Corinne Skinner-Carter facts for kids

Corinne Skinner-Carter (born 9 July 1931) is an actress from Trinidad who lives in the United Kingdom. She started acting professionally in the 1950s. Corinne has worked in British films and television shows. She is perhaps best known for her role as Audrey Trueman in the BBC television show EastEnders.

Corinne Skinner-Carter's Acting Journey

Early Life and First Steps

Corinne Skinner was born in Trinidad into a family that had many advantages. She began her acting career very soon after finishing school. She danced with a company led by Geoffrey Holder, who was a famous dancer and artist. Corinne once shared that her grandmother was worried about her going on stage. Her grandmother believed that "nice girls do not go on the stage."

In 1955, Corinne moved to the UK to train as a teacher. Soon after arriving, she married her childhood friend, Trevor Carter, on New Year's Eve, 1955. While she was training to be a teacher, she also danced and acted in films and on television to earn extra money. She continued to perform even while working as a teacher for the Islington London Borough Council.

Breaking into Television and Film

Corinne's first acting role was a small part in a play called The Green Pastures. This play had an all-Black cast and was shown on BBC's Sunday Night Theatre in September 1958. She also appeared in the film Flame in the Streets in 1961. Throughout the 1960s, she worked as a dancer in big movies like Cleopatra (1963), A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum (1966), and Live and Let Die (1973).

She took on other small roles in TV shows such as Dixon of Dock Green, Play for Today, Coronation Street (1975), and Man About the House. In the late 1970s, she got a very important role as Hortense Bennett in the TV drama series Empire Road (BBC, 1978–79). This was a big step forward in her career.

Continuing Success in TV and Movies

For the next 10 years, Corinne Skinner-Carter mostly worked on television. She appeared in shows like Jury (1983), South of the Border (BBC, 1988–90), and Happy Families (BBC, 1989–90). She also had roles in The Gentle Touch (LWT, 1980–84) and Black Silk (BBC, 1985).

Her film roles include Pressure (1975), which was the first full-length drama film by a Black director in Britain. She also appeared in Burning an Illusion (1981) and the short film Dreaming Rivers (1988).

Becoming a Household Name

In the 1990s, Skinner-Carter appeared in popular shows like Rides (BBC, 1991–93), Touch of Frost, Lovejoy, and Grange Hill. In 2000, she landed her biggest role yet. She was cast as Audrey Trueman in EastEnders for 32 episodes. Her character was part of the show until September 2001. After EastEnders, Skinner-Carter got roles in other well-known shows like Doctors, Casualty, and The Bill.

Other Activities and Memoir

Corinne Skinner-Carter has also been involved with the Notting Hill Carnival, which is a huge street festival in London. She was a judge for the event in 1997.

In 2011, she published her memoir, Why Not Me? From Trinidad to Albert Square Via Empire Road. A memoir is a book about a person's life experiences. She wrote it with Z. Nia Reynolds.

In June 2016, Skinner-Carter performed one of the short stories shown on BBC Four. This was part of a series called Snatches: Moments From 100 Years Of Women’s Lives. It was a special series celebrating 100 years since women gained the right to vote in the UK.