- Known For
- Acting
- Born
- July 7, 1911
- Place of Birth
- Covent Garden, London, England, UK
- Died
- July 11, 2005
Gretchen Franklin
Born in Covent Garden, West London in 1911, Gretchen Franklin was an English actress and dancer whose showbusiness career spanned over 70 years. She was best known for her role as Ethel Skinner in the long-running BBC 1 soap opera EastEnders. She appeared in the very first episode in 1985 and was a regular in the series until 1988. After this she returned to the show intermittently until 2000 when her character was killed off, allowing Franklin to retire from acting at the age of 89. Born into a theatrical family (her father had a song and dance act, her grandfather was a famous music hall entertainer at the turn of the century and her cousin was Dad's Army star Clive Dunn) Gretchen Franklin made her theatre debut as a teenage chorus girl. She toured with comedians such as Gracie Fields before making the switch to serious acting. Her film appearances included Cloak Without Dagger (1956),…
Filmography
tvKeeping Up Appearances
1990 · Daddy's Fiance
tvEastEnders
1985 · , Ethel Skinner
movieReturn to Waterloo
1984 · Woman on Train
tvBlackadder
1983 · Cordelia
Dead Ernest
tvDead Ernest
1982
movieRagtime
1981 · Elderly Woman
movieQuincy's Quest
1979 · Witch
tvTerry and June
1979 · Cath
tvQuatermass
1979 · Edna
tvDanger UXB
1979 · Mrs. Flack
movieThe One and Only Phyllis Dixey
1978 · Phyllis's Dresser
tvHazell
1978 · Pearl
tvNicholas Nickleby
1977 · Miss Knag
tvGeorge and Mildred
1976 · Mother
tvI Didn't Know You Cared
1975 · Auntie Lil
tvThe Sweeney
1975 · Florence, the Charlady
tvChurchill's People
1974 · Mrs Baxter
movieThe Four Musketeers
1974 · D'Artagnan's Mother (archive footage) (uncredited)
tvRising Damp
1974 · Aunt Maud
movieThe Three Musketeers
1973 · D’Artagnan’s Mother
movieSecrets
1973 · Mrs. Pitt
Black and Blue
tvBlack and Blue
1973 · Mrs. Pitt
Bowler
tvBowler
1973
tvBowler
1973 · Mrs Bowler
tvThe Protectors
1972 · Nelly Baxter
tvSykes
1972 · Bookstall Assistant
tvThe Organization
1972 · Edna
tvSix Days of Justice
1972 · Annie
tvBudgie
1971 · Carrie Wetherall
movieThe Night Visitor
1971 · Mrs. Hansen
The Company Man
movieThe Company Man
1970 · Tea Lady
Castle Haven
tvCastle Haven
1969
movieTwisted Nerve
1968 · Clarkie
movieSubterfuge
1968 · Bus Conductress
tvJourney to the Unknown
1968 · Mrs. Barrett
movieHow I Won the War
1967 · 2nd Old Lady
movieThe Murder Game
1965 · Landlady
A Slight Case Of...
tvA Slight Case Of...
1965
movieHelp!
1965 · Neighbour
tvLondoners
1965 · Mrs. Hincastle
The Man Who Came to Die
movieThe Man Who Came to Die
1965 · Mrs. Marriott
tvGideon's Way
1965 · Martha Bray
Story Parade
tvStory Parade
1964 · Mrs. Huxtable
movieThe Silent Playground
1963 · Mrs. Elgin
tvThe Scales of Justice
1962 · Rose Jenkins
tvZ-Cars
1962
movieThe Trouble with Our Ivy
1961 · Mrs. Chard
movieFlame in the Streets
1961 · Mrs. Bingham
movieTicket to Paradise
1961 · Mrs. Higginbottom
The Poet
movieThe Poet
1960 · Erminia
The Artful Dodger
tvThe Artful Dodger
1959
Saturday Playhouse
tvSaturday Playhouse
1958 · Susan Sillsby, Mrs. Wilson, Mrs. Catt
movieThe Secret Place
1957 · Mother (uncredited)
movieThe High Terrace
1956 · Mrs. Webb
tvArmchair Theatre
1956 · Miss Julia, Mrs. Chard, Else, Edie Tidy, Mrs. Marriott, Tea Lady
movieCloak Without Dagger
1956 · Emmie
tvDixon of Dock Green
1955 · Mrs. Walcott
movieBefore I Wake
1955 · Elsie
movieTrottie True
1949 · Martha (uncredited)