June Whitfield
Born June Rosemary Whitfield
11 November 1925
Streatham, London, England
Died 28 December 2018 (aged 93)
Occupation Actress
Dame June Rosemary Whitfield DBE (11 November 1925 – 28 December 2018) was an English radio, television and film actress.
Her big break was a lead in the BBC Light Programme radio comedy Take It from Here from 1953. Television roles soon followed, including appearances with Tony Hancock throughout his television career. In 1966, Whitfield played the leading role in the television sitcom Beggar My Neighbour which ran for three series. She also appeared in four Carry On films: Nurse (1959), Abroad (1972), Girls (1973) and Columbus (1992).
In 1968, Whitfield and Terry Scott began a long television partnership, which peaked with roles as husband and wife in Happy Ever After (1974–78) and Terry and June (1979–87). From 1992, Whitfield played Edina Monsoon’s mother in Jennifer Saunders’ Absolutely Fabulous. She was a regular character in Last of the Summer Wine and a recurring character in The Green Green Grass.
From 1993 to 2001, Whitfield played Miss Marple in the dramatisation of all 12 Agatha Christie Miss Marple novels on BBC Radio 4.
June Rosemary Whitfield was born in Streatham, London, in 1925, to John H. Whitfield and his wife Bertha Georgina née Flett. Her father was the managing director of a company called Dictograph Telephones that had been founded by his father in Yorkshire, and both of her parents were keen amateur actors. She made her first stage appearance aged three after her mother, Bertha, enrolled her at Robinson’s Dance Studio. Whitfield attended Streatham Hill High School, before being evacuated in World War II to Bognor Regis, where she attended St Michael’s School, and to Penzance in Cornwall. She then moved with her parents to Huddersfield, where she learned shorthand and typing. She then continued to study secretarial skills at Pitman’s College, Brixton Hill. In 1944, Whitfield graduated from the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art with a diploma.
Whitfield began her career on radio in 1946 with Wilfred Pickles and worked on stage in the West End and the regions. In 1951 she had her first credited television role in The Passing Show, and she joined the London cast of the musical South Pacific.
Her big break came in 1953 when she replaced the emigrating Joy Nichols on the successful Muir and Norden radio comedy Take It from Here, co-starring Jimmy Edwards and Dick Bentley. In the portion of the show known as “The Glums” she played Eth, fiancée of the dim Ron Glum (played by Bentley). During the next 15 years, Whitfield had many supporting roles on television, including in Dixon of Dock Green, Arthur’s Treasured Volumes, The Arthur Askey Show, Faces of Jim, The Benny Hill Show, Steptoe and Son and Frankie Howerd. She played the nurse in the opening scene of “The Blood Donor” (Hancock, 1961).
In 1959, she appeared in Carry On Nurse, the first of her four appearances in the Carry On film series.
Television and other work
Whitfield gained her first starring role, in the sitcom Beggar My Neighbour (1966), playing Rose Garvey. The year after Beggar My Neighbour finished in 1968, Whitfield appeared on Scott On… for six years until 1974. This started a working relationship with Terry Scott that lasted until 1987. During Scott On. .. she had also appeared in The Best Things In Life, The Goodies, The Dick Emery Show, Bless This House and The Pallisers. She appeared in the spin-off film of Bless This House (1972), with Terry Scott as her husband, and Carry On Abroad (also 1972), followed by an appearance in Carry On Girls (1973).
Whitfield starred in a Comedy Playhouse sitcom pilot called Happy Ever After (1974) alongside Scott. Later that year a first series of this was screened, and it continued for five series until 1978. The following year, they appeared together in the first series of Terry and June. Happy Ever After and Terry and June were very similar, with only a change of surname, from Fletcher to Medford, and a new house and family. Both sitcoms had Scott and Whitfield as a suburban middle-class married couple. Terry and June ran for 65 episodes until 1987. Five years later in 1992, Julian Clary created Terry and Julian, a Channel 4 sitcom which spoofed the title of Terry and June, and Whitfield made an appearance in one episode. During the eight-year run of Terry and June, Whitfield also appeared in It Ain’t Half Hot Mum and Minder.
In the 1970s and early 1980s, Whitfield appeared in a series of television advertisements, created for Birds Eye by advertising art director Vernon Howe, featuring the concluding voice-over line: “it can make a dishonest woman of you!”
In 1971, Whitfield and Frankie Howerd recorded a novelty comic version of the song “Je t’aime”, previously recorded by Jane Birkin and Serge Gainsbourg, in which she featured as “Mavis”.
