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Dandy Nichols

British actress (1907–1986) From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Dandy Nichols
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Dandy Nichols (born Daisy Sander; 21 May 1907 – 6 February 1986) was an English actress best known for her role as Else Garnett, the long-suffering wife of the character Alf Garnett, in the BBC sitcom Till Death Us Do Part.[1][2]

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Early life and career

Born Daisy Sander in Fulham, London,[3] she started her working life as a secretary in a London factory. Twelve years later, after drama, diction and fencing classes, she was spotted in a charity show by a producer, who offered her a job in his repertory theatre company in Cambridge. During her early career on stage she acted under the name Barbara Nichols but later changed it to Dandy, her childhood nickname.[2]

When the Second World War broke out, Nichols returned to office work but later undertook a six-week tour with ENSA. When the war was over, she returned to the theatre and also began appearing in films: usually comedies and almost invariably as a maid or charlady.[4] The latter role she took on in the music video "Goody Two Shoes" by Adam Ant.[5]

Nichols's successes in theatre include the Royal Court Theatre and Broadway productions of Home.[6][7] Her big screen debut was in Hue and Cry, in 1947,[3] followed with performances in Nicholas Nickleby,[3] The Fallen Idol, The Winslow Boy, The History of Mr Polly, Scott of the Antarctic, Mother Riley Meets the Vampire and Dickens' The Pickwick Papers.[2][8]

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Till Death Us Do Part

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Dandy Nichols's best-known role was Else Garnett in the landmark series Till Death Us Do Part, where she played the long-suffering wife of the character Alf Garnett who was a parody of a working class Tory.[9] The part was originally played in the pilot episode for the series (as part of the BBC's Comedy Playhouse) by future EastEnders actress Gretchen Franklin.[2] However, when it was commissioned as a series, Franklin was unable to break her contract for a West End play and Nichols was cast.[10]

Nichols's role seemed, at first, almost negligible: spending the best part of one early episode reading the telephone book as Alf embarked on another of his tirades. However, Else proved to be a perfect foil for Alf, and could put him down effortlessly with a withering look or cutting remark.[2] Perhaps her finest hour – in an episode shown by the BBC in tribute to Dandy in 1986 – was when, in 1974, Else took a leaf out of Prime Minister Edward Heath's book and went on a "three-day week", forcing Alf to fend for and feed himself on her days off.[11]

In the original scripts, Alf was to refer to his wife as a "silly cow". This was firmly vetoed by BBC Head of Comedy Frank Muir, who thought this was inappropriate. Nichols said that it was "a lot of silly fuss about a silly moo" which was overheard by script writer Johnny Speight and became the series' most enduring catchphrase.[12]

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In Sickness and in Health

Till Death Us Do Part came to an end in 1975 but was revived in 1981, entitled Till Death..., and again in 1985.[13] Nichols agreed to appear, but had been suffering from rheumatoid arthritis and had to use a wheelchair.[2] Her illnesses were written into the scripts, and the series was appropriately renamed In Sickness and in Health.[14] The series continued after her death, with Alf left on his own.[3]

Film career

Nichols appeared in numerous films, which included Carry On Doctor,[3] Ladies Who Do, The Holly and the Ivy, The Vikings,[3] the Beatles' film Help!,[3] Georgy Girl, Doctor in Clover, The Birthday Party, The Bed Sitting Room, O Lucky Man!, Confessions of a Window Cleaner and Britannia Hospital amongst others.[1]

Later years

After her role in Till Death Do Us Part, Nichols found work in television, notably playing opposite Alastair Sim in William Trevor's production of The Generals Day.[15] She made appearances in Flint, The Tea Ladies and Bergerac.[1][2] On stage, she appeared in Ben Travers's comedy Plunder, as well as playing alongside Sir Ralph Richardson and Sir John Gielgud in David Storey's Home, in both London and on Broadway.[16][17][18]

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Personal life

Nichols was married to the newspaper editor Stephen Bagueley Waters in 1942,[3] but the marriage ended in divorce in 1955.

Nichols's poor health led to a fall in her flat and she died three days later of pneumonia and heart disease on 6 February 1986 aged 78 at the London Hospital, Whitechapel.[3]

Television roles

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Partial filmography

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Source:[1]

  • Goody Two Shoes (Adam Ant music video) (1982) - Cleaning lady
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References

External links

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