Jan Francis
Encyclopedia
Jan Francis is an English
actress, best known for playing Penny Warrender in the 1980s romantic comedy Just Good Friends
.
near Trafalgar Square
, London
. She is the eldest child of Frank Francis (a clerical officer with the Agricultural Society) and the former Marjorie Watling, an employment agent, who were married in 1944. She was raised in Streatham
and was educated at the Lady Edridge Grammar School.
After training as a dancer at the Royal Ballet Senior School
from which she graduated in 1965, Francis performed with the Royal Ballet Touring Company in Britain, in the rest of Europe and the United States. She left the Royal Ballet in September 1969 to pursue an acting career.
, and performed with the Cheltenham Repertory Company between 1969 and 1970. She first appeared on television in 1971, before landing BBC
television
drama roles roles including Kschessinska
in Fall of Eagles
and Lisa Colbert in Secret Army (1977–78).
In 1979 she starred in Dracula as Mina Van Helsing, opposite Laurence Olivier
as Abraham Van Helsing.
She played the part of Susie Dean in Alan Plater
's adaptation of the J. B. Priestley
novel The Good Companions
(1980) which was produced by Yorkshire Television
. Writer John Sullivan
met Francis and later created her best known part as Penny Warrender in the 1980s BBC sitcom Just Good Friends
.
She later played Nick's "old enough to be his mother" girlfriend in the sitcom My Family, and co-starred with Dennis Waterman
as Sally Hardcastle in the 1989-1992 ITV
drama series Stay Lucky
.
During the late 80s - early 90s she starred in the Lloyds Bank
television
commercials alongside Nigel Havers
.
In 2006, she guest starred in ITV1
prison drama Bad Girls as interior designer, Catherine Earlham who was sent to Larkhall on remand for embezzlement and played a key role in the exit storyline for fellow inmate, Darlene Cake (played by Antonia Okonma
). She is also a regular performer (and part of the original cast) of the touring play Seven Deadly Sins Four Deadly Sinners
.
In 2009, she appeared as Julia in the second series of Mistresses on BBC1. In November 2009, she starred in the ITV1
drama Collision
(2010). She is currently starring as Rodney Blackstock's (Patrick Mower) love interest in ITV1 soap Emmerdale
.
on 1 August 1977. They have two daughters Josephine (born 1982) and Anna (born 1988) and reside in Woodchurch, Kent
.
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 Penny Warrender in the 1980s romantic comedy Just Good Friends
Just Good Friends
Just Good Friends was a British sitcom written by the late John Sullivan. It starred Paul Nicholas and Jan Francis as former lovers Vincent Pinner and Penny Warrender, who meet in a pub five years after he jilted her at the altar....
.
Early life
Francis was born at the former Charing Cross HospitalCharing Cross Hospital
Charing Cross Hospital is a general, acute hospital located in London, United Kingdom and established in 1818. It is located several miles to the west of the city centre in the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham....
near Trafalgar Square
Trafalgar Square
Trafalgar Square is a public space and tourist attraction in central London, England, United Kingdom. At its centre is Nelson's Column, which is guarded by four lion statues at its base. There are a number of statues and sculptures in the square, with one plinth displaying changing pieces of...
, 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 is the eldest child of Frank Francis (a clerical officer with the Agricultural Society) and the former Marjorie Watling, an employment agent, who were married in 1944. She was raised in Streatham
Streatham
Streatham is a district in Surrey, England, located in the London Borough of Lambeth. It is situated south of Charing Cross. The area is identified in the London Plan as one of 35 major centres in Greater London.-History:...
and was educated at the Lady Edridge Grammar School.
After training as a dancer at the Royal Ballet Senior School
Royal Ballet School
The Royal Ballet School is one of the most famous classical ballet schools in the world and is the associate school of the Royal Ballet, a leading international ballet company based at the Royal Opera House in London...
from which she graduated in 1965, Francis performed with the Royal Ballet Touring Company in Britain, in the rest of Europe and the United States. She left the Royal Ballet in September 1969 to pursue an acting career.
