| Elspeth Gray | |
|---|---|
| Born | Elspeth Jean MacGregor-Gray 12 April 1929 Inverness, Inverness-shire, Scotland |
| Occupation | Television actress |
| Years active | 1948-present |
| Spouse | Brian Rix (1949-present) |
Elspeth Jean Gray, Baroness Rix (née MacGregor-Gray; born 12 April 1929) is a Scottish actress, known for her work on British television in the 1970s and '80s. She is best recognised for her roles as one of the main characters, Mrs Palmer in the British TV comedy Solo, alongside Felicity Kendal and as Lady Collingford in the British TV series Catweazle.
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Gray has appeared in many television programmes, her first appearance being in Love in Waiting in 1948. She had several roles in the 1970s including parts in Fawlty Towers and Catweazle, and in the 1980s with Doctor Who story "Arc of Infinity", World War Two drama Tenko, as The Queen in the first series of the BBC sitcom Blackadder and as Mrs Palmer in sitcom Solo with Felicity Kendal.
She remained active until the late 1990s appearing in Agatha Christie's Poirot, 1994 film Four Weddings and a Funeral and most recently has appeared as Hilary in the British TV comedy Dinnerladies.
In 1949, Elspet Gray married actor and later Mencap Chairman & President Brian Rix, who became a life peer in 1992. They had four children - two sons and two daughters. Their eldest child, daughter Shelley Elspet (b 1951),[1] had Down's syndrome and died in July 2005 in Hounslow, Greater London, aged 53.[2] Their other daughter Louisa (b 1955)[3] is an actress. Eldest son Jamie (b 1959)[4] is a children's author who has produced television programmes such as My Hero. They have one other son, Jonathan (b 1960).[5] Lady Rix has served on the Council of the Actors' Charitable Trust for many years, particularly giving her time to the management committee of the actors' care home, Denville Hall.