Patsy Rowlands
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| Patsy Rowlands | |
| Birth name | Patricia Rowlands |
| Born | 19 January 1934 Palmers Green, London, England |
| Died | 22 January 2005Hove, East Sussex, England |
| Notable roles | Betty Lewis in Bless This House Various in the Carry On films |
Patsy Rowlands (19 January 1934 – 22 January 2005) was an English actress who is best remembered for the Carry On films and Bless This House.
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[edit] Early years
She was born Patricia Rowlands in Palmers Green, London, she attended a succession of convent schools throughout her childhood. At one an elocution teacher spotted her potential and encouraged her to pursue a career in acting. She applied for the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, and won a scholarship aged fifteen.
[edit] Career
Rowlands began her career at the Saville Theatre in Sandy Wilson's play Valmouth and then spent several years working in London as a regular member of the Players' Theatre. Other West End theatre credits include Semi-Detached with Laurence Olivier and directed by Tony Richardson (with whom she was to work often), Shut Your Eyes and Think of England, with Donald Sinden, The Seagull directed by Lindsay Anderson and When We Are Married for Ronald Eyre. She made a name for herself as a character actress in a range of stage and screen roles throughout the 1950s and 1960s. Patsy appeared in a total of ten Carry On films, all directed by Gerald Thomas. Initially a supporting player, her Carry On roles increased in size as she took the place of departing regulars in the later films of the series in the early and mid 1970s. Around this time she also played a recurring role in the long running sitcom, Bless This House, in which she appeared alongside Carry On regular Sid James. Rowlands's last Carry On film was Carry on Behind. She was also originally cast in the new film Carry On London, however funding problems caused the film to be delayed. She often said that her favourite Carry On film was Carry On at Your Convenience.
[edit] Later years
Towards the end of her life, Rowlands appeared in several revivals of major musicals such as Oliver! and My Fair Lady, and later television credits include The Cazalet Chronicles, The Canterbury Tales, The Cater Street Hangman, Get Well Soon, and Vanity Fair for the BBC. Rowlands completed several audio commentaries along with other stars of the Carry On films in 2003.
She developed breast cancer and had to delay retirement from acting to become an acting teacher. She died of the disease in a Sussex hospice at the age of 71. She had one son. Patsy was described as a 'stalwart' of the Carry On films by national newspaper obituaries.
[edit] External links
| Carry On films |
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| Main Cast: Kenneth Williams | Joan Sims | Charles Hawtrey | Sid James | Kenneth Connor | Peter Butterworth | Bernard Bresslaw | Hattie Jacques | Jim Dale | Barbara Windsor | Terry Scott |
| Films: Sergeant • Nurse • Teacher • Constable • Regardless • Cruising • Cabby • Jack • Spying • Cleo • Cowboy • Screaming • Don't Lose Your Head • Follow That Camel • Doctor • Up the Khyber • Camping • Again Doctor • Up the Jungle • Loving • Henry • At Your Convenience • Matron • Abroad • Girls • Dick • Behind • England • Emmannuelle • Columbus TV: Laughing • Christmas Specials • That's Carry On! Unmade: Spaceman Upcoming: London |
