Gretchen Franklin (7 July 1911 – 11 July 2005) was an English actress and dancer with a career in show business spanning over 70 years.[2] She was born in Covent Garden, Central London. She played Ethel Skinner in the long-running BBC 1 soap opera EastEnders on a regular basis from 1985 until 1988. After this she returned to the show intermittently. These appearances became briefer and more widely spaced. Her final appearance was in 2000, when her character was killed off.

Gretchen Franklin
Franklin as Ethel Skinner in EastEnders
Born(1911-07-07)7 July 1911
Covent Garden, London, England
Died11 July 2005(2005-07-11) (aged 94)
Occupations
  • Actress
  • dancer
Years active1929–2000
Known forEastEnders
Spouse
John Caswell Garth
(m. 1934; died 1953)
[1]
RelativesClive Dunn (cousin)

Early life

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Gretchen Gordon Franklin was born into a theatrical family, the only child of her parents Gordon and Violet Franklin.[3] Her father had a song-and-dance act, while her grandfather was a well-known music-hall entertainer at the turn of the 20th century.[2] Her younger cousin was the comedian Clive Dunn (1920-2012).[4]

She entered show business as a teenager, making her début as a pantomime chorus girl in Bournemouth. In 1929, she took dancing lessons at the Theatre Girls Club in Soho in London's West End and she later became a tap dancer and founder member of a quartet known as Four Brilliant Blondes.[2] Franklin was a Tiller Girl, known for their high kicks, at the London Palladium.

She toured in variety with the comedians Syd and Max Harrison and on the Gracie Fields Show, and performed with another dance group, The Three Girlies, before making a gradual switch to straight dramatic roles.

Acting career

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Her break came during the Second World War when she was cast in Sweet and Low, the first of a series of highly successful West End revues. Staged at the New Ambassadors Theatre, the revues starred Hermione Gingold. Franklin and Gingold became close friends and were reunited in another revue, Slings & Arrows (Comedy Theatre, 1948).[5]

She also appeared in several plays and made one of her early screen appearances in Before I Wake (1955). Her other films included Cloak Without Dagger (1956), Flame in the Streets (1961), Ticket to Paradise (1961 film), The Murder Game (1965), Twisted Nerve (1968), The Night Visitor (1971), The Three Musketeers (1973), Quincy's Quest (1979), and Ragtime (1981), among others.

Franklin appeared in several productions for the BBC and on stage. One of Franklin's best known stage roles was playing Mrs Roper in the 1958 play Verdict by British mystery writer Agatha Christie. It was produced by Peter Saunders and directed by Charles Hickman, and ran for 250 performances.

Franklin was acting on stage in the West End in Spring and Port Wine in 1965 when she was cast as the first Mrs Alf Garnett in a pilot episode of Till Death Us Do Part, with Warren Mitchell. However, she missed the chance to become a permanent part in what was to become a successful series – because she couldn't obtain her release from her stage role (unable to take a regular role in the series, it was Franklin who recommended her friend Dandy Nichols for the part in the series). Franklin and Nichols have cameo parts in two films directed by Richard Lester, the Beatles film Help! (1965) and How I Won the War (1967) which stars John Lennon.

Later Franklin had regular roles in several television series, including Crossroads, in which she played Myrtle Cavendish (later Harvey); the short-lived soap Castle Haven; the sitcom George and Mildred as Mildred's mother, Mrs Tremble, and Rising Damp as Rigsby's Aunt Maud. She was also a regular supporting figure on television dramas such as Dixon of Dock Green and Z-Cars. She appeared with Eartha Kitt in an episode of the British espionage series The Protectors ("A Pocket Full of Posies", 1974) performing a song and dance routine. She had bit parts in series such as Danger Man, Follyfoot and the final Quatermass serial in 1979.

