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This dark-haired barrel-shaped comedienne and character actress was the daughter of a Lancashire comedian. She made her professional stage debut in 1915 aged 10 and toured for decades in variety and second-rank revues, several of which she produced herself. She had a reputation for being difficult to work with, but this was probably because she was a perfectionist and had to fight for equal treatment in the male-dominated world of British show business. Her most popular act was a malaprop-filled gossip with a tall, mute stooge called Cynthia (who was nearly always played by a man in drag).

Baker became nationally famous in 1955 after a guest appearance on the TV show The Good Old Days (1953) and was kept busy in TV and on stage for the rest of her career. When success came, she lived the life of a star to the full: dressing in furs, buying a large house, driving huge cars, and keeping monkeys as pets. She allegedly had a voracious sexual appetite and a liking for very young men, and rumours circulated about wild parties at her Blackpool home. She only appeared in five films but these include the classic Saturday Night and Sunday Morning (1960) and the Oscar-winning Oliver! (1968)

She is now best remembered for the role of Nellie Pledge in the TV sitcom Nearest and Dearest (1968). This ran for seven series and spawned stage and film spin-offs. In it she played a prim Northern spinster forever locking horns with her dissolute brother Eli after they jointly inherit their father's pickle factory. Her screen brother was played by comedian Jimmy Jewel. Off-screen the pair hated each other; their on-set battles became part of British show-business legend. As the series progressed, Baker found remembering her lines increasingly difficult and began to rely on cue cards. This was the first symptom of the Alzheimer's disease that would eventually overwhelm her.

Her next starring vehicle was the TV sitcom Not on Your Nellie (1974), in which she played Nellie Pickersgill, a thinly-disguised version of Nellie Pledge, this time a teetotal spinster called down to London to run her ailing father's pub. This series was less successful and ended suddenly when the accident-prone Baker injured herself after slipping on prop beer that had been spilled on the studio floor. She sued the production company and effectively ended her television career.

In 1978 she was teamed with cockney character actor Arthur Mullard to record a parody of the Grease (1978) anthem 'You're The One That I Want,' which became an unlikely novelty hit, reaching number 22 in the UK singles chart and leading to the pair making a memorably embarrassing appearance on Top of the Pops (1964). Clips of this performance are often used in 'Worst TV moments' compilation shows. This proved to be Baker's TV swansong. Her memory was getting worse and she was unable to work. In 1981 she moved into Brinsworth House, a home for retired variety performers in Twickenham, Middlesex; then in 1984, as her condition further deteriorated, she moved to the Horton Psychiatric Hospital in 1984, where she died of bronchial pneumonia in 1986.

Hylda Baker is now a cult figure and is often quoted by today's British comediennes as an influence and a trailblazer. A one-women play about her life and career called "She Knows You Know" has played in London's West End and toured throughout the UK and Baker is becoming known to new audiences through satellite and cable TV showings and DVD releases of her TV and film work.

Geoffrey Hibbert was born on 2 June 1922 in Sculcoates, Hull, Humberside, England, UK. He was an actor, known for Love on the Dole (1941), The Shipbuilders (1943) and The Hundred Hour Hunt (1952). He was married to Prudence Rennick. He died on 3 February 1969 in Epsom, Surrey, England, UK.

H. Manning Haynes was born on 12 August 1888 in Lyminster, West Sussex, England, UK. He was a director and actor, known for Three Men in a Boat (1920), Monty Works the Wires (1921) and The Perfect Flaw (1934). He was married to Cynthia Murtagh. He died on 3 March 1957 in Epsom, Surrey, England, UK.

John Sterland was born in 1927 in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. He was an actor, known for Batman (1989), Heil Caesar! (1973) and Stalky & Co. (1982). He was married to June Bailey. He died on 21 December 2017 in Epsom, Surrey, England, UK.

Dulcie Bowman was born on 25 June 1898 in Carlisle, Cumbria, England, UK. She was an actress, known for Love Is a Woman (1966), Hostile Witness (1969) and The Adventures of Robin Hood (1955). She died on 1 October 1978 in Epsom, Surrey, England, UK.

Geoffrey B. Sundquist was born in 1953 in Manchester, Jamaica. Geoffrey B. was a writer, known for Father Christmas and the Missing Reindeer (1998) and Santa's Special Delivery (1999). Geoffrey B. died on 16 March 2005 in Epsom, Surrey, England, UK.

Prudence Rennick was born on 24 September 1926 in Kensington, London, England, UK. She was an actress, known for The Professionals (1977), The Manageress (1989) and Thomas and Sarah (1979). She was married to Geoffrey Hibbert. She died on 9 January 2009 in Epsom, Surrey, England, UK.

Billy Percy was born in 1893 in Halifax, Yorkshire, England, UK. He was an actor, known for A Sister to Assist 'Er (1938), Birds of a Feather (1935) and Laugh It Off (1940). He died on 16 January 1964 in Epsom, Surrey, England, UK.

Burnell Whibley was born on 27 February 1922 in England, UK. He was a composer, known for No Blade of Grass (1970), The Tommy Cooper Hour (1973) and With These Hands... (1971). He died on 16 April 1984 in Epsom, Surrey, England, UK.

