Sheila Steafel
Encyclopedia
Sheila Steafel is a South African-born actress who has lived all her adult life in the United Kingdom
.
Steafel, who was born in Johannesburg
, appeared in many classic television
series, including: The Frost Report
, Z-Cars
, Sykes
, The Kenny Everett Television Show, Minder
, The Ghosts of Motley Hall
, Oh Brother! and The Laughter of a Fool.
Her film appearances include: Daleks - Invasion Earth 2150 AD
(1966), Baby Love
(1968), Quatermass and the Pit
(1967), Goodbye, Mr. Chips
(1969), Some Will, Some Won't
(1970), which co-starred her ex husband's acting partner Wilfrid Brambell
, Percy
(1971), and Are You Being Served?
(1977).
Much of Steafel's work has been on BBC radio. For several years in 1970s and '80s she was a cast member of Radio 4's weekly satirical show 'Week Ending
', providing the voices for a large number of characters and impersonating real-world figures such as Margaret Thatcher
.
Steafel appeared as herself in "The Lost Hitch-Hiker's Sketch" with Simon Jones
, a sketch written by Douglas Adams
for her 1982 BBC
Radio 4 show Steafel Plus. In 1979, she starred in the West End stage production of A Day in Hollywood/A Night in the Ukraine playing several roles, including Harpo Marx
.
Steafel was married to actor Harry H. Corbett
from October 1958 until August 1964. In 2008, she was portrayed by Zoe Tapper
in the BBC television play The Curse of Steptoe
. Sheila also appeared regularly on the BBC One
old-time music hall
programme, The Good Old Days
, portraying her comic creation 'Miss Popsy Wopsy' who invariably 'played up' to chairman, Leonard Sachs
.
In 1998 She released a CD album of Victorian
songs entitled Victoria Plums (Redial/Polygram No. CD 557 209-2).
In 2010 Sheila released her autobiography "When Harry Met Sheila" through Apex Publishing.
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...
.
Steafel, who was born in Johannesburg
Johannesburg
Johannesburg also known as Jozi, Jo'burg or Egoli, is the largest city in South Africa, by population. Johannesburg is the provincial capital of Gauteng, the wealthiest province in South Africa, having the largest economy of any metropolitan region in Sub-Saharan Africa...
, appeared in many classic television
Television
Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
series, including: The Frost Report
The Frost Report
The Frost Report was a satirical television show hosted by David Frost. It ran for 29 episodes from 1966 to 1967. It is most notable for introducing John Cleese, Ronnie Barker and Ronnie Corbett to television and also launching the careers of several comedians and performers.The main cast were...
, Z-Cars
Z-Cars
Z-Cars is a British television drama series centred on the work of mobile uniformed police in the fictional town of Newtown, based on Kirkby in the outskirts of Liverpool in Merseyside. Produced by the BBC, it debuted in January 1962 and ran until September 1978.-Origins:The series was developed by...
, Sykes
Sykes
Sykes is a British sitcom that aired on BBC1 from 1972 to 1979. Starring Eric Sykes and Hattie Jacques, it was written by Eric Sykes, who had previously starred with Jacques in Sykes and A... and Sykes and a Big, Big Show ....
, The Kenny Everett Television Show, Minder
Minder (TV series)
Minder is a British comedy-drama about the London criminal underworld. Initially produced by Verity Lambert, it was made by Euston Films, a subsidiary of Thames Television and shown on ITV...
, The Ghosts of Motley Hall
The Ghosts of Motley Hall
The Ghosts of Motley Hall was a British children's television series written by Richard Carpenter, produced and directed by Quentin Lawrence, and shown in 1976 by Granada Television.The series relates the adventures of 5 ghosts who haunt Motley Hall...
, Oh Brother! and The Laughter of a Fool.
Her film appearances include: Daleks - Invasion Earth 2150 AD
Daleks - Invasion Earth 2150 AD
Daleks – Invasion Earth: 2150 A.D. is the second of two films based on the British science-fiction television series Doctor Who. It was the sequel to Dr. Who and the Daleks , and starred Peter Cushing in his return to the role of the eccentric inventor and time traveller "Dr. Who". It also...
(1966), Baby Love
Baby Love (film)
Baby Love is a 1968 British drama film, directed by Alastair Reid and starring Ann Lynn, Keith Barron, Linda Hayden and Diana Dors. The film tells the story of a schoolgirl who seduces her adoptive family after her mother commits suicide....
(1968), Quatermass and the Pit
Quatermass and the Pit (film)
Quatermass and the Pit is a 1967 British science fiction horror film. Made by Hammer Film Productions it is a sequel to the earlier Hammer films The Quatermass Xperiment and Quatermass 2. Like its predecessors it is based on a BBC Television serial – Quatermass and the Pit – written by Nigel Kneale...
(1967), Goodbye, Mr. Chips
Goodbye, Mr. Chips (1969 film)
Goodbye, Mr. Chips is a 1969 American musical film directed by Herbert Ross. The screenplay by Terence Rattigan is based on James Hilton's 1934 novella of the same name, which originally was adapted for the screen in 1939.-Plot:...