Franklin also played the troubled mother Mrs Janes in an episode of the television adaptation of Enid Blyton's Famous Five ("Five on Billycock Hill", 1978) and played the witch Cordelia at the end of the first episode of The Black Adder ("The Foretelling", 1983) starring Rowan Atkinson.

Franklin appeared in an early episode of Keeping Up Appearances broadcast in 1990.

EastEnders

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EastEnders creators Julia Smith and Tony Holland spent a long time trawling around pubs and street markets in the East End of London, soaking up the atmosphere and making mental notes for when they were to actually create the characters for their show. Smith was very taken with an elderly lady clutching a Yorkshire Terrier dog in one hand and a glass of Guinness in the other, who was clearly the life and soul of the party; Smith saw that there was much comic mileage to be gained from such a character, and as a result Ethel May Skinner was created.[6] In the programme, Ethel was a gossip who did not always get her facts right and this was often used to comic effect, as was her use of malapropisms. However, when Julia Smith announced that the character of Ethel was to go into an old people's home, Franklin resigned, saying "I didn't want Ethel becoming a sad old dear who the others visited occasionally." She did make return visits to the series, but remained bitter at how her character had been sidelined.[citation needed]

Ethel owned a dog, a pug named Willy. The writers had intended it to be a Yorkshire terrier but a suitable canine could not be found. Franklin was less than pleased to find out that Willy the pug was being chauffeur-driven to the BBC's Elstree Studios where EastEnders is made, yet she had to travel by bus. Returning to her earlier skills as a Tiller Girl, when Pat Wicks (Pam St Clement) married Frank Butcher (Mike Reid), Franklin provided the high-kicks at the wedding reception – even though she was 78 at the time.

Her character departed in 1997 when it was revealed that she had left Walford to live in a retirement village. Franklin returned in July 2000, when her character re-appeared in the show and informed her close friends that she was terminally ill with cancer. She was killed off in the episode which aired on 7 September 2000, in a controversial euthanasia storyline. Ethel had learned that she was terminally ill, and asked Dot Cotton (June Brown) to assist her in taking her own life by an overdose of her morphine tablets.

Franklin's departure from EastEnders marked the end of her acting career at the age of 89.

In other media

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Franklin's name was mentioned in the lyrics of the song "Telephone Thing" by The Fall. According to lead singer Mark E. Smith, he thought he had "made up the name", and had not heard of Franklin before.[7]

Personal life and death

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Franklin was married to writer John Caswell Garth, who was also business manager of the Wilson Barrett acting company and himself an occasional actor,[8][9] from 1934 until his death from cancer in 1953 at the age of 50. Franklin, who was 42 at the time, never remarried. They had no children.

Off-screen, Franklin devoted much of her later life to charity and gave away all the royalties she received from EastEnders repeats to her favourite animal charities. "At my age one isn't buying new fur coats and diamonds", she said. "If you get that lot of repeat fees four times a year you can afford to be a bit more generous to other people."[5]

In May 2005 at 93 years old, it was announced that Franklin would present the Lifetime Soap Achievement Award to former colleague June Brown at The British Soap Awards; however, she was too ill to attend. It was instead presented to Brown by another EastEnders actress Anna Wing, who played Lou Beale. Wing mentioned Franklin in her speech.

Franklin died at her home in Barnes on 11 July 2005, four days after her 94th birthday.[5] Her life and work were honoured at the BAFTA Television Awards in 2006.

