Gail Grainger
Encyclopedia
Gail Grainger is a British
actress best remembered for her role as Miss Moira Plunkett, a travel courier in the 1972 comedy film Carry On Abroad
.
’s production of Gilbert and Sullivan
’s Iolanthe
and in ATV
’s daily serial Crossroads.
, who led a party that included Sidney James
, Joan Sims
, Charles Hawtrey
, Barbara Windsor
, Kenneth Connor
, June Whitfield
, Sally Geeson
and Carol Hawkins
on a weekend trip to the fictional Spanish holiday resort of Elsbels. Her phlegmatic and slightly bemused approach to a series of disastrous situations culminated in her extricating the party from a foreign jail by making advances to the local police chief. In some ways this was a stereotypical Carry On part: a young woman in a uniform who, from time to time, was reduced to a state of semi-undress, as, for example, when the touring party consumed an elixir with pronounced aphrodisiac
qualities.
as Madame Gerda - in a 1971 play entitled Dead Duck produced by Leslie Phillips
, based on the television series The Avengers
. This was first performed in Birmingham and later at the Prince of Wales Theatre
in London. She subsequently appeared with Leslie Phillips
, and under his direction, in Joyce Rayburn’s comedy The Man Most Likely To ..., both at the Duke of York's Theatre
in London and on a world tour. The Man Most Likely To ... opened initially at the Vaudeville Theatre
, on 4 July 1968, and ran to over 1,000 performances in London.
She also appeared in episodes of a number of television series, including Casanova '73
(also with Leslie Phillips, 1973), Warship
(as Heather Gardiner in the episode The Man from the Sea, 1974), The Sweeney
(as Carter's girlfriend Jill in the episode The Sweet Smell of Succession, 1976), Butterflies
(1979) and Rings on Their Fingers
(1980). One of her later film roles was in Jaguar Lives!
(1979).
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
actress best remembered for her role as Miss Moira Plunkett, a travel courier in the 1972 comedy film Carry On Abroad
Carry On Abroad
Carry On Abroad is the twenty-fourth Carry On film, released in 1972. The film features series regulars Sid James, Kenneth Williams, Joan Sims, Bernard Bresslaw, Barbara Windsor, Kenneth Connor, Peter Butterworth and Hattie Jacques. It was the 23rd and final appearance for Charles Hawtrey. June...
.
Background
Gail Grainger took up dancing at the age of six and studied at a theatrical school. She had television roles in her teens in the BBCBBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
’s production of Gilbert and Sullivan
Gilbert and Sullivan
Gilbert and Sullivan refers to the Victorian-era theatrical partnership of the librettist W. S. Gilbert and the composer Arthur Sullivan . The two men collaborated on fourteen comic operas between 1871 and 1896, of which H.M.S...
’s Iolanthe
Iolanthe
Iolanthe; or, The Peer and the Peri is a comic opera with music by Arthur Sullivan and libretto by W. S. Gilbert. It is one of the Savoy operas and is the seventh collaboration of the fourteen between Gilbert and Sullivan....
and in ATV
Associated TeleVision
Associated Television, often referred to as ATV, was a British television company, holder of various licences to broadcast on the ITV network from 24 September 1955 until 00:34 on 1 January 1982...
’s daily serial Crossroads.
Carry on Abroad
In Carry on Abroad (1972), Grainger's Miss Plunkett was assistant to Stuart Farquhar, a courier played by Kenneth WilliamsKenneth Williams
Kenneth Charles Williams was an English comic actor and comedian. He was one of the main ensemble in 26 of the Carry On films, and appeared in numerous British television shows, and radio comedies with Tony Hancock and Kenneth Horne.-Life and career:Kenneth Charles Williams was born on 22 February...
, who led a party that included Sidney James
Sid James
Sid James was an English-based South African actor and comedian. He made his name as Tony Hancock's co-star in Hancock's Half Hour and also starred in the popular Carry On films. He was known for his trademark "dirty laugh" and lascivious persona...
, Joan Sims
Joan Sims
Joan Sims was an English actress best remembered for her roles in the Carry On films, and latterly for playing Madge Hardcastle in As Time Goes By.-Early life:...
, Charles Hawtrey
Charles Hawtrey (film actor)
George Frederick Joffre Hartree , known as Charles Hawtrey, was an English comedy actor and musician.Beginning at a young age as a boy soprano, he made several records before moving on to the radio...
, Barbara Windsor
Barbara Windsor
Barbara Ann Windsor, MBE , better known by her stage name Barbara Windsor, is an English actress. Her best known roles are in the Carry On films and as Peggy Mitchell in the BBC soap opera EastEnders....
, Kenneth Connor
Kenneth Connor
Kenneth Connor MBE was an English comedy stage, radio, film and TV actor, best known for his appearances in the Carry On films.-Career:...
, June Whitfield
June Whitfield
June Rosemary Whitfield, CBE is an English actress, well known in the United Kingdom since the 1950s for roles in radio and television comedy series....
