Helen Fraser (born Helen Margaret Stronach; born 15 June 1942) is a retired English actress, who has appeared in many television series since the early 1960s. For international audiences, she may be best known for her roles in Billy Liar (1963) and Repulsion (1965). She is also well known in Britain for portraying the role of miserable warder Sylvia Hollamby in the prison drama series Bad Girls. She appeared in the series from the first episode in 1999 until the last in 2006.
Career She trained at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art alongside Tom Courtenay and John Thaw, among others. She gained her breakthrough role alongside Courtenay in Billy Liar (1963). They later played the parents of character Dave Best in the Christmas special of The Royle Family (2008).
She is best known to television viewers for her long-running role in the ITV women's prison drama Bad Girls as unpleasant prison officer Sylvia Hollamby from the first episode in 1999 to the last in 2006. She reprised the role in the West End production of Bad Girls: The Musical in 2007.
She made her TV debut in the early 1960s and her credits include Z-Cars, Dixon of Dock Green, The Likely Lads, Doctor in Charge, The Dustbinmen, On the Buses, Rising Damp, Tales of the Unexpected, Duty Free, One Foot in the Grave and Casualty. She also worked on TV with comedians like Dick Emery and the Two Ronnies in the 1970s.
She has also appeared on stage, including with the Royal National Theatre, in the West End and in regional theatres across the country. In 2009 and 2010, she toured the UK as Mrs Fisher in a stage version of Billy Liar. In 2011, she joined the tour of Calendar Girls.
Fraser has appeared in the ITV soap Coronation Street twice – in 1998 as Magenta Savannah and again in 2013 as Doris Babbage.
In 2015, she appeared in an episode of the BBC daytime soap Doctors.
Personal life In 1964, she married the recording engineer Peter Handford; the couple had met on the set of Billy Liar. Handford died in 2007. Fraser lives in Eye, Suffolk.
Filmography +Film Year Title Role Notes 1962 A Kind of Loving Ingrid's Friend (Uncredited) 1963 Billy Liar Barbara 1965 Repulsion Bridget 1966 The Uncle Mary Ream 1968 The Birthday Party Lulu 1970 Start the Revolution Without Me Mimi Montage 1972 Something to Hide Miss Bunyan 1974 From Beyond the Grave Guest Segment 1: "The Gatecrasher" (uncredited) 1977 Joseph Andrews Mrs. Adams 1988 Gorillas in the Mist Mme. Van Vecten 2015 Minions Additional Voices
+Television Year Title Role Notes1962, 1965ITV Play of the Week Millie/Ellen 2 episodes1962–1963Z-Cars Hilda Stansfield/Vicky Bell 1962 Silent Evidence Tina Episode: "Driven to the Brink" Harpers West One June Foley Series 2, Episode 2 1963 Emergency Ward 10 Caroline Baker 8 episodesFriday Night Various 4 episodes 1964 The Villains Pat Episode: "Amateurs" No Hiding Place Jill Episode: "The Hoarders" Thursday Theatre Janey Jenkins Episode: "The Cure for Love" 1965 The Valiant Varneys 1 episode Comedy Playhouse Greta Spavin Episode: "Here I Come Whoever I Am"1965–1966Pardon the Expression Hilda Norton/Rita Parker 3 episodes The Likely Lads Helen 2 episodes 1965 Six of the Best Vanessa Episode: "Charlie's Place" Dixon of Dock Green Gwen Episode: "Castles in the Air"1965–1966Knock on Any Door Madge Winter/Polly 2 episodes 1965 Theatre 625 Mrs. Hampton Episode: "Portraits from the North: The Nutter"1965–1966Blackmail Brenda/Daphne Appleton 2 episodes1966–1967The Wednesday Play Linda/Polly 1966 Mr. John Jorrocks Emma Series 1 1967 The Further Adventures of Lucky Jim Episode: "Quo Vadis, Jim" Love Story Sue Episode: "A Diamond is Forever" The Gamblers Joyce Episode: "Oil and Water" 1969 Doctor in the House Rigor Mortis Episode: "Getting the Bird" Me Mammy Angela Episode: "The Day the Saints Went Marching Out" Dombey and Son Susan Nipper Miniseries — 9 episodes 1970 The Dustbinmen The Goddess Episode: "Miss Potter and the English Lessons" 1971 The Doctors Petra Wood Series 1 Never Mind the Quality, Feel the Width Doreen Lewton Episode: "Mix Me a Marriage" Now Look Here Tracey Series 1, Episode 2 On the Buses Linda Episode: "Boxing Day Social" 1972–1981 The Dick Emery Show Lampwick's Daughter Series 11, 13–19 — 36 episodes 1972–1973 Doctor in Charge Dr. Mary Bingham/Parsons Series 1–2 — 6 episodes 1972 A Day Out Mrs. Ackroyd TV film 1973 The Upper Crusts Mrs. Smith Episode: "Sitting Pretty" Hunter's Walk Janet Kenwright Episode: "Disturbance" Man About the House Gabrielle Episode: "Three's a Crowd" 1974 Sporting Scenes Helen Episode: "The Needle Match" 1975 Cilla's Comedy Six Gloria Cartwright Episode: "Father's Doing Fine" ...And Mother Makes Five Miss Finch Episode: "Legs Eleven"1975, 1978Rising Damp Gwen/Bride 2 episodes 1976 Jumbo Spencer Mrs. Spencer Miniseries 1978 BBC2 Play of the Week Polly Wright Episode: "Fairies" 1979 Crown Court Susan Barnes Serial: "Betrayal of Trust" Rings on Their Fingers Mrs. Nicholls Episode: "Anniversary Jig" 1980 BBC2 Playhouse Lou Parker Episode: "The Black Madonna" 1981 Partners Monica Episode: "Fair Share" The Patricia Neal Story 2nd Neighbour TV film 1982 Tales of the Unexpected Beryl Episode: "Blue Marigold" Sorry! Psychotherapist Episode: "Perchance to Dream" Play for Today Joyce Midgley Episode: "Intensive Care" 1983 Dramarama Joan Osgerby Episode: "Rip It Up" 1984 Duty Free Emily Episode: "Spanish Lace" The Box of Delights Ellen 4 episodes 1985 Bird Fancier Susan Fox TV film The Two Ronnies Woman at the Wake Series 11, Episode 4 Marjorie and Men Nora Episode: "Poor Little Buttercup" 1986 In Loving Memory Enid Bracegirdle Episode: "They Shoot Undertakers, Don't They?" 1987 Screen Two Mrs. Mortland Episode: "Northanger Abbey" 1988 Beryl Markham: A Shadow on the Sun June Carberry Miniseries Don't Wait Up Pamela Series 5, Episode 1 1990 One Foot in the Grave Dr. Snellgrove Episode: "The Big Sleep" 1991 The Chief Angela Series 2, Episode 6 1994 The Rector's Wife Trish Pardoe 3 episodes The Bill Emily Barker Episode: "The Sixth Age" 1995 Under the Moon Miss Prudhomme TV film 1997 The Uninvited Charge Nurse Series 1, Episode 21998, 2013Coronation Street Magenta Savannah/Doris Babbage 3 episodes 1999–2006 Bad Girls Sylvia Hollamby Series 1–8 — 91 episodes (main role) 2003 Casualty Joan Jowell 3 episodes 2008 The Royle Family Jocelyn Best Christmas Special: "The New Sofa" 2015 Doctors Mary Star Episode: "Pudding"
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