1937 - 2018
Bella Emberg
Bella Emberg (16 September 1937 – 12 January 2018) was a British actress who appeared on The Benny Hill Show and The Russ Abbot Show, where she was famed for her role as Blunderwoman. She also featured in Softly, Softly and Z Cars, as well as having small roles in Grange Hill. In addition to her numerous panto appearances she also gained a legion of fans after appearing on stage in Prisoner Cell Block H - The Musical. She made a guest appearance in The Basil Brush Show, and also featured in Doctor Who, a total of three times. In the 1970s, she had uncredited roles in the Third Doctor serials Doctor Who and the Silurians and The Time Warrior. In 2006, she was seen in the Tenth Doctor episode "Love & Monsters", where she played Mrs Croot. A second appearance as Mrs Croot was recorded for "The Runaway Bride" but cut before transmission. She played the part of Aunt Barbara in the Second series of the CBBC programme "Bear Behaving Badly" in 2008, the third series in 2009, and the fourth in 2010.
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Bella Emberg died on 12 January 2018 aged 80
Panto performances included....
1985/86 Cinderella - Grand Theatre Leeds
1987/88 Jack and the Beanstalk - Bournemouth Pavilion
1988/89 Jack & the Beanstalk - Birmingham Hippodrome
1992/93 Babes in the Wood - Bradford Alhambra
1994/95 Goldilocks and the Three Bears - New Victoria Theatre, Woking
1995/96 Cinderella - Derngate Northampton
1996/97 Cinderella - Theatre Royal Bath
1997/98 Dick Whittington - Sheffield Lyceum
1998/99 Cinderella - Cliffs Pavilion, Southend
2000/01 Cinderella - The Hawth, Crawley
2002/03 Jack and the Beanstalk - Stockport Plaza
2003/04 Dick Whittington - Newark Theatre
2004/05 Jack and the Beanstalk - Middlesborough Theatre
"She was my leading lady throughout most of my career. Not only a great sport but a huge comedy talent. Genuinely funny but most of all, a woman of immense warmth and generosity. I count myself very lucky to have worked alongside her. She really was a one-off.”
- RUSS ABBOT
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