Yvonne Gilan
Encyclopedia
Yvonne Gilan is an English actress who is best remembered for her portrayal of Mrs. Peignoir in Fawlty Towers
.
In 1964 she wrote a short fantasy film, The Peaches
, starring Juliet Harmer
, with a small cameo role for her son, Adrian as a bespectacled chess player. The film became the British choice for the Cannes Film Festival
, and won several international awards.
Her Fawlty Towers appearance in "The Wedding Party
", first transmitted on 3 October 1975, was as a French antique dealer who seems to have a soft spot for Basil Fawlty
. She had an unusual take on his character: "Are you a romantic, Mr. Fawlty..? Well, I think you are. I think beneath that English exterior throbs a passion that would make Lord Byron
look like a tobacconist."
Her comic skills were displayed earlier in Alan Bennett
's comedy series On the Margin
(1966). Gilan's acting career has also included roles in Z-Cars
(1967) as Vera Cowley, Dixon of Dock Green
(1969), Crossroads (1976) as Eileen Blythe, a few episodes of Dr. Finlay's Casebook (1963–69) in several roles and The House of Elliot as Ruth Bannister. Her film credits include Agatha
(1979) as Mrs. Braithwaite, Chariots of Fire
(1981) as Mrs. Liddell, and Empire of the Sun
(1987) as Mrs. Lockwood.
Since 1980 she has worked as a motivational speaker
at the Oxford Said Business School, helping leaders improve their presentation and communication skills, and lectures at the Imperial College of London. She has been awarded Fellowship
s from both the London Business School
and the Saïd Business School.
In 2003 Gilan was consulted on picking the right voice for 118 118 directory enquiry service,
In May 2009 G.O.L.D. screened Fawlty Towers: Re-Opened, a show that brought the original Fawlty Towers cast back together for the first time since Torquay's most notorious hotel closed. In the show, Gilan was interviewed and suggested that her French accent sounded more like a Hungarian accent to her now.
, later to have career as a television director and producer; they married in 1951 and had two sons, Adrian
and Nicholas, but their marriage was dissolved in 1978. Adrian is now known as A. A. Gill
, the British newspaper columnist and writer. Her younger son Nicholas (Nick), a talented chef, unaccountably disappeared in 1998, and has not been heard from since. “He was an incredibly successful Michelin-starred chef, but he had reached rock bottom".
Fawlty Towers
Fawlty Towers is a British sitcom produced by BBC Television and first broadcast on BBC2 in 1975. Twelve television program episodes were produced . The show was written by John Cleese and his then wife Connie Booth, both of whom played major characters...
.
In 1964 she wrote a short fantasy film, The Peaches
The Peaches
The Peaches, is a British Short Film, narrated by Peter UstinovIn 1964 the film was the British choice for the Cannes Film Festival and is a sensual, surreal fantasy about a beautiful woman and her passion for peaches...
, starring Juliet Harmer
Juliet Harmer
Juliet Harmer is an English actress who was best known in the role of Georgina Jones in the BBC TV series Adam Adamant Lives! .-Early career:...
, with a small cameo role for her son, Adrian as a bespectacled chess player. The film became the British choice for the Cannes Film Festival
Cannes Film Festival
The Cannes International Film Festival , is an annual film festival held in Cannes, France, which previews new films of all genres including documentaries from around the world. Founded in 1946, it is among the world's most prestigious and publicized film festivals...
, and won several international awards.
Her Fawlty Towers appearance in "The Wedding Party
The Wedding Party
"The Wedding Party" is the third episode of the BBC sitcom Fawlty Towers.-Synopsis:Basil is disgusted when two young lovers, Alan and Jean, begin 'hanky-pankying' under his very nose while checking in. He becomes convinced that they and two other guests are engaged in group sexual misbehaviour,...
", first transmitted on 3 October 1975, was as a French antique dealer who seems to have a soft spot for Basil Fawlty
Basil Fawlty
Basil Fawlty is the main character of the British sitcom Fawlty Towers, played by John Cleese. The character is often thought of as an iconic British comedy character, and has been deemed unforgettable despite only a dozen half-hour episodes ever being made....
. She had an unusual take on his character: "Are you a romantic, Mr. Fawlty..? Well, I think you are. I think beneath that English exterior throbs a passion that would make Lord Byron
George Gordon Byron, 6th Baron Byron
George Gordon Byron, 6th Baron Byron, later George Gordon Noel, 6th Baron Byron, FRS , commonly known simply as Lord Byron, was a British poet and a leading figure in the Romantic movement...
look like a tobacconist."