Filmography

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Film

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Year Title Role Notes
1948 Halesapoppin! Television film
1949 Trottie True Martha
1954 The Walking Stick Flowerwoman Television film
1955 Before I Wake Elsie
1956 Cloak Without Dagger Emmie
High Terrace Mrs. Webb
1957 Bullet from the Past Mrs. Roper Short film
The Secret Place Mother
Stranger in Town Woman with package
1959 A Kiss for Cinderella Marion Television film
1960 Stuff and Nonsense Mrs. Fowler Television film
The Poet Erminia Television film
A Lady with Friends Ivy Lea Television film
1961 Ticket to Paradise Mrs. Higginbottom
Flame in the Streets Mrs. Bingham
The Jelly End Strike Nell Television film
1962 The Wild and the Willing Woman
1963 The Silent Playground Mrs. Elgin
1965 Help! Neighbour
Die, Monster, Die! Miss Bailey
The Murder Game Landlady
1967 How I Won the War Second Old Lady
1968 Twisted Nerve Clarkie
Subterfuge Bus Conductress
1971 The Night Visitor Mrs. Hansen
1973 The Three Musketeers d'Artagnan's mother
1978 The One and Only Phyllis Dixey Phyllis' Dresser
1979 Quincy's Quest Witch
1980 Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde Cook Television film
1981 Ragtime Elderly Woman
1984 Return to Waterloo Woman on Train Television film

