Janet Webb (1930–1983)[1] was an English actress. Born on 1 July 1930 as Janet Patricia Webster in Liverpool, she was most famous for appearing on The Morecambe & Wise Show (1968) where she made anonymous appearances and came to be known as "the lady who comes down at the end", first appearing in a non-speaking part in the second series (1969) and in subsequent series. Her part was later expanded to a talking role, her line was usually:
| “ | I'd like to thank all of you for watching me and my little show here tonight. If you've enjoyed it, then it's all been worthwhile. So, until we meet again, good night, and I love you all! | ” |
This would be followed by her being showered in gifts such as flowers, boxes of chocolates and the like. Owing to ill health she stopped appearing regularly in 1972 but did make occasional cameo appearances in the Morecambe & Wise show until 1974.
She made a notable appearance on Morcambe & Wise's 1972 Christmas special. Throughout the special the show would feature clips of celebrities such as Eric Porter, Andre Previn, Ian Carmichael and Flora Robson stating "I worked with Morecambe and Wise and look what happened..." it is joked that Porter became a bin man, Previn a bus conductor, Carmichael became a paper boy and Robson is a tea lady for the BBC. At the end of the special Webb appears and after exiting a Rolls Royce to go to her mansion states "I worked with Morecambe and Wise and it never did me any harm".
She later appeared with another celebrated double act on BBC TV, supporting The Two Ronnies (Ronnie Barker and Ronnie Corbett) on several shows in their 1976 and 1977 series.
She was related to the actress Rita Webb who most famously appeared as the sooth-sayer in the film version of Up Pompeii! with Frankie Howerd in 1971. Janet married violinist Charles Vorzanger in 1957. She died from cancer on December 29, 1983.
Birth: GRO July-Sept 1930 Liverpool, Vol 8b page 473.
Marriage: GRO April–June 1957 Marylebone, Vol 5d page 550.
Death: GRO Oct-Dec 1983 Westminster, Vol 15 page 1996.