Hilda Braid facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Hilda Braid
Braid as Nana Moon in EastEnders
Born	Hilda Braid (1929-03-03)3 March 1929 Northfleet, Kent, England
Died	6 November 2007(2007-11-06) (aged 78) Brighton, Sussex, England
Resting place	Woodvale Crematorium, Brighton
Occupation	Actress
Years active	1948–2005
Spouse(s)	Brian Badcoe ​ (his death 1992)​
Children	2

Hilda Braid (born March 3, 1929 – died November 6, 2007) was a talented English actress. She had a long and successful career on British television. Many people remember her best for playing Victoria "Nana" Moon. This popular character was on the BBC One TV show EastEnders.

Early Life and Training

Hilda Braid was born in a town called Northfleet in Kent, England. She loved acting and dancing from a young age. She won a special scholarship to study at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA). This is a very famous acting school. While at RADA, she also won the Lord Lurgan Award for her skills.

Hilda Braid's Acting Career

After finishing her training at RADA, Hilda Braid started her acting journey. She performed in many plays in different theaters. She also appeared in famous West End theatre productions. These included The Waltz of the Toreadors and Pickwick.

Early TV and Stage Roles

Hilda later joined the Royal Shakespeare Company. This is a very important theater group. With them, she acted in plays like Richard II and King John.

Her first TV appearance was in 1960. It was in a police show called No Hiding Place. Throughout the 1960s and 1970s, she was very busy. She appeared in many popular TV shows. Some of these included Crossroads, Catweazle, and Emmerdale.

Major TV Roles and Films

Hilda Braid got her first big TV role when she was older. She played Florence Johnson in the sitcom Citizen Smith. A sitcom is a funny TV show about everyday life. She also appeared in other sitcoms like The 10 Percenters.

During the 1980s and 1990s, she continued to act a lot. She was in shows like One Foot in the Grave and Midsomer Murders. She even appeared in a children's show called ChuckleVision. Hilda also had a few film roles. She was in For the Love of Ada and 101 Dalmatians.

Playing Nana Moon in EastEnders

In 2002, Hilda Braid took on the role she is most famous for. She became Nana Moon in the popular soap opera EastEnders. Her character, Nana, was the grandmother of Alfie Moon. Alfie was played by actor Shane Richie.

When Shane Richie decided to leave EastEnders, Nana's character also left. The show's creators felt it wouldn't make sense for Nana to stay without Alfie. In the story, Nana became ill. Before she died, she wanted to visit her husband's grave in France. He had died during World War II.

The special episode where Alfie and Nana went to Normandy, France, was very popular. It won a British Soap Award in 2006. Hilda Braid's character, Nana, died on the show on December 16, 2005. This was her last acting role.

Personal Life and Later Years

Towards the end of her time on EastEnders, Hilda Braid found it hard to remember her lines. After leaving the show, she stopped acting. She was diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease. This is a condition that affects memory.

Hilda Braid passed away on November 6, 2007. She was at the Royal Sussex County Hospital in Brighton. She had been living in a nursing home in Hove. Hilda was married to an actor named Brian Badcoe, who died in 1992. She was survived by her son and daughter. Her funeral was held in Brighton.

Filmography

Film Roles

Television Roles