She was the subject of This Is Your Life on two occasions, in April 1976 when she was surprised by Eamonn Andrews at her home in Wimbledon, and in March 1995, when Michael Aspel surprised her at the BBC Television Centre.
During the 1980s, Whitfield returned to radio comedy. From 1984, she could be heard with Roy Hudd on the satire programme The News Huddlines, which finished in 2001. On it she often used impersonations and was known for her impression of the then Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher. During the 1980s and 1990s, Whitfield made several stage appearances, including in a revival of An Ideal Husband and the pantomime Babes in the Wood. In 1985 she sang a duet with Ian Charleson of the Irving Berlin song “You’re Just in Love” in A Royal Night of One Hundred Stars. In 1982 she was made a Freeman of the City of London and was made an OBE in 1985
Having appeared in an episode of French and Saunders in 1988, Whitfield played Mother/Gran in Jennifer Saunders’ sitcom Absolutely Fabulous from 1992. In 2000, she featured with the rest of the Absolutely Fabulous cast in the pilot Mirrorball. From 1993 to 2001, she played Miss Marple in 12 radio adaptations of Agatha Christie’s Miss Marple books. From 1990, she appeared in films such as Carry On Columbus (1992), Jude (1996) and Faeries (1999), as the voice of Mrs. Combs. In 1998 Whitfield played the housekeeper in the London-set episode of Friends “The One with Ross’s Wedding, Part Two” and voiced a character in an episode of the animated comedy series Rex the Runt.
In 1994, Whitfield was given a Lifetime Achievement Award by the British Comedy Awards, and in 1998 she was promoted to CBE. Her autobiography And June Whitfield appeared in 2000 and was written with the help of Christopher Douglas. From 2000, Whitfield appeared in The Royal, Midsomer Murders, Agatha Christie’s Marple, New Tricks and Last of the Summer Wine, which she joined in 2005. Whitfield had an episode of The South Bank Show devoted to her on 29 July 2007 and, in the same year, appeared in the English National Opera’s production of On the Town in London’s West End. In November 2007 she appeared in the Only Fools and Horses spin-off The Green Green Grass as the mother of Marlene. In 2008 she appeared in an episode of ITV medical drama, Harley Street. In 2009, she made a guest appearance in Kingdom and published an updated autobiography, At a Glance … An Absolutely Fabulous Life, a collection of scrapbook pictures from her life and career.
Whitfield appeared in the Doctor Who two-part episode, “The End of Time”, that aired over the Christmas/New Year period of 2009–10. On 29 December 2009, she was the subject of an entire evening’s tribute programming on BBC Two.
In 2010, Whitfield was signed for a short appearance on ITV soap opera Coronation Street. Her character, May, appeared at the funeral of Blanche Hunt and explained to Blanche’s daughter, Deirdre, how her mother had died. In 2011, she played Margaret Rutherford in the BBC Radio 4 play A Monstrous Vitality, Andy Merriman’s radio adaptation of his biography of Rutherford, A Dreadnought with Good Manners. She reprised her role of Mother/Gran in two episodes of Absolutely Fabulous at Christmas/New Year 2011-12 and for an Olympic special on 23 July 2012. In 2013, Whitfield became the inaugural recipient of the Aardman Slapstick Comedy Legend Award, a recognition of her lifetime’s contribution to the world of comedy. In 2014, she made a second appearance in Midsomer Murders, and appeared in Jonathan Creek and Boomers. In 2015, she played Granny Wallon in a BBC One adaptation of Laurie Lee’s classic novel Cider with Rosie.
In May 2015, Whitfield made a guest appearance in the BBC soap EastEnders as a nun called Sister Ruth[20] and returned to the show in January 2016 to complete a storyline. In October 2015 it was confirmed that she would reprise her role of Mother/Gran in Absolutely Fabulous: The Movie which was released in July 2016. Whitfield also made a guest appearance as God in the Sky 1 series You, Me and the Apocalypse, which was broadcast in November 2015.
Personal life and death
In 1955, she married Timothy John Aitchison, who was working as a surveyor. The couple had a daughter, Suzy (born 4 June 1960), who became an actress. Timothy Aitchison died in 2001.
Despite her success, Whitfield never wanted a lead role, explaining that she lacked the drive and confidence. She attributed the premature deaths of several comedians to “the responsibility, the stress and strain” of carrying their shows. She described her own life, in her autobiography, as “full of love, affection and laughter, of gigs, gags and a couple of gongs”.
