Gretchen Franklin
Birthday
1911/07/07
Day of death
2005/07/11 (94 years old)
Gender
Female
Place of Birth
Covent Garden, London, England, UK
Also know as
--
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...Read more
Acting
(1978) The One and Only Phyllis Dixey
as Phyllis's Dresser
(1965) The Murder Game
as Landlady
(1955) Before I Wake
as Elsie
(1961) The Trouble with Our Ivy
as Mrs. Chard
(1961) Ticket to Paradise
as Mrs. Higginbottom
(1963) The Silent Playground
as Mrs. Elgin
(1974) The Four Musketeers
as D'Artagnan's Mother (archive footage) (uncredited)
(1973) Secrets
as Mrs. Pitt
(1968) Twisted Nerve
as Clarkie
(1970) The Company Man
as Tea Lady
(1973) The Three Musketeers
as D’Artagnan’s Mother
(1961) Flame in the Streets
as Mrs. Bingham
(1971) The Night Visitor
as Mrs. Hansen
(1956) The High Terrace
as Mrs. Webb
(1984) Return to Waterloo
as Woman on Train
(1968) Subterfuge
as Bus Conductress
(1967) How I Won the War
as 2nd Old Lady
(1965) Help!
as Neighbour
(1949) Trottie True
as Martha (uncredited)
(1957) The Secret Place
as Mother (uncredited)
(1956) Cloak Without Dagger
as Emmie
(1981) Ragtime
as Elderly Woman
(1960) The Poet
as Erminia
(1990) Keeping Up Appearances
as Daddy's Fiance
(1959) The Artful Dodger
as ---
(1971) Budgie
as Carrie Wetherall
(1985) EastEnders
as ---
(1962) Z-Cars
as ---
(1965) Gideon's Way
as Martha Bray
(1975) The Sweeney
as Florence, the Charlady
(1962) The Scales of Justice
as Rose Jenkins
(1972) The Protectors
as Nelly Baxter
(1955) Dixon of Dock Green
as Mrs. Walcott
(1973) Some Mothers Do 'Ave 'Em
as ---
(1975) I Didn't Know You Cared
as Auntie Lil
(1965) A Slight Case Of...
as ---
(1982) Dead Ernest
as ---
(1976) George and Mildred
as Mother
(1973) Bowler
as ---
(1969) Castle Haven
as ---
(1985) EastEnders
as Ethel Skinner
(1983) Blackadder
as Cordelia
(1974) Rising Damp
as Aunt Maud
(1973) Bowler
as Mrs Bowler
(1979) Terry and June
as Cath
(1979) Danger UXB
as Mrs. Flack
(1972) Sykes
as Bookstall Assistant
(1979) Quatermass
as Edna
(1958) Saturday Playhouse
as Susan Sillsby
(1958) Saturday Playhouse
as Mrs. Wilson
(1958) Saturday Playhouse
as Mrs. Catt
(1965) Londoners
as Mrs. Hincastle
(1977) Nicholas Nickleby
as Miss Knag
(1964) Story Parade
as Mrs. Huxtable
(1973) Black and Blue
as Mrs. Pitt
(1974) Churchill's People
as Mrs Baxter
(1978) Hazell
as Pearl