Su Pollard
Encyclopedia
Susan Georgina "Su" Pollard, 7 November 1949, Nottingham
) is an English
comedy
actress
, most famous for her roles in the sitcoms
Hi-de-Hi!
and You Rang, M'Lord?
. She is also well known for her unusual and flamboyant dress sense and her abrupt voice.
. Pollard's interest in acting began at the age of six when she played an angel
in a school nativity play, and at the age of 16 she began singing in working men's club
s and charity shows. Following an apprenticeship
at the Arts Theatre in Nottingham, Pollard appeared on Opportunity Knocks in 1974 singing "I Cain't Say No
" from Oklahoma!
and came second to a singing Jack Russell
. Pollard started appearing in many West End
musicals including Godspell
, Big Sin City, Grease
and Oh, Mr Porter!
.
to play Flo in a new sitcom
called Two Up, Two Down
with Paul Nicholas
. However, this lasted only one series. The following year, Pollard landed the role of chalet maid Peggy Ollerenshaw in Hi-de-Hi!
. She continued in this role until the programme's end in 1988, by which time she had become a household name.
In 1981 she became one of the presenters of children's magazine show Get Set for Summer, in which she delivered wacky reports and bogus weather forecasts.
During the run of Hi-de-Hi!, Pollard had a singing career, and in 1986, she reached #2 in the UK Singles Chart
with the song "Starting Together", the theme song from the BBC Television
'fly-on-the-wall' documentary series The Marriage. It was her only Top 40 hit; her first single, "Come To Me (I Am Woman)", had reached #71 in 1985 and her only charting album, Su, peaked at #86 in the UK Albums Chart
in November 1986. In 1987, she toured the UK
with The Su Pollard Show and co-hosted It's a Royal Knockout
.
Shortly after Hi-de-Hi! had ended, the writers David Croft and Jimmy Perry
chose Pollard to star as Ivy Teasdale in their new sitcom You Rang, M'Lord?
, which starred her Hi-de-Hi! co-stars Paul Shane and Jeffrey Holland
. This period sitcom ran from 1988 to 1993. In 1988, she won the "Rear of the Year
" award. In 1995 Pollard took over as face of the National Egg Awareness Campaign. From 1995 to 1997 she played Ethel Schumann in another David Croft sitcom Oh, Doctor Beeching!
. From 1989 to 1990, Pollard's distinctive voice voiced the lead character in the BBC children's television series
Penny Crayon
.
More recently, Su Pollard made a guest appearance in Gimme Gimme Gimme in 2001 and voiced Noisy in Little Robots
. In 2001, she presented Songs of Praise
three times and she has made four appearances on Just a Minute
. She also regularly appears in pantomime
s and other stage shows including Annie
and The Pirates of Penzance
. In 2008, Pollard starred in the musical Shout! alongside Claire Sweeney
. From April 2009, Pollard appeared in the London transfer of Shout! at the Arts Theatre
. In December 2010, Pollard had a guest role in the Christmas special of ITV's hit show Benidorm
, playing herself.
Nottingham
Nottingham is a city and unitary authority in the East Midlands of England. It is located in the ceremonial county of Nottinghamshire and represents one of eight members of the English Core Cities Group...
) is an English
English people
The English are a nation and ethnic group native to England, who speak English. The English identity is of early mediaeval origin, when they were known in Old English as the Anglecynn. England is now a country of the United Kingdom, and the majority of English people in England are British Citizens...
comedy
Comedy
Comedy , as a popular meaning, is any humorous discourse or work generally intended to amuse by creating laughter, especially in television, film, and stand-up comedy. This must be carefully distinguished from its academic definition, namely the comic theatre, whose Western origins are found in...
actress
Actor
An actor is a person who acts in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio in that capacity...
, most famous for her roles in the sitcoms
Situation comedy
A situation comedy, often shortened to sitcom, is a genre of comedy that features characters sharing the same common environment, such as a home or workplace, accompanied with jokes as part of the dialogue...
Hi-de-Hi!
Hi-de-Hi!
Hi-de-Hi! is a British sitcom that aired on the BBC from 1980-1988. It was set in a holiday camp during the 1950s and 1960s and was written by Jimmy Perry and David Croft, who had written Dad's Army and It Ain't Half Hot Mum. The title was the phrase used to greet the campers and in early episodes...
and You Rang, M'Lord?
