Patricia Ann Kennedy (25 June 1942 – 28 May 2022), better known by her stage name Patricia Brake, was an English actress. She was best known for her role as Ingrid Fletcher, daughter of Norman Stanley Fletcher, in the BBC sitcom Porridge and its sequel Going Straight.

Patricia Brake
Born
Patricia Ann Brake

(1942-06-25)25 June 1942
Bath, Somerset, England
Died28 May 2022(2022-05-28) (aged 79)
OccupationActress
Years active1960–2020
Spouses
Robert McBain
(m. 1966; div. 1978)
Michael Kennedy
(m. 1997; died 2011)
[1][2]
Children3

Early life edit

Brake was born in Bath on 25 June 1942, the daughter of Victor Brake, a butcher, and Doreen Brake (née Wilkey). She was educated at the City of Bath Girls' School, and beginning at age 16, she trained at the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School, before joining the Salisbury Playhouse for two years, from 1960 to 1961. She moved then to Harrogate for a year, where she was a member of the White Rose Players.[1]

Career edit

She joined the Royal Shakespeare Company where (among other roles) she played Hermia in a production of A Midsummer Night's Dream, directed by Peter Hall, which also featured Judi Dench, Diana Rigg, Ian Richardson and Ian Holm. This was followed by a period in the West End.[1] She began appearing on television in such series as Emergency – Ward 10, No Hiding Place and A Sharp Intake of Breath with David Jason, and also had film roles in My Lover, My Son (1970), The Optimists of Nine Elms (1973).

Brake played Ingrid Fletcher, the daughter of Norman Stanley Fletcher, in the BBC sitcom Porridge, and its sequel Going Straight.[3] In 2015, she guest-starred in the BBC ongoing drama Casualty and in Midsomer Murders for ITV. Alongside her extensive body of work in West End theatres, she also appeared in UK soaps EastEnders and Coronation Street and with many British comic actors in numerous situation comedies and one-off plays and Love/Loss (2010).

Personal life edit

Brake married actor Robert McBain in 1966. She adopted his son from a previous marriage and they had two further children, they divorced in 1978. She married Michael Kennedy in 1997, gaining two stepchildren; he died in 2011.[1][2] Brake died from cancer on 28 May 2022, aged 79.[4]

Acting roles edit

Year Title Role
2020 Manhunt Edith Cloves
2020 Truth Seekers – The Haunting of Connelly's Nook Miss Connelly
2019 Defending the Guilty – #1.3 Annie Scott
2018 Casualty – #32.40 Margaret McDale
2015 Casualty – The Department of Secrets Lola Brightwell
2014 Midsomer Murders – Let Us Prey Stella Spencer
2012 Doctors Patti Sylvester
2010 Love/Loss Millie
2008 Holby City – Stolen Heather Clegg
2005 to 2006 Coronation Street Viv Baldwin
2004 EastEnders Deirdre Foster
2003 Life Beyond the Box: Norman Stanley Fletcher Ingrid Godber
2001 McCready and Daughter – The Dating Game Barbara Graham
2000 Midsomer Murders – Beyond the Grave Anne Quarritch
1998 Looking After Jo Jo Doro
1995 The Upper Hand – 2 episodes Peggy Thatcher
1992 to 1993 Eldorado Gwen Lockhead
1991 Stay Lucky – Shingle Beach Tanya
1991 2point4 Children – Saturday Night and Sunday Morning Tina
1990 The Bill – Decisions Irene
1990 Campion – Dancers in Mourning: Part 1 Chole Pye
1988 Singles Di
1985 to 1986 Troubles and Strife Cherry
1985 Mann's Best Friends Doll Delights
1982 Only When I Laugh Hilary
1980 Keep It in the Family Ann
1978 to 1979 The Glums Eth
1978 Going Straight Ingrid Fletcher
1977 Nicholas Nickleby Madeline Bray
1976 Forget-Me-Not Pat Powell[5]
1976 The Picnic The Maid
1975 Emmerdale Farm Sarah Foster
1974 to 1977 Porridge Ingrid Fletcher
1974 to 1975 Second Time Around Vicki
1973 The Optimists of Nine Elms Dogs Home Secretary
1970 My Lover, My Son Julie
1968 to 1969 The Ugliest Girl in Town Julie Renfield
1967 Inheritance Susie Morcer
1966 This Man Craig Joyce Marino
1965 Love Story Yvonne
1963 Lorna Doone Gwenny Carfax
1963 No Hiding Place Cathy Kennedy
1961 Home Tonight Dot Sutton
1960 Emergency Ward 10 Nell Ritchie

References edit

  1. ^ a b c d Hayward, Anthony (30 May 2022). "Patricia Brake". The Guiardian. Retrieved 30 May 2022.
  2. ^ a b "Patricia Brake obituary". The Times. 31 May 2022. Retrieved 31 May 2022.
  3. ^ "Actress Patricia Brake dies aged 79 after long illness". BBC News. 29 May 2022. Retrieved 29 May 2022.
  4. ^ Nugent, Annabel (29 May 2022). "Patricia Brake death: Porridge and Manhunt star dies aged 79". The Independent. Retrieved 29 May 2022.
  5. ^ "Forget-me-not (1976)". Archived from the original on 1 December 2016. Retrieved 15 May 2017.

External links edit