Su Pollard

Susan Georgina "Su" Pollard (born 7 November 1949) is a British actress, singer, songwriter and author whose career has spanned over 50 years. Pollard is most known for her role in the sitcom '' Hi-de-Hi!'' She also appeared in the sitcoms '' You Rang, M'Lord?'' and '' Oh, Doctor Beeching!''

Pollard has appeared in over 35 stage plays and musicals, as well as over 40 pantomimes. As a singer, she scored a UK Singles Chart number two hit with the song "Starting Together" in 1986, and also released an album, ''Su''. She has also written a book, ''Hearts and Showers''.

Early life and education

Pollard was born in Nottingham, the eldest daughter of Don and Hilda Pollard. Her interest in acting began at the age of six when she played an angel in a school nativity play. She attended Berridge Road School ( Hyson Green) and Peveril Bilateral School, Robin's Wood Road (now Nottingham Girls' Academy).

After leaving school at the age of 16, she got a job at the Tennant Rubber Company in Carlton as a shorthand typist and began singing in working men's clubs and charity shows.

Career

Following an apprenticeship at the Arts Theatre in Nottingham, Pollard appeared on '' Opportunity Knocks'' in 1974, singing " I Cain't Say No" from ''Oklahoma!'', and came second to a singing Jack Russell.

She went on to direct the musicals '' The Desert Song'' and '' Rose-Marie'' with John Hanson, starred in the Cameron Mackintosh West End production of ''Godspell'', played opposite Jack Wild in ''Big Sin City'' at the Roundhouse, toured in the musical '' Grease'' in a company that also included Tracey Ullman, appeared with Tim Brooke-Taylor and Hugh Paddick in the farce '' Not Now, Darling'', won a role in Andrew Sachs's play ''Philately Will Get You Nowhere'' and appeared at the Mermaid Theatre in a celebration of the music of Cole Porter, titled ''Oh Mr. Porter!'' She also appeared as the hostess in the 1980 documentary short ''The Great British Striptease'', which was compered by Bernard Manning in Blackpool.

Pollard's first comedy role was in a BBC series screened in 1979 entitled '' Two Up, Two Down'', in which she played a hippy named Flo. Paul Nicholas played her partner, Jimmy, both of whom were squatting in the house of a nice middle-class couple. It only lasted for one series, but then later that year came the pilot programme for a new BBC comedy written by Jimmy Perry and David Croft set in a holiday camp. Pollard landed the role of chalet maid Peggy Ollerenshaw in '' Hi-de-Hi!'' She continued in this role until the programme's end in 1988. During the run of ''Hi-de-Hi!'' Pollard also had a singing career, and in 1986, she reached No. 2 in the UK singles chart with the song "Starting Together", the theme song from the BBC Television 'fly-on-the-wall' documentary series ''The Marriage''. It was her only Top 40 hit; her first single, " Come to Me (I Am Woman)", had reached No. 71 in 1985 and her only charting album, ''Su'', peaked at No. 86 in the UK Albums Chart in November 1986. In 1987, she toured the UK with ''The Su Pollard Show'' and co-hosted '' It's a Royal Knockout''.

She starred in the stage production of ''Hi De Hi! - The Holiday Musical'', along with almost all of the cast from the television series, played sell out seasons in Bournemouth, London and Blackpool. In 1985 she played Sally in the West End production of ''Me And My Girl'' at the Adelphi Theatre which she appeared in for over a year. Then came roles in a national tour of Rodgers and Hart's ''Babes In Arms'' playing Bonny Byrun opposite Matthew Kelly, and the title role in ''Sweet Charity'' at the Connaught Theatre, Worthing.

When ''Hi-de-Hi!'' ended in early 1988, writers David Croft and Jimmy Perry chose Pollard to star as Ivy Teasdale in their new sitcom '' You Rang, M'Lord?'', which starred her ''Hi-de-Ho!'' co-stars Paul Shane and Jeffrey Holland. This period sitcom ran from 1988 to 1993. In 1993, she won the " Rear of the Year" award. In 1990, she hosted the short-lived ITV game show '' Take the Plunge'', which was cancelled after one season. From 1993 until 1996, Pollard starred opposite Gorden Kaye in ''For Better or for Worse'', a BBC Radio 2 sitcom about an engaged-to-be-married couple.

