Dora Bryan facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Dora Bryan
|
|
|---|---|
 |
|
| Born |
Dora May Broadbent
7 February 1923 Southport, Lancashire, England
|
| Died | 23 July 2014 (aged 91) Brighton and Hove, East Sussex, England
|
| Resting place | Woodvale Cemetery and Crematorium, Brighton, East Sussex, England |
| Occupation | Actress Hotelier |
| Years active | 1947–2006 |
| Spouse(s) |
Bill Lawton
(m. 1954; died 2008) |
| Children | 3 (2 adopted) |
Dora May Broadbent (born 7 February 1923 – died 23 July 2014), known as Dora Bryan, was a famous British actress. She performed on stage, in movies, and on television. She was also given an award called the OBE for her amazing work.
Contents
Early Life and Beginnings
Dora Bryan was born in Southport, a town in Lancashire, England. Her father was a salesman. She went to Hathershaw County Primary School in Oldham.
Before World War II, Dora started her acting career in pantomime shows. Pantomime is a fun type of musical play, often based on fairy tales. During the war, she joined a group called ENSA. Her job was to entertain British soldiers in Italy.
Her Acting Career
Stage Performances
Dora Bryan first performed on stage as a child in a pantomime in Manchester. Her mother encouraged her to join the Oldham Repertory theatre group when she was a teenager. A repertory group performs many different plays.
After six years of learning and practicing, she moved to London. There, she became a regular performer in the West End, which is famous for its many theatres.
When she was in a play by Noël Coward called Private Lives, he suggested she use a stage name. She chose Dora Bryant, inspired by a box of Bryant & May matches. But a mistake in the theatre program left out the last letter, and she became Dora Bryan!
In 1955, Dora became very well-known in theatre. After her first night in a musical called The Water Gipsies, the signs outside the theatre were changed. They now said "Dora Bryan in A.P. Herbert's The Water Gipsies." This show was a huge success for her. She sang popular songs like "Why Did You Call Me Lily?" and "You Never Know with Men."
Dora continued to perform in many musicals throughout her career. These included Gentleman Prefer Blondes (1962) and Hello, Dolly! (1966–1968). She also had her own stage shows, like The Dora Bryan Show.
In 1987, she performed on Broadway in New York City, which is like the American West End. She played Mrs. Pierce in Pygmalion. She also acted in her first Shakespeare play, The Merry Wives of Windsor, in 1984. In 1994, she appeared in Harold Pinter's play The Birthday Party at the Royal National Theatre.
Film and Television Roles
Dora Bryan had a very recognizable voice, which became her special mark. She started acting in films, often playing supporting roles. She appeared in early films like The Fallen Idol (1948) and The Blue Lamp (1950). She also acted in comedies like Carry On Sergeant (1958).
In 1961, she starred in the film A Taste of Honey. This movie won four BAFTA awards, including Best Actress for Dora Bryan. In 1963, she even recorded a Christmas song called "All I Want for Christmas Is a Beatle," which became a hit!
She played the Headmistress in The Great St Trinian's Train Robbery (1966). She also had her own TV series for the BBC called According to Dora (1968–1969).
Later in her career, Dora appeared in the thriller film Apartment Zero (1988). She played one of two funny old ladies who liked to snoop around. She also appeared in the BBC sitcom On The Up in 1990.
In 1999, she was in the sitcom dinnerladies. From 2000 to 2005, she joined the cast of the popular BBC comedy Last of the Summer Wine as Aunt Ros Utterthwaite. In 2001, she was a guest star on Absolutely Fabulous as Dolly, a friend of June Whitfield's character. She was nominated for a BAFTA award for this role in 2002.
Her last screen appearance was in a short film called Gone to the Dogs in 2006. After this, she found it hard to remember her lines and stopped acting.
Awards and Recognition
Dora Bryan wrote a book about her life called According to Dora in 1987.
In 1996, she received the OBE award. This was to honor her great contributions to acting. In the same year, she won a Laurence Olivier Award for her role in the play The Birthday Party. The Laurence Olivier Awards are very important theatre awards in the UK.
She was also featured on the TV show This Is Your Life twice! This show surprises famous people and tells their life story.
Personal Life
Dora was married for 54 years to Bill Lawton, a former cricketer. They met during World War II and got married in 1954. Dora took care of her husband in his final years, which meant she did fewer public appearances.
Dora and her husband once owned a hotel called Clarges Hotel in Brighton. They lived there for over 40 years. Later in her life, Dora used a wheelchair and lived in a nursing home in Hove.
In 2009, a special charity show called Dora – A Gala Charity Show was held in London. It raised money for two charities that Dora supported: the Variety Club Children's Charity and the Alzheimer's Society. Many famous friends and performers, like Sir Cliff Richard and June Whitfield, were there. Dora was able to attend the show.
Death
Dora Bryan passed away on 23 July 2014, when she was 91 years old. Her funeral was held at St George's Church, Brighton, where she used to go to church.
Images for kids
-
Dora Bryan, a famous British actress.
See also
In Spanish: Dora Bryan para niños
