Margaret Ollerenshaw is an English actress. She is known for playing Mavis in the BBC sitcom Open All Hours (1981–1982) and its sequel Still Open All Hours (2013–2019). Her other television credits include First of the Summer Wine (1988–1989), The House of Eliott (1992) and Lovejoy (1993–1994).
Career Ollerenshaw played Mrs. Violet Clegg in the short-lived series First of the Summer Wine, and became a more familiar television face after starring in The House of Eliott as Florence Ranby, a dour Victorian and head of the Eliott workroom, who died in a tragic road accident outside the Eliott's fashion house. The actress also featured as Martha in the Andrew Davies adaptation of Trollope's classic He Knew He Was Right.
Her many other television credits include roles in Lovejoy, Coronation Street, Juliet Bravo, Last of The Summer Wine, Heartbeat, Holby City, One Foot In The Grave, Seaview, Teachers, Victoria Wood - As Seen On TV, The Hunt For The Yorkshire Ripper, Midsomer Murders and Wire In The Blood. Her film credits include Britannia Hospital, A Private Function, Pierrepoint and Steven Spielberg's War Horse.
Her one-woman show Yours Sincerely, a musical play about Dame Vera Lynn has played in the UK and abroad. She also starred in the play Screamers at the Warehouse Theatre.
Since 2014, Ollerenshaw has provided the voice of Henrietta (UK/US) in the British animated television series Thomas & Friends. She also voiced the role of The Queen in Little Princess. In 2019, she was in the television show Scarborough as Geraldine, the owner of a hair salon.
Personal life Ollerenshaw married Jack Ainscough in 1969 but the marriage ended in divorce. In 2007, she married fellow actor Geoffrey Leesley.
Filmography Film YearTitleRoleNotes 1982 Britannia Hospital Miss Rowntree 1984 A Private Function Woman 2002 Fuel Paula Short film 2005 Pierrepoint: The Last Hangman Mary Pierrepoint 2011 War Horse The Neighbor
Television YearTitleRoleNotes 1974 The Little Match Girl TartTV film1976 Red Letter Day First Mother Episode: “Well Thank You, Thursday”1978 Pickersgill People Dolores Clegg Episode: "The Primitive" BBC2 Play of the Week Annie Griffiths Episode: "Fairies"Fallen Hero Nursing sister Episode: #1.61979 Danger UXB Betty Salt Episode: "Digging Out" Angels Miss Parr 2 episodes Last of the Summer Wine Woman in boat Episode: "The Flag and Further Snags"1980 All Creatures Great and Small Mrs. Binks Episode: "If Wishes Were Horses" The Gentle Touch Mrs. Bond Episode: "Help" Play for Today Staff Nurse Episode: "Minor Complications" Juliet Bravo Sergeant Margaret Cullinane Episode: "Family Unit" 1981-1982 Open All Hours Mavis 7 episodes1981 Coming Home Trudy Episode: #1.2 Maybury Jean Stone Episode: "What I Mean Is..."1983, 1985 Seaview Elaine Shelton Main cast (all 12 episodes) 1985-1986 Coronation Street Sandra Pilkington 3 episodes1987 Star Cops Dr. Angela Parr Episode: "Other People's Secrets" 1988-1989 First of the Summer Wine Mrs. Clegg 13 episodes1990 One Foot in the Grave Hilary Episode: "Dramatic Fever"1992 Firm Friends Sheila Bigger 3 episodes The House of Eliott Florence Ranby 6 episodes1993-1994 Three Seven Eleven Val Peck 4 episodes Lovejoy Kate Henshaw 13 episodes 1995 The Bill Mrs. Riddick Episode: "Love Me, Love My Dog"1997 Heartbeat Norma Braithwaite Episode: "Closing Ranks" Last of the Summer Wine Ethel Episode: "The Love Mobile"1999 Dr Willoughby Fenella Lewis Episode: "Family Wedding"2000 Doctors Margaret Cadogan Episode: "Blood Ties"2002 Paradise Heights Mary Episode: #1.42003 Barbara Dierdre Episode: "Who Shot Barbara?"2003-2004 Coronation Street Eva Briggs 10 episodes2004 He Knew He Was Right Martha All 4 episodes Holby City Jennifer Southwell Episode: "In at the Deep End"2005 Cherished Mary Barry TV film2006 Midsomer Murders Mrs Hopkirk Episode: "Country Matters" Wire in the Blood Joanna Durbridge Episode: "Hole in the Heart"2007 The Bad Mother's Handbook Jessie Pilkington TV film 2007–present Little Princess The Queen (voice) 24 episodes2008 Doctors Penelope Hargreaves Episode: "Lady Muck" Last of the Summer Wine Ethel Episode: "All That Glitters Is Not Elvis" 2009 Midsomer Murders Eileen Fountain Episode: "The Dogleg Murders" Doctors Jean Furst Episode: "The Great Escape"2010 Holby City Dora Collins Episode: "Swimming with Sharks" 2011 Grandpa In My Pocket Brenda Balderdash Episode: "Lighthouse View, as Good as New" Doctors Peggy Hardcastle Episode: "Who's the Daddy?" 2012 Endeavour Mrs. Crabbin Pilot episode2013 Doctors Maureen Holdgate Episode: "Run for Your Life" 2013-2019 Still Open All Hours Mavis All 41 episodes 2014-2021 Thomas & Friends Henrietta (voice) UK/US versions2015 Doctors Lynda Harris Episode: "The Reader" 2017 Holby City Helen Pickard Episode: "The Evolution of Woman" 2019 Doctors Esther Milne Episode: "The Getaway" Scarborough Geraldine All 6 episodes 2024 Bad Tidings April TV film 2026 The Hairdresser Mysteries Doris Briggs Episode: “Storm in a Teacup”
References
External links