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Gretchen Franklin

Gretchen Franklin

Actor

Born July 7, 1911 in Covent Garden, London, England, UK

Died July 11, 2005

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Biography

Born in Covent Garden, West London in 1911, Gretchen Franklin was an English actress and dancer whose showbusiness career spanned over 70 years. She was best known for her role as Ethel Skinner in the long-running BBC 1 soap opera EastEnders. She appeared in the very first episode in 1985 and was a regular in the series until 1988. After this she returned to the show intermittently until 2000 when her character was killed off, allowing Franklin to retire from acting at the age of 89. Born into a theatrical family (her father had a song and dance act, her grandfather was a famous music hall entertainer at the turn of the century and her cousin was Dad's Army star Clive Dunn) Gretchen Franklin made her theatre debut as a teenage chorus girl. She toured with comedians such as Gracie Fields before making the switch to serious acting. Her film appearances included Cloak Without Dagger (1956), Flame in the Streets (1961), The Murder Game (1965), Help! (1965), How I Won The War (1967), Twisted Nerve (1968), The Night Visitor (1971), The Three Musketeers (1973), Quincy's Quest (1979), and Ragtime (1981), among others. She is namechecked in The Fall's 1990 song Telephone Thing.

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Filmography

Actor

147

Type

Year

EastEnders: 40 Years on the Square Poster

EastEnders: 40 Years on the Square TV Special2025Self - Ethel Skinner

Eastenders: The Ghosts of Ian Beale - Children in Need Special Poster

Eastenders: The Ghosts of Ian Beale - Children in Need Special TV Movie2014Ethel Skinner

