- Born
- Birth nameAnne Gwendoline Craig
- Height5′ 6″ (1.68 m)
- Her parents, George and Anne were originally farmers in the Sacriston area of County Durham where she started her education at a village school and eventually attended Durham High School. Her family eventually gave up farming and became haulage contractors in Darlington where she then attended Darlington High School and then Yarm Grammar School where she had parts in school plays., The headmistress, who was very keen on drama encouraged her. While performing in one play she was seen by the aunt of director Anthony Asquith who recommended her to the Central School of Speech and Drama which she joined when 17. After training she made her theatre debut with the Ipswich Repertory Company and eventually her West End debut in 'Mr Kettle and Mr Moon' which was later followed by such as The Constant Wife, Ride a Cock Horse and Peter Pan.She later moved into television series, for which she became best known, such as Butterflies, Not in Front of the Children, And Mother Makes Three,Laura and Disorder and Nanny, which was based on her own idea .but submitted under a pen name so that it could be judged on it's own merit and not on her name. She has always liked writing and with knowing her characters she finds it very fulfilling and creative while acting is just interpretive. She's won numerous awards including Variety Club BBC TV Personality (69), Variety Club ITV TV Personality (73), TV Times Award for Funniest Woman on TV 72/73/74 and Variety Club Woman of the Year 84 and an Honorary Doctorate from Teeside University 94. She was married to journalist Jack Bentley, who died in 1994 and had two sons, Alastair, born 1957 who became an oboist with the Birmingham Royal Ballet, and Ross, born 1960 who is a writer. All this from seeing her first pantomime at 3 which made her determined to be on the stage.- IMDb Mini Biography By: Tonyman 5
- SpouseJack Bentley(1955 - April 22, 1994) (his death, 2 children)
- In September 2004 it was revealed that the second of her sons, Ross Bentley, was the result of a short affair with John Mortimer.
- She was awarded the CBE (Commander of the Order of the British Empire) in the 2020 Queen's New Years Honours List for her services to Drama and Charity in Berkshire, England.
- 1st went to London at 17, only ever wanting to be a successful actress.
- Has been acting since 1951.
- At school won a prize for reciting poetry.
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