Patricia Franklin (born 11 September 1942) is an English actress best known for her roles in five Carry On films.

Patricia Franklin
Born (1942-09-11) 11 September 1942 (age 82)
Alma materRoyal Academy of Dramatic Art
OccupationActress[1]
Years active1967—present
SpouseFrank Hatherley
Children3

Early life

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Born in East Finchley, London, Franklin and her family frequently went to see shows at the nearby amateur theatre; after seeing that the theatre company, Mountview Academy of Theatre Arts, offered drama classes, Franklin decided to join. After appearing in several productions, Franklin joined Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA).[2]

Career

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Upon leaving RADA, Franklin's first acting role was as a hostess in an episode of At Last The 1948 Show in 1968. After this, she spent nine months in the West End in Uproar in the House with Joan Sims and Peter Butterworth.[3] The producer of the Carry On films Peter Rogers was in the audience as Sims and Butterworth were regulars in the series and offered Franklin a part in the next film which she accepted. Franklin's first film role was playing a farmer's daughter in Carry On Camping (1969) in several scenes depicting a series of mix-ups between her father (Derek Francis), Charles Hawtrey and Terry Scott.

Impressed with Franklin's performance in Carry On Camping, Rogers offered Franklin another role in his next film Carry On Again Doctor (1969) as a nurse although she had to turn it down as she was busy in a production of Edward Bond's play Saved at the Royal Court Theatre.[4] In 1970, Franklin appeared in Carry On Loving in a scene with Bill Maynard as an incompatible married couple seeking advice from an incompetent marriage guidance counsellor (Kenneth Williams) before playing a woman arguing with Marianne Stone at a jumble sale in the film Bless This House (1972). Franklin followed this with her largest role in a Carry On film; as Rosemary, June Whitfield's right-hand woman in a Women's Liberation scheme to sabotage a beauty contest orchestrated by Sid James in an otherwise dull seaside town in Carry On Girls (1973).[5]

After several television roles, including Fraud Squad, The Legend of Robin Hood, Centre Play and a part in the film Brief Encounter (1974), Franklin starred in Carry On Behind (1975) as the nagging wife of Jack Douglas who goes on a camping holiday with his friend Windsor Davies to escape their wives; the final scene depicts Franklin and Davies' wife Liz Fraser finding Douglas and Davies in a compromising position with two young scantily clad fellow campers played by Carol Hawkins and Sherrie Hewson. Franklin followed this with a role in an episode of The Sweeney entitled "Bad Apple" before making her final role in a Carry On film as a militant army cook in Carry On England (1976).[6]

Franklin then went on to have several television credits include Play for Today, Black Books, Silent Witness and four episodes of The Bill. She later appeared in all three films in Edgar Wright's and Simon Pegg's Three Flavours Cornetto trilogy: Shaun of the Dead (2004), Hot Fuzz (2007) and World's End (2013). Since then, she has had many more roles including appearing in two episodes of The Alienist and starring in the Christmas film Jingle Jangle: A Christmas Journey (2020).

Personal life

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Franklin is married to the Australian dramatist Frank Hatherley; they have three daughters. Their youngest daughter is guitarist, composer and solo artist Charlotte Hatherley.

Filmography

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Film

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Year Title Role Notes
1969 Carry On Camping Farmer's Daughter
1970 Carry On Loving Mrs. Dreery
1972 Bless This House Mary
1973 Carry On Girls Rosemary
1974 Brief Encounter Beryl
1975 Carry On Behind Vera Bragg
1976 Carry On England Corporal Cook
2004 Shaun of the Dead Spinster
2007 Hot Fuzz Annette Roper
2008 Puthuni Hambagiya Alex Balton
2013 The World's End Beehive Lady
2017 Mantis Granny Berenice
2018 The Underwoods of Napa Valley News Reporter
2020 Jingle Jangle: A Christmas Journey Pawn Shop Customer
TBA The Kindred Johanna Post-production

Television

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Year Title Role Notes
1968 At Last the 1948 Show Hostess Episode: #1.2
1969 Fraud Squad Gloria Episode: "All Clean and Paid For"
1971 Mrs. Mouse, Are You Within? Emma Hill TV film
1973 Sam Grace Episode: "Home from Home"
1974 Play for Today Sally Episode: "Joe's Ark"
Seven Faces of Woman Betty Episodes: "A Woman's Estate"
1975 Centre Play Telephone Caller Episode: "Post Mortem"
The Legend of Robin Hood Prioress Episode: "Part 6"
1976 Play for Today Pamela Mercer Episode: "A Story to Frighten the Children"
The Sweeney Mrs. Perraut Episode: "Bad Apple"
1977 Holding On Ann Naylor 2 episodes
1978 Hazell Bet Ryman Episode: "Hazell and the Rubber-Heel Brigade"
1979 Kids Betty Turner Episode: "Jodie and Sal"
1990–1998 The Bill Various characters 4 episodes
1996 Silent Witness Woman at Cemetery Episode: "Buried Lies: Part 2"
2004 Black Books Keen Customer Episode: "Travel Writer"
2020 The Alienist Margery 2 episodes

References

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  1. ^ "Patricia Franklin". British Comedy Guide. Retrieved 24 May 2021.
  2. ^ "Carry On Blogging Interview: Patricia Franklin (Part 1)". 20 March 2018. Retrieved 1 March 2021.
  3. ^ "Carry On Blogging Interview: Patricia Franklin (Part 1)". 20 March 2018. Retrieved 1 March 2021.
  4. ^ "Carry On Blogging Interview: Patricia Franklin (Part 1)". 20 March 2018. Retrieved 1 March 2021.
  5. ^ "Carry On Blogging Interview: Patricia Franklin (Part 2)". 21 March 2018. Retrieved 1 March 2021.
  6. ^ "Carry On Blogging Interview: Patricia Franklin (Part 2)". 21 March 2018. Retrieved 1 March 2021.
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