, Sally Geeson
Sally Geeson
Sally Louise Geeson is a British actress with a career mostly on television in the 1970s. Her most famous role was as Sid James' daughter, Sally, in Bless This House. The series was one of the first in colour in the UK; indeed the first seven episodes of Series One were in black and white...
and Carol Hawkins
Carol Hawkins
Carol Hawkins is an English actress.Carol trained at the Corona Stage School. London stage shows have included, Sextet, Run for Your Wife, See How They Run, Wife Begins at Forty, The Undertaking also including tours such as Time and Time Again, Bedroom Farce, Wait Until Dark, Dirty Linen...
on a weekend trip to the fictional Spanish holiday resort of Elsbels. Her phlegmatic and slightly bemused approach to a series of disastrous situations culminated in her extricating the party from a foreign jail by making advances to the local police chief. In some ways this was a stereotypical Carry On part: a young woman in a uniform who, from time to time, was reduced to a state of semi-undress, as, for example, when the touring party consumed an elixir with pronounced aphrodisiac
Aphrodisiac
An aphrodisiac is a substance that increases sexual desire. The name comes from Aphrodite, the Greek goddess of sexuality and love. Throughout history, many foods, drinks, and behaviors have had a reputation for making sex more attainable and/or pleasurable...
qualities.
Other roles
On stage Grainger played three parts - a fantasy maid, a nurse and a member of a female gang led by Kate O'MaraKate O'Mara
Kate O'Mara is an English film, stage and television actress. She is perhaps most widely known for her role as Caress Morell, the scheming sister of Alexis Colby in the 1980s American primetime soap opera Dynasty, though is also known for playing other villains such as The Rani in Doctor Who and...
as Madame Gerda - in a 1971 play entitled Dead Duck produced by Leslie Phillips
Leslie Phillips
Leslie Samuel Phillips, CBE is an English actor with a highly recognisable upper class accent. Originally known for his work as a comedy actor, Phillips subsequently made the transition to character roles.-Early life:...
, based on the television series The Avengers
The Avengers (TV series)
The Avengers is a spy-fi British television series set in the 1960s Britain. The Avengers initially focused on Dr. David Keel and his assistant John Steed . Hendry left after the first series and Steed became the main character, partnered with a succession of assistants...
. This was first performed in Birmingham and later at the Prince of Wales Theatre
Prince of Wales Theatre
The Prince of Wales Theatre is a West End theatre on Coventry Street, near Leicester Square in the City of Westminster. It was established in 1884 and rebuilt in 1937, and extensively refurbished in 2004 by Sir Cameron Mackintosh, its current owner...
in London. She subsequently appeared with Leslie Phillips
Leslie Phillips
Leslie Samuel Phillips, CBE is an English actor with a highly recognisable upper class accent. Originally known for his work as a comedy actor, Phillips subsequently made the transition to character roles.-Early life:...
, and under his direction, in Joyce Rayburn’s comedy The Man Most Likely To ..., both at the Duke of York's Theatre
Duke of York's Theatre
The Duke of York's Theatre is a West End Theatre in St Martin's Lane, in the City of Westminster. It was built for Frank Wyatt and his wife, Violet Melnotte, who retained ownership of the theatre, until her death in 1935. It opened on 10 September 1892 as the Trafalgar Square Theatre, with Wedding...
in London and on a world tour. The Man Most Likely To ... opened initially at the Vaudeville Theatre
Vaudeville Theatre
The Vaudeville Theatre is a West End theatre on The Strand in the City of Westminster. As the name suggests, the theatre held mostly vaudeville shows and musical revues in its early days. It opened in 1870 and was rebuilt twice, although each new building retained elements of the previous...
, on 4 July 1968, and ran to over 1,000 performances in London.
She also appeared in episodes of a number of television series, including Casanova '73
Casanova '73
Casanova '73 was a short-lived British sitcom broadcast on BBC1 in 1973. It was written by Ray Galton and Alan Simpson and starred Leslie Phillips as Henry Newhouse...
(also with Leslie Phillips, 1973), Warship
Warship (TV series)
Warship was a popular British television drama series produced by the BBC between 1973 and 1977. It was also dubbed into Dutch and broadcast in the Netherlands as Alle hens...
(as Heather Gardiner in the episode The Man from the Sea, 1974), The Sweeney
The Sweeney
The Sweeney is a 1970s British television police drama focusing on two members of the Flying Squad, a branch of the Metropolitan Police specialising in tackling armed robbery and violent crime in London...
(as Carter's girlfriend Jill in the episode The Sweet Smell of Succession, 1976), Butterflies
Butterflies (TV series)
Butterflies is a British sitcom written by Carla Lane broadcast on BBC2 from 1978–83.The situation is the day-to-day life of the Parkinson family in a bittersweet style. There are both traditional comedy sources and more unusual sources such as Ria's unconsummated relationship with the...
(1979) and Rings on Their Fingers
Rings On Their Fingers
Rings On Their Fingers is a British television sitcom, written by Richard Waring. It ran from October 1978 to November 1980.-Plot:It concerns a young unmarried couple played by Martin Jarvis and Diane Keen. Sandy wishes to marry whereas Oliver is happy to remain unmarried...
(1980). One of her later film roles was in Jaguar Lives!
Jaguar Lives!
Jaguar Lives! is a 1979 Spanish-American action film directed by Ernest Pintoff and starring Joe Lewis, Christopher Lee, Donald Pleasence and Barbara Bach...
(1979).