June Whitfield facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Dame June Whitfield DBE
Whitfield at the 2013 Slapstick Festival
Born	June Rosemary Whitfield (1925-11-11)11 November 1925 Streatham, London, England
Died	29 December 2018(2018-12-29) (aged 93) London, England
Resting place	All Hallows Church, Tillington, West Sussex, England
Occupation	Actress
Years active	1944–2016
Known for	Carry On films Terry and June Absolutely Fabulous Last of the Summer Wine Miss Marple
Spouse(s)	Tim Aitchison ​ ​ (m. 1955; died 2001)​
Children	Suzy Aitchison

Dame June Rosemary Whitfield (born 11 November 1925 – died 29 December 2018) was a much-loved English actress. She was famous for her roles in radio, television, and films.

June Whitfield had a long and successful career. Her big break came in 1953 in the radio comedy Take It from Here. She later starred in many TV shows, including Beggar My Neighbour. She also appeared in four Carry On films.

From 1968, June worked a lot with Terry Scott. They were a popular comedy duo, playing husband and wife in Happy Ever After and Terry and June. Later, she became well-known for playing Edina Monsoon's mother in the hit comedy Absolutely Fabulous. She also had regular roles in Last of the Summer Wine and The Green Green Grass. From 1993 to 2001, she voiced Miss Marple in radio plays based on Agatha Christie's books.

June Whitfield's Early Life

June Rosemary Whitfield was born in Streatham, London, in 1925. Her parents, John and Bertha, were both keen amateur actors. This meant they loved acting as a hobby.

June started performing at a very young age. When she was just three, her mother enrolled her in a dance studio. She went to Streatham Hill High School. During the Second World War, she was evacuated to Bognor Regis and then Penzance. She later studied secretarial skills. In 1944, June graduated from the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, a famous drama school.

A Look at Her Acting Career

Starting Out in Showbiz

June Whitfield began her acting journey in the 1940s. She worked on stage in London's West End and other parts of the country.

In 1951, she got her first TV role in The Passing Show. She also joined the cast of the musical South Pacific.

Her big moment arrived in 1953. She joined the popular radio comedy Take It from Here. In one part of the show called "The Glums," she played Eth, who was engaged to the silly Ron Glum. Over the next 15 years, June had many supporting roles on TV. These included appearances in Dixon of Dock Green and The Benny Hill Show. She even played a nurse in a famous episode of Hancock called "The Blood Donor."

In 1959, June appeared in Carry On Nurse. This was her first of four roles in the funny Carry On film series.

Working with Terry Scott

June Whitfield got her first main role in the sitcom Beggar My Neighbour in 1966. She played Rose Garvey. After this show ended in 1968, she started working with Terry Scott on Scott On.... This began a long and successful partnership between them.

June and Terry starred together in a TV pilot called Happy Ever After in 1974. It became a full series and was very popular. Later, they appeared in Terry and June, which was quite similar. In both shows, they played a married couple living in the suburbs. Terry and June ran for many years, with 65 episodes until 1987.

During the 1970s and early 1980s, June also appeared in TV adverts for Birds Eye. She even recorded a funny song called "Je t'aime" with Frankie Howerd in 1971.

June was featured on the TV show This Is Your Life twice. This show surprises famous people by telling their life story.

Later Career and Famous Roles

In the 1980s, June returned to radio comedy. She joined The News Huddlines in 1984, where she was known for her impressions, especially of Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher. She also performed on stage in plays like An Ideal Husband.

From 1992 to 2012, June played the role of Mother in Jennifer Saunders' popular sitcom Absolutely Fabulous. This role made her famous to a new generation of viewers. She also continued to play Miss Marple in radio adaptations of Agatha Christie's detective novels.

June appeared in several films during this time, including Carry On Columbus (1992). She also had a small role in an episode of the American sitcom Friends in 1998.

In the 2000s, June appeared in shows like Midsomer Murders and New Tricks. She joined the cast of Last of the Summer Wine in 2005. In 2009, she made a guest appearance in the famous science fiction show Doctor Who.

In 2010, June had a short role in the soap opera Coronation Street. She continued to act in Absolutely Fabulous specials and even appeared in the Absolutely Fabulous: The Movie in 2016. In 2015, she played a nun named Sister Ruth in the soap opera EastEnders.

Awards and Recognition

June Whitfield received many honours for her amazing work.

• In 1982, she was made a Freeman of the City of London. This is a special honour given to people who have contributed to the city.
• She was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in 1985.
• She became a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in 1998.
• In 2017, she was made a Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire (DBE). This meant she could use the title "Dame" before her name. These honours were given for her services to drama and entertainment.
• In 1994, June received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the British Comedy Awards. This award celebrated her entire career in comedy.

Her Personal Life

In 1955, June Whitfield married Timothy John Aitchison. They had one daughter, Suzy Aitchison, who also became an actress. Timothy Aitchison passed away in 2001.

June was a very humble person. She often said she never wanted a main lead role in a show. She felt that the stress of carrying a show was too much. She described her own life as "full of love, affection and laughter."

In her later years, June lived in a care home. She passed away in London on 29 December 2018, at the age of 93. Many of her co-stars and friends attended her funeral. Jennifer Saunders, who created Absolutely Fabulous, said she would "hugely" miss her "dear friend."

Radio Roles

Miss Marple Radio Series

June Whitfield played the detective Miss Marple in 12 radio plays for BBC Radio 4. These were based on the famous novels by Agatha Christie. She even returned to the role in 2015 for three more short stories.

Other Radio Shows

• Bring on the Girls (1955)
• Take It from Here (1955)
• Happy Ever After (1976)
• Like They've Never Been Gone (2001)

Film and TV Appearances

June Whitfield had a very busy career, appearing in many films and TV shows. Here are some of her notable roles:

Films

Television Shows

Books by June Whitfield

• ... and June Whitfield (2000) – This is her autobiography, where she tells her life story.