In December 2017, Whitfield revealed that she was living in a care home. Whitfield died on 28 December 2018, aged 93.
Fellow Absolutely Fabulous actress Jennifer Saunders paid tribute to the “extraordinary grace” of Whitfield and said she would “hugely” miss her “dear friend”. Fellow actress Joanna Lumley praised her “sensational talent”, while Julia Sawalha described her as a “great source of inspiration”. Actress Jane Horrocks said her former co-star was a “wonderful lady”, who was “versatile, funny and generous”, while impressionist Rory Bremner called Whitfield the “go-to comedy actress for three generations”
Film and television
The Passing Show (1951)[40]
Love from Judy (1953) – Sally McBride[41]
Fast and Loose (1955)[11]
Before Your Very Eyes (1955–1958) – various characters[42]
The Idiot Weekly, Price 2d (1956)[11] – various characters
The Straker Special (1956)[11]
The Tony Hancock Show (1956–1957)[11][43] – various characters
Friday the 13th (1957)[44]
Hancock’s Half Hour (“The Alpine Holiday”, 1957) – Miss Dubois[45]
Yes, It’s the Cathode-Ray Tube Show! (1957) – various characters (voice)[46]
Dixon of Dock Green[47] (1958) – Marie
My Pal Bob (1958)[48]
Whack-O! (1958–1959) – Edwina / Mrs Van Stuyvesant[49]
On With The Show (1958)[11]
Carry On Nurse (1959) – Meg[47]
Friends and Neighbours (1959) – Doris Holmes[50]
It’s Saturday Night (1959)[51]
Arthur’s Treasured Volumes (1960) – Enid Brown[40]
Hancock (1961)[47]
“The Blood Donor” – Nurse[52]
“The Succession – Son and Heir” – Veronica Stillwell[53]
The Arthur Askey Show (1961) – Emily Pilbeam[54]
The Benny Hill Show (1961–1968) – various characters[48]
Faces of Jim (1961–1963)[11] – various characters
Christmas Night with the Stars (1962) – Eth[55]
Six More Faces of Jim (1962) – Eth[52]
The Rag Trade (1962) – Miss Rawlins[56]
The Telephone Call (1962) – Sandra Baxter[57]
More Faces of Jim (1963) – various characters[52]
A Child’s Guide to Screenwriting (1964) – various characters (voice)[58]
Baxter On… (1964) – various characters[59]
How to be an Alien (1964) – (voice)[59]
The Big Noise (1964) – Dorothy Tozer[59]
Steptoe and Son (1964) – Madge[60]
Call It What You Like (1965) – various characters[59]
Six of the Best (1965) – Daffodil[61]
Frankie Howerd (1966) – Beryl Cuttlebunt[54]
Mild and Bitter (1966) – various characters[59]
The Spy with a Cold Nose (1966) – Elsie Farquhar[62]
Beggar My Neighbour (1967–1968)[11] – Rose Garvey
Christmas Night with the Stars (1967) – Rose Garvey[63]
Father, Dear Father (1968) – Mrs Parsons[59]
Frankie Howerd Meets the Bee Gees (1968)[54]
Never a Cross Word (1968)[64]
Scott On… (1968–1974) – various characters[59]
According to Dora (1969) – various characters[65]
Armchair Theatre: What’s a Mother For? (1969) – Angela[66]
The Best Things in Life (1969–1970) – Mabel Pollard[59]
The Dick Emery Show (1969–1974) – various characters[48]
The Fossett Saga (1969) – Millie Goswick[52]
The Jimmy Logan Show (1969)[67]
The Undertakers (1969) – Housewife[68]
Do Me a Favour! (1971) – Mrs Dolly Hadleigh[59]
The Goodies (1971) – Penelope Fay[69]
The Magnificent Seven Deadly Sins (1971) – Mildred[59]
Bless This House (film) (1972) – Vera Baines[59]
Carry On Abroad (1972) – Evelyn Blunt[59]
Tarbuck’s Luck (1972)[70]
Bless This House (1973) – Odette[59]
Carry On Girls (1973) – Augusta Prodworthy / Paula Perkins (voice)[59]
Whoops Baghdad (1973) – Charisma[59]
Romance with a Double Bass (1974) – Prince Bibulov’s Wife[71]
The Morecambe and Wise Show (1974)[40] – Muriel