Acting
She made the transfer to becoming an actress through choreographyChoreography
Choreography is the art of designing sequences of movements in which motion, form, or both are specified. Choreography may also refer to the design itself, which is sometimes expressed by means of dance notation. The word choreography literally means "dance-writing" from the Greek words "χορεία" ...
, and performed with the Cheltenham Repertory Company between 1969 and 1970. She first appeared on television in 1971, before landing BBC
BBC
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...
television
Television
Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
drama roles roles including Kschessinska
Mathilde Kschessinska
Mathilda-Marie Feliksovna Kschessinskaya She was known in the West as Mathilde Kschessinska or Matilda Kshesinskaya.- Life :Kschessinska was born at Ligovo, near Peterhof. Like all her Polish family, to whom she was known as Matylda Krzesińska, Mathilde performed at the Imperial Mariinsky Theatre...
in Fall of Eagles
Fall of Eagles
Fall of Eagles is a 13-part British television drama aired by the BBC in 1974. The series was created by John Elliot and produced by Stuart Burge....
and Lisa Colbert in Secret Army (1977–78).
In 1979 she starred in Dracula as Mina Van Helsing, opposite Laurence Olivier
Laurence Olivier
Laurence Kerr Olivier, Baron Olivier, OM was an English actor, director, and producer. He was one of the most famous and revered actors of the 20th century. He married three times, to fellow actors Jill Esmond, Vivien Leigh, and Joan Plowright...
as Abraham Van Helsing.
She played the part of Susie Dean in Alan Plater
Alan Plater
Alan Frederick Plater, CBE, FRSL was an English playwright and screenwriter, who worked extensively in British television from the 1960s to the 2000s.-Career:...
's adaptation of the J. B. Priestley
J. B. Priestley
John Boynton Priestley, OM , known as J. B. Priestley, was an English novelist, playwright and broadcaster. He published 26 novels, notably The Good Companions , as well as numerous dramas such as An Inspector Calls...
novel The Good Companions
The Good Companions
The Good Companions is a novel by the English author J. B. Priestley.Written in 1929 , it focuses on the trials and tribulations of a concert party in England between World War I and World War II. It is arguably Priestley's most famous novel, and the work which established him as a national figure...
(1980) which was produced by Yorkshire Television
Yorkshire Television
Yorkshire Television, now officially known as ITV Yorkshire and sometimes unofficially abbreviated to YTV, is a British television broadcaster and the contractor for the Yorkshire franchise area on the ITV network...
. Writer John Sullivan
John Sullivan (writer)
John Richard Thomas Sullivan OBE was an English television scriptwriter responsible for several popular British sitcoms, including Only Fools and Horses, Citizen Smith and Just Good Friends....
met Francis and later created her best known part as Penny Warrender in the 1980s BBC sitcom Just Good Friends
Just Good Friends
Just Good Friends was a British sitcom written by the late John Sullivan. It starred Paul Nicholas and Jan Francis as former lovers Vincent Pinner and Penny Warrender, who meet in a pub five years after he jilted her at the altar....
.
She later played Nick's "old enough to be his mother" girlfriend in the sitcom My Family, and co-starred with Dennis Waterman
Dennis Waterman
Dennis Waterman is a British actor and singer, best known for his tough-guy roles in television series including The Sweeney, Minder and New Tricks.-Early life:...
as Sally Hardcastle in the 1989-1992 ITV
ITV
ITV is the major commercial public service TV network in the United Kingdom. Launched in 1955 under the auspices of the Independent Television Authority to provide competition to the BBC, it is also the oldest commercial network in the UK...
drama series Stay Lucky
Stay Lucky
Stay Lucky is a 1989–1993 British television comedy-drama series. Made by Yorkshire Television and screened on the ITV network, it starred Dennis Waterman and Jan Francis.-Plot:...
.
