Barbara Knox
Encyclopedia
Barbara Knox, MBE
(née Brothwood, formerly Mullaney; born 30 September 1933), is an English
actress, best known for playing Rita Sullivan
in the television soap opera
Coronation Street
.
, Lancashire
. Her mother worked in a mill while her father was a moulder at Platt's Foundry, and later a fireman
.
in the Post Office, learning shorthand
, typing and had to pass Civil Service exams. She also worked in offices, shops and a factory. During this time she took part in amateur theatre
until Carl Paulson, who ran Oldham Rep, asked her to appear in The Boyfriend, which was her professional stage debut. But she wasn't paid a penny for some considerable time during her 12-year spell there learning her craft.
, as well as doing a stint in Emergency – Ward 10. She also had a small role as a dancer in the 1969 musical remake of Goodbye, Mr. Chips
and did anything needed from announcer
to stooge alongside several of the UK's top comedians for BBC radio's Comedy Half Hour.
She first played the role of Rita on Coronation Street in December 1964, when she appeared for only one episode. She returned in 1972 as Rita Bates, the common-law wife of Harry Bates
, and in the decades since then the character has been married twice, to Len Fairclough and Ted Sullivan. She is currently known as Rita Sullivan.
Knox, like her co-star Eileen Derbyshire
who plays Emily Bishop
, shuns publicity and is a very private actress, although she has given a few interviews for Coronation Street documentaries and has appeared at some television awards shows. In November 2010 she gave a rare interview on Paul O'Grady Live
on ITV1, and then in the next month appeared in a number of shows related to Coronation Street's 50th Anniversary. In 1973, Knox cut an LP
for Philips Records
, and in 1989 she won the TV Times
award for best actress following her involvement in the dramatic Alan Bradley
storyline. In 1989 she won the Oracle Teletext
Best Actress award for her part in the Alan Bradley storyline. In 1992 she did a one-woman show at the Barbican Theatre
in London
.
She won the "Best On-Screen Partnership" award (jointly with Malcolm Hebden
) at the British Soap Awards
in May 2006 for her role as Rita Sullivan and in 2004 she won the Life Time Achievement Award for her services to Soap.
Knox was appointed Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in the 2010 Birthday Honours.
Knox, as character Rita Sullivan, has been involved in Coronation Streets 50th anniversary week, where she was trapped for some time under the debris of the Kabin following the tram crash. She survived and was taken to hospital with Emily who went with her to keep her company.
Barbara rarely gives tv interviews but did in November 2010 on Paul O' Grady live. She said that her hobbies are gardening & tapestry.
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
(née Brothwood, formerly Mullaney; born 30 September 1933), is an English
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
actress, best known for playing Rita Sullivan
Rita Sullivan
Rita Sullivan is a long-standing character in the UK television ITV soap opera, Coronation Street...
in the television soap opera
Soap opera
A soap opera, sometimes called "soap" for short, is an ongoing, episodic work of dramatic fiction presented in serial format on radio or as television programming. The name soap opera stems from the original dramatic serials broadcast on radio that had soap manufacturers, such as Procter & Gamble,...
Coronation Street
Coronation Street
Coronation Street is a British soap opera set in Weatherfield, a fictional town in Greater Manchester based on Salford. Created by Tony Warren, Coronation Street was first broadcast on 9 December 1960...
.
Early life
Knox was born in OldhamOldham
Oldham is a large town in Greater Manchester, England. It lies amid the Pennines on elevated ground between the rivers Irk and Medlock, south-southeast of Rochdale, and northeast of the city of Manchester...
, Lancashire
Lancashire
Lancashire is a non-metropolitan county of historic origin in the North West of England. It takes its name from the city of Lancaster, and is sometimes known as the County of Lancaster. Although Lancaster is still considered to be the county town, Lancashire County Council is based in Preston...
. Her mother worked in a mill while her father was a moulder at Platt's Foundry, and later a fireman
Firefighter
Firefighters are rescuers extensively trained primarily to put out hazardous fires that threaten civilian populations and property, to rescue people from car incidents, collapsed and burning buildings and other such situations...
.
Pre-acting career
Knox left school at 15 and worked as a telegraphistTelegraphist
Telegraphist is an operator who uses the morse code in order to communicate by land or radio lines. Telegraphists were indispensable at sea in the early day of Wireless Telegraphy. During the Great War the Royal Navy enlisted many volunteers as Telegraphists. Telegraphists are also called Telegraph...
in the Post Office, learning shorthand
Shorthand
Shorthand is an abbreviated symbolic writing method that increases speed or brevity of writing as compared to a normal method of writing a language. The process of writing in shorthand is called stenography, from the Greek stenos and graphē or graphie...
, typing and had to pass Civil Service exams. She also worked in offices, shops and a factory. During this time she took part in amateur theatre
Amateur theatre
Amateur theatre is theatre performed by amateur actors. These actors are not typically members of Actors' Equity groups or Actors' Unions as these organizations exist to protect the professional industry and therefore discourage their members from appearing with companies which are not a signatory...
until Carl Paulson, who ran Oldham Rep, asked her to appear in The Boyfriend, which was her professional stage debut. But she wasn't paid a penny for some considerable time during her 12-year spell there learning her craft.