The Pallisers (1974) – Mrs Bonteen[72]
Happy Ever After (1974–1979) – June Fletcher[59]
Not Now, Comrade (1976) – Janet Rimmington[59]
The Dick Emery Show: The Texas Connection (1977) – Jacqueline Clayton[48]
Cannon and Ball (1979) – The Manageress[73]
The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (1979) – Mrs Beaver[74]
Terry and June (1979–1987) – June Medford[59]
Bernie (1980)[75]
It Ain’t Half Hot Mum (1980) – Captain Georgina Tollemache[59]
The Dick Emery Christmas Show: For Whom the Jingle Bells Toll (1980) – Colette[76]
Mike Yarwood In Persons (1981)[48]
It’s Going to Be Alright (1984) – Margie Hansen[59]
Minder (1984) – Mrs Murdoch[48]
Sharing Time (1984) – April[77]
Rupert and the Frog Song (1985) – Rupert’s Mother (voice)[78]
It’s a Hudd Hudd World (1987)[78]
Cluedo (1990) – Mrs Blance White[78]
The Craig Ferguson Story (1991) – Mrs Ferguson[78]
Carry On Columbus (1992) – Queen Isabella[78]
The World of Peter Rabbit and Friends (1992) – Mrs Rabbit (voice)[79]
Absolutely Fabulous (1992–2012) – Mother[52]
Terry and Julian (1992) – Mrs Wilson[78]
Jude (1996) – Aunt Drusilla[25][78]
All Rise for Julian Clary (1997) – Auntie Jane[78]
Brambly Hedge (1997) – Mrs Apple[80]
Common As Muck (1997) – Irene[78]
Family Money (1997) – Ivy[78]
The History of Tom Jones, A Foundling (1997) – Mrs Whitfield[78]
Wyrd Sisters (1997) – Nanny Ogg (voice)[78]
Friends (1998) – The Housekeeper[81]
Rex the Runt (1998) – Judge Pikelet[59]
Days Like These (1999) – Grandma[78]
Faeries (1999) – Mrs Coombs[78]
Mirrorball (2000) – Dora Vermouth[82]
The Last of the Blonde Bombshells (2000) – Annie[83]
Last of the Summer Wine (2001–2010) – Nelly / Delphi[84]
Bob the Builder (2005–2007) – Dot[85]
Midsomer Murders (2005) – Peggy Alder[86]
The Royal (2005) – Esme[87]
Agatha Christie’s Marple (2006) – Mrs Lancaster[86]
New Tricks (2007) – Pru Sanders[88]
The Green Green Grass (2007–2009) – Dora[88]
Harley Street (2008) – Betty[88]
Kingdom (2009) – Mrs Earnshaw[89]
Doctor Who (2009–2010) – Minnie Hooper[90]
Coronation Street (2010) – May Penn[91]
M.I. High (2011) – Beryl Bagshot[86]
Run for Your Wife (2012) – Lady in gym class[92]
Boomers (2014–2016) – Joan[93]
Jonathan Creek (2014) – Heidi Greeley / Laurel Greeley[94]
Midsomer Murders (2014) – Molly Darnley[90]
Topsy and Tim (2014) – Mrs Higley-Pigley[95]
Cider with Rosie (2015) – Granny Wallon[96]
You, Me and the Apocalypse (2015) – God[97]
EastEnders (2015–2016) – Sister Ruth[98]
Absolutely Fabulous: The Movie (2016) – Mother[52]
Miss Marple
Whitfield played Miss Marple in 12 BBC Radio 4 adaptations of novels by Agatha Christie.
Name of Story No. in Series Day and Month of Release Year
Murder at the Vicarage 1 26–30 December 1993
A Pocket Full of Rye 2 11 February (long episode: approx. 90 mins) 1995
At Bertram’s Hotel 3 25–29 December 1995
The 4:50 From Paddington 4 29 March (long episode: approx. 90 mins) 1997
A Caribbean Mystery[30] 5 30 October – 27 November (an episode a week) 1997
The Mirror Crack’d From Side to Side 6 29 August (aired as an Agatha Christie Special) 1998
Nemesis[31] 7 9 November – 7 December (an episode a week) 1998
The Body in the Library 8 22 May (long episode: approx. 90 mins) 1999
A Murder is Announced 9 9 August – 6 September (an episode a week) 1999
The Moving Finger 10 5 May (long episode: approx. 90 mins) 2001
They Do It With Mirrors 11 23 July – 20 August (an episode a week) 2001
Sleeping Murder 12 8 December (long episode: approx. 90 mins) 2001
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