Deddie Davies

Deddie Davies:

† Mar 2 1938 – Dec 21 2016

Veteran Welsh character actress, of the type to be cast in the role of the tearful spinster, timid housekeeper, prim postmistress or faithful nurse. She was pretty ubiquitous during the '70s and '80s, but still pops up occasionally, for example in the Ruth Jones comedy, 'Stella'.

Her best known roles were in that perennial family favourite 'The Railway Children' (1970) and the rather less well loved 'The Amazing Mr Blunden' (1972), and since then films have been few and far between. You probably missed the Richard E Grant luvvie-com 'Food Of Love' (1997) - and Martin Freeman in 'Swinging With The Finkels' (2008) - and the star-studded, Michael Palin-scripted misfire 'Consuming Passions' (1988). 

As Mrs Perks in 'The Railway Children' (1970)

In 'The Hosptial', an episode of  'Some Mothers do 'Ave 'Em' 

On television, she was picked up for some prestigious and popular drama series, such as 'Clochemerle', 'The Forsyte Saga', 'The Pickwick Papers', 'Vanity Fair' and 'The Mayor of Casterbridge' - and TV movies like 'The Canterville Ghost'. At the same time, her nervy and birdlike characters were much in demand for prosaic comedies like 'The Rag Trade', 'My Husband and I', 'My Old Man', 'Some Mothers...' etc. Better things were in store with a post-'80s spurt that included 'Jeeves & Wooster', 'Waiting For God' and a sprinkling of cosy crime favourites via Agatha Christie to Midsomer. Not forgetting some bravura sniffling as Brenda Blethyn's mother in 'Chance In A Million'.  

Following on from the good vibes of 'The Railway Children', she has been a stalwart of kids' TV for many years. Keep an eye out for her among the eye-ache inducing video effects of 'The Phoenix and the Carpet', plus 'Just William', 'Grange Hill' and more recently 'Woof!' and 'Bernard's Watch'. 

Edit, Jan 2017: Sorry to report that Deddie Davies passed away on Dec 21 last year. 

Deddie Davies-imdb

Hugh Walters

Hugh Walters:

† March 2nd 1939 - February 13 2015

Compact, birdlike actor with a knack for careful speech patterns. He has turned these to good use playing officious, prissy and occasionally camp comedic roles. In drama, he sticks in the memory for his bravura turn as the wheelchair-bound Vic in 'Survivors' which was neither funny nor fussy, and he was in several 'Doctor Who' stories ('The Chase', 'The Deadly Assassin' and 'Revelation of the Daleks'), as well as episodes of 'Z Cars', 'The New Avengers', 'A Fine Romance', 'The Miss Marple Mysteries', 'Rumpole of the Bailey', 'All Creatures Great and Small', 'Lovejoy' and 'Boon'. He was also Alison's father in the clever Simon Callow/Brenda Blethyn comedy 'Chance in a Million' 

In the Miss Marple TV mystery 'The Body in the Library'

With Eleanor Bron in the 1985 'Doctor Who'
story 'Revelation of the Daleks'

He appears in a few interesting movies: '1984' (1984), 'Brimstone & Treacle' (1982), 'The Missionary' (1982), the floppy Alan Price sequel to 'Alfie', 'Alfie Darling ' (1976), right back to the Terry-Thomas steampunk romp 'Rocket to the Moon' (1967), 'and the Dave Clark Five movie 'Catch Us If You Can' (1965).

In 'The New Avengers'

Hugh Walters-imdb