Lynne Carol facts for kids

Josephine Caroline Gertrude Mary Faith Harber (born June 29, 1914 – died June 30, 1990), known by her stage name Lynne Carol, was a talented actress from Wales. She mostly worked in TV shows and movies made for television. Lynne Carol was best known for playing the busy and sometimes grumpy character Martha Longhurst in the popular TV show Coronation Street. She appeared in the show from its second episode in 1960 until her character was written out in 1964.

About Lynne Carol's Life

Early Life and Acting Start

Lynne Carol came from a very long line of actors. Six generations of her family had been actors before her! She was born in Monmouthshire, a part of south-east Wales. Her parents, Charles and Mina Harber, were also actors and were touring with a play when she was born. Lynne started her own acting career when she was just three years old. Before she became famous as Martha Longhurst, she worked in many different theaters for years.

Her Famous Role as Martha Longhurst

When Lynne Carol joined Coronation Street, she was only 46 years old. However, she played Martha Longhurst as a much older, sometimes sharp-tongued, woman. Martha first appeared in December 1960. She was part of a well-known trio of friends who often met in the "snug" (a cozy bar area) of the local pub, the Rovers Return. The other two friends were Ena Sharples, played by Violet Carson, and Minnie Caldwell, played by Margot Bryant.

Their conversations were very funny and showed the everyday life of people in Northern England. These moments were some of the best parts of the show. Martha Longhurst became so popular that when Lynne Carol visited a public exhibition without telling anyone, a huge crowd gathered. She was even advised to leave for her own safety! Famous people like the actor Laurence Olivier and the poet John Betjeman were also big fans of her character.

Leaving Coronation Street

After only three years on the show, a new producer decided to remove Martha Longhurst from the series. The producer thought Lynne Carol would easily find other acting jobs. Lynne Carol was very surprised and upset to read in the newspaper that her character's time on the show was ending. Martha died quietly from a heart attack in the pub's snug in May 1964. She was buried in the Manchester General Cemetery.

Lynne Carol remained sad about Martha's death for a long time. She believed it was a big mistake because her character was so loved by viewers. Thousands of viewers complained about Martha's death. Later, the show's writers even admitted they had made a mistake.

After Coronation Street, Lynne Carol appeared in another BBC TV show called The Newcomers. She also had a role in the 1979 film Yanks, which starred Richard Gere.

Lynne Carol's Personal Life

Lynne Carol married Herbert (Bert) Newell Palmer in 1934. Bert was also an actor and appeared in many TV shows, including two episodes of Coronation Street. The couple lived in Blackpool and had two sons and one daughter. They stayed married until Bert passed away in 1980. Sadly, their oldest son, Michael, died in an R.A.F. parachuting accident in 1965.

In April 1990, there was a false report that Lynne Carol had died. This happened because someone made a hoax phone call to the TV company, Granada Television. At the time, Lynne Carol was actually visiting her family in Germany.

Lynne Carol had a heart condition called angina. She was hospitalized in May 1990. She passed away from a heart attack in a hospital in Blackpool on June 30, 1990. This was just one day after her 76th birthday.

Filmography