Dora Bryan
Born
February 7, 1923
Died
July 23, 2014 (91 years old)
Known For
Acting
Place of Birth
Parbold, Lancashire, England, UK
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.
MirrorMask
Aunt Nan
2005
Doctors
Lily Anderson · (1 episode)
2000
dinnerladies
Connie · (1 episode)
1998
Absolutely Fabulous: The Last Shout
Millie
1996
Bed
Bosom Lady
1995
Mother's Ruin
(6 episodes)
1994
Frank Stubbs Promotes
Molly Bramley · (1 episode)
1993
Absolutely Fabulous
Dolly · (1 episode)
1992
Virtual Murder
(1 episode)
1992
Heartbeat
Jane Thompson · (1 episode)
1992
Performance
Bosom Lady · (1 episode)
1991
Palmer
Monica
1991
On the Up
(19 episodes)
1990
Apartment Zero
Margaret McKinney
1989
Casualty
Hester Blewett · (1 episode)
1986
Screamtime
Emma
1983
An Audience with...
Self · (2 episodes)
1978
Last of the Summer Wine
Roz · (60 episodes)
1973
Both Ends Meet
Dora Page · (7 episodes)
1972
Up the Front
Cora Crumpington
1972
Hands of the Ripper
Mrs. Golding
1971
Two A Penny
Ruby Hopkins
1967
Before The Fringe
(14 episodes)
1967
The Sandwich Man
Mrs. De Vere
1966
The Great St. Trinian's Train Robbery
Amber Spottiswood
1966
The Dream Machine
Self
1964
A Taste of Honey
Helen
1961
Happily Ever After
Dora Morgan · (12 episodes)
1961
Alice Through the Looking Box
1960
Hello London
herself
1960
The Night We Got the Bird
Julie Skidmore
1960
Follow That Horse!
1960
Operation Bullshine
Pvt. Cox
1959
Desert Mice
Gay Bennett
1959
Educating Archie
(1 episode)
1958
Carry On Sergeant
Norah
1958
The Man Who Wouldn't Talk
Telephonist
1958
Small Hotel
(uncredited)
1957
The Green Man
Lily
1956
Child in the House
Cassie
1956
The Cockleshell Heroes
Myrtie
1955
As Long as They're Happy
May
1955
The Sooty Show
Herself · (2 episodes)
1955
You Lucky People!
Hortense Tipp
1955
Harmony Lane
Comedian
1954
Mad About Men
Berengaria
1954
The Crowded Day
Marge
1954
The Young Lovers
Switchboard Operator (uncredited)
1954
Fast and Loose
Mary Rawlings, the maid
1954
You Know What Sailors Are
1954
The Intruder
Dora Bee
1953
The Fake
Barmaid
1953
Street Corner
Prostitute
1953
Women of Twilight
Olga
1953
The Real Thing
Dora
1953
The Ringer
Mrs. Hackett
1952
Miss Robin Hood
Pearl
1952
Mother Riley Meets the Vampire
Tilly
1952
Time, Gentlemen, Please!
Peggy Stebbins
1952
Gift Horse
Glad Flanagan
1952
13 East Street
Valerie
1952
Whispering Smith Vs. Scotland Yard
Miss La Fosse
1952
High Treason
Mrs. Bowers
1951
Lady Godiva Rides Again
Movie Publicist
1951
No Highway in the Sky
1951
Scarlet Thread
Maggie
1951
Circle of Danger
Bubbles Fitzgerald
1951
The Quiet Woman
Elsie Tripp
1951
Traveller's Joy
Eva
1950
No Trace
Maisie
1950
Something in the City
Waitress
1950
The Blue Lamp
Maisie
1950
The Cure for Love
Jenny Jenkins
1949
The Interrupted Journey
the waitress
1949
Don't Ever Leave Me
Talkative Hairdresser (uncredited)
1949
Adam and Evelyne
Blonde Sales Assistant (uncredited)
1949
Now Barabbas
Winnie
1949
The Perfect Woman
Model in Shop
1949
Once Upon a Dream
Barmaid
1949
No Room at the Inn
The Girl
1948
The Fallen Idol
Rose
1948
Odd Man Out
Girl in Telephone Kiosk (uncredited)
1947
According To Dora
(14 episodes)