Ysanne Churchman
Encyclopedia
Ysanne Churchman worked as an actor
and narrator
on British radio, TV and film for over 50 years (1938–1993). She achieved national fame as 'Grace Archer
' in the long-running BBC
drama series, when Grace died in a fire on the night when ITV
launched in 1955.
Ysanne Churchman was born on 14 May 1925 in Sutton Coldfield
to Andrew Churchman and Gladys Dale, well-known stage and radio performers in London.
In 1938 Churchman appeared on both BBC radio Children's Hour
and in a BBC TV play Gallows Glorious. She trained as a dancer at Cone-Ripman College. After learning repertory and theatre she specialised in radio and voice work for film and television. This led to national fame as Grace in the long-running radio series The Archers
when Grace suffered grievous injuries in a fire on the night of the ITV launch in 1955; the character died in the following day's episode. (She strongly suspected the producer was glad to be rid of her at the time as she had discovered that some of her cast members in this regional, Birmingham
, production, were not being paid Equity minimum rates and raised the matter). She went on to voice five other Archers characters over the years, most recently Mary Pound in 1983.
Along with many story-telling and reading roles on the BBC she also performed as: Sara in the series Sara and Hoppity
, Marla and Cassie in Space Patrol
, the voice of Alpha Centauri in the series Doctor Who
, and Soo the computer in Dominick Hyde. She was the first actress employed by Capital Radio, reading a serial book.
She married Tony Pilgrim MBE
a senior BBC Engineer, in 1951 and they celebrated their Golden wedding anniversary in 2001. She retired in 1993, but still does occasional voice-over and television appearances.
Actor
An actor is a person who acts in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio in that capacity...
and narrator
Narrator
A narrator is, within any story , the fictional or non-fictional, personal or impersonal entity who tells the story to the audience. When the narrator is also a character within the story, he or she is sometimes known as the viewpoint character. The narrator is one of three entities responsible for...
on British radio, TV and film for over 50 years (1938–1993). She achieved national fame as 'Grace Archer
Grace Archer
Grace Archer née Fairbrother was a fictional character in the BBC's long-running radio soap, The Archers, and was one of the original characters. She was played by Ysanne Churchman...
' in the long-running 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...
drama series, when Grace died in a fire on the night when 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...
launched in 1955.
Ysanne Churchman was born on 14 May 1925 in Sutton Coldfield
Sutton Coldfield
Sutton Coldfield is a suburb of Birmingham, in the West Midlands of England. Sutton is located about from central Birmingham but has borders with Erdington and Kingstanding. Sutton is in the northeast of Birmingham, with a population of 105,000 recorded in the 2001 census...
to Andrew Churchman and Gladys Dale, well-known stage and radio performers in London.
In 1938 Churchman appeared on both BBC radio Children's Hour
Children's Hour
Children's Hour—at first: "The Children's Hour", from a verse by Longfellow—was the name of the BBC's principal recreational service for children during the period when radio dominated broadcasting....
and in a BBC TV play Gallows Glorious. She trained as a dancer at Cone-Ripman College. After learning repertory and theatre she specialised in radio and voice work for film and television. This led to national fame as Grace in the long-running radio series The Archers
The Archers
The Archers is a long-running British soap opera broadcast on the BBC's main spoken-word channel, Radio 4. It was originally billed as "an everyday story of country folk", but is now described on its Radio 4 web site as "contemporary drama in a rural setting"...
when Grace suffered grievous injuries in a fire on the night of the ITV launch in 1955; the character died in the following day's episode. (She strongly suspected the producer was glad to be rid of her at the time as she had discovered that some of her cast members in this regional, Birmingham
Birmingham
Birmingham is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands of England. It is the most populous British city outside the capital London, with a population of 1,036,900 , and lies at the heart of the West Midlands conurbation, the second most populous urban area in the United Kingdom with a...
, production, were not being paid Equity minimum rates and raised the matter). She went on to voice five other Archers characters over the years, most recently Mary Pound in 1983.
Along with many story-telling and reading roles on the BBC she also performed as: Sara in the series Sara and Hoppity
Sara and Hoppity
Sara & Hoppity was a children's puppet television series created and produced by Roberta Leigh. It was based on a series of four books written by Leigh and illustrated by Marion Wilson....
, Marla and Cassie in Space Patrol
Space Patrol (1962 TV series)
Space Patrol is a science-fiction television series featuring marionettes that was produced in the United Kingdom in 1962. It was written and produced by Roberta Leigh in association with the Associated British Corporation.-Summary:...
, the voice of Alpha Centauri in the series Doctor Who
Doctor Who
Doctor Who is a British science fiction television programme produced by the BBC. The programme depicts the adventures of a time-travelling humanoid alien known as the Doctor who explores the universe in a sentient time machine called the TARDIS that flies through time and space, whose exterior...
