Rosalind Knight facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Rosalind Knight
Rosalind Knight in Carry On Teacher in 1959
Born	(1933-12-03)3 December 1933 Marylebone, London, England
Died	19 December 2020(2020-12-19) (aged 87)
Occupation	Actress
Years active	1950–2020
Spouse(s)	Michael Elliott ​ ​ (m. 1959; died 1984)​
Children	2, including Marianne
Parent(s)	Esmond Knight (father)

Rosalind Marie Knight (born December 3, 1933 – died December 19, 2020) was an English actress. She had a very long career, acting for 70 years. She performed on stage, in movies, and on television.

Some of her famous movies include Blue Murder at St Trinian's (1957) and About a Boy (2002). She also appeared in two Carry On films: Carry On Nurse (1959) and Carry On Teacher (1959). On TV, she was known for playing Beryl in the BBC show Gimme Gimme Gimme (1999–2001). She also played Cynthia Goodman, known as "Horrible Grandma," in Friday Night Dinner (2012, 2016–2020).

Rosalind Knight's Acting Journey

Rosalind Knight was born in Marylebone, London. Her father, Esmond Knight, was an actor. Her stepmother, Nora Swinburne, was also an actress. Because her family was involved in theatre, Rosalind grew up around acting.

She was inspired to act after visiting the Old Vic Theatre in 1949. She saw plays like The Snow Queen there. She then studied acting at the Old Vic for two years. After her studies, she became an Assistant Stage Manager at the Midland Theatre Company in Coventry. She later moved to the Ipswich Repertory Company.

Early Roles and Big Breaks

After working in theatre companies, Rosalind joined a touring group for eight months. A producer saw her perform and cast her in the movie Blue Murder at St Trinian's (1957). In the same year, she acted with her father in a BBC show called Nicholas Nickleby. They played father and daughter in the show.

Before this, she had a small, uncredited role in Laurence Olivier's film Richard III (1955). Her father was also in that movie.

In the late 1950s, Rosalind was part of the BBC Radio comedy series Ray's a Laugh. She also appeared in two early Carry On movies. In Carry On Nurse (1959), she played Nurse Nightingale. In Carry On Teacher (also 1959), she was Felicity Wheeler, a school inspector.

In 1963, she played Mrs Fitzpatrick in the movie Tom Jones. She also played a teacher in another St Trinian's film, The Wildcats of St Trinian's, in 1980.

Television and Film Appearances

Rosalind Knight was in many television shows. These include Coronation Street (1981), Sherlock Holmes (1984), and Only Fools and Horses (1989). She also appeared in Agatha Christie's Poirot (1992), Jeeves and Wooster (1993), and Heartbeat (2000).

Later TV roles included Casualty (2002), Midsomer Murders (2003 and 2011), and Doctors (2005 and 2009). She was also in Agatha Christie's Marple (2006), Holby City (2008 and 2015), and Sherlock (2012). Her last major TV role was as Cynthia Goodman in Friday Night Dinner.

Her other films include Prick Up Your Ears (1987) and About a Boy (2002). Throughout her career, Rosalind kept acting in theatre. She worked with famous groups like the Royal Shakespeare Company and the Old Vic.

Rosalind Knight's Family Life

Rosalind Knight married Michael Elliott in July 1959. He was a director for theatre and television. They were married until he passed away in 1984.

They had two daughters together. One of their daughters, Marianne Elliott, is also a well-known theatre director. Marianne is married to actor Nick Sidi.

Passing Away

Rosalind Knight passed away on December 19, 2020. She was 87 years old.

Selected Film and TV Roles