Elsie Kelly
{{Short description|English actress}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2020}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Elsie Kelly
| image =
| image_size =
| caption =
| birth_name =
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|df=y|1936|06|07}}
| birth_place = Dovecot, Liverpool, England
| occupation = Actress
| years_active = 1974–present
| known_for = Crossroads
The Famous Five
Harry and the Wrinklies
Benidorm
}}
Elsie Kelly (born 7 June 1936) is an English actress. With a career spanning five decades, she has appeared in various television shows including Crossroads, The Famous Five and Harry and the Wrinklies, before taking on her best known role of Noreen Maltby in the ITV sitcom Benidorm (2007–2012, 2015–2018).
Career
Kelly became Director of the Birkenhead Operatic Society Trust in 1974,{{Cite web|url=https://www.wirralglobe.co.uk/news/17636271.elsie-kelly-directs-final-show-birkenhead-operatic-society/ |title= Elsie Kelly directs her final show for Birkenhead Operatic Society |website= wirralglobe.co.uk |date= 13 May 2019}} Throughout her time with the company, she directed various productions in the Liverpool Empire, Liverpool Royal Court, the Floral Pavilion in New Brighton and the Gladstone Theatre Port Sunlight.{{Cite web|url= https://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/whats-on/theatre-news/elsie-kelly-swaps-benidorm-live-15184891|title=Bendorm star swaps screen for stage to direct Royal Court musical|last=Pearson|first=Michael|date=2018-09-21|website=liverpoolecho|access-date=2020-04-13}} Productions include Annie, 42nd Street, Oliver, The Sound of Music, The Full Monty, Hello Dolly, Crazy for you, The Scarlet Pimpernel, and Jekyll and Hyde. Kelly announced her retirement from the company in 2019.
In 1979, Kelly made her television debut appearing in the ITV soap opera Crossroads, in which she portrayed cleaner and gossip Mrs Tardebigge, a role which she played until the soap's cancellation in 1988. Kelly also appeared in an episode of Bread.{{cite web |title= Elsie Kelly to retire after 46 years |url= https://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/news/liverpool-news/elsie-kellys-bond-johnny-vegas-7597676 |website=liverpoolecho.co.uk|date=August 11, 2014}}
Following a gap from television work, Kelly appeared in the film Intimate Relations in 1996 and then returned to television to play Joan, the cook in the television adaptation of The Famous Five for a number of episodes between 1995 and 1997. This was followed by her portrayal of Mrs Humphries in The Ghost Hunter in 2000 and Florrie in Harry and the Wrinklies.{{cite web |title=Harry and the Wrinklies |url=https://www.tvguide.com/tvshows/harry-and-the-wrinklies/cast/1000128548/ |website=TVGuide.com |access-date=15 June 2024 |language=en}}
In 2006, Kelly joined the cast of the first series of the ITV comedy series Benidorm, playing the character of Noreen Maltby, she was a regular in series 1 to 5 and 7 to 10.{{Cite news|last=Pickard|first=Anna|url= https://www.theguardian.com/culture/tvandradioblog/2007/feb/20/whycantitvmakedecentsitco |title=Why can't ITV make decent sitcoms?|date=2007-02-20|work= The Guardian|access-date=2020-04-13|issn=0261-3077}}{{Cite web|url=http://www.digitalspy.com/tv/a620915/johnny-vegas-and-elsie-kelly-return-in-new-benidorm-clip/|title=Watch Johnny Vegas's Benidorm return clip|last=Eames|first=Tom|date=2015-01-12|website=Digital Spy|access-date=2020-04-13}} In series 10, Kelly also played Noreen's identical twin sister Doreen in a dual role.{{Cite web|title= Benidorm's Elsie Kelly |url= https://www.pressreader.com/uk/tv-times/20180407/284004717751834 |work=TV-Times|date=April 7, 2018}}
Kelly has also appeared as Mrs. Hargreaves in Coronation Street for 2 episodes in 2011, and has appeared in an episode of Skins.{{cite web |title= Elsie Kelly to retire after 46 years |url= https://www.bostmusicals.co.uk/elsie-kelly-to-retire-after-46-years/ |website=bostmusicals.co.uk |access-date= May 29, 2020}}
Kelly made an appearance in the fifth episode of the second series of the British anthology series Inside No. 9 as the role of Maggie.
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- {{IMDb name|0446372}}
{{authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Kelly, Elsie}}
Category:20th-century English actresses
Category:21st-century English actresses