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Sir Michael Gambon was born in Cabra, Dublin, Ireland, to Mary (Hoare), a seamstress, and Edward Gambon, an engineer. After joining the National Theatre, under the Artistic Directorship of Sir Laurence Olivier, Gambon went on to appear in a number of leading roles in plays written by Alan Ayckbourn. His career was catapulted in 1980 when he took the lead role in John Dexter's production of "Galileo". Since then, Gambon has regularly appeared at the Royal National Theatre and the RSC. Roles include, King Lear, Othello, Mark Anthony and Volpone. He was described by the late Sir Ralph Richardson as being "The Great Gambon" and he is now considered to be one of the British theatre's leading lights. He was made a CBE in 1992.

Joan Hickson was born in 1906 at Kingsthorpe, Northampton. Her stage career began with provincial theater in 1927, going on to a long series of West End comedies, usually playing the part of a confused or eccentric middle-age woman. She performed at the Regent's Park Open Air Theatre, at the time London was subject to World War II bombing. Her work gradually included screen roles: The Outsider (1948), The Promoter (1952), The 39 Steps (1959) - over 80 movies in all - but her stage career continued, with parts in three Peter Nichols plays, Noël Coward's "Blithe Spirit" (1976) and and a Tony award supporting actress performance in Alan Ayckbourn's "Bedroom Farce" (1977). Her first Agatha Christie role was "Miss Pryce" in the play, "Appointment With Death" (1946), which prompted Christie, herself, to write "I hope you will play my dear Miss Marple". She began playing this, her best known part, in her late 70s, in a BBC television series which ran from 1984 to 1992. A Miss Marple fan, Queen Elizabeth II, awarded her the Order of the British Empire in 1987. After the series closed, Joan recorded audio books of the Christie mysteries. She died, aged 92, in a hospital at Colchester, Essex, survived by a son and daughter (her physician husband Eric Butler died in 1967).

Born on 2 January 1948, Deborah Watling grew up in an acting family. She attended stage school after failing her O level exams, but left after three weeks and got herself an agent. She then landed the part of Alice in a BBC play "The Life of Lewis Carroll" (aka Alice (1965)). This was followed by other roles, including film parts, with Cliff Richard in Take Me High (1973) and with David Essex in That'll Be the Day (1973). She was offered the role of Victoria in Doctor Who (1963) as Innes Lloyd had remembered the Radio Times cover for "The Life of Lewis Carroll" and asked Deborah to play the part. Following Doctor Who, Deborah opened her own boutique before landing a part in The Newcomers (1965). Since then she has appeared in numerous TV roles including Danger UXB (1979), Hello Young Lovers (1978), and Doctor in Charge (1972) and has done much work in the theatre.

James Booth was born on 19 December 1927 in Croydon, Surrey, England, UK. He was an actor and writer, known for Zulu (1964), American Ninja 4: The Annihilation (1990) and Airport '77 (1977). He was married to Paula Delaney. He died on 11 August 2005 in Hadleigh, Essex, England, UK.

Jeannette Charles was born on 15 October 1927 in London, England, UK. She was an actress, known for Austin Powers in Goldmember (2002), National Lampoon's European Vacation (1985) and The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad! (1988). She was married to Kenneth Bertie Charles. She died on 2 June 2024 in Great Baddow, Essex, England, UK.

Frank Mills was born on 11 April 1927 in Peckham, London, England, UK. He was an actor, known for Oliver Twist (2005), Big Deal (1984) and Flambards (1979). He died on 11 February 2021 in Essex, England, UK.

Terence Davies was born on 10 November 1945 in Liverpool, England, UK. He was a writer and director, known for Distant Voices, Still Lives (1988), The House of Mirth (2000) and Benediction (2021). He died on 7 October 2023 in Mistley, Essex, England, UK.

Malcolm McFee, an English actor born in the mid-1940s, was best known for his role as "Peter Craven" in the hit TV series Please Sir! (1968) and The Fenn Street Gang (1971). Inspired by the 1967 movie To Sir, with Love (1967), Please Sir! (1968) - which debuted in 1968 - was itself the inspiration for the American series Welcome Back, Kotter (1975). Set in a south London secondary school called "The Fenn Street School", the situation comedy assayed the travails of a naive school teacher played by John Alderton and his unruly class of students. McFee, who was in his early 20s, played one of the mob of rowdy adolescent boys and girls (all the actors being significantly older than the ages of the characters they were portraying). McFee also was in the 1971 movie of the same name, Please Sir! (1971).