You Rang, M'Lord?
You Rang M'Lord? is a British television series written by Jimmy Perry and David Croft, the creators of Dad's Army, It Ain't Half Hot Mum and Hi-de-Hi! It was broadcast between 1990 and 1993 on the BBC...
. She is also well known for her unusual and flamboyant dress sense and her abrupt voice.
Personal life
Pollard was born the eldest daughter of Don and Hilda Pollard, and she is a supporter of Nottingham ForestNottingham Forest F.C.
Nottingham Forest Football Club is an English Association Football club based in West Bridgford, Nottingham, that plays in the Football League Championship...
. Pollard's interest in acting began at the age of six when she played an angel
Angel
Angels are mythical beings often depicted as messengers of God in the Hebrew and Christian Bibles along with the Quran. The English word angel is derived from the Greek ἄγγελος, a translation of in the Hebrew Bible ; a similar term, ملائكة , is used in the Qur'an...
in a school nativity play, and at the age of 16 she began singing in working men's club
Working men's club
Working men's clubs are a type of private social club founded in the 19th century in industrial areas of the United Kingdom, particularly the North of England, the Midlands and many parts of the South Wales Valleys, to provide recreation and education for working class men and their families.-...
s and charity shows. Following an apprenticeship
Apprenticeship
Apprenticeship is a system of training a new generation of practitioners of a skill. Apprentices or protégés build their careers from apprenticeships...
at the Arts Theatre in Nottingham, Pollard appeared on Opportunity Knocks in 1974 singing "I Cain't Say No
I Cain't Say No
I Cain't Say No is a song from the musical play Oklahoma! written by composer Richard Rodgers and lyricist/librettist Oscar Hammerstein II....
" from Oklahoma!
Oklahoma!
Oklahoma! is the first musical written by composer Richard Rodgers and librettist Oscar Hammerstein II. The musical is based on Lynn Riggs' 1931 play, Green Grow the Lilacs. Set in Oklahoma Territory outside the town of Claremore in 1906, it tells the story of cowboy Curly McLain and his romance...
and came second to a singing Jack Russell
Jack Russell Terrier
The Jack Russell terrier is a small terrier that has its origins in fox hunting. It is principally white-bodied smooth, rough or broken-coated which is commonly confused with the Parson Russell terrier and the Russell terrier with the term "Jack Russell" commonly misapplied to other small white...
. Pollard started appearing in many West End
West End theatre
West End theatre is a popular term for mainstream professional theatre staged in the large theatres of London's 'Theatreland', the West End. Along with New York's Broadway theatre, West End theatre is usually considered to represent the highest level of commercial theatre in the English speaking...
musicals including Godspell
Godspell
Godspell is a musical by Stephen Schwartz and John-Michael Tebelak. It opened off Broadway on May 17, 1971, and has played in various touring companies and revivals many times since, including a 2011 revival now playing on Broadway...
, Big Sin City, Grease
Grease (musical)
Grease is a 1971 musical by Jim Jacobs and Warren Casey. The musical is named for the 1950s United States working-class youth subculture known as the greasers. The musical, set in 1959 at fictional Rydell High School , follows ten working-class teenagers as they navigate the complexities of love,...
and Oh, Mr Porter!
Oh, Mr Porter!
Oh, Mr Porter! is a British comedy film starring Will Hay with Moore Marriott and Graham Moffatt and directed by Marcel Varnel. While not his most commercially successful, it is probably his best-known film to modern audiences...
.
Career
In 1979, Pollard was chosen by the BBCBBC
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...
to play Flo in a new sitcom
Situation comedy
A situation comedy, often shortened to sitcom, is a genre of comedy that features characters sharing the same common environment, such as a home or workplace, accompanied with jokes as part of the dialogue...
called Two Up, Two Down
Two Up, Two Down
Two Up, Two Down is a British sitcom starring Paul Nicholas and Su Pollard. It aired for one series in 1979 and marked the TV comedy debut of Su Pollard, later to become well known as Peggy in Hi-de-Hi!...
with Paul Nicholas
Paul Nicholas
Paul Nicholas is an English actor and singer who has had considerable success on stage, screen and in the pop charts.-Biography:Nicholas was born as Paul Oscar Beuselinck in Peterborough, England...
. However, this lasted only one series. The following year, Pollard landed the role of chalet maid Peggