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Gretchen Franklin

Gretchen Franklin

Known For Acting
Birthday Jul 07, 1911
Died Jul 11, 2005 (94)
Birthplace Covent Garden, London, England, UK
Popularity 0.2 (history)
Updated Aug 05, 2024
Entry Date Apr 13, 2024
Links TMDb IMDb
Biography

Born in Covent Garden, West London in 1911, Gretchen Franklin was an English actress and dancer whose showbusiness career spanned over 70 years. She was best known for her role as Ethel Skinner in the long-running BBC 1 soap opera EastEnders. She appeared in the very first episode in 1985 and was a ... regular in the series until 1988. After this she returned to the show intermittently until 2000 when her character was killed off, allowing Franklin to retire from acting at the age of 89. Born into a theatrical family (her father had a song and dance act, her grandfather was a famous music hall entertainer at the turn of the century and her cousin was Dad's Army star Clive Dunn) Gretchen Franklin made her theatre debut as a teenage chorus girl. She toured with comedians such as Gracie Fields before making the switch to serious acting. Her film appearances included Cloak Without Dagger (1956), Flame in the Streets (1961), The Murder Game (1965), Help! (1965), How I Won The War (1967), Twisted Nerve (1968), The Night Visitor (1971), The Three Musketeers (1973), Quincy's Quest (1979), and Ragtime (1981), among others. She is namechecked in The Fall's 1990 song Telephone Thing.

Known For

Filmography

Return to Waterloo

Return to Waterloo

1984

as Woman on Train

Ragtime

Ragtime

1981

as Elderly Woman

The One and Only Phyllis Dixey

The One and Only Phyllis Dixey

1978

as Phyllis's Dresser

The Four Musketeers

The Four Musketeers

1974

as D'Artagnan's Mother (archive footage) (uncredited)

Secrets

Secrets

1973

as Mrs. Pitt

The Three Musketeers

The Three Musketeers

1973

as D’Artagnan’s Mother

The Night Visitor

The Night Visitor

1971

as Mrs. Hansen

The Company Man

The Company Man

1970

as Tea Lady

Subterfuge

Subterfuge

1968

as Bus Conductress

Twisted Nerve

Twisted Nerve

1968

as Clarkie

How I Won the War

How I Won the War

1967

as 2nd Old Lady

The Murder Game

The Murder Game

1965

as Landlady

Help!

Help!

1965

as Neighbour

The Silent Playground

The Silent Playground

1963

as Mrs. Elgin

Ticket to Paradise

Ticket to Paradise

1961

as Mrs. Higginbottom

Flame in the Streets

Flame in the Streets

1961

as Mrs. Bingham

The Secret Place

The Secret Place

1957

as Mother (uncredited)

High Terrace

High Terrace

1956

as Mrs. Webb

Cloak Without Dagger

Cloak Without Dagger

1956

as Emmie

Before I Wake

Before I Wake

1955

as Elsie

Trottie True

Trottie True

1949

as Martha (uncredited)

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Organization Category Movie
Television Credits

EastEnders

as Ethel Skinner

Episodes: 570

First Aired: Feb 19, 1985

Bowler

as Mrs Bowler

Episodes: 13

First Aired: Jul 29, 1973

I Didn't Know You Cared

as Auntie Lil

Episodes: 7

First Aired: Aug 27, 1975

Quatermass

as Edna

Episodes: 2

First Aired: Oct 24, 1979

Keeping Up Appearances

as Daddy's Fiance

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Oct 29, 1990

Budgie

as Carrie Wetherall

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Apr 09, 1971

Gideon's Way

as Martha Bray

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Mar 18, 1965

The Scales of Justice

as Rose Jenkins

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Jan 11, 1962

The Sweeney

as Florence, the Charlady

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Jan 02, 1975

The Protectors

as Nelly Baxter

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Sep 29, 1972

Dixon of Dock Green

as Mrs. Walcott

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Jul 09, 1955

George and Mildred

as Mother

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Sep 06, 1976

Nicholas Nickleby

as Miss Knag

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Mar 27, 1977

Blackadder

as Cordelia

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Jun 15, 1983

Rising Damp

as Aunt Maud

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Sep 02, 1974

Terry and June

as Cath

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Oct 24, 1979

Danger UXB

as Mrs. Flack

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Jan 08, 1979

Sykes

as Bookstall Assistant

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Sep 14, 1972

EastEnders

Episodes: 669

First Aired: Feb 19, 1985

Castle Haven

Episodes: 100

First Aired: Apr 04, 1969

Bowler

Episodes: 13

First Aired: Jul 29, 1973

Dead Ernest

Episodes: 7

First Aired: Feb 15, 1982

The Artful Dodger

Episodes: 6

First Aired: Sep 28, 1959

Z-Cars

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Jan 02, 1962

Some Mothers Do 'Ave 'Em

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Feb 15, 1973

Hazell

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Jan 16, 1978

Black and Blue

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Aug 14, 1973

A Slight Case Of...

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Sep 08, 1965

Popularity Metrics

Popularity History


Year Month Avg Max Min
2024 6 4 7 2
2024 7 8 22 2
2024 8 7 14 3
2024 9 5 9 2
2024 10 2 7 1
2024 11 2 5 1
2024 12 2 4 1
2025 1 4 12 1
2025 2 2 5 1
2025 3 2 4 1
2025 5 1 1 1
2025 7 0 0 0
2025 8 0 2 0
2025 9 0 0 0
2025 10 0 0 0

Trending Rank


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