From 1995 to 1997 she played Ethel Schumann in another David Croft sitcom '' Oh, Doctor Beeching!'' From 1989 to 1990, her distinctive voice voiced the lead character in the BBC children's television series '' Penny Crayon''.

In 2001 Pollard made a guest appearance in '' Gimme Gimme Gimme'' and voiced Noisy in '' Little Robots''. In the same year she presented ''Songs of Praise'' three times. She has made four appearances on ''Just a Minute'', and also regularly appears in pantomimes and other stage shows, including '' Annie'' and ''The Pirates of Penzance''. In 2008, Pollard starred in the musical ''Shout!'' alongside Claire Sweeney. From April 2009, Pollard appeared in the London transfer of ''Shout!'' at the Arts Theatre. In December 2010, Pollard had a guest role in the Christmas special of ITV's hit show ''Benidorm'', playing herself. In December 2011, Pollard appeared as a guest on BBC One's ''Strictly Come Dancing''.

In the 2012 movie '' Run For Your Wife'' she had a cameo role as a shopkeeper. She starred in '' Who's Doing the Dishes?'' in September 2016. In 2018 she appeared in ITV's ''Last Laugh in Vegas''.

In pantomime, Pollard appeared regularly as the Wicked Queen in ''Snow White and The Seven Dwarfs'', in 2014 in Sunderland, 2015 in Blackpool, Tunbridge Wells in 2016, Aylesbury in 2017 and in Malvern in 2018. In 2019, Pollard starred as Queen Rat in ''Dick Whittington'' in Wolverhampton, alongside her ''Hi-de-Hi!'' co star Jeffrey Holland.

Pollard was one of a group of seven celebrities that entered in '' Pilgrimage: The Road Through Portugal'', a BBC Two series on a pilgrimage to Fátima, Portugal.

Personal life

Pollard was married to Peter Keogh from 1984 to 1992. In 2014, Keogh published his memoir, ''My Hi-de-High Life: Before, During and After Su Pollard''.

Pollard is a supporter of Nottingham Forest football club.

Theatre

Filmography

Feature films

* 1980: ''The Great British Striptease'' (documentary short) as Hostess
* 2012: '' Run For Your Wife'' as Shopkeeper

Television roles

* 1979: '' Two Up, Two Down'', as Flo
* 1980 - 1988: '' Hi-de-Hi!'', as Peggy Ollerenshaw
* 1988, 1990 - 1993: '' You Rang, M'Lord?'', as Ivy Teasdale
* 1989: ''According To Daisy'' (Unaired Pilot Episode only), as Daisy
* 1989: '' Penny Crayon'', as Penny (Animation, Voiceover)
* 1993: ''The World of Peter Rabbit and Friends'', as Jemima Puddle-Duck (Animation, Voiceover)
* 1995 - 1997: '' Oh, Doctor Beeching!'', as Ethel Schuman
* 2001: '' Gimme Gimme Gimme'', as Heidi Honeycomb
* 2003: ''Little Robots'', as Noisy (Animation, Voiceover)
* 2010: '' Benidorm - Christmas Special'', as herself
* 2016: '' Hacker Time'', as Mrs Cupelle
* 2018: ''Last Laugh In Vegas'', as herself
* 2018: ''Claude'', as Gloria Swoon (Animation, Voiceover)
* 2018: '' Doctors'', as Mary
* 2019: ''Andy and The Band'', as Mary
* 2020: ''Celebrity Murder Mystery''
* 2021: '' Celebrity Masterchef''
* 2021: '' Celebrity Masterchef: Christmas Cook Off''
* 2023: '' Pilgrimage: The Road Through Portugal''

Television appearances

Discography

Singles

*October 1985: " Come to Me (I Am Woman)" ( UK No. 71)
*January 1986: "Starting Together" (UK No. 2)
*July 1986: " You've Lost That Loving Feeling"
*November 1986: "Wives Will Always Be the Last to Know"
*March 1987: "Come to Me (I Am Woman)" (re-issue)
*1990: "My Miracle"

Albums

*November 1986: ''Su'' ( UK No. 86)
*2001: ''The Collection''

References

External links

Official Su Pollard website
*

{{DEFAULTSORT:Pollard, Su
1949 births
Living people
English stage actresses
English television actresses
English voice actresses
Actresses from Nottingham
Pollard, Su