June Whitfield(1925-2018)
- Actress
- Additional Crew
- Soundtrack
June Whitfield had a long and successful career that has included
musical theatre, films and numerous radio and television performances.
Her mother was into amateur dramatics and June had elocution and
dancing lessons from an early age. She attended the Royal Academy of
Dramatic Art and worked in theatre. One of her earliest experiences was
working with Wilfred Pickles, whose
great comic talent and gift for timing made quite an impression on her.
She became a household name on the radio comedy "Take It From Here" in
1953, a time when radio was far more popular than television. When
television overtook radio in popularity, June made a successful
transition. Over the next few years she worked with most of the biggest
names in comedy, including Arthur Askey,
Tony Hancock,
Frankie Howerd,
Benny Hill,
Harry H. Corbett,
Wilfrid Brambell,
Ronnie Barker,
Richard Briers,
Eric Morecambe and
Dick Emery.
She became a television double-act with
Terry Scott on
Happy Ever After (1974) and
Terry and June (1979). She
also appeared in three installments of the popular Carry On film
series, Carry on Nurse (1959),
Carry on Abroad (1972) and
Carry on Girls (1973).
By the 1980s, June Whitfield was viewed by some members of the
alternative comedy scene as representing the kind of traditional, safe
comedy they were reacting against. However, she still had her talent of
perfect comic timing and her range of voices, which enabled her to
continue working. She moved back to more theatre and radio, including
The News Huddlines, a satirical radio show fronted by
Roy Hudd. In 1992 she appeared in
Carry on Columbus (1992), a
failed attempt to resurrect the Carry On series. The same year she
started a more successful venture,
Absolutely Fabulous (1992),
which became one of the most popular sitcoms of the decade and put her
back into the spotlight.
musical theatre, films and numerous radio and television performances.
Her mother was into amateur dramatics and June had elocution and
dancing lessons from an early age. She attended the Royal Academy of
Dramatic Art and worked in theatre. One of her earliest experiences was
working with Wilfred Pickles, whose
great comic talent and gift for timing made quite an impression on her.
She became a household name on the radio comedy "Take It From Here" in
1953, a time when radio was far more popular than television. When
television overtook radio in popularity, June made a successful
transition. Over the next few years she worked with most of the biggest
names in comedy, including Arthur Askey,
Tony Hancock,
Frankie Howerd,
Benny Hill,
Harry H. Corbett,
Wilfrid Brambell,
Ronnie Barker,
Richard Briers,
Eric Morecambe and
Dick Emery.
She became a television double-act with
Terry Scott on
Happy Ever After (1974) and
Terry and June (1979). She
also appeared in three installments of the popular Carry On film
series, Carry on Nurse (1959),
Carry on Abroad (1972) and
Carry on Girls (1973).
By the 1980s, June Whitfield was viewed by some members of the
alternative comedy scene as representing the kind of traditional, safe
comedy they were reacting against. However, she still had her talent of
perfect comic timing and her range of voices, which enabled her to
continue working. She moved back to more theatre and radio, including
The News Huddlines, a satirical radio show fronted by
Roy Hudd. In 1992 she appeared in
Carry on Columbus (1992), a
failed attempt to resurrect the Carry On series. The same year she
started a more successful venture,
Absolutely Fabulous (1992),
which became one of the most popular sitcoms of the decade and put her
back into the spotlight.