Eunice Black (23 October 1914 — 27 August 2007) was an English character actress best known for her roles in various sitcoms and comedy movies.
Eunice Black | |
|---|---|
 Eunice Black in 1988 | |
| Born | Eunice Holden 23 October 1914 |
| Died | 27 August 2007 (aged 92) |
| Occupation | Actress |
Early life edit
Eunice Black was born on 23 October 1914 in West Ham, Essex, as Eunice Holden.[citation needed]
Career edit
Black started out at the Unity Theatre, London, before becoming a qualified teacher of English and Drama. She taught both through the Second World War.[1]
Television edit
Black appeared in the 1962 Christmas episode of Faces of Jim, 'The Christmas Face of Jim,' opposite Jimmy Edwards, June Whitfield, Ronnie Barker and Michael Brennan.[2] This was her television debut.[3]
Black was a regular supporting cast member on the ITV sitcom On The Buses, appearing in three different roles.[4] Her first appearance was as a traffic warden in 'Mum's Last Fling', series 3, and she reappeared as a 'clippie' called Rosie in two episodes of series 4 titled 'Dangerous Driving' and 'Christmas Duty.'[5][6] She also played clippies called Gladys in series 6 ('No Smoke Without Fire') and Ada in the first spin-off film On the Buses (1971); and played Mrs Hudson in Holiday on the Buses (1973).[7][8] These made her one of the On the Buses franchise's most regularly used guest actors.[8]
In addition to this, she appeared as a guest actor on many British sitcoms such as Please Sir!, The Liver Birds, Doctor at Large, George and Mildred, and The Benny Hill Show.[8] Her last sitcom appearance was in a 1988 episode of Last of the Summer Wine.[3]
Film edit
Black made her film debut in A Taste of Honey (1961).[1] Other film roles included small appearances in Drop Dead Darling (1966),[9] Chitty Chitty Bang Bang (1968), The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1982),[10] and Bullseye! (1990).[3][5]
Death edit
Black died on 27 August 2007 in London, aged 92.[8] Her autobiography, Nine Lives of a Free Spirit, was published the following year.[3][11]
Filmography edit
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1961 | A Taste of Honey | Schoolteacher | Uncredited |
| 1966 | Drop Dead Darling | Matron | |
| 1968 | Chitty Chitty Bang Bang | Courtier | Uncredited |
| 1970 | Love Is a Splendid Illusion | Second Catty Woman | |
| 1971 | On the Buses | Ada | |
| 1973 | Holiday on the Buses | Mrs. Hudson | |
| 1974 | The Cherry Picker | ||
| 1974 | Sex Play | Miss Grimm | |
| 1982 | The Hunchback of Notre Dame | Clergy | TV movie |
| 1990 | Bullseye! | Old Cleaning Lady | (final film role) |
References edit
- ^ a b Newley, Patrick (24 October 2007). "Obits round up". The Stage. Retrieved 27 February 2017.|(subscription required)
- ^ Perry, Chris (3 February 2016). The Kaleidoscope British Christmas Television Guide 1937-2013. Lulu.com. p. 131. ISBN 9781900203609.
- ^ a b c d Walker, Craig (30 May 2012). The On The Buses Quiz Book. Andrews UK Limited. p. 188. ISBN 9781909143111.
- ^ "Eunice Black". www.aveleyman.com.
- ^ a b "Eunice Black". BFI. Archived from the original on 7 March 2018.
- ^ "On the Buses - S4 - Episode 5: Christmas Duty". Radio Times.
- ^ "No Smoke without Fire (1972)". BFI. Archived from the original on 14 July 2020.
- ^ a b c d Walker, Craig (21 June 2011). On The Buses: The Complete Story. Andrews UK Limited. p. 90. ISBN 9781908382849.
- ^ Cowie, Peter; Elley, Derek (1977). World Filmography: 1967. Fairleigh Dickinson Univ Press. p. 187. ISBN 9780498015656.
- ^ Pitts, Michael R. (10 January 2014). Columbia Pictures Horror, Science Fiction and Fantasy Films, 1928-1982. McFarland. p. 355. ISBN 9780786457663.
- ^ Black, Eunice (2008). Nine lives of a free spirit : an autobiography by Eunice Black. Leicester: Matador. ISBN 9781906221553.
External links edit
- Eunice Black at IMDb