, and Soo the computer in Dominick Hyde. She was the first actress employed by Capital Radio, reading a serial book.
She married Tony Pilgrim MBE
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...
a senior BBC Engineer, in 1951 and they celebrated their Golden wedding anniversary in 2001. She retired in 1993, but still does occasional voice-over and television appearances.
Selected credits
- Children's HourChildren's HourChildren's Hour—at first: "The Children's Hour", from a verse by Longfellow—was the name of the BBC's principal recreational service for children during the period when radio dominated broadcasting....
, BBC Radio, 1938 - Gallows Glorious, BBC TV, 1938
- The Railway ChildrenThe Railway ChildrenThe Railway Children is a children's book by Edith Nesbit, originally serialised in The London Magazine during 1905 and first published in book form in 1906...
, BBC TV, 1957 - Ruth - The ArchersThe ArchersThe Archers is a long-running British soap opera broadcast on the BBC's main spoken-word channel, Radio 4. It was originally billed as "an everyday story of country folk", but is now described on its Radio 4 web site as "contemporary drama in a rural setting"...
, BBC Radio, 1951-1985 - Jennifer Archer, Grace Archer, Barbara Drury, Joan Ilverton, Jocelyn Page, Mary Pound. - Sense and SensibilitySense and SensibilitySense and Sensibility, published in 1811, is a British romance novel by Jane Austen, her first published work under the pseudonym, "A Lady." Jane Austen is considered a pioneer of the romance genre of novels, and for the realism portrayed in her novels, is one the most widely read writers in...
, BBC Home Service (Radio 4), 1959/60 - Marianne Dashwood - Sara & Hoppity, ITV, 1960, - Sara & other voices
- Sherlock HolmesSherlock HolmesSherlock Holmes is a fictional detective created by Scottish author and physician Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. The fantastic London-based "consulting detective", Holmes is famous for his astute logical reasoning, his ability to take almost any disguise, and his use of forensic science skills to solve...
, BBC Radio, 1969 - Mary Sutherland - Crossroads, ITV 1960s/1970s - 4 different appearances
- Doctor WhoDoctor WhoDoctor Who is a British science fiction television programme produced by the BBC. The programme depicts the adventures of a time-travelling humanoid alien known as the Doctor who explores the universe in a sentient time machine called the TARDIS that flies through time and space, whose exterior...
, 1972, The Curse Of Peladon - Voice of Alpha Centauri - Doctor Who, 1974, The Monster Of Peladon - Voice of Alpha Centauri
- Doctor Who, 1974, The Planet Of The Spiders - Spider Voices
- Les douze travaux d'Astérix, 1976 - Voice Artist, English Version
- Beasts, ITV 1976, Special Offer - Joyce
- Softly, SoftlySoftly, Softly (TV series)Softly, Softly is a British television drama series, produced by the BBC and screened on BBC 1 from January 1966. It centred around the work of regional crime squads, plain-clothes CID officers based in the fictional region of Wyvern - supposedly in the Bristol and Chepstow area of the UK...
, BBC 1970s - 4 appearances - Shoestring, 1979, Knock For Knock - Woman's Voice
- A Dance to the Music of TimeA Dance to the Music of TimeA Dance to the Music of Time is a twelve-volume cycle of novels by Anthony Powell, inspired by the painting of the same name by Nicolas Poussin. One of the longest works of fiction in literature, it was published between 1951 and 1975 to critical acclaim...
, 1979 - Milly - The Flipside of Dominick HideThe Flipside of Dominick HideThe Flipside of Dominick Hide is a British television play first transmitted by the BBC on 9 December 1980 as part of the Play for Today series....
, 1980 - Soo (Computer) - Another Flip for Dominick, 1982 - Soo (House Computer)
- Ghost in the Water, 1982, - Mrs. Parkes
- Amy, TV, 1984 - Lilly
- Starlings, TV, 1988 - Mrs Grimshaw
- Pyramid, Film Documentary, 1988 - Voice Artist
- Prostitute, 1991 - Magistrate
- Lipstick on Your CollarLipstick on Your CollarLipstick on Your Collar is a 1993 British television serial written by Dennis Potter, originally broadcast on Channel 4 expanded from Potter's earlier play Lay Down Your Arms...
, TV, 1993 - Mrs Atterbow - Oliver TwistOliver Twist (TV miniseries)Oliver Twist is a 1999 television mini-series produced by ITV based on the book Oliver Twist by Charles Dickens.-Plot:The first episode revolved around Oliver's parents as they struggled to fight their love for each other...
, TV, 1999 - Woman in street