Corinne Skinner-Carter facts for kids

Corinne Skinner-Carter (born in 1931) is a talented actress from Trinidad who lives in the United Kingdom. She started acting professionally in the 1950s. She is well-known for her work in British films and TV shows, especially for playing Audrey Trueman in the popular BBC show EastEnders.

Corinne Skinner-Carter: An Acting Star

Corinne Skinner was born in Trinidad in 1931. Her family was quite well-off. She began her acting journey right after school. She started by dancing with a famous company led by Geoffrey Holder. Her grandmother was a bit surprised by this. She thought "nice girls do not go on the stage."

Moving to the UK and Starting Her Career

In 1955, Corinne moved to the United Kingdom. She went there to train as a teacher. Soon after arriving, she married her childhood sweetheart, Trevor Carter. He was an education expert. They got married on New Year's Eve, 1955.

While she was training to be a teacher, Corinne also danced and acted. This helped her earn extra money. She continued to perform even while working as a teacher. She taught for the Islington London Borough Council in North London.

Early Roles and Big Breaks

Corinne's first acting role was a small part. It was in a play called The Green Pastures. This play had an all-black cast. It was shown on BBC in September 1958. She also appeared in the film Flame in the Streets in 1961.

Throughout the 1960s, she danced in big movies. These included Cleopatra (1963) and Live and Let Die (1973). She also had small parts in TV shows. Some of these were Dixon of Dock Green and Coronation Street.

Her big breakthrough came in the late 1970s. She was cast as Hortense Bennett. This was in the TV drama series Empire Road (BBC, 1978–79).

Famous TV Shows and Films

For the next 10 years, Corinne worked mostly on television. She appeared in shows like Jury (1983) and South of the Border (BBC, 1988–90). She also acted in films. These included Pressure (1975) and Burning an Illusion (1981). Pressure was a very important film. It was the first full-length drama by a Black director in Britain.

In the 1990s, Corinne appeared in popular shows. These included Grange Hill and Touch of Frost.

Her Most Famous Role: Audrey Trueman

In 2000, Corinne got her biggest role. She was cast in EastEnders as Audrey Trueman. This was a very popular role. She appeared in 32 episodes of the show. Her character, Audrey, was sadly killed off in September 2001.

After EastEnders, Corinne continued acting. She landed roles in other well-known shows. These included Doctors, Casualty, and The Bill.

Beyond Acting: Writing and Culture

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

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

In 2016, Corinne performed a monologue. This was for a BBC Four series called Snatches. It was part of a celebration of 100 years of women's suffrage in the UK.