Gretchen Franklin

Gretchen Franklin, born on 7 July 1911 in Covent Garden, London, was a beloved British actress whose career spanned more than seven decades. A cousin of the actor Clive Dunn, Franklin began her life in performance as a £2-a-week chorus girl in pantomime and soon rose to prominence as a Tiller Girl, performing at the iconic London Palladium.

Her big break came during the Second World War, when she was cast in Sweet and Low, the first in a series of popular revues at the Ambassadors Theatre in the West End. This marked the beginning of a long and varied career in both theatre and screen.

Franklin made her film debut in 1954 in Before I Wake, and over the following years became a familiar face in British cinema, often making memorable, if brief, appearances. Among her more notable film roles was a cameo in the Beatles’ film Help! (1965), reflecting her knack for making an impression even in fleeting moments.

On television, Franklin initially made waves when she appeared as Elsie, the wife of Warren Mitchell’s character, in the pilot episode of Till Death Us Do Part. However, due to commitments to a stage role, she was unable to continue in the series and recommended her friend Dandy Nichols for the part—an act of generosity that typified Franklin’s character.

Her television work was wide-ranging. She appeared in the soap Crossroads as Myrtle Cavendish, in the short-lived Castle Haven, and in sitcoms such as George and Mildred (as Mrs Tremble, Mildred’s mother) and Rising Damp (as Rigsby’s Aunt Maud). She was a regular supporting presence in police dramas like Dixon of Dock Green and Z Cars, and made appearances in series such as Danger Man, Follyfoot, and Quatermass. Despite these varied roles, Franklin was particularly at home in comedy, where her timing and warmth shone through.

Her most iconic role came late in life. In 1985, at the age of 73, she joined the original cast of the BBC’s new soap opera EastEnders, playing the eccentric and big-hearted Ethel Skinner. Ethel, with her distinctive laugh and ever-present pug dog Willy, became a firm favourite with viewers. Her on-screen friendship with Dot Cotton, played by June Brown, became one of the show’s most enduring partnerships.

Franklin’s tenure on EastEnders was not without its dramas off-screen as well as on. When producer Julia Smith decided that Ethel should be moved into a care home, Franklin—unwilling to see her character reduced to the occasional visit—resigned immediately. Yet she returned for one final, unforgettable appearance. In a storyline that sparked national debate, Ethel, terminally ill with cancer, persuaded Dot to help her die by administering a fatal dose of morphine—one of the most controversial and emotional moments in the show’s history.

Away from acting, Franklin was a committed philanthropist. She gave away all the royalties she earned from EastEnders repeats to animal charities. “At my age one isn’t buying new fur coats and diamonds,” she once remarked. “If you get that lot of repeat fees four times a year you can afford to be a bit more generous to other people.”

In 2005, Franklin was due to present the Lifetime Soap Achievement Award to June Brown at the British Soap Awards but, due to ill health, was unable to attend. The award was instead presented by fellow EastEnders actress Anna Wing (Lou Beale), who paid tribute to Franklin in her speech.

Gretchen Franklin died at her home in Barnes, south-west London, on 11 July 2005, just four days after celebrating her 94th birthday. Her legacy was honoured at the British Academy Television Awards in 2006. In her will, she left an estate worth £872,772, with a third going to the charity Help the Aged.

Franklin's life and work left an indelible mark on British entertainment. From the glamour of the Tiller Girls to the gritty realism of Albert Square, she brought depth, humour and humanity to every role she played.