Judy Cornwell

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Judy Cornwell bigraphy, stories - Film

Judy Cornwell : biography

22 February 1940 –

Judy Valerie Cornwell (born 22 February 1940) is an English actress best known for her role as Daisy in the British sitcom Keeping Up Appearances.

Personal life

Cornwell married John Kelsall Parry on 18 December 1960, and they have a son, Edward.

Her grandmother was music hall singer Sarah Bonner.

Published works

Cornwell has published a number of books, including her autobiography Adventures of a Jelly Baby (ISBN 0-283-07001-3) that was published in 2005 which describes her childhood growing up in Britain during the war, and then in Australia where her family emigrated.

She has also published several novels, including Cow and Cow Parsley in 1985, Fishcakes at the Ritz in 1989, The Seventh Sunrise in 1994, and Fear and Favour in 1996.

Film roles

Year Title Role
1959 Friends and Neighbours 4th Girl
1967 Two for the Road Pat
1967 Jules Verne’s Rocket to the Moon Lady Electra
1968 The Wild Racers Pippy
1970 Brotherly Love Rosie
1970 Wuthering Heights Nelly Dean
1970 Every Home Should Have One Liz Brown
1971 Whoever Slew Auntie Roo? Clarine
1985 Santa Claus: The Movie Anya
1987 Cry Freedom Receptionist
1995 Persuasion Mrs. Musgrove
1999 David Copperfield Peggotty

Biography

Cornwell’s father served in the RAF and she grew up in Britain, where she attended a convent school and Saint Michael Boarding school in Heacham, Norfolk, before moving to Australia, to which country her family emigrated. She has written about her childhood experiences in her autobiography Adventures of a Jelly Baby. She returned to Britain, and there became a professional dancer and comedienne in her teens, working her act between the nudes at the Windmill Theatre before becoming an actress. Her long career includes roles in radio’s The Navy Lark, the controversial play Oh! What A Lovely War, her own TV comedy series Moody and Pegg, and several seasons with the Royal Shakespeare Company.

Films and television

Cornwell’s film roles include Santa Claus: The Movie (as Mrs. Claus) and Mad Cows. On television she has appeared in Dixon of Dock Green, Cakes and Ale, Bergerac, Doctor Who (the episode Paradise Towers), several episodes of Farrington of the F.O., The Famous Five, The Bill, Heartbeat, Miss Marple and Midsomer Murders. She also appeared on radio as WREN Cornwell in The Navy Lark. Judy is also appearing in BBC soap opera EastEnders as Queenie Trott, the mean tyrant mother of lovable loser Heather Trott. In 1987, she appeared as the English spinster lady Rosemary Tuttle in the episode ‘Rumpole and the Official Secret’ from Season 4 of Rumpole of the Bailey. She is best known, however, for her portrayal of lovable working class housewife "Daisy" in the popular sitcom Keeping Up Appearances, which ran from 1990 to 1995.

Television roles

Year Title Role
1974 Moody and Pegg Daphne Pegg
1976 Cakes and Ale Rosie
1980–81 The Good Companions
1982 Look and Read "Fairground" Mrs Watson
1983 Jane Eyre Mrs. Reed
1985 There Comes a Time, Vanessa James
1987 Doctor Who "Paradise Towers" Maddy
1987 Dorothy L. Sayers Mysteries "Strong Poison" Miss Booth
1987 Bergerac "The Memory Man" Belle Young
1990–95 Keeping Up Appearances Daisy
1992 Nice Town Aunt Peggy
1996 Famous Five "Five on a Hike Together" Mrs. Baker
1997 Midsomer Murders, "Death in Disguise" episode May Cuttle
1998 The Life and Crimes of William Palmer Mrs. Palmer
1999 Heartbeat Isabelle Sheba Christie
2007–08 EastEnders Queenie Trott