He appeared in the anti-war satirical musical Oh! What a Lovely War (1969), the first movie directed by Richard Attenborough, as one of three boys from a family that go off to World War One to fight for King and Country. McFee is the last of the three brothers to be killed, near the end of the war (and movie).

After series star John Alderton left the show in 1971, the series was renamed The Fenn Street Gang (1971) and focused on the kids after they had left school. The Fenn Street Gang (1971) lasted until 1973, dying a slow death as the chemistry of the original had been lost. The shows were popular, consistently ranking in the top five during their entire runs.

McFee's career went in the doldrums after The Fenn Street Gang (1971). He made guest appearances on other TV shows and turned to the stage, where he made a career as an actor and director. As a theater director, he worked in small theaters in Greater London and the provinces. He died suddenly in November 2001 at his home in Braintree, Essex, three weeks before he was scheduled to appear as the "Dame" in the pantomime of "Beauty and the Beast" at the Chesham-based Elgiva Theatre company. He had been suffering from cancer.

Patrick Newell was born on 27 March 1932 in Hadleigh, Suffolk, England, UK. He was an actor, known for The Avengers (1961), Kinvig (1981) and Where's Johnny? (1974). He was married to Derina House. He died on 22 July 1988 in Essex, England, UK.

Jack Watling was born on 13 January 1923 in Chingford, Essex, England, UK. He was an actor, known for A Night to Remember (1958), Journey Together (1945) and The Winslow Boy (1948). He was married to Patricia Hicks. He died on 22 May 2001 in Chelmsford, Essex, England, UK.

The youngest of three daughters born to iron and steel merchant William 'Copper' Hicks and Hester, She was educated at a girls school in Shrewsbury where she appeared as the Duke of Gloucester in Richard of Bordeaux and as Bottom in A Midsummer Nights Dream, She served as a land girl during WWII and trained for the theatre at the Webber Douglas School in London and graduated in 1947, She made her stage debut in Written For a Lady at the Royal Court Theatre in Liverpool which transferred to the Garrick Theatre in London followed by work at the repertory theatres at New Brighton and Hammersmith

Ken Campbell was born on 10 December 1941 in Ilford, Essex, England, UK. He was an actor and writer, known for Creep (2004), A Fish Called Wanda (1988) and Law & Order (1978). He was married to Prunella Gee. He died on 31 August 2008 in Epping Forest, Essex, England, UK.

Alfie Curtis was born on July 28, 1930 in Stepney, London, England. Alfie began acting on various British television shows in 1973. With his tallish (5'10"), burly build, intimidating presence, and rough face (the latter was the result of a terrible childhood accident), Curtis was especially memorable as the belligerent Mos Eisley cantina-thug Dr. Cornelius Evazan who antagonizes Luke Skywalker ("I have the death-sentence on twelve systems") in Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope (1977). Alfie lived in a semi-detached house in the Essex town of Billericay for the last fourteen years of his life. Alfie Curtis died at age 87 on November 30, 2017.

Jade Goody was born on 5 June 1981 in Bermondsey, London, England, UK. She was an actress, known for Bo Selecta: Proper Crimbo (2003), Treasure (2015) and Stars in Their Eyes (1990). She was married to Jack Tweed. She died on 22 March 2009 in Upshire, Essex, England, UK.

John Rapley was born on 18 April 1935 in West Ham, London, England, UK. He was an actor, known for The Elephant Man (1980), Goodnight Sweetheart (1993) and Jane and the Lost City (1987). He died on 18 April 2016 in Theydon Bois, Essex, England, UK.

Philip Locke was born on 29 March 1928 in St. Marylebone, London, England, UK. He was an actor, known for Thunderball (1965), Porridge (1979) and Oliver Twist (1982). He died on 19 April 2004 in Dedham, Essex, England, UK.

Ron Pember was born on 11 April 1934 in Plaistow, London, England, UK. He was an actor, known for The Invisible Man (1984), Secret Army (1977) and The Avengers (1961). He was married to Yvonne Tylee. He died on 8 March 2022 in Southend-on-Sea, Essex, England, UK.

John Scott Martin was born on 1 April 1926 in Toxteth, Liverpool, Merseyside, England, UK. He was an actor, known for Little Shop of Horrors (1986), Doctor Who (1963) and Pink Floyd: The Wall (1982). He died on 6 January 2009 in Great Maplestead, Essex, England, UK.