EastEnders: Greatest Exits TV Movie2011Ethel Skinner

Best of British TV Series1998Self

The Life and Times of Alf Garnett Documentary1997Else Ramsey

Monster Cafe TV Series1994Healthy's Mum

Happy Birthday, Coronation Street! TV Special1990Self

Keeping Up Appearances Poster

Keeping Up Appearances TV Series1990Daddy's fiance

A Night of Comic Relief 2 TV Special1989Self

Comic Relief Poster

Comic Relief TV Special1988Self

EastEnders Poster

EastEnders TV Series1985Ethel

Victoria Wood: As Seen on TV Poster

Victoria Wood: As Seen on TV TV Series1985Old Lady in Library

Àngel Casas Show Poster

Àngel Casas Show TV Series1984Self

Pull the Other One TV Series1984Elsie

Return to Waterloo Poster

Return to Waterloo Feature Film1984Woman on train

Blackadder Poster

Blackadder TV Series1983Cordelia

Hallelujah! Poster

Hallelujah! TV Series1983Old Lady

Just Another Day Poster

Just Another Day TV Series1983Self

Dead Ernest TV Series1982Alice

Wogan TV Series1982Self

Maybury TV Series1981Patient

Ragtime Feature Film1981Elderly Woman

Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde Poster

Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde TV Movie1980Cook

Fox TV Series19801 episode, 1980

The Dick Emery Hour Poster

The Dick Emery Hour TV Movie1980Old Woman on Park Bench

The Other 'Arf Poster

The Other 'Arf TV Series1980Vi

Danger UXB Poster

Danger UXB TV Series1979Mrs. Flack

How's Your Father? Poster

How's Your Father? TV Series1979Coral

Kelly Monteith Poster

Kelly Monteith TV Series19791 episode, 1981

Potter TV Series1979Lady With Dog

Quatermass Poster

Quatermass Mini-Series1979Edna

Quincy's Quest Poster

Quincy's Quest Feature Film1979Witch

Terry and June Poster

Terry and June TV Series1979Cath

The Quatermass Conclusion Poster

The Quatermass Conclusion Feature Film1979Edna

Hazell TV Series1978Pearl

The Famous Five Poster

The Famous Five TV Series1978Mrs. Janes

The Little and Large Show Poster

The Little and Large Show TV Series19781 episode, 1990

The One and Only Phyllis Dixey Poster

The One and Only Phyllis Dixey TV Movie1978Phyllis's Dresser

Nicholas Nickleby Poster

Nicholas Nickleby Mini-Series1977Miss Knag

The Other One Poster

The Other One TV Series1977Mrs. Tanner

You're Only Young Twice Poster

You're Only Young Twice TV Series1977Gipsy Magdalena

George & Mildred Poster

George & Mildred TV Series1976Mother

I Didn't Know You Cared Poster

I Didn't Know You Cared TV Series1975Auntie Lil

Churchill's People Poster

Churchill's People TV Series1974Mrs. Baxter

Rising Damp Poster

Rising Damp TV Series1974Aunt Maud

The Four Musketeers: Milady's Revenge Poster

The Four Musketeers: Milady's Revenge Feature Film1974D'Artagnan's Mother

The Sweeney Poster

The Sweeney TV Series1974Florence, the Charlady

Black and Blue Poster

Black and Blue TV Series1973Mrs. Pitt

Bowler TV Series1973Mrs. Bowler

Some Mothers Do 'Ave 'Em Poster

Some Mothers Do 'Ave 'Em TV Series1973Mrs. Welch

The Three Musketeers Poster

The Three Musketeers Feature Film1973D'Artagnan's Mother

Jackanory Playhouse Poster

Jackanory Playhouse TV Series1972Miss Lockspith

Six Days of Justice Poster

Six Days of Justice TV Series1972Annie

Sykes TV Series1972Book Stall Assistant

The Adventures of Black Beauty Poster

The Adventures of Black Beauty TV Series1972Mrs. Rodgers

The Organization Poster

The Organization TV Series1972Edna

The Protectors Poster

The Protectors TV Series1972Nelly Baxter

Budgie TV Series1971Carrie Wetherall

Follyfoot Poster

Follyfoot TV Series1971Mrs. Porter

The Fenn Street Gang Poster

The Fenn Street Gang TV Series1971Aunt Harriet

The Night Visitor Poster

The Night Visitor Feature Film1971Mrs. Hansen

Never Say Die TV Series1970Glenda Catchpole

Tarbuck's Luck TV Series1970Self

Castle Haven Poster

Castle Haven TV Series1969Sarah Meek

Holiday TV Series1969Self

In Loving Memory Poster

In Loving Memory TV Series1969Aunt Gertrude

Softly Softly: Task Force Poster

Softly Softly: Task Force TV Series1969Mrs. Walters

The Doctors Poster

The Doctors TV Series1969Tilly Hicks

Gazette TV Series1968Mrs. Page

Journey to the Unknown Poster

Journey to the Unknown TV Series1968Mrs. Barrett

Ooh La La! Poster

Ooh La La! TV Series1968Aunt Margueritte

Subterfuge Poster

Subterfuge Feature Film1968Bus Conductress

Twisted Nerve Poster

Twisted Nerve Feature Film1968'Clarkie'

