Occupation Actress Name Daphne Heard | Role Actress | |
Full Name Delia Phyllis Daphne Heard Similar People John Rudling, Michael Bilton, Angela Thorne, Peter Spence, Alexander Armstrong |
Daphne Heard (1 August 1904 – 22 June 1983), born Delia Phyllis Daphne Heard, was an English actress of stage, television and film and acting teacher. She was born in Plymouth, Devon.
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As an actress she had a long and distinguished career on the stage, especially in classical roles, before television where she perhaps was best known to the general public in latter years as Richard's elderly mother Mrs Polouvicka in To the Manor Born.
Film
Her film credits include roles in Goodbye Gemini (1970), the film version of Please Sir! (1971) as an old gypsy, and The Triple Echo (1972). She also appeared as the nanny in Laurence Olivier's film Three Sisters (1970) based on Chekhov's play, opposite Joan Plowright, Alan Bates and Olivier himself as Chebutikin.
Television and radio
She played in many other television serials, including Wild, Wild Women, Doctor Who (in a story-stealing turn in the serial Image of the Fendahl as white witch 'Granny' Tyler), the sitcom Don't Forget to Write! as Mrs Field the cleaner, Z-Cars and Nanny Webster in Upstairs, Downstairs, series 2, episode 8, Out of the Everywhere. From its inception until her death in 1983 she played the part of Maud, the eccentric housekeeper, in the Hinge and Bracket radio series.
In 1974 she played the part of Mrs. Froggitt in the pilot show of Oh No, It's Selwyn Froggitt!.
Teaching career
During the 1950s and 1960s she was a member of the teaching staff at the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School.
She died in 1983 in Bristol, aged 78.