Josephine Ann Tewson (born 26 February 1931) is a British stage and
television character actress. She is best known for her roles in
popular and long-running British television sitcoms, such as Elizabeth
"Liz" Warden, one of the long-suffering neighbours of Hyacinth Bucket
in Keeping Up Appearances (1990â€"95), and Miss Davenport in Last of
the Summer Wine (2003â€"10).Tewson was born in Hampstead, London. Her
father, William, was a professional musician and played the double
bass in the BBC Symphony Orchestra; her mother, Kate (née Morley,
born 1908), was a nurse, the daughter of Haydn Morley who captained
Sheffield Wednesday in the 1890 F.A cup final. After grammar school,
Tewson studied at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art from which she
graduated in 1952. She was married to actor Leonard Rossiter; the
couple divorced in 1961.A regular comedy performer in sketches
featuring Ronnie Corbett and Ronnie Barker on David Frost on Sunday
and Hark at Barker (1969), she later appeared in Mostly Monkhouse, a
BBC Radio Comedy programme with David Jason supporting Bob Monkhouse.
She also appeared a few times in Z-Cars (1963â€"69) and The Charlie
Drake Show (1968). Tewson played Edna Hawkins (usually referred to as
Mrs H by Shelley) in the first six series of the British sitcom
Shelley (1979â€"82). Later, she played Jane Travers in Ronnie Barker's
sitcom Clarence (1988), which he also wrote, and was his last starring
television role before his retirement.
television character actress. She is best known for her roles in
popular and long-running British television sitcoms, such as Elizabeth
"Liz" Warden, one of the long-suffering neighbours of Hyacinth Bucket
in Keeping Up Appearances (1990â€"95), and Miss Davenport in Last of
the Summer Wine (2003â€"10).Tewson was born in Hampstead, London. Her
father, William, was a professional musician and played the double
bass in the BBC Symphony Orchestra; her mother, Kate (née Morley,
born 1908), was a nurse, the daughter of Haydn Morley who captained
Sheffield Wednesday in the 1890 F.A cup final. After grammar school,
Tewson studied at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art from which she
graduated in 1952. She was married to actor Leonard Rossiter; the
couple divorced in 1961.A regular comedy performer in sketches
featuring Ronnie Corbett and Ronnie Barker on David Frost on Sunday
and Hark at Barker (1969), she later appeared in Mostly Monkhouse, a
BBC Radio Comedy programme with David Jason supporting Bob Monkhouse.
She also appeared a few times in Z-Cars (1963â€"69) and The Charlie
Drake Show (1968). Tewson played Edna Hawkins (usually referred to as
Mrs H by Shelley) in the first six series of the British sitcom
Shelley (1979â€"82). Later, she played Jane Travers in Ronnie Barker's
sitcom Clarence (1988), which he also wrote, and was his last starring
television role before his retirement.
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