Charlotte Mitchell

Actor

Charlotte Mitchell

Born July 23, 1926 in Ipswich, Suffolk, England, UKDied May 2, 201217 films

In the 1950s she provided lyrics, sketches, and occasionally acted in revues on London's West End. She was especially successful in her ventures providing lyrics for Madeleine Dring in Airs on a Shoestring (1953), Pay the Piper (1954), and Fresh Airs (1956), all productions of Laurier Lister.

Read more

She was once (allegedly) the girlfriend of Peter Sellers, and appeared in The Goon Show episodes Ye Bandit of Sherwood Forest (1954) as Maid Marian and Tales of Montmartre (1956) as Seagoon's love interest, Fifi. Charlotte Mitchell was married to the actor Philip Guard[3] and was the mother of three children, actors Christopher Guard[4] and Dominic Guard[5] and animator and novelist Candy Guard. Charlotte lived in West London during the later part of her life and continued to be active as a poet.

She appeared on BBC Radio with Ian Carmichael in The Small, Intricate Life of Gerald C. Potter. Carmichael played Gerald C. Potter, mystery writer, while she played Diana, his wife, who, under the pseudonym of Miss Magnolia Badminton, wrote romantic novels. She also played, on radio, the Dowager Duchess (Lord Peter Wimsey's mother) in the radio adaption of Strong Poison that starred Ian Carmichael as Peter Wimsey and the character of Kath Miller in the BBC Radio 2 daily serial Waggoners' Walk. [9] She also featured as Maid Marion in The Goon Show's "Ye Bandit of Sherwood Forest"[10] in December 1958. On television, she played Amy Winthrop the housekeeper in The Adventures of Black Beauty (1972–74), and Monica Spencer in And Mother Makes Five. Her poetry was published in collections such as "Twelve Burnt Saucepans", "Looking Round Dangerously", "I Want to Go Home" and "Just in Case". These provided the basis of a series of popular programmes on BBC Radio 4 in which she read her own work. Her poetry is often requested and read on the BBC Radio 4's Poetry Please, and one of her poems was chosen by Judi Dench and Michael Williams in their joint BBC Radio 4 programme With Great Pleasure

Start here

The best way into Charlotte Mitchell's work
The French Lieutenant's Woman posterFirst watchThe French Lieutenant's Woman19816.5as Mrs. TranterA supporting role.In this story-within-a-story, Anna is an actress starring opposite Mike in a period piece about the forbidden love between their respective characters, Sarah and Charles.View film

Essential films

Ranked by role, acclaim and reach

Filmography

17 films as actor
  1. 1988The First KangaroosMrs Oaks
  2. 1988The Woman He LovedLady Chatfield
  3. 1983The Lady's Maid's BellMrs. Blinder
  4. 1981The French Lieutenant's WomanMrs. Tranter
  5. 1975Jim, the World's GreatestSchool Secretary
  6. 1975In This House of BredeMrs. Fraser
  7. 1971Blood on Satan's ClawEllen Vespers
  8. 1960Village of the DamnedJanet Pawle
  9. 1959The Bridal PathMrs. Mavis Bruce (uncredited)
  10. 1956LostFarmer's Wife (Uncredited)
  11. 1953Street CornerLily Propert
  12. 1953Time Bomb
  13. 1952Curtain UpDaphne Ray
  14. 1951Lady Godiva Rides AgainLucille
  15. 1951The Man in the White SuitMill Girl
  16. 1951Laughter in ParadiseEthel
  17. 1950The Happiest Days of Your LifeEthel (Uncredited)