Television

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Year Title Role Notes
1950 BBC Sunday Night Theatre Mrs. Marble / Sonia Episode: "Promise of Tomorrow"
Mrs. Beetle / Snail Episode: "The Insect Play"
1951 The Passing Show Episode: "1930-1939: The Days Before Yesterday"
1953 A Place of Execution Charlady Episode: "Eye for an Eye"
1954 Dear Dotty Mrs. Fuller Episode: "Cardinal Puff Puff Rides Again"
1955 BBC Sunday Night Theatre Millie Episode: "The Makepeace Story #4: The New Executive"
Portrait of Alison Chambermaid Episode: "Episode 6"
1956 BBC Sunday Night Theatre Mrs. Russell Episode "Shout Aloud Salvation"
Mrs. Hook Episode: "The Seddons"
Laura Friswell Episode: "Henry Irving"
David Copperfield Mrs. Heep Recurring role; 2 episodes
ITV Television Playhouse Nellie Episode: "All Correct, Sir"
1957 Armchair Theatre Miss Julia Episode: "The Mortimer Touch"
1958 BBC Sunday Night Theatre Woman in Pub Episode: "Gracie"
1959 Crime Sheet Episode: "Lockhart Follows a Line"
The Common Room Miss Parkins Episode: "A Matter of Ambition"
BBC Sunday Night Theatre Miss Turner Episode: "The Gentle Goddess"
The Artful Dodger Sylvia Morris Series regular; 6 episodes
ITV Television Playhouse Mrs. Gravas Episode: "The Advocate"
Bleak House Mrs. Guppy Episode: "The End of the Story"
Saturday Playhouse Susan Sillsby Episode: "The Cat and the Canary"
Mrs. Wilson Episode: "Unfinished Journey"
1960 BBC Sunday-Night Play Mrs. Beetle / Aunt Episode: "Twentieth Century Theatre: The Insect Play"
The Men from Room 13 Mrs. Paterson Episode: "The Man Who Tried Too Hard: Part 1"
Emergency Ward 10 Mrs. Parkin Recurring role; 2 episodes
Charlie Drake Ada Episode: "We Diet at Dawn"
Saturday Playhouse Mrs. Catt Episode: "The Shop at Sly Corner"
1961 Armchair Theatre Mrs. Chard Episode: "The Trouble with Our Ivy"
Dixon of Dock Green Mrs. Bright Episode: "The Traffic of a Night"
Yorky Nora Episode: "The Actress"
Citizen James Floss Episode: "Crusty Bread"
1962 BBC Sunday-Night Play Mrs. Brooks Episode: "Black Limelight"
Mrs. Decker Episode: "Dackson's Wharf"
Silent Evidence Lily Episode: "The Chosen Instrument"
Raise Your Glasses Episode: "Episode 4"
Armchair Theatre Else Episode: "Always Something Hot"
1963 ITV Play of the Week Mabel Dunnock Episode: "Vicky and the Sultan"
Suspense Clara Episode: "Last Race, Ginger Gentleman"
Bootsie and Snudge Episode: "The Man with the Golden Guts"
Dixon of Dock Green Ella Mann Episode: "A Strange Affair"
BBC Sunday-Night Play Woman Episode: "June Fall"
Compact Ella Bedford Recurring role; 8 episodes
Armchair Theatre Edie Tidy Episode: "Little Doris"
1964 Z-Cars Mrs. McKenna Episode: "What a Main Event!"
The Protectors Mrs. Bolland Episode: "The Deadly Chameleon"
The Four Seasons of Rosie Carr Amy Bennett Episode: "Summer in Matlock Street"
Dixon of Dock Green Mrs. Walcott Episode: "Man on the Run"
1965 Comedy Playhouse Else Ramsey Episode: "Till Death Us Do Part"
ITV Play of the Week Mrs. Morton Episode: "No Baby, No Baby at All"
The Scales of Justice Rose Jenkins Episode: "The Hidden Face"
Armchair Theatre Mrs. Marriott Episode: "The Man Who Came to Die"
Public Eye Iris Episode: "A Harsh World for Zealots"
Our Man at St. Mark's Alice Perry Episode: "The Invader"
Story Parade Mrs. Huxtable Episode: "The Campaign"
Londoners Mrs. Hincastle Episode: "A Day Out for Lucy"
Pardon the Expression Grandma Episode: "The Wedding"
A Slight Case of... Episode: "Infifelity"
Steptoe and Son Aunt Daphne Episode: "And Afterwards at..."
Danger Man Miss Wallace Episode: "Say It with Flowers"
1966 Hugh and I Episode: "It's In the Stars"
Frankie Howerd Episode: "Series 2, Episode 5"
Gideon's Way Martha Bray Episode: "The Reluctant Witness"
Marriage Lines Mrs. Baker Episode: "First House"
1967 Sanctuary Passenger Episode: "Has Everyone Heard of Juliet?"
Before the Fringe Episode: "Series 2, Episode 5"
No – That's Me Over Here! Mother Episode: "Series 1, Episode 3"
Dixon of Dock Green Maggie Briggs Episode: "The Hunch"
1968 Ooh La La! Aunt Margueritte Episode: "What a Wedding"
Gazette Mrs. Page Episode: "In Loving Memory"
The Very Merry Widow Mrs. Fleming Episode: "Animal Crackers in My Group"
Journey to the Unknown Mrs. Barrett Episode: "The Beckoning Fair One"
1969 Z-Cars Mrs. Rogers Episode: "None the Worse: Part 4"
Castle Haven Sarah Meek Series regular; 107 episodes
1970 The Doctors Tilly Hicks / Waitress Recurring role; 3 episodes
Comedy Playhouse Lily Oakley Episode: "The Old Contemptible"
Never Say Die Glenda Catchpole Episode: "Goodbye Mr. Bridge"
Armchair Theatre Tea Lady Episode: "The Company Man"
1971 The Fenn Street Gang Aunt Harriet Episode: "A Fair Swap"
1972 Six Days of Justice Annie Episode: "A Private Nuisance"
The Organization Edna Recurring role; 3 episodes
Budgie Carrie Wetherall Episode: "Run Rabbit, Run Rabbit, Run, Run, Run."
Sykes Book Stall Assistant Episode: "Marriage"
1972–1973 Follyfoot Mrs. Porter Recurring role; 3 episodes
1973 Softly, Softly: Task Force Mrs. Walters Episode: "Conspiracy"
Z-Cars Alice Hulme Episode: "Suspicion"
Six Days of Justice Mrs. Silk Episode: "We'll Support You Evermore"
Black and Blue Mrs. Pitt Episode: "Secrets"
Bowler Mrs. Bowler Recurring role; 6 episodes
The Adventures of Black Beauty Mrs. Rodgers Episode: "The Medicine Man"
The Protectors Nelly Baxter Episode: "A Pocketful of Posies"
1974 Crossroads Motel Myrtle Harvey Recurring role; 2 episodes
1975 Churchill's People Mrs. Baxter Episode: "The Fine Art of Bubble-Blowing"
I Didn't Know You Cared Auntie Lil Recurring role; 4 episodes
1976–1979 George and Mildred Mother Recurring role; 4 episodes
1977 Nicholas Nickleby Miss Knag Episode: "Episode 2"
1978 Hazell Pearl Episode: "Hazell Works for Nothing"
Rising Damp Aunt Maud Episode: "Great Expectations"
The Famous Five Mrs. Janes Episode: "Five Go to Billycock Hill"
The Sweeney Florence, the Charlady Episode: "Trust Red"
Some Mothers Do 'Ave 'Em Mrs. Welch Episode: "Motorbike"
1979 Danger UXB Mrs. Flack Episode: "Just Like a Woman"
Jackanory Playhouse Miss Lockspith Episode: "Armitage, Armitage, Fly Away Home"
The Other One Mrs. Tanner Episode: "Series 2, Episode 6"
Quatermass Edna Miniseries; 3 episodes
1979–1981 The Dick Emery Show Auntie Recurring role; 2 episodes
1980 Potter Lady with Dog Episode: "Series 2, Episode 4"
Fox Episode: "Just Another Villain in a Cheap Suit"
How's Your Father? Coral Recurring role; 2 episodes
1981 The Other 'Arf Vi Episode: "Holding the Baby"
You're Only Young Twice Gipsy Magdalena Episode: "The Gipsy's Curse"
Kelly Monteith Episode: "Series 3, Episode 5"
Terry and June Cath Episode: "In Sickness and in Health"
1982 Dead Ernest Alice Recurring role; 2 episodes
1983 The Black Adder Cordelia Episode: "The Foretelling"
Maybury Patient Episode: "Love's Labour: Part 1"
In Loving Memory Aunt Gertrude Episode: "Blood Will Out"
1984 Pull the Other One Elsie Episode: "Grandma Gets Fit"
Hallelujah! Old Lady Episode: "The Snake Pit"
1985 Victoria Wood: As Seen on TV Old Lady in Library Episode: "Series 1, Show 6"
1985–2000 EastEnders Ethel Skinner Series regular; 370 episodes
1990 The Little and Large Show Episode: "Series 10, Episode 2"
Keeping Up Appearances Daddy's Fiance Episode: "The Charity Shop"
1994 Monster Café Healthy's Mother Episode: "Healthy Monster"

