Dame Joanna Lamond Lumley (born 1 May 1946) is an English actress, presenter, former model, author, television producer, and activist. She has won two BAFTA TV Awards for her role as Patsy Stone in the BBC sitcom ''Absolutely Fabulous'' (1992 ...

. Bryan managed to attend.

Death

Bryan died on 23 July 2014 at the age of 91. Her funeral service was held on 6 August 2014 at

St George's Church, Brighton St George's Church is an Anglican church in the Kemptown, Brighton, Kemptown area of Brighton, in the English city of Brighton and Hove. It was built at the request of Thomas Read Kemp, who had created and financed the Kemp Town estate on the ...

, where she had regularly attended services.

Selected filmography

* ''

Odd Man Out ''Odd Man Out'' is a 1947 British film noir directed by Carol Reed, and starring James Mason, Robert Newton, Cyril Cusack, and Kathleen Ryan. Set in Belfast, Northern Ireland, it follows a wounded Nationalist leader who attempts to evade polic ...

'' (1947) - Girl in Telephone Kiosk (uncredited) * '' The Fallen Idol'' (1948) - Rose * '' No Room at the Inn'' (1948) - Spiv's Girlfriend (uncredited) * '' Once Upon a Dream'' (1949) - Barmaid * ''

Now Barabbas ''Now Barabbas'' is a 1949 British drama film directed by Gordon Parry and starring Richard Greene, Cedric Hardwicke and Kathleen Harrison. It is sometimes known as ''Now Barabbas Was a Robber''. It was based on a 1947 play of the same title by ...

'' (1949) - Winnie * '' Adam and Evelyne'' (1949) - Blonde Sales Assistant (uncredited) * '' Don't Ever Leave Me'' (1949) - Beautician (uncredited) * ''

The Interrupted Journey ''The Interrupted Journey'' is a 1949 British thriller film directed by Daniel Birt and starring Valerie Hobson, Richard Todd, Christine Norden and Tom Walls. The railways scenes were shot at Longmoor in Hampshire. The film includes a train cr ...

'' (1949) - Waitress * '' The Cure for Love'' (1949) - Jenny Jenkins * '' The Blue Lamp'' (1950) - Maisie * '' No Trace'' (1950) - Maisie Phelps * '' Traveller's Joy'' (1950) - Eva * ''

Something in the City ''Something in the City'' is a 1950 British comedy film directed by Maclean Rogers and starring Richard Hearne, Garry Marsh and Ellen Pollock. It includes an early uncredited performance by Stanley Baker as a police constable. Plot Mr Ningle h ...

'' (1950) - Waitress * ''

Files from Scotland Yard ''Files from Scotland Yard'' is a 1951 British crime film directed by Anthony Squire and starring John Harvey, Moira Lister and Louise Hampton. It was made as a second feature on a very low-budget, and the production company was wound up soon aft ...

'' (1951) - Minnie Robinson * '' The Quiet Woman'' (1951) - Elsie * ''

Circle of Danger ''Circle of Danger'' is a 1951 British thriller film directed by Jacques Tourneur which stars Ray Milland, Patricia Roc, Marius Goring, Hugh Sinclair and Naunton Wayne. An American travels to England to discover the truth behind his brother's d ...

'' (1951) - Bubbles Fitzgerald * ''

Scarlet Thread ''Scarlet Thread'' is a 1951 British drama film directed by Lewis Gilbert and produced by Ernest G. Roy. Plot Two criminals plan a jewellery robbery. The robbery goes wrong and an innocent man is shot. Cast * Kathleen Byron as Josephine * L ...

'' (1951) - Maggie * ''

No Highway in the Sky ''No Highway in the Sky'' (also known as ''No Highway'') is a 1951 British black-and-white aviation drama film from 20th Century Fox, produced by Louis D. Lighton, directed by Henry Koster, that stars James Stewart, Marlene Dietrich, Glynis Jo ...

'' (1951) - Rosie, Barmaid (uncredited) * '' Lady Godiva Rides Again'' (1951) - Lady in Charge of Publicity * ''

High Treason Treason is the crime of attacking a state authority to which one owes allegiance. This typically includes acts such as participating in a war against one's native country, attempting to overthrow its government, spying on its military, its diplo ...

'' (1951) - Mrs. Bowers * '' Whispering Smith Investigates'' (1952) - La Fosse * ''

Mother Riley Meets the Vampire ''Mother Riley Meets the Vampire'', also known as ''Vampire Over London'' or ''My Son, the Vampire'', is a 1952 British horror comedy film directed by John Gilling, starring Arthur Lucan and Bela Lugosi that was filmed at Nettlefold Studios. ...

'' (1952) - Tilly * ''

Time Gentlemen, Please! ''Time Gentlemen, Please!'' is a 1952 British comedy film directed by Lewis Gilbert and starring Eddie Byrne, Jane Barrett and Raymond Lovell. It was produced by Group 3 Films with funding from the NFFC and distributed by ABPC. It was shot ...

'' (1952) - Peggy Stebbins * ''

13 East Street ''13 East Street'' is a 1952 British crime thriller film directed by Robert S. Baker and starring Patrick Holt, Sandra Dorne and Sonia Holm.Mackillop & Sinyard p.180 It was shot at Twickenham Studios with some location shooting around Londo ...

'' (1952) - Valerie * '' Gift Horse'' (1952) - Glad Flanagan * ''

Miss Robin Hood ''Miss Robin Hood'' is a 1952 British comedy film directed by John Guillermin, and starring Margaret Rutherford and Richard Hearne. Other actors involved include Dora Bryan, James Robertson Justice, Peter Jones, Sid James, Reg Varney, Kenneth ...