Before the Fringe TV Series19671 episode, 1967

How I Won the War Poster

How I Won the War Feature Film19672nd Old Lady

No That's Me Over Here Poster

No That's Me Over Here TV Series1967Mother

Sanctuary TV Series1967Passenger

The Very Merry Widow TV Series1967Mrs. Fleming

A Slight Case of... TV Series19651 episode, 1965

Die, Monster, Die! Poster

Die, Monster, Die! Feature Film1965Miss Bailey

Help! Feature Film1965Neighbor

Londoners Poster

Londoners TV Series1965Mrs. Hincastle

Pardon the Expression Poster

Pardon the Expression TV Series1965Grandma

Public Eye Poster

Public Eye TV Series1965Iris

The Murder Game Poster

The Murder Game Feature Film1965Landlady

Crossroads Poster

Crossroads TV Series1964Myrtle Harvey

Frankie Howerd Poster

Frankie Howerd TV Series19641 episode, 1966

Gideon C.I.D. Poster

Gideon C.I.D. TV Series1964Martha Bray

Secret Agent Poster

Secret Agent TV Series1964Miss Wallace

Story Parade TV Series1964Mrs. Huxtable

The Four Seasons of Rosie Carr Poster

The Four Seasons of Rosie Carr Mini-Series1964Amy Bennett

The Protectors Poster

The Protectors TV Series1964Mrs. Bolland

Our Man at St. Mark's Poster

Our Man at St. Mark's TV Series1963Alice Perry

Silent Playground Poster

Silent Playground Feature Film1963Mrs. Elgin

The Dick Emery Show Poster

The Dick Emery Show TV Series1963Auntie

Compact TV Series1962Ella Bedford

Hugh and I Poster

Hugh and I TV Series19621 episode, 1966

Raise Your Glasses TV Series19621 episode, 1962

Silent Evidence TV Series1962Lily

Steptoe and Son Poster

Steptoe and Son TV Series1962Aunt Daphne

Suspense Poster

Suspense TV Series1962Clara

The Scales of Justice Poster

The Scales of Justice TV Series1962Rose Jenkins

Young and Willing Poster

Young and Willing Feature Film1962Woman

Z Cars TV Series1962Alice Hulme

Comedy Playhouse Poster

Comedy Playhouse TV Series1961Else Ramsey

Flame in the Streets Poster

Flame in the Streets Feature Film1961Mrs. Bingham

The Jelly End Strike TV Movie1961Nell

The Marriage Lines Poster

The Marriage Lines TV Series1961Mrs. Baker

Ticket to Paradise Poster

Ticket to Paradise Feature Film1961Mrs. Higginbottom

A Lady with Friends TV Movie1960Ivy Lea

BBC Sunday-Night Play Poster

BBC Sunday-Night Play TV Series1960Aunt

Bootsie and Snudge Poster

Bootsie and Snudge TV Series19601 episode, 1963

Citizen James Poster

Citizen James TV Series1960Floss

Stuff and Nonsense TV Movie1960Mrs. Flower

The Poet TV Movie1960Erminia

Yorky TV Series1960Nora

A Kiss for Cinderella TV Movie1959Marion

Bleak House Poster

Bleak House Mini-Series1959Mrs. Guppy

Crime Sheet Poster

Crime Sheet TV Series19591 episode, 1959

The Artful Dodger TV Series1959Sylvia Morris

The Men from Room 13 TV Series1959Mrs. Paterson

Charlie Drake Poster

Charlie Drake TV Series1958Ada

Saturday Playhouse TV Series1958Mrs. Catt

The Common Room TV Series1958Miss Parkins

A Stranger in Town Poster

A Stranger in Town Feature Film1957Woman with package

Bullet from the Past Poster

Bullet from the Past Short Film1957Mrs. Roper

Emergency-Ward 10 Poster

Emergency-Ward 10 TV Series1957Mrs. Parkin

The Secret Place Poster

The Secret Place Feature Film1957Mother

Armchair Theatre Poster

Armchair Theatre TV Series1956Edie Tidy

David Copperfield Mini-Series1956Mrs. Heep

High Terrace Poster

High Terrace Feature Film1956Mrs. Webb

Operation Conspiracy Poster

Operation Conspiracy Feature Film1956Emmie

Dixon of Dock Green Poster

Dixon of Dock Green TV Series1955Ella Mann

ITV Play of the Week Poster

ITV Play of the Week TV Series1955Mabel Dunnock

ITV Television Playhouse Poster

ITV Television Playhouse TV Series1955Mrs. Gravas

Portrait of Alison TV Series1955Chambermaid

Round the Bend TV Series1955Self

Shadow of Fear Poster

Shadow of Fear Feature Film1955Elsie

This Is Your Life Poster

This Is Your Life TV Series1955Self

Dear Dotty TV Series1954Mrs. Fuller

The Walking Stick TV Movie1954Flowerwoman

A Place of Execution TV Series1953Charlady

This Is Your Life Poster

This Is Your Life TV Series1952Self

The Passing Show TV Series19511 episode, 1951

BBC Sunday-Night Theatre Poster

BBC Sunday-Night Theatre TV Series19501st Snail

The Gay Lady Poster

The Gay Lady Feature Film1949Martha

Halesapoppin! TV Movie1948

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