Gladys Ambrose Biography

[Mr 50%]

A repost of her bio, originally posted by Mike Plowman two years ago
:-

Here is a brief biog of Gladys Ambrose who plays the irrepressable
Julia Brogan, for anyone who might be interested.

Gladys Ambrose (b. Everton, Liverpool, 28 December 1930) took singing,
dancing and voice projection lessons at the Madam Edith Clarke School
in Liverpool and, in 1949, made her professional debut as a chorus
dancer in the revue Joye de Vlvre, at the Theatre Royal, Castleford.

She graduated to starring roles and became a favourite in pantomime as
both principal girl and principal boy. While playing the Wicked Queen
in the original British stage tour of Snow White, she met Dutch-born
Johnny Votel (Johannes Duiveman), who was performing as an acrobat in
a speciality act at the Wood Green Empire, London. The two married in
1954, Gladys learned the trapeze and the pair perfected their act at
an acrobatic training school in Holland.

After her husband fell 5 m (16 ft) during a training session, they
gave up 'high flying' and moved on to foot juggling and a comedy
knockabout acrobatic routine, touring the Continent and the Middle
East for many years.

After Johnny retired in 1977, Gladys concentrated on her singing,
working in pantomime, summer seasons, cabaret, revue, musicals and
variety across the country. She formed her own company, Rose
Productions, staging shows along with her daughters, Janette and
Wendy, who performed a double act as the Votel Sisters.

Gladys made her television debut in a play called Match of the Day, in
which Bill Dean who later played Harry Cross in Broolsside was her
husband. She followed it with another TV play, Bag of Yeast, with Bill
Dean as her brother and Peter Kerrigan - grandfather of Justine
Kerrigan, who played her granddaughter Tracy Corkhill in Brookside -
as her husband.

She also played both Eddie Yeats's landlady and Mrs Hindle in
Coronation Streer, Mrs Barrett in The Brothers McGregor and a noisy
shopper in Bread. In 1985, she joined Brookside as Julia Brogan.

Gladys's 30th anniversary in showbusiness was celebrated in 1989 by
BBC Radio Merseyside in a programme titled They Call Her Their Lillie
Marlene.

Mr50% _________________________________________________
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[Sorrel]

Thanks for this. I wasn't here two years ago, so it was great to read it.
She had quite a life, didn't she?

I don't suppose any in her family read this newsgroup, but it would be nice
to think they could receive our condolences.

And if they do read this newsgroup, they'll see what a much-loved character
she created.

Sorrel

Mr 50% wrote in message <35a91f91...@news.prestel.co.uk>...

[Jonathan McBrien]

> Thanks for this. I wasn't here two years ago, so it was great to read
it.
> > She had quite a life, didn't she?

She definitely did. Though someone forgot to mention that she worked in
the Family Service Unit at the Chinle Agency Division of Social Services
for the Navajo Nation. Check it out at:
http://crystal.ncc.cc.nm.us/~vino/NN/SS/nnssch.html

- Jonathan McBrien

- Opinions expressed are not necessarily shared by my employer

[Bazza]

On Fri, 10 Jul 1998 10:32:27 +0100, Jonathan McBrien
<jona...@zeuros.co.uk> wibbled:

>> Thanks for this. I wasn't here two years ago, so it was great to read
>it.
>> > She had quite a life, didn't she?
>She definitely did. Though someone forgot to mention that she worked in
>the Family Service Unit at the Chinle Agency Division of Social Services
>for the Navajo Nation. Check it out at:
>http://crystal.ncc.cc.nm.us/~vino/NN/SS/nnssch.html

It's very sad that Gladys has died. I will miss Julia Brogan and by
all accounts Gladys seems to have been a pretty terrific woman. But I
followed this link and it didn't half make me laugh, a fitting tribute
to a wonderful character I think.

--
Barry Smith bazzas at btinternet.com
'It's not easy ... building Xanadu in the backstreets of Weatherfield.'