 Possessed of a quirky wit and striking Eastern European looks, Eleanor Bron was one of the few
women to take a leading role in the male-dominated 'satire boom' of the early
1960s, following her 1959 Cambridge Footlights debut (alongside Peter Cook) in
'The Last Laugh'. However, subsequent decades saw this quirky yet stylish
performer and writer gradually relegated to guest star status.
After appearing in the pilot for That Was the Week That Was (BBC, 1962-63),
she missed out on becoming a regular when she joined Peter Cook's Establishment
troupe on a year-long American trip. Upon her return she became part of another
David Frost-fronted, Ned Sherrin-produced show, Not So Much a Programme, More a Way of
Life (BBC, 1964-65), and the following year made her film debut in the Beatles'
second feature, Help! (d. Richard Lester, 1965), as enigmatic high priestess
Ahme. There were regular film roles over the next few years, providing romantic
interest and comic relief in Two for the Road (d. Stanley Donen, 1967) and
Bedazzled (d. Stanley Donen, 1967), while Women in Love (d. Ken Russell, 1969)
gave her the opportunity to display more depth as Hermione. On television she
collaborated with Johns Bird and Fortune, blending social commentary and
political satire with bizarre flights of fancy in her writing and performing on
BBC3 (BBC, 1965-66), My Father Knew Lloyd-George (BBC, 1965), and Where Was
Spring? (BBC, 1969-70).
Following The National Health (d. Jack Gold, 1973) her film career lost
momentum, but small-screen work remained plentiful, including collaborations
with Michael Frayn on the sketch series Beyond a Joke (BBC, 1972) and comedy
drama Making Faces (BBC, 1975). After concentrating mainly on her theatrical
career in the 80s, the following decade saw a return to the big screen in Black
Beauty (d. Caroline Thompson, 1994), and a recurring role as Patsy's flamboyant
mother in Absolutely Fabulous (BBC, 1992-2004).
Richard Hewett
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FILM & TV CREDITS