During the late 80s - early 90s she starred in the Lloyds Bank
Lloyds Bank
Lloyds Bank Plc was a British retail bank which operated in England and Wales from 1765 until its merger into Lloyds TSB in 1995; it remains a registered company but is currently dormant. It expanded during the nineteenth and twentieth centuries and took over a number of smaller banking companies...
television
Television
Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
commercials alongside Nigel Havers
Nigel Havers
Nigel Allan Havers is an English actor. He is probably best known for his BAFTA-nominated role as Lord Andrew Lindsay in the 1981 British film Chariots of Fire, and for his role as Dr. Tom Latimer in the British TV comedy series Don't Wait Up...
.
In 2006, she guest starred in ITV1
ITV1
ITV1 is a generic brand that is used by twelve franchises of the British ITV Network in the English regions, Wales, southern Scotland , the Isle of Man and the Bailiwicks of Jersey and Guernsey. The ITV1 brand was introduced by Carlton and Granada in 2001, alongside the regional identities of their...
prison drama Bad Girls as interior designer, Catherine Earlham who was sent to Larkhall on remand for embezzlement and played a key role in the exit storyline for fellow inmate, Darlene Cake (played by Antonia Okonma
Antonia Okonma
Antonia Okonma is a British actress of Nigerian descent. She is best known for playing the role of Darlene Cake in the ITV1 series Bad Girls from 2004–2006....
). She is also a regular performer (and part of the original cast) of the touring play Seven Deadly Sins Four Deadly Sinners
Seven Deadly Sins Four Deadly Sinners
Seven Deadly Sins Four Deadly Sinners is an anthology-style play compiled and written by Carry On... writer Norman Hudis and producer Marc Sinden, who is also the director...
.
In 2009, she appeared as Julia in the second series of Mistresses on BBC1. In November 2009, she starred in the ITV1
ITV1
ITV1 is a generic brand that is used by twelve franchises of the British ITV Network in the English regions, Wales, southern Scotland , the Isle of Man and the Bailiwicks of Jersey and Guernsey. The ITV1 brand was introduced by Carlton and Granada in 2001, alongside the regional identities of their...
drama Collision
Collision (TV series)
Collision is a five-part television drama miniseries, which debuted on ITV in November 2009. In the same month, it was also on PBS as a series in two parts. It tells the story of a group of strangers whose lives intertwine following a devastating car crash...
(2010). She is currently starring as Rodney Blackstock's (Patrick Mower) love interest in ITV1 soap Emmerdale
Emmerdale
Emmerdale, is a long-running British soap opera set in Emmerdale , a fictional village in the Yorkshire Dales. Created by Kevin Laffan, Emmerdale was first broadcast on 16 October 1972...
.
Personal life
She married the actor-writer Martin Thurley in Newton AbbotNewton Abbot
Newton Abbot is a market town and civil parish in the Teignbridge District of Devon, England on the River Teign, with a population of 23,580....
on 1 August 1977. They have two daughters Josephine (born 1982) and Anna (born 1988) and reside in Woodchurch, Kent
Woodchurch, Kent
Woodchurch is a village and civil parish, 7 miles from the market town of Ashford and from the Cinque Ports town of Tenterden, in Kent, South East England....
.
Television
- At The Garden - including Swan Lake Act II (BBC 1968) ... as a Cygnet
- The Ken Dodd Show (LWT 1969) ... Sketches
- Ballet For All - No 3 (of 7) (Thames 1970) ... as Swanhilda
- The Fenn Street Gang - Series 1, Episode 12 (of 21) (LWT 1970) ... as Shirley Matthews
- Anne of Green Gables (BBC 1972) ... as Diana Barry
- Swiss Cottage (BBC 1972) ... as Stephanie
- The Long Chase (BBC 1972) ... as Susan Farmer
- The Magistrate (BBC 1972) ... as Popham
- Country Matters - Series 2, Episode 7 (of 7): The Four Beauties (Granada 1973) ... as Sophie Davenport
- Thriller - Episode 8 (of 43): File It Under Fear (ATV 1973) ... as Gillie Randall
- Doctor in Charge - Series 2, Episode 9 (of 13): The Pool (LWT 1973) ... as Diana
- Hawkeye The Pathfinder (BBC 1973) ... as Mabel Dunham (Magnet)
- Play for TodayPlay for TodayPlay for Today is a British television anthology drama series, produced by the BBC and transmitted on BBC1 from 1970 to 1984. During the run, more than three hundred programmes, featuring original television plays, and adaptations of stage plays and novels, were transmitted...
