Mabel Constanduros (' Tilling; 29 March 1880 – 8 February 1957) was an English actress and screenwriter. She gained public notice playing Mrs.Buggins on the radio programme '' The Buggins Family'', which ran from 1928 to 1948. As well as writing the series, she started off playing the whole family as well. Born in London, Mabel was one of the seven children of Richard Tilling, managing director of the

Thomas Tilling The Tilling Group was one of two conglomerates that controlled almost all of the major bus operators in the United Kingdom between World Wars I and II and until nationalisation in 1948. Tilling, together with the other conglomerate, British El ...

bus company and Sophie (née Thorn). She trained under Elsie Fogerty at the Central School of Speech Training, then based at the Royal Albert Hall, London, making her stage debut at the

London Coliseum The London Coliseum (also known as the Coliseum Theatre) is a theatre in St Martin's Lane, Westminster, built as one of London's largest and most luxurious "family" variety theatres. Opened on 24 December 1904 as the London Coliseum Theatre ...

in 1929. She subsequently played a variety of roles in London and on tour, including Mrs. Bones in the light opera '' Derby Day'' at the Lyric Theatre, Hammersmith in 1932,Gänzl, Kurt: ''British Musical Theatre'', Vol. 2 (1915-1984), Oxford: OUP, 1987 , pp. 364-369. and

Anne of Cleves Anne of Cleves (german: Anna von Kleve; 1515 – 16 July 1557) was Queen of England from 6 January to 12 July 1540 as the fourth wife of King Henry VIII. Not much is known about Anne before 1527, when she became betrothed to Francis, Duke o ...

in ''

The Rose Without a Thorn ''The Rose Without a Thorn'' is a 1933 historical play by the British writer Clifford Bax. It portrays the courtship and marriage of Henry VIII and his fifth wife Catherine Howard. It ran in the West End for 128 performances, debuting at the Duke ...

'' at the

Duke of York's Theatre The Duke of York's Theatre is a West End theatre in St Martin's Lane, in the City of Westminster, London. It was built for Frank Wyatt and his wife, Violet Melnotte, who retained ownership of the theatre until her death in 1935. Designed by th ...

in 1933. Constanduros became a radio celebrity after broadcasting her own sketches in 1925. She also wrote novels, short stories, and co-wrote ''

29 Acacia Avenue ''29 Acacia Avenue'' is a play by Denis and Mabel Constanduros. Its 1945 British comedy-drama film adaptation, directed by Henry Cass, was released in the U.S. as ''The Facts of Love''. Premise Peter Robinson falls in love with the naïve coun ...

'' with her nephew Denis Constanduros. After World War II, she played Earthy Mangold in the popular ''

Worzel Gummidge Worzel Gummidge is a scarecrow in British children's fiction, who originally appeared in a series of books by the English novelist Barbara Euphan Todd.

'' radio serial on the BBC Children's Hour. She also starred in a pre-Archers serial, ''At the Luscombes'', set in Cornwall, written by her nephew Dennis, and broadcast on the West Region of the BBC Home Service from 1948 until 1964.

Barry Took Barry Took (19 June 192831 March 2002) was an English writer, television presenter and comedian. His decade-and-a-half writing partnership with Marty Feldman led to the television series ''Bootsie and Snudge'', the radio comedy ''Round the Hor ...

wrote: "although today her reputation has faded, she was a popular cultural figure between the wars, helping to establish the style and flavour of British radio comedy."

Selected filmography

* '' Radio Parade'' (1933) *'' Where's George?'' (1935) * '' Stars on Parade'' (1936) * '' Rose of Tralee'' (1942) * ''

Variety Jubilee ''Variety Jubilee'' is a 1943 British historical musical film directed by Maclean Rogers and starring Reginald Purdell, Ellis Irving and Lesley Brook. It depicts life in a London London is the capital and List of urban areas in the Unite ...

'' (1943) * '' I'll Walk Beside You'' (1943) * '' This Man Is Mine'' (1946) * ''

The White Unicorn ''The White Unicorn'' is a 1947 British drama film directed by Bernard Knowles and starring Margaret Lockwood, Joan Greenwood, Ian Hunter and Dennis Price. Kyra Vayne appeared as the singer. It was made at Walton Studios by the independent p ...

'' (1947)

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Constanduros, Mabel 1957 deaths 1880 births Actresses from London English radio actresses English film actresses English television actresses 20th-century English actresses 20th-century English dramatists and playwrights BBC people