(1969), Some Will, Some Won't
Some Will, Some Won't
Some Will, Some Won't was a 1970 British comedy film directed by Duncan Wood. It was a remake of Laughter in Paradise. It starred an ensemble British cast, including Michael Hordern, Ronnie Corbett, Dennis Price, Leslie Phillips and Arthur Lowe....
(1970), which co-starred her ex husband's acting partner Wilfrid Brambell
Wilfrid Brambell
Henry Wilfrid Brambell was an Irish film and television actor best known for his role in the British television series Steptoe and Son. He also performed alongside The Beatles in their film A Hard Day's Night, playing Paul McCartney's fictional grandfather.- Early life :Brambell was born in Dublin...
, Percy
Percy (1971 film)
Percy is a British comedy film directed by Ralph Thomas starring Hywel Bennett, Denholm Elliott, Elke Sommer and Britt Ekland.Percy , an innocent and shy young man, is hit by a nude man falling from a high-rise building while carrying a chandelier...
(1971), and Are You Being Served?
Are You Being Served? (film)
Are You Being Served?: The Movie, is a 1977 motion picture based on the British sitcom Are You Being Served?, which follows the staff of Grace Brothers' Men's and Women's Department as they take a holiday in the fictional Costa Plonka while their department is renovated.The story is an adaptation...
(1977).
Much of Steafel's work has been on BBC radio. For several years in 1970s and '80s she was a cast member of Radio 4's weekly satirical show 'Week Ending
Week Ending
Week Ending... was a satirical radio current affairs sketch show, first broadcast on BBC Radio 4, usually on Friday evenings. It was devised by writer/producers Simon Brett and David Hatch, and was originally hosted by Nationwide presenter Michael Barratt.The show's title was always announced as...
', providing the voices for a large number of characters and impersonating real-world figures such as Margaret Thatcher
Margaret Thatcher
Margaret Hilda Thatcher, Baroness Thatcher, was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1979 to 1990...
.
Steafel appeared as herself in "The Lost Hitch-Hiker's Sketch" with Simon Jones
Simon Jones (actor)
Simon Jones is an English actor, most famous for his appearances in the television and radio series of The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, in which he played the lead role of Arthur Dent from 1978 to 2005...
, a sketch written by Douglas Adams
Douglas Adams
Douglas Noel Adams was an English writer and dramatist. He is best known as the author of The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, which started life in 1978 as a BBC radio comedy before developing into a "trilogy" of five books that sold over 15 million copies in his lifetime, a television...
for her 1982 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...
Radio 4 show Steafel Plus. In 1979, she starred in the West End stage production of A Day in Hollywood/A Night in the Ukraine playing several roles, including Harpo Marx
Harpo Marx
Adolph "Harpo" Marx was an American comedian and film star. He was the second oldest of the Marx Brothers. His comic style was influenced by clown and pantomime traditions. He wore a curly reddish wig, and never spoke during performances...
.
Steafel was married to actor Harry H. Corbett
Harry H. Corbett
Harry H. Corbett OBE was an English actor.Corbett was best known for his starring role in the popular and long-running BBC Television sitcom Steptoe and Son in the 1960s and 70s...
from October 1958 until August 1964. In 2008, she was portrayed by Zoe Tapper
Zoe Tapper
Zoe Tapper is an English actress who first came to prominence playing Nell Gwynne in Richard Eyre's award-winning film Stage Beauty in 2004. She is known for portraying Anya Raczynski in Survivors and Mina Harker in Demons.-Background:...
in the BBC television play The Curse of Steptoe
The Curse of Steptoe
The Curse of Steptoe is a television play which was first broadcast on 19 March 2008 on BBC Four as part of a season of dramas about television personalities. It stars Jason Isaacs as Harry H. Corbett and Phil Davis as Wilfrid Brambell...
. Sheila also appeared regularly on the BBC One
BBC One
BBC One is the flagship television channel of the British Broadcasting Corporation in the United Kingdom. It was launched on 2 November 1936 as the BBC Television Service, and was the world's first regular television service with a high level of image resolution...
old-time music hall
Music hall
Music Hall is a type of British theatrical entertainment which was popular between 1850 and 1960. The term can refer to:# A particular form of variety entertainment involving a mixture of popular song, comedy and speciality acts...
programme, The Good Old Days
The Good Old Days
The Good Old Days is a popular BBC television light entertainment programme which ran from 1953 to 1983.It was performed at the Leeds City Varieties and recreated an authentic atmosphere of the Victorian–Edwardian music hall with songs and sketches of the era performed by present-day...
, portraying her comic creation 'Miss Popsy Wopsy' who invariably 'played up' to chairman, Leonard Sachs
Leonard Sachs
Leonard Sachs was a British actor.-Early life and career:Sachs was born in South Africa in the town of Roodepoort, Transvaal...
.
In 1998 She released a CD album of Victorian
Victorian era
The Victorian era of British history was the period of Queen Victoria's reign from 20 June 1837 until her death on 22 January 1901. It was a long period of peace, prosperity, refined sensibilities and national self-confidence...
songs entitled Victoria Plums (Redial/Polygram No. CD 557 209-2).
In 2010 Sheila released her autobiography "When Harry Met Sheila" through Apex Publishing.
External links
- http://www.sheilasteafel.co.uk/
- http://www.apexpublishing.co.uk/pubdetails.asp?Num=220
- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F_YyooDqiQE