Pat Coombs
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- For the writer, see Patricia Coombs.
Pat Coombs (27 August 1926 – May 25, 2002) was a British actress. Born in Camberwell South London, Pat was one of Britain's great character actresses and she was known for many roles on radio, film and television sitcoms.
She first made her name in the post-war era of radio variety as 'Nola', the dim and put-upon daughter of Irene Handl in Arthur Askey's Hello Playmates; their double-act had started as a guest spot on Bob Monkhouse's show. Later she became a regular performer in the 1963 series of The Dick Emery Show. She also starred in the sitcom Wild, Wild Women.
After a relatively unsuccessful partnership with Peggy Mount in the television series Lollipop Loves Mr Mole (1971), the two found a better platform for their talents when they were reunited in Yorkshire TV's You're Only Young Twice (1977), set in a home for the elderly; the two actresses were to become close friends.
During her long career, Pat made two memorable contributions to Dad's Army. In 1970, she played Mrs Hall in the Dad's Army movie and later in 1975, she played the dual part of Marie / the Clippie in the radio adaptation of "A Soldiers Farewell".
Her other television work included Beggar My Neighbour (1967); Don't Drink the Water (1974); and The Lady is a Tramp (1983), in which she co-starred with Patricia Hayes in a series set among 'down-and-outs'. She was also the subject of This is Your Life and appeared regularly as a guest on Noel Edmonds's Saturday night entertainment show Noel's House Party.
Pat Coombs also appeared in films, including Carry On Doctor (1968); Carry On Again, Doctor (1969); On the Buses (1971); Ooh, You Are Awful (1972), with Dick Emery; Spike Milligan's Adolf Hitler: My Part in His Downfall (1972) as well as a minor role as Henrietta Salt in the 1971 classic, Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory.
In 1989 she appeared in the BBC soap opera EastEnders. For a year she played Marge Green, Brown Owl of the Walford Brownies' pack, where she worked closely with EastEnders stallwarts, June Brown and Gretchen Franklin. She also guested in the BBC comedy Birds of a Feather.
Pat was diagnosed with osteoporosis in 1995, and despite being in great pain she nonetheless became an active campaigner for the 'National Osteoporosis Society'. Her Christmas appeal letter raised £100,000 for the charity's research.
She had just completed a role for Radio 4 alongside June Whitfield in 'Like They've Never Been Gone' when she died on May 25, 2002 from "complications arising from emphysema."