Keith Pamplin was born in April 1935 in Surrey, England, UK. He is known for Superman (1978), Manhunter (1986) and The Bounty (1984). He was married to Ann Kethro. He died on 2 April 2009 in Epsom, Surrey, England, UK.

Nicholas Hawell was born on 6 April 1956 in England, UK. He was an actor, known for ...And Mother Makes Three (1971) and Tom Brown's Schooldays (1971). He died on 13 September 2005 in Epsom, Surrey, England, UK.

Barbara Graley was born on 12 June 1930 in Southport, Lancashire, England, UK. She was an actress, known for Eye of the Needle (1981), Secret Agent (1964) and After the Ball (1957). She died on 16 May 2007 in Epsom, Surrey, England, UK.

Frank Barber was born on 27 April 1926 in Manchester, Lancashire, England, UK. He was a composer, known for Superman IV: The Quest for Peace (1987), Appointment with Death (1988) and Charlie Chester on Laughter Service (1961). He died on 21 February 1988 in Epsom, Surrey, England, UK.

Denis Johnson was born on 3 August 1918 in Lambeth, London, England, UK. He was an assistant director and production manager, known for Outland (1981), The Haunting (1963) and A Shot in the Dark (1964). He died on 20 September 1986 in Epsom, Surrey, England, UK.

Dennis Barry was an actor, known for General Hospital (1972), Play for Today (1970) and Saint Joan (1979). He died on 27 August 1985 in Epsom, Surrey, England, UK.

Peggy Rawlings was born on 28 June 1908 in Sunderland, Tyne & Wear, England, UK. She was married to Richard Murdoch. She died on 7 June 1993 in Epsom, Surrey, England, UK.

Mollie Terraine was born on 4 July 1888 in Stockport, Greater Manchester, England, UK. She was an actress and director, known for The Toilers (1919), The Firm of Girdlestone (1915) and The Yoke (1915). She died on 22 December 1963 in Epsom, Surrey, England, UK.

Ian Bamforth was born in 1947 in Surrey, England, UK. He was an actor, known for BBC2 Play of the Week (1977), Skorpion (1983) and Supernatural (1977). He died on 27 November 2015 in Epsom, Surrey, England, UK.

Derek Holding was born in 1930 in Croydon, Surrey, England, UK. He was an editor, known for Pushing Tin (1999), The Living Daylights (1987) and Octopussy (1983). He was married to Mavis Underwood. He died in 2013 in Epsom, Surrey, England, UK.

Frank Hampson was born on 21 December 1918 in Audenshaw, Tameside, Greater Manchester, UK. Frank was a writer, known for Dan Dare: Pilot of the Future (1986), Dan Dare III: The Escape (1990) and Dan Dare 2: Mekon's Revenge (1988). Frank was married to Dorothy Mabel Jackson. Frank died on 8 July 1985 in Epsom, Surrey, England, UK.

The beautiful English actress Nell Emerald born Nellie O'Shea in England in the early 1890's. became popular in musical comedy and pantomimes, such as 'Aladdin' at the Grand Theatre in Leeds in 1907. The wonderful dark haired star appeared in many drama and crime movies, making her film debut in the title role of 'Mercia the Flower Girl' co-starring H. Agar Lyons at Brightonia Film Co in 1913, perhaps her most memorable roles was as Megsy in Sidney Morgan's 'A Lowland Cinerella' starring Joan Morgan at the Progress Film Co in 1921 and as Mrs. Denton in 'Stranger Than Fiction' co-starring George Foley in 1930. She appeared in few talkies mostly in character roles, she was last seen on screen in Herbert Mason's 'Dr. O'Dowd' starring Peggy Cummins in 1940. She was also a writer and stage and film producer. Sister of actress Connie Emerald, Sister-in-law of actor Stanley Lupino and Aunty of actress Ida Lupino.

Boris Pecker was born on 2 September 1902 in Russia. He was an actor, known for Fantastic Garden (1939), Order to View (1938) and The Golden Apple (1937). He died on 4 July 1984 in Epsom, Surrey, England, UK.

Roy Rossotti was born on 29 March 1932 in London, England, UK. He was a director and assistant director, known for Lawrence of Arabia (1962), Doctor Zhivago (1965) and The Avengers (1961). He was married to Jill Kennington. He died on 19 May 2008 in Epsom, Surrey, England, UK.

Marjorie Page was born on 22 December 1915 in Faversham, Kent, England, UK. She was an actress, known for Dr. Finlay's Casebook (1962), The Idiot (1966) and The Cradle Song (1947). She died on 13 July 1993 in Epsom, Surrey, England, UK.

A.B. Imeson was born on 21 December 1874 in Middlesbrough, North Yorkshire, England, UK. He was an actor and producer, known for Dicky Monteith (1922), Tense Moments from Opera (1922) and The Picture of Dorian Gray (1916). He was married to Ann Stephenson. He died on 28 February 1944 in Epsom, Surrey, England, UK.