Daphne Oxenford facts for kids

Daphne Margaret du Grivel Oxenford (born October 31, 1919 – died December 21, 2012) was an English actress. She was well-known for her early stage performances. Later, she became famous for her work on radio and television.

She was the friendly voice who said, "Are you sitting comfortably ...?" on BBC radio's Listen with Mother. She did this from when the show started in 1950 until 1971. Daphne was also one of the first actors in the TV show Coronation Street, where she played Esther Hayes. Other important roles included Mrs Plummer in Man About the House (1973) and Alice Dutton in EastEnders (1990). She also played Mrs. Oldknow in the mini-series The Children of Green Knowe (1986).

Early Life and Acting Start

Daphne Oxenford was born in Barnet, Hertfordshire. Her father, Dudley Oxenford, was an accountant. Her mother, Marie, wrote historical stories.

Daphne first acted on stage when she was just thirteen years old. She later trained at the Embassy School of Acting in Swiss Cottage, North London. For a short time, she worked at a bank. During World War II, she worked in censorship. In her free time, she performed in fun shows called revues.

After the war, she toured with a group called ENSA. This group entertained soldiers. She then returned to performing in revues in London. After she got married, she moved to Manchester. There, she often acted at the Library Theatre and the Royal Exchange Theatre. In 1947, she successfully auditioned for Joyce Grenfell. Joyce became a close friend and was even the godmother to Daphne's daughter.

Famous Radio and TV Roles

One of Daphne's most famous roles was her voice on BBC radio's Listen with Mother. From 1950 to 1971, she would begin the show by asking, "Are you sitting comfortably ...?" She also read newspapers on the programme What the Papers Say for over thirty years.

Daphne was one of the first actors in the popular TV show Coronation Street. She played Esther Hayes from 1960 to 1963, and again in 1971 and 1972. She also played Mrs. Patterson in the sitcom To the Manor Born. Mrs. Patterson owned the village shop.

In the 1970s and early 1980s, Daphne was part of Listen to Les, a radio show with Les Dawson. She also appeared in The Clitheroe Kid radio comedy series sometimes. She played Chrissy's mother in three episodes of Man About the House (1973–76).

Her other TV appearances include The Sweeney, The Duchess of Duke Street, and Juliet Bravo. She was also in The Children of Green Knowe and Hetty Wainthropp Investigates. In 1987, she appeared in the Doctor Who story Dragonfire. She filmed a scene as an older Agatha Christie for a 2008 Doctor Who episode. This scene was cut from the TV show but later appeared on the DVD.

In 2006, she was a guest star in the audio drama Sapphire and Steel: Cruel Immortality. She also appeared in three episodes of Midsomer Murders (2004–2008). In these, she played Muriel, who was Cully's grandmother. Her movie roles included That'll Be the Day (1973) and All Creatures Great and Small (1975). Her voice was used for a Listen With Mother programme in the 1977 sitcom Rising Damp.

Personal Life

Daphne Oxenford was married to David Marshall. They got married in 1951. David passed away in February 2003. They had two daughters together.