'' (1952) - Pearl * '' Made in Heaven'' (1952) - Ethel Jenkins * '' The Ringer'' (1952) - Mrs. Hackett * ''

Women of Twilight ''Women of Twilight'' is a 1951 play by Sylvia Rayman that became a 1952 film directed by Gordon Parry. The latter stars Freda Jackson, Rene Ray and Lois Maxwell, with a screenplay by Anatole de Grunwald. It was the first British film to receiv ...

'' (1952) - Olga * ''

Street Corner A streetcorner or street corner is the location which lies adjacent to an intersection (road), intersection of two roads. Such locations are important in terms of local planning and commerce, usually being the locations of street signs and lamp post ...

'' (1953) - Prostitute at Police Station * '' The Fake'' (1953) - Barmaid * '' The Intruder'' (1953) - Dora Bee * '' Fast and Loose'' (1954) - Mary Rawlings, the maid * '' You Know What Sailors Are'' (1954) - Gladys * '' The Young Lovers'' (1954) - Switchboard Operator (uncredited) * ''

The Crowded Day ''The Crowded Day'' is a 1954 British comedy drama film directed by John Guillermin and starring John Gregson, Joan Rice, Cyril Raymond and Josephine Griffin. The film follows a group of shopgirls working in Bunting and Hobbs, a London departm ...

'' (1954) - Customer * ''

Mad About Men ''Mad About Men'' is a 1954 British Technicolor comedy film directed by Ralph Thomas and starring Glynis Johns, Donald Sinden, Anne Crawford and Margaret Rutherford. It was written by Peter Blackmore, who also wrote the 1948 film '' Miranda'' w ...

'' (1954) - Berengaria * ''

As Long as They're Happy ''As Long as They're Happy'' is a 1955 British musical comedy film directed by J. Lee Thompson and starring Jack Buchanan, Susan Stephen and Diana Dors. It is based on the 1953 play of the same name by Vernon Sylvaine. It was shot at Pinewood ...

'' (1955) - May * '' See How They Run'' (1955) - Ida * ''

'' (1955) - Myrtle * ''

You Lucky People! ''You Lucky People!'' is a 1955 British comedy film directed by Maurice Elvey and starring Tommy Trinder, Mary Parker and Dora Bryan. Originally titled ''Get Fell In'', the film was renamed to match Trinder's familiar catchphrase. It was shot ...

'' (1955) - Sgt. Hortense Tipp * '' Child in the House'' (1956) - Cassie * '' The Green Man'' (1956) - Lily * ''

Small Hotel ''Small Hotel'' is a 1957 British comedy film directed by David MacDonald and stars Gordon Harker, Marie Lohr, John Loder, and Janet Munro. It is based on the play of the same name by Rex Frost. Premise Albert, a crafty old waiter in a count ...

'' (1957) * ''

British Pathé British may refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * British people, nationals or natives of the United Kingdom, British Overseas Territories, and Crown Dependencies. ** Britishness, the British identity and common culture * British English, ...

- Home on Wheels (1957) - Herself * '' The Man Who Wouldn't Talk'' (1958) - Telephonist * '' Carry On Sergeant'' (1958) - Norah * '' Operation Bullshine'' (1959) - Pvt. Cox * '' Desert Mice'' (1959) - Gay * ''

Follow That Horse! ''Follow That Horse!'' is a 1960 British comedy film directed by Alan Bromly from a screenplay by William Douglas-Home. It stars David Tomlinson, Cecil Parker, Richard Wattis, Mary Peach and Dora Bryan. Various parties including scientists an ...

'' (1960) - Miss Bradstock * '' The Night We Got the Bird'' (1961) - Julie Skidmore * ''

'' (1961) - Helen * '' The Great St Trinian's Train Robbery'' (1966) - Amber Spottiswood * '' The Sandwich Man'' (1966) - Mrs De Vere * ''

Two a Penny ''Two a Penny'' is a 1967 British film, released nationally in 1968, featuring singer Cliff Richard. The film was directed by James F. Collier and produced by Frank R. Jacobson for Billy Graham's film distribution and production company World Wi ...

'' (1968) - Ruby Hopkins * '' Hands of the Ripper'' (1971) - Mrs Golding * ''

Up the Front ''Up the Front'' is a 1972 British comedy film directed by Bob Kellett and starring Frankie Howerd, Bill Fraser, and Hermione Baddeley. It is the third film spin-off from the television series ''Up Pompeii!'' (the previous films being ''Up th ...

'' (1972) - Cora Crumpington * ''Screamtime'' (1983) - Emma * ''

Apartment Zero ''Apartment Zero'', also known as ''Conviviendo con la muerte'' ( Spanish: Living with Death),MirrorMask ''MirrorMask'' is a 2005 dark fantasy film designed and directed by Dave McKean and written by Neil Gaiman from a story they developed together. The film stars Stephanie Leonidas, Jason Barry, Rob Brydon, and Gina McKee. The music used in the f ...

'' (2005) - Aunt Nan

Television roles

References

External links

* * *
Dora Bryan exhibition at Grange Museum, Rottingdean
{{DEFAULTSORT:Bryan, Dora 1923 births 2014 deaths Actresses from Lancashire Best British Actress BAFTA Award winners British hoteliers English film actresses English stage actresses English television actresses English women singers English Anglicans Laurence Olivier Award winners Officers of the Order of the British Empire People from Southport 20th-century English actresses 21st-century English actresses British comedy actresses 20th-century British businesspeople