: The Lonely Man's Lover (BBC 1974) ... as Lizzie - Fall of Eagles - Episode 5 (of 13): The Last Tsar (BBC 1974) ... as Kschessinska
- Rooms: "Jan & Tony" (Parts 1 & 2) (First 2 episodes of 127) (Thames 1974) ... as Jan
- Secret Army (BBC 1977-8) ... as Lisa Colbert ("Yvette")
- Just Good FriendsJust Good FriendsJust Good Friends was a British sitcom written by the late John Sullivan. It starred Paul Nicholas and Jan Francis as former lovers Vincent Pinner and Penny Warrender, who meet in a pub five years after he jilted her at the altar....
: (BBC 1983-86) 22 episodes & Christmas special ... as Penny Warrender - Under the Hammer (BBC, 1994) 7 episodes ... as Maggie Perowne
- Jeremy Hardy Gives Good SexJeremy Hardy Gives Good SexJeremy Hardy Gives Good Sex is a 1995 comedic short film, which is about a guide to good sex, including 'Dr' Jeremy Hardy's comedy sketches.-Cast:* Jeremy Hardy* Helena Bonham Carter* Martin Clunes* Caroline Quentin* Nigel Planer* Leslie Grantham...
(video 1995) - SunburnSunburn (TV series)Sunburn is a British television series that followed the lives of a group of British holiday reps. It was broadcast on BBC One between 16 January 1999 and 1 May 2000, running for two series of six and eight episodes respectively. The first was set and filmed in Cyprus and the second in Algarve...
... 6 episodes - Mistresses (BBC 2009) ... 2 episodes
- CollisionCollision (TV series)Collision is a five-part television drama miniseries, which debuted on ITV in November 2009. In the same month, it was also on PBS as a series in two parts. It tells the story of a group of strangers whose lives intertwine following a devastating car crash...
(BBC 2009) ... 4 episodes - EmmerdaleEmmerdaleEmmerdale, is a long-running British soap opera set in Emmerdale , a fictional village in the Yorkshire Dales. Created by Kevin Laffan, Emmerdale was first broadcast on 16 October 1972...
(BBC 2010) ... 3 episodes
Theatre
- The Sleeping Beauty (1969) ... Royal Ballet (1969)
- The Farmer's Wife (1969) ... Cheltenham Repertory Company, as Susan Maine
- Sleeping Beauty (1969–1970) ... Pantomime, as Fairy Dreamawhile
- The Boyfriend (1970) ... as Maisie (& Lolita)
- When Did You Last See My Mother (1970) ... at The Theatre Upstairs at the Royal Court, as Linda
- Cinderella (1970) ... at the Manchester Opera House
- Play It Again SamPlay It Again SamPlay It Again Sam is an independent record label based in London and owned by the [PIAS] Entertainment Group, one of Europe's biggest independent music companies.The label was founded in 1983 by Kenny Gates and Michel Lambot....
(1971) ... at the New Theatre, Bromley as one of Barbara and the Dream Girls - The Heiress (1971) ... as Marian Almond
- Romance! (1971) ... at the Duke of York's Theatre, London as Lotte
- Out of Bounds (1973) ... Bristol Old Vic Company as Ermyntrude Johnson
- Lend Me A Tenor (1986) ... at the Globe Theatre, London as Maggie
- Hay Fever (1988) ... at the Chichester Festival Theatre as Myra Arundel
- Dear Ralph' A Valentine's Day Gala (1993) ... at the London Paladium as a Host for the Evening
- Seven Deadly Sins Four Deadly Sinners (2004–2008) ... at various theatres on tour
- An Evening at Le Candide (2006) ... at the King's Head Theatre, London