Her comic skills were displayed earlier in Alan Bennett
Alan Bennett
Alan Bennett is a British playwright, screenwriter, actor and author. Born in Leeds, he attended Oxford University where he studied history and performed with The Oxford Revue. He stayed to teach and research mediaeval history at the university for several years...
's comedy series On the Margin
On the Margin
On the Margin was a British satirical comedy sketch show written and performed by Alan Bennett and a regular cast including John Sergeant, Virginia Stride, Madge Hindle and Yvonne Gilan. Guest performers included John Fortune and Jonathan Miller...
(1966). Gilan's acting career has also included roles in 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...
(1967) as Vera Cowley, Dixon of Dock Green
Dixon of Dock Green
Dixon of Dock Green was a popular BBC television series that ran from 1955 to 1976, and later a radio series. Despite being a drama series, it was initially produced by the BBC's light entertainment department.-Overview:...
(1969), Crossroads (1976) as Eileen Blythe, a few episodes of Dr. Finlay's Casebook (1963–69) in several roles and The House of Elliot as Ruth Bannister. Her film credits include Agatha
Agatha (film)
Agatha is a 1979 drama thriller film directed by Michael Apted, starring Vanessa Redgrave, Dustin Hoffman and Timothy Dalton, and written by Kathleen Tynan...
(1979) as Mrs. Braithwaite, Chariots of Fire
Chariots of Fire
Chariots of Fire is a 1981 British film. It tells the fact-based story of two athletes in the 1924 Olympics: Eric Liddell, a devout Scottish Christian who runs for the glory of God, and Harold Abrahams, an English Jew who runs to overcome prejudice....
(1981) as Mrs. Liddell, and Empire of the Sun
Empire of the Sun (film)
Empire of the Sun is a 1987 American coming of age war film based on J. G. Ballard's semi-autobiographical novel of the same name. Steven Spielberg directed the film, which stars Christian Bale, John Malkovich, Miranda Richardson, and Nigel Havers...
(1987) as Mrs. Lockwood.
Since 1980 she has worked as a motivational speaker
Motivational speaker
A motivational speaker or inspirational speaker is a speaker who makes speeches intended to motivate or inspire an audience. In a business context, they are employed to communicate company strategy with clarity and help employees to see the future in a positive light and inspire workers to pull...
at the Oxford Said Business School, helping leaders improve their presentation and communication skills, and lectures at the Imperial College of London. She has been awarded Fellowship
Fellowship
Fellowship may refer to:* An academic position: see fellow* A merit-based scholarship, or form of academic financial aid* Fellowship , a period of medical training after a residency...
s from both the London Business School
London Business School
London Business School is an international business school and a constituent college of the federal University of London, located in central London, beside Regent's Park...
and the Saïd Business School.
In 2003 Gilan was consulted on picking the right voice for 118 118 directory enquiry service,
In May 2009 G.O.L.D. screened Fawlty Towers: Re-Opened, a show that brought the original Fawlty Towers cast back together for the first time since Torquay's most notorious hotel closed. In the show, Gilan was interviewed and suggested that her French accent sounded more like a Hungarian accent to her now.
Personal life
At Edinburgh University Gilan met Michael GillMichael Gill
George Michael Gill was a television producer and television director responsible for creating 'ground-breaking' documentaries for the BBC....
, later to have career as a television director and producer; they married in 1951 and had two sons, Adrian
A. A. Gill
Adrian Anthony Gill is a British writer who uses the byline A. A. Gill. He is currently employed by The Sunday Times as their restaurant reviewer and television critic and Vanity Fair magazine as a restaurant reviewer...
and Nicholas, but their marriage was dissolved in 1978. Adrian is now known as A. A. Gill
A. A. Gill
Adrian Anthony Gill is a British writer who uses the byline A. A. Gill. He is currently employed by The Sunday Times as their restaurant reviewer and television critic and Vanity Fair magazine as a restaurant reviewer...
, the British newspaper columnist and writer. Her younger son Nicholas (Nick), a talented chef, unaccountably disappeared in 1998, and has not been heard from since. “He was an incredibly successful Michelin-starred chef, but he had reached rock bottom".