Dorothy L. Sayers was an English crime writer, one of the most popular writers of the so-called Golden Age of Detective Fiction (1920s-1930s). She was known as one of the four Queens of Crime, alongside her fellow novelists Margery Allingham, Agatha Christie, and Ngaio Marsh. Sayers' most popular character was Lord Peter Wimsey, an aristocratic gentleman detective who viewed mystery solving as an amusing hobby. Sayers wrote 11 Wimsey novels and several short stories featuring Wimsey and his family. In addition to her crime fiction works, Sayers wrote plays, works of literary criticism, and essays on various topics. She also translated works by other writers into English. Her English translation of the "Divine Comedy" is considered her most notable work in that field.

In 1893, Sayers was born in Oxford. Her father was the Reverend Henry Sayers, chaplain of the Christ Church Cathedral. Henry also served for some time as the headmaster of the Christ Church Cathedral School. Sayers' mother was Helen Mary Leigh, daughter of a prominent solicitor. Helen was a member of the extended Leigh family, landed gentry from the Isle of Wight.

Sayers was primarily raised in the tiny village of Bluntisham, after her father was appointed as the rector of the local church. In 1909, she started attending the Godolphin School as a full-time student. It was a boarding school for girls, located in Salisbury. The school was named after its founder, Elizabeth Godolphin (c. 1663 --1726), and was originally devoted to the education of orphan girls from prosperous families.

In 1912, Sayers won a scholarship that allowed her to attend Somerville College, in Oxford. She studied both modern languages and medieval literature at the college. Her most prominent teacher was Mildred K. Pope (1872 - 1956), a historian specializing in Anglo-Norman England. Sayers graduated with first-class honors in 1915, but did not actually receive her Master of Arts degree until 1920. Sayers was among the first female students to receive degrees from the University of Oxford. Women were previously allowed to attend Oxford, but there was a college policy against granting them degrees.

Sayers started her literary career as a poet, publishing her first volume of poems in 1916. Her poems were regularly published at "The Oxford Magazine" (1883-) , a literary magazine associated with Oxford University. Sayers initially supported herself financially by working as a teacher. In the early 1920s, she started working for the publishing company Victor Gollancz. From 1922 to 1931, Sayers worked as a copywriter and advertiser for the advertising agency S.H. Benson. She is credited with creating successful advertising campaigns for Colman's mustard and Guinness beer.

Sayers started work on her first crime novel in 1920, but did not complete it until 1923. The novel was "Whose Body?" (1923), the debut novel for Peter Wimsey. The novel begins with the discovery of an unidentified man's corpse in the bathroom of a private apartment, whose owner had never met the dead man. The dead man was a look-alike of a famous financier who had mysteriously disappeared the previous night. Wimsey has to discover what connected the two men, and what happened to them. The novel was met with praise for its plot twists, and established Sayers' reputation as a novelist.

Sayers published the rest of the Wimsey novels between 1926 and 1937. She eventually lost interest in writing crime novels, ending her career as a novelist in 1939. She reportedly found it pointless to write murder mysteries at a time when real-life mass murders were monopolizing the news. She briefly re-used Wimsey and his supporting cast in ""The Wimsey Papers" (1939-1940), a series of magazine articles commenting on wartime conditions in Britain.

During the early phases of World War II, Sayers published the theology book "The Mind of the Maker" (1941). Its primary topic was the nature of the Trinity, and its connection to the creative process in art. She explored the central doctrines of Christianity in several other theological works. In 1943, she was offered a doctorate in divinity by the then-Archbishop of Canterbury. She declined the offer, as she did not view herself as a professional theologian.

Sayers published non-fiction works on various topics throughout the 1940s and the 1950s. Sayers died in December 1957, due to coronary thrombosis (a heart disease). She was 64-years-old at the time of her death. Her remains were cremated and her ashes buried beneath the tower of St Anne's Church, Soho, London. The sole beneficiary of her will was her illegitimate son, John Anthony Fleming.

Sayer's reputation as a theologian has endured into the 21st century. In 2022, Sayers was officially added to the Episcopal Church liturgical calendar with a feast day on 17 December. Her novels remain popular, and have received a number of adaptations for television and radio.

