Acting
Gretchen Franklin
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.
Filmography
Keeping Up Appearances
Series · 1990
EastEnders
Series · 1985
EastEnders
Series · 1985
Return to Waterloo
Film · 1984
Blackadder
Series · 1983
Dead Ernest
Series · 1982
Ragtime
Film · 1981
Quincy's Quest
Film · 1979
Terry and June
Series · 1979
Danger UXB
Series · 1979
Quatermass
Series · 1979
The One and Only Phyllis Dixey
Film · 1978
Hazell
Series · 1978
The Famous Five
Series · 1978
Nicholas Nickleby
Series · 1977
George and Mildred
Series · 1976
The Sweeney
Series · 1975
I Didn't Know You Cared
Series · 1975
The Four Musketeers
Film · 1974
Rising Damp
Series · 1974
Churchill's People
Series · 1974
Secrets
Film · 1973
The Three Musketeers
Film · 1973
Bowler
Series · 1973
Bowler
Series · 1973
Black and Blue
Series · 1973
The Protectors
Series · 1972
Sykes
Series · 1972
The Organization
Series · 1972
Six Days of Justice
Series · 1972
The Night Visitor
Film · 1971
Budgie
Series · 1971
The Company Man
Film · 1970
Castle Haven
Series · 1969
Twisted Nerve
Film · 1968
Subterfuge
Film · 1968
Journey to the Unknown
Series · 1968
How I Won the War
Film · 1967
The Murder Game
Film · 1965
Help!
Film · 1965
The Man Who Came to Die
Film · 1965
Gideon's Way
Series · 1965
A Slight Case Of...
Series · 1965
Londoners
Series · 1965
Story Parade
Series · 1964
The Protectors
Series · 1964
The Four Seasons of Rosie Carr
Series · 1964
The Silent Playground
Film · 1963
Z-Cars
Series · 1962
The Scales of Justice
Series · 1962
Steptoe and Son
Series · 1962
Raise Your Glasses
Series · 1962
The Trouble with Our Ivy
Film · 1961
Ticket to Paradise
Film · 1961
Flame in the Streets
Film · 1961
The Poet
Film · 1960
The Artful Dodger
Series · 1959
Bleak House
Series · 1959
Saturday Playhouse
Series · 1958
Saturday Playhouse
Series · 1958
Saturday Playhouse
Series · 1958
The Secret Place
Film · 1957
The High Terrace
Film · 1956
Cloak Without Dagger
Film · 1956
Armchair Theatre
Series · 1956
Armchair Theatre
Series · 1956
Armchair Theatre
Series · 1956
Armchair Theatre
Series · 1956
Armchair Theatre
Series · 1956
Armchair Theatre
Series · 1956
Before I Wake
Film · 1955
Dixon of Dock Green
Series · 1955
Trottie True
Film · 1949