Sheila Mary Mitchell (24 June 1925 – 4 June 2026) was a British actress and author.
Early life Born in Kingston-upon-Thames, Surrey on 24 June 1925, Sheila Mitchell was a teenager during the Second World War and spent the last two years of that time in the WRNS (Women's Royal Navy Service) working at Bletchley Park. She then trained at the Central School of Speech and Drama in London. Lucky enough to work for BBC Radio while she was still a student, broadcasting remained a substantial part of her work, moving into recording Audio Books.
Career Mitchell found employment both in theatre – The Royal Shakespeare Company, Prospect at the Old Vic, West End productions working with stars like Donald Sinden, John Mills and Derek Jacobi as well as in television – among other programmes, Jeeves and Wooster, All Creatures Great and Small and countless sitcoms. Writing has been a late addition and she was very nearly 95 before appearing in print for the first time with the publication of H.R.F. Keating: A Life of Crime.
Personal life and death On leaving drama school she spent a few years working in theatre and it was while she was a member of the Swindon repertory company that she met H.R.F. (Harry) Keating who was employed by the local newspaper not only as a reporter and sub-editor but also as their theatre reviewer. They married in 1953 and after the birth of their first child in 1955 her career was put on hold and not resumed until the 1970s by which time they had four children.
Mitchell died on 4 June 2026, aged 100.
Awards At the Mystery Readers International, she won Macavity awards in 2020/21 in the Best Mystery Critical/Biography category for H.R.F. Keating: A Life of Crime published by Level Best Books of America.
Filmography +TV Shows & FilmsYearTitleRoleNote2017WitlessOld Lady1 episode1996Strange But True?Reconstruction Cast1 episode1995A Mind to MurderMrs. FentonTV movie1992Jeeves and WoosterCharlotte1 episode1989Capital CityAlex's Companion1 episode1989All Creatures Great and SmallMrs. Blackwood1 episode1989The BrettsGladys1 episode1986King & Castles Secretary1 episode1986No Place Like HomeMiss Stanforth1 episode1984Shine on Harvey HomeMother1 episode1983Jemima Shore InvestigatesGuest at Wine-Testing1 episode1982Whodunnit?SJ BanksTV movie1982Grange HillMrs. Harvey1 episode1981Present LaughterMiss EriksonTV movie1980The WaterfallHospital sister3 episode1980The Gentle TouchUsher1 episode1979The Strange Affair of Adelaide HarrisMrs. Bostock1 episode1978LillieCharlotte Knollys3 episode1964Z CarsMrs. Connolly1 episode1963Dr. Finlay's CasebookTelephone Operator1 episode
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