Acting career
Knox later appeared in television programmes such as Never Mind the Quality Feel the Width, George and the Dragon and A Family at WarA Family At War
A Family At War is a British drama series that aired on ITV from 1970 to 1972. It was created by John Finch and made by Granada Television for ITV. The director was David Giles....
, as well as doing a stint in Emergency – Ward 10. She also had a small role as a dancer in the 1969 musical remake of Goodbye, Mr. Chips
Goodbye, Mr. Chips
Goodbye, Mr. Chips is a novel by James Hilton, published in the United States in June 1934 by Little, Brown and Company and in the United Kingdom in October of that same year by Hodder & Stoughton...
and did anything needed from announcer
Announcer
An announcer is a presenter who makes "announcements" in an audio medium or a physical location.-Television and other media:Some announcers work in television production , radio or filmmaking, usually providing narrations, news updates, station identification, or an introduction of a product in...
to stooge alongside several of the UK's top comedians for BBC radio's Comedy Half Hour.
She first played the role of Rita on Coronation Street in December 1964, when she appeared for only one episode. She returned in 1972 as Rita Bates, the common-law wife of Harry Bates
Harry Bates (Coronation Street)
Harry Bates was a fictional character in the British soap opera Coronation Street during 1972. He was married to Rita Littlewood at the time but they divorced in 1973....
, and in the decades since then the character has been married twice, to Len Fairclough and Ted Sullivan. She is currently known as Rita Sullivan.
Knox, like her co-star Eileen Derbyshire
Eileen Derbyshire
Eileen Derbyshire, MBE is an English actress, best known for her role as Emily Bishop on the soap opera Coronation Street. She has played the character since 1961, making her the longest-serving female cast member in a British soap opera...
who plays Emily Bishop
Emily Bishop
Emily Bishop is a long-standing fictional character in the UK television ITV soap opera, Coronation Street...
, shuns publicity and is a very private actress, although she has given a few interviews for Coronation Street documentaries and has appeared at some television awards shows. In November 2010 she gave a rare interview on Paul O'Grady Live
Paul O'Grady Live
Paul O'Grady Live was a British comedy chat show hosted by Paul O'Grady, that began airing on 10 September 2010 on ITV1 and ITV1 HD/STV HD/UTV HD in the United Kingdom. The show is a Friday night chat show that features a mixture of celebrity guests, airing at 21:00. The show culminates with...
on ITV1, and then in the next month appeared in a number of shows related to Coronation Street's 50th Anniversary. In 1973, Knox cut an LP
LP record
The LP, or long-playing microgroove record, is a format for phonograph records, an analog sound storage medium. Introduced by Columbia Records in 1948, it was soon adopted as a new standard by the entire record industry...
for Philips Records
Philips Records
Philips Records is a record label that was founded by Dutch electronics company Philips. It was started by "Philips Phonographische Industrie" in 1950. Recordings were made with popular artists of various nationalities and also with classical artists from Germany, France and Holland. Philips also...
, and in 1989 she won the TV Times
TV Times
TVTimes is a television listings magazine published in the United Kingdom by IPC Media, a subsidiary of Time Warner. It is known for its access to television actors and their programmes. In 2006 it was refreshed for a more modern look, increasing its emphasis on big star interviews and soaps...
award for best actress following her involvement in the dramatic Alan Bradley
Alan Bradley
Alan Bradley is a fictional character from the British soap opera Coronation Street. He was played by Mark Eden.Alan is one of the most famous villains in the history of the Street. He made his first appearance in 1986 when his wife Pat was killed in a road accident...
storyline. In 1989 she won the Oracle Teletext
Teletext
Teletext is a television information retrieval service developed in the United Kingdom in the early 1970s. It offers a range of text-based information, typically including national, international and sporting news, weather and TV schedules...
Best Actress award for her part in the Alan Bradley storyline. In 1992 she did a one-woman show at the Barbican Theatre
Barbican Centre
The Barbican Centre is the largest performing arts centre in Europe. Located in the City of London, England, the Centre hosts classical and contemporary music concerts, theatre performances, film screenings and art exhibitions. It also houses a library, three restaurants, and a conservatory...
in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
.
She won the "Best On-Screen Partnership" award (jointly with Malcolm Hebden
Malcolm Hebden
Malcolm Hebden is an English television and stage actor best known for his role as Norris Cole in the long-running ITV soap opera Coronation Street.-Early life:...
) at the British Soap Awards
British Soap Awards
The British Soap Awards is an annual awards ceremony to honour the best of British soap operas.The first event took place in 1999 and takes place in May each year. Although it is an ITV production, the events were held at the BBC Television Centre, in London until 2010. The 2011 awards relocated to...
in May 2006 for her role as Rita Sullivan and in 2004 she won the Life Time Achievement Award for her services to Soap.
Knox was appointed Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in the 2010 Birthday Honours.
Knox, as character Rita Sullivan, has been involved in Coronation Streets 50th anniversary week, where she was trapped for some time under the debris of the Kabin following the tram crash. She survived and was taken to hospital with Emily who went with her to keep her company.
Personal life
Knox has three children from two different marriages John (born 1957), Amanda (born 1962) and Maxine (born 1970).Barbara rarely gives tv interviews but did in November 2010 on Paul O' Grady live. She said that her hobbies are gardening & tapestry.