bliography

Felicity Kendall, CBE

Born 25th September 1946

Born in Alton, Warwickshire, United Kingdom, Now West Midlands

Famous for her Television & Stage Work & of course “The Good Life”

Family Life

Younger sister Jennifer Kendall

Parents

Geoffrey & Laura Kendall

Her father was an actor/manager and toured India in repertory theatre, the family would therefore tour India performing in shows to a variety of audiences, some days royalty, others in rural villages and some to child audiences.

First stage appearance at aged 9 months when she was carried on stage as a “changeling boy” in “A Midsummer Nights Dream.”  

As a result of her father’s career it was not until 1965 that she returned to England.

More Family

Married first to Drewe Henley 1968-1979

Second marriage to Michael Rudman, 1983-1990

Two children Charley & Jacob

After a relationship with Sir Tom Stoppard in 1991 finished she returned to Michael Rudman.

Her Awards

1995

Awarded the CBE in London

1976

Variety Club- Most Promising Newcomer

1979

Variety Club- Best Actress

1980

Clarence Derwent Award

1984

Variety Club- Woman Of The Year Best Actress

1989

Best Actress- Evening Standard Theatre Awards

Career Serious At Age 19+

1965

Starred in Merchant Ivory Film, “Shakespeare Wallah,” which was loosely based on her families real life experiences.

1967

Made her London stage debut in “Minor Murder” by Sir Tom Stoppard

1975

Played Queen Victoria’s eldest daughter in “Edward The Seventh.”

1975-1978 Career Take Off With “The Good Life”

The three year run that the show enjoyed, ensured Felecity’s rise to stardom.  She played alongside Richard Briars, husband & wife.  Their aim in this sumptuous 1970’s comedy was to live self-sufficiently from what they grew from their own back garden.

Her dirt smudged face in those “Tomboyish dungarees” and her signature tiger cub growl “Oh Tom” won her bucket loads of male admirers and re established as a sex symbol.  

2003

Starred in an ITV series of “Rosemary & Thyme” alongside Pam Ferris in the detective series, that centred around them working as undercover detectives, as landscape gardeners.

Her Continued Career

After The Good Life the Sitcoms the following:

Solo

The Mistress

Honey For Tea, Regarded as no stretch for her

Stage Career

She then began a stage career that spanned twenty years and included many Sir Tom Stoppard Plays:

1982

Real Thing

1988

Hapgood

1993

Arcadia

1995

Indian Ink

2002

Played a Humble Boy at the Gielguid Theatre, in the production of Charlotte Jones

2006-2007

Starred in “Amys View” by David Hare

2008

Starred alongside David Tennant & Catherine Tate in the “entitled The Unicorn & the Wasp episode” of Dr Who.

2008

Revival of Noel Cowards play “The Vortex in the West End.

2009

Appeared in the play “The Last Cigarettes” and also Mrs Warren’s Profession.

Those Splits on Strictly

No nothing to do with the coalition government, but Felicity’s now famous “Splits” in one of the early rounds of the contest.  She is doing quite well in Strictly Come Dancing, results so far 23, 25, 29, 29 out of maximum 40 points. Who knows how far she will go in the competition. Like a lot of the contestants her acting ability is helping to win the hearts and minds that she had easily back in the 1970’s and there will be a lot of renewed affection for this popular actress, she has stiff competition from the equally popular antics of “Anne Widdecombe” and of course near perfect performances of Scot Maslen, former Eastenders & The Bill fame.We must not forget consistently good performances too by Kara Tointon, former sexy star of Eastenders.

Conclusion

Felicity has certainly given this country 45 years of continuous enjoyment & entertainment and her appearance on Strictly Come Dancing is somewhat intriguing, as we wait to see whether her performance there at aged 64 years can resonate her 1970’s stardom, whether those splits and anything else she may do on Strictly catapults her above those smashing wholesome and yet very sexy “Barbara Goode” days with Richard Briars.

Whatever the outcome of Strictly I do not believe we have seen the last of this remarkable woman with a proven track record and I look forward to watching how she will entertain us in the twenty’s and beyond of the 21st century.

Acknowledgements

BBC

Wikipedia