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Jill Summers was best recognized by British TV audiences for her portrayal of the gravel-voiced battleaxe Phyllis Pearce on ITV's Coronation Street. However, before gaining fame in the soap opera, she enjoyed a lengthy career as a singer in revue and variety shows.
Born in Eccles, Lancashire, to actress Marie Santoni, Jill's father was a tightrope walker in the circus. She had four sisters and a brother, and at six years old, she toured with her siblings, singing and dancing in small-scale revues where producers identified her as a promising comedienne. In her early twenties, she formed a song and comedy duo with her brother Tom.
During World War Two, she toured with ENSA, entertaining troops, and after the war, she returned to variety as a solo performer, sharing bills with stars such as Tommy Trinder, Max Wall, Dick Emery, and Arthur Askey.
As variety theatres began closing in the 1950s, she performed in summer seasons and pantomimes. In 1972, she was offered the role of Bessie Procter, Hilda Ogden's (Jean Alexander) friend, in Coronation Street. Ten years later, she debuted as Phyllis Pearce, initially expecting the role to last only two weeks. She went on to appear in over 500 episodes of the soap, though health issues in later years limited her appearances. Her serious health concerns became apparent when she collapsed with angina on the set of This Is Your Life as host Michael Aspel handed her the iconic red book.
Reflecting on her character Phyllis Pearce, she said, "Phyllis just grew on me and grew as a character. I love the part.