References

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  1. ^ "Find My Past". Findmypast.co.uk. Retrieved 6 July 2022. (subscription required)
  2. ^ a b c "Obituary: Gretchen Franklin". BBC News. BBC. 12 July 2005. Archived from the original on 20 January 2009. Retrieved 9 October 2006.
  3. ^ This Is Your Life appearance
  4. ^ "EastEnder Ethel leaves £200,000 to elderly". The Evening Standard. 24 February 2007. Retrieved 12 December 2018.
  5. ^ a b c Pensotti, Adam (12 July 2005). "EastEnders favourite Gretchen Franklin dies at 94". The Stage. Archived from the original on 27 April 2006. Retrieved 9 October 2006.
  6. ^ Smith, Julia; Holland, Tony (1987). EastEnders – The Inside Story. Book Club Associates. ISBN 978-0-563-20601-9.
  7. ^ Joseph Gallivan, "Nietzsche boy: Mark E Smith told it like it was at the ICA this week.", The Independent, 10 March 1994. Retrieved 28 January 2018
  8. ^ A Brighter Sunshine: A Hundred Years of the Edinburgh Royal Lyceum Theatre, Donald Campbell, Polygon Books, 1983, p. 118
  9. ^ "Gretchen Franklin". The Telegraph. Telegraph Media Group Limited. 13 July 2005. Archived from the original on 13 March 2007. Retrieved 9 October 2006.
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