Steve Marriott was a child actor, noted for playing both Oliver and The Artful Dodger in Lionel Bart's stage production, Oliver! He is featured on the soundtrack album. Steve, however, reached the giddy heights of international stardom as lead singer/guitarist with 60s UK soul/pop group, The Small Faces, attaining a UK no.1 hit with All Or Nothing, plus several other hits, including Sha La La La Lee, Lazy Sunday, Itchycoo Park and Tin Soldier. After the break-up of The Small Faces, Steve fronted rockers Humble Pie, writing their biggest hit, Natural Born Boogie. Steve tragically died in a fire at his home in April 1991.

Kitty Bluett was the daughter of English comedian Fred George Bluett and Catherine McKechnie. She had one sister Belle who was married to comedian Jimmy Jewel. She had one brother Gus who became part of his father's act. Kitty was born in Brixton, London at the height of a Zeppelin raid. At the age of 10 weeks, she was taken by her family back to Australia. She became a top radio star down under where she was the professional partner of Dick Bentley and at one time was Australia's top female disc jockey. She married Walter Robert Portingale during the forties and divorced him in January 1947 on the grounds that he refused to provide a home for her and was not sympathetic to her career aspirations. In 1948 she came to England and became as household name on radio playing comedian Ted Ray's wife in "Ray's a Laugh" during the fifties. She married secondly Julian Jover, acrobat and Variety performer, in 1955 and with him had a daughter named Jodie who was born in the last quarter of 1958 in Sussex, England. The family went back to Australia where Jover became a highly successful children's television producer and was as of 2006 remarried to Lynn and living in Bunderberg, Australia. Kitty had divorced him and moved back to England where she died as Kathleen Zeppy Jover in Colchester at age 78.

Born Dorothy Gladys Smith in Lancashire, England, Dodie Smith was raised in Manchester (her memoir is titled "A Childhood in Manchester"). She was just an infant when her father died, and she grew up fatherless until age 14, when her mother remarried and the family moved to London. There she studied at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts and tried for a career as an actress, but with little success. She finally wound up taking a job as a toy buyer for a furniture store to make ends meet. Giving up dreams of an acting career, she turned to writing plays, and in 1931 her first play, "Autumn Crocus", was published (under the pseudonym "C.L. Anthony"). It was a success, and her story -- from failed actress to furniture store employee to successful writer -- captured the imagination of the public and she was featured in papers all over the country. Although she could now afford to move to a London townhouse, she didn't get caught up in the "literary" scene -- she married a man who was a fellow employee at the furniture store.

During World War II she and her husband moved to the US, mostly because of his stand as a conscientious objector and the social and legal difficulties that entailed. She was still homesick for England, though, as reflected in her first novel, "I Capture the Castle" (1948). During her stay she formed close friendships with such authors as Christopher Isherwood and John Van Druten, and was aided in her literary endeavors by writer A.J. Cronin.

She is perhaps best known for her novel "The Hundred and One Dalmations", a hugely popular childrens book that has been made into a string of very successful animated films by Walt Disney. She died in 1990.

Keith Flint was born on 17 September 1969 in Chelmsford, Essex, England, UK. He was an actor and composer, known for F9: The Fast Saga (2021), The Condemned (2007) and Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle (2003). He was married to Mayumi Kai. He died on 4 March 2019 in Brook Hill, North End, Dunmow, Essex, England, UK.

Geraldine didn't like the sound of her birth name for acting purposes so with her then agent Richard Stone, changed it to Trudi Van Doorn. This worked well for the number of comedy TV roles she was offered and enjoyed the work, particularly The Benny Hill Show franchise,Danger UXB, The Avengers and BBc's Are You Being Served. She was an excellent strong singer with a wide range, and in her own words a reasonably good dancer. Self deprecation was her usual way of coping. Truth was she was a first class dancer and had a powerful voice. She played Sheila in the original London West End production of Chorus Line, changing her professional Equity name to Geraldine Gardner she then almost immediately landed the part of Bombalurina in the original London production of Cats. Earlier in her career she was pencilled in for the role of Purdey in The Avengers but Joanna Lumley won that role. Her list of TV credits is extensive but you just have to look for three different names. One thing is certain her original birth name was never ever used by her professionally in Film, TV, and Theatre roles.

John Bryans was born on 5 August 1942 in England, UK. He was an actor, known for For Whom the Bell Tolls (1965), Nana (1968) and Blake's 7 (1978). He died on 2 March 1989 in Colchester, Essex, England, UK.