Eleanor Bron facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Eleanor Bron
Bron in 1968
Born	(1938-03-14) 14 March 1938 (age 87) Stanmore, Middlesex, England
Alma mater	Newnham College, Cambridge
Occupation	Actress, author
Years active	1959–present
Partner(s)	Cedric Price (died 2003)

Eleanor Bron is a famous English actress and author. She was born on March 14, 1938. You might know her from movies like Help! with the Beatles. She also appeared in popular TV shows. These include Doctor Who and Absolutely Fabulous.

Early Life of Eleanor Bron

Eleanor Bron was born in Stanmore, England. This was on March 14, 1938. Her family was Jewish. Her father changed their last name to Bron. Her older brother, Gerry Bron, became a record producer.

Eleanor went to the North London Collegiate School. Then she studied languages at Newnham College, Cambridge. She enjoyed her time there very much.

Eleanor Bron's Acting Career

Starting Out in Acting

Eleanor started acting in 1959. She joined the Cambridge Footlights comedy group. Their show was called The Last Laugh. Peter Cook was also in this show. It was special because Eleanor was the first female performer. Before her, only men acted in the Footlights.

Film Roles and Appearances

Eleanor Bron has been in many films. She played Ahme in the Beatles' movie Help! (1965). Some say her name inspired Paul McCartney's song "Eleanor Rigby".

She also played a doctor in Alfie (1966). In Bedazzled (1967), she was Margaret Spencer. She appeared in Women in Love (1969). Other films include Two for the Road (1967) and A Touch of Love (1969). Later, she was in Black Beauty (1994) and A Little Princess (1995).

Television Work and Shows

Eleanor's early TV work included shows like Not So Much a Programme, More a Way of Life. She performed sketches with John Fortune. They had worked together before at The Establishment Club.

She also worked with writer Michael Frayn on BBC shows. These were Beyond a Joke (1972) and Making Faces (1975).

From the 1970s, Eleanor appeared with the Monty Python team. She was part of The Secret Policeman's Ball concerts. These shows raised money for Amnesty International.

In 1982, she was in Yes Minister. She played a senior civil servant. Jim Hacker tried to promote her.

Eleanor appeared in Rumpole of the Bailey in 1979. She played Maggie Hartley, an actress accused of murder. She also played Mary in The Day Christ Died (1980). In 1983, she was Mrs Barrymore in The Hound of the Baskervilles.

Eleanor Bron in Doctor Who

Eleanor Bron appeared twice in the original Doctor Who series. In City of Death (1979), she had a funny scene. She played an art critic with John Cleese. They thought the TARDIS was a piece of art.

She also played the villain Kara in Revelation of the Daleks (1985). Later, she was in a Doctor Who audio drama. This was Loups-Garoux (2001).

Later TV Roles

In 1990, she was an art critic again. This was in the comedy show French and Saunders. She often appeared in Jennifer Saunders' show Absolutely Fabulous. She played Patsy's mother in flashbacks.

In 1992, she was Maria Lazlos in Heartbeat. She also appeared in The Blue Boy (1994). In 1996, she was in Saint-Ex.

In 2010, she was in Foyle's War. She also appeared in Midsomer Murders in 2012 and 2019. In 2013, she was in The Tractate Middoth. Since 2014, she has played Carol Tregorran in the radio soap The Archers.

Stage Performances

In 1973, Eleanor was in the musical The Card. She also performed in Amnesty International's The Secret Policeman's Ball shows. These were live benefit shows. She worked with Peter Cook and Rowan Atkinson.

In 2005, she was in Twopence to Cross the Mersey. In 2007, she played an abbess in In Extremis. She also appeared in the play All About My Mother.

Eleanor performed The Yellow Cake Revue (1980). These were songs against uranium mining. She has also written new verses for The Carnival of the Animals.

Voice Work and Other Projects

In 1985, Eleanor Bron became "the voice of BT". You can still hear her voice on phone error messages. For example, "The number you have dialled has not been recognised."

In 1998, she was in a radio adaptation of Fatherland. She also appeared in the radio comedy The Right Time (2001-2002). In 2002, she was in The Further Adventures of Sherlock Holmes.

In 2001, she played a great-grandmother in Gypsy Girl. She narrated a radio adaptation of 1966 and All That in 2006.

In 2010, Eleanor appeared in TV ads for Age UK. This is a charity that helps older people. She gave her time for free.

Eleanor Bron's Personal Life

Eleanor Bron was with architect Cedric Price for many years. He passed away in 2003. They did not have any children. Eleanor is a pescetarian, meaning she eats fish but not other meat.

Books Written by Eleanor Bron

Eleanor has written several books. One is Life and Other Punctures (1978). It's about her bicycle trips in France and Holland. Another book is Cedric Price Retriever. This book lists the contents of her late partner's bookshelves.

Cultural Impact

The band Yo La Tengo mentions Eleanor Bron in their song "Tom Courtenay". The lyrics say: "...dreaming 'bout Eleanor Bron, in my room with the curtains drawn...".

Filmography

Selected Theatre Performances

• Elena Andreyevna in Uncle Vanya by Anton Chekhov. Directed by Michael Elliott at the Royal Exchange, Manchester. (1977)
• Monica Reed in Present Laughter by Noël Coward. Directed by James Maxwell at the Royal Exchange, Manchester. (1977)
• Margaret Barrett in A Family by Ronald Harwood. World premiere directed by Casper Wrede at the Royal Exchange, Manchester.(1978)
• Heartbreak House by George Bernard Shaw. Directed by Jonathon Hales at the Royal Exchange, Manchester. (1981)
• Jean Brodie in The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie by Muriel Spark. Directed by John Dove at the Royal Exchange, Manchester.(1984)
• Jocasta in Oedipus by Sophocles. Directed by Casper Wrede at the Royal Exchange, Manchester.(1987)
• Lady Caroline Pontefract in A Woman of No Importance at the Vaudeville Theatre, London. (2017)

See also

In Spanish: Eleanor Bron para niños