Ann Emery

Ann Emery (12 March 1930 – 28 September 2016) was a British actress.

Ann Emery
Born	12 March 1930 London, England
Died	28 September 2016 (aged 86)
Occupation	Actress
Relatives	Dick Emery (half-brother)

Early life and education

Educated at Mrs Smith's School for Young Ladies and the Cone Ripman School, Emery excelled in tap dancing, which led to her first stage role as a Babe in Babes in the Wood at King's Theatre.

Career

During her career, Emery performed in various theatre roles, including Sir Trevor Nunn's production of My Fair Lady (Royal National Theatre and the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane).^{[citation needed]}

She originated the role of Grandma in Billy Elliot the Musical^[1] which she played from 2005–10. Reviewing the musical in The Guardian, Michael Billington noted, "... when Ann Emery, as Billy's gran, sings of her sour memories of her husband, we get on the other side of the stage a collective demonstration of the slow movements of the inebriated working-class male. It is the kind of effect that can only be achieved in a musical."^[2] Following her appearance in Betty Blue Eyes, Emery returned to the role of Grandma, which she played until 8 November 2014, when she retired, aged 84.^{[citation needed]}

Emery is possibly best known for playing Ethel Meaker in the BBC children's television programme Rentaghost.^[3] She played Ethel Rocket in Julia Jekyll and Harriet Hyde in 1995 and appeared in the 2007 film Wednesday.^[4]

In 1992, she had appeared in the national tour of the Kander and Ebb musical 70 Girls 70 with Dora Bryan.^{[citation needed]} In 1999, she played a cleaner in the first episode of Miami 7, the first series featuring the pop group S Club 7, in which she appeared attempting to dance to one of the group's songs as they rehearsed in the opening scene.^{[citation needed]}

She played "Mother Dear" in Sir Cameron Mackintosh's West End musical comedy Betty Blue Eyes, based on the 1984 film A Private Function by Alan Bennett and Malcolm Mowbray. Betty Blue Eyes ran at the Novello Theatre from April to September 2011.^{[citation needed]}

Personal life

Emery was the half-sister of actor and comedian Dick Emery.^[5]

Emery died on 28 September 2016, aged 86,^[5][6] two years to the day after the performance of Billy Elliot that was live streamed to cinemas, and subsequently put on DVD as Billy Live.

Filmography

Film

Year	Title	Role	Notes
2014	Billy Elliot the Musical Live	Grandma

Television

Year	Title	Role	Notes
1956	Without Love	Dancer	Television film
1976–1984	Rentaghost	Ethel Meaker	46 episodes
1981	The Deceivers	Various	Episode: "Impostors and Impersonators"
1984	Aladdin and the Forty Thieves	The Empress	Television film
1987	The Bill	Middle Aged Woman	Episode: "Blind Alleys, Clogged Roads"
1995–1998	Julia Jekyll and Harriet Hyde	Mrs. Rocket	17 episodes
1999	Miami 7	Cleaner	Episode: "Take Off"

References

1. Snow, Georgia (30 September 2016). "Billy Elliot and Rentaghost star Ann Emery dies aged 86". The Stage. London, UK. Retrieved 30 September 2016.
2. Billington, Michael (12 May 2005). "Billy Elliot". The Guardian. London, UK. Retrieved 30 September 2016.
3. Staff (30 September 2016). "Rentaghost and Billy Elliot star, Ann Emery, has died age 86". ITV News. Retrieved 3 October 2016.
4. Staff. "Ann Emery filmography". British Film Institute. Archived from the original on 3 October 2016. Retrieved 30 September 2016.
5. Hayward, Anthony (9 October 2016). "Ann Emery obituary". The Guardian. Retrieved 10 October 2016.
6. Deon Hinds (30 September 2016). "Ann Emery, British actress, Died at 86". Dead Obituary. Archived from the original on 4 November 2016. Retrieved 1 November 2016.

External links

• Ann Emery profile, bfi.org.uk; accessed 1 November 2016.
• Ann Emery at IMDb