Acting
Dora Bryan
Dora May Bryan OBE was an English actress of stage, film and television. Born Dora May Broadbent, her career began in pantomime as a child actor. In World War II she joined the ENSA in Italy to entertain British troops. After having established herself as a versatile stage actress, covering everything from drama and comedy to musicals, she started to appear in film in the late 1940s, and in 1968 she even had her own TV series, "According to Dora". At one point in her career she was Britain's highest-paid star. She was active on stage until the mid 1990s and continued to work in film and television until 2005, when she finally had to give up the acting profession as she could no longer remember her lines. Her autobiography According To Dora was published in 1987. In 1996, she was awarded an OBE in recognition of her services to acting and the same year she was also awarded the Laurence Olivier Award for her role in the West End production of the Harold Pinter play "The Birthday Party". She was married to British cricket player Bill Lawton from 1954 to his death in 2008. She lived in a nursing home in Hove, outside Brighton, until her death in 2014.
Filmography
MirrorMask
Film · 2005
Thora Hird Tribute
Film · 2003
Doctors
Series · 2000
Hippies
Series · 1999
dinnerladies
Series · 1998
Absolutely Fabulous: The Last Shout
Film · 1996
Bed
Film · 1995
Mother's Ruin
Series · 1994
Frank Stubbs Promotes
Series · 1993
Heartbeat
Series · 1992
Absolutely Fabulous
Series · 1992
Virtual Murder
Series · 1992
Palmer
Film · 1991
Performance
Series · 1991
On the Up
Series · 1990
Apartment Zero
Film · 1989
Casualty
Series · 1986
Screamtime
Film · 1983
An Audience with...
Series · 1978
Last of the Summer Wine
Series · 1973
Up the Front
Film · 1972
Both Ends Meet
Series · 1972
Hands of the Ripper
Film · 1971
Two a Penny
Film · 1967
Before the Fringe
Series · 1967
The Great St Trinian's Train Robbery
Film · 1966
The Sandwich Man
Film · 1966
The Dream Machine
Film · 1964
World in Action
Series · 1963
A Taste of Honey
Film · 1961
Happily Ever After
Series · 1961
The Night We Got the Bird
Film · 1960
Alice Through the Looking Box
Film · 1960
Follow That Horse!
Film · 1960
Hello London
Film · 1960
Operation Bullshine
Film · 1959
Desert Mice
Film · 1959
Carry On Sergeant
Film · 1958
The Man Who Wouldn't Talk
Film · 1958
Educating Archie
Series · 1958
Small Hotel
Film · 1957
Theatre Night
Series · 1957
Child in the House
Film · 1956
The Green Man
Film · 1956
The Cockleshell Heroes
Film · 1955
You Lucky People!
Film · 1955
As Long As They're Happy
Film · 1955
The Sooty Show
Series · 1955
Mad About Men
Film · 1954
Fast and Loose
Film · 1954
You Know What Sailors Are
Film · 1954
Harmony Lane
Film · 1954
The Young Lovers
Film · 1954
The Crowded Day
Film · 1954
The Fake
Film · 1953
The Real Thing
Film · 1953
Street Corner
Film · 1953
Women of Twilight
Film · 1953
The Intruder
Film · 1953
Miss Robin Hood
Film · 1952
The Ringer
Film · 1952
Mother Riley Meets the Vampire
Film · 1952
Gift Horse
Film · 1952
13 East Street
Film · 1952
Whispering Smith vs. Scotland Yard
Film · 1952
Time, Gentlemen, Please!
Film · 1952
High Treason
Film · 1951
Scarlet Thread
Film · 1951
The Quiet Woman
Film · 1951
Lady Godiva Rides Again
Film · 1951
Circle of Danger
Film · 1951
No Highway in the Sky
Film · 1951
No Trace
Film · 1950
The Blue Lamp
Film · 1950
Traveller's Joy
Film · 1950
Something in the City
Film · 1950
Now Barabbas
Film · 1949
The Interrupted Journey
Film · 1949
Once Upon a Dream
Film · 1949
The Cure for Love
Film · 1949
Adam and Evelyne
Film · 1949
The Perfect Woman
Film · 1949
Don't Ever Leave Me
Film · 1949
The Fallen Idol
Film · 1948
No Room at the Inn
Film · 1948
Odd Man Out
Film · 1947
According To Dora
Series