Biography for
Mollie Sugden More at IMDbPro »

Date of Birth

21 July 1922, Keighley, Yorkshire, England, UK

Date of Death

1 July 2009, Guildford, Surrey, England, UK (natural causes)

Birth Name

Mary Isobel Sugden

Height

5' 3" (1.60 m)

Spouse

William Moore

(29 March 1958 - 24 April 2000) (his death) 2 children

Trivia

Mollie Sugden attended the Guildhall school of music and drama in London.

Children: Robin and Simon (twins).

Has five grandchildren.

After the first episode of of "Are You Being Served?" (1972), she decided her hair was too plain for Mrs. Slocombe - so she bleached it white and dyed it a different colour for each subsequent episode in the first season. But the ends of bleached hair become spongy, so that the dyes never entirely washed out and, she says, her twin boys didn't appreciate being picked up from school "by a mother with multi-coloured ends." So, after the first season, when she saw the show was a hit, she asked the BBC to supply her with wigs instead of dying her hair a different colour every week.

Grandchildren James and Emily.

She is still great friends with the surviving cast members of "Are You Being Served?" (1972).

Appeared on season three of "Little Britain" (2003) as herself. The character of Liz (David Walliams) is always bragging how she was the bridesmaid for Molly Sugden's wedding, to anyone and everyone, while her poor husband Clive (Matt Lucas) tries to hush her. In one episode, Liz starts again bragging about being Molly's bridesmaid. When Molly turns around (we first see only her back) she says to Liz that she only had one bridesmaid and the girl was called Helen, not Liz. Liz ends the skit with throwing a knife into Molly's back. The character of Liz was inspired by a friend of David Walliams who went to a wedding where he met an older woman who was claiming to have been Molly's bridesmaid.

Was compared with Lucille Ball by John Inman, who stated that both Ball and Sugden were among the very few actresses who were never afraid to do or accept anything for a laugh (such as having a pie thrown in the face or acting downright silly).

Close friend of Björk.

Had a small speaking role in the San Francisco Opera's 1993 production of Donizetti's "Daughter of the Regiment".

Worked in a munitions factory during World War II.

After graduation she spent eight years in rep with a company that included Eric Sykes and Roy Dotrice,.

Worked during the war in a munitions factory in Keighley making shells for the Royal Navy.

Her father ran an iron and steel company.

Where Are They Now

(January 2002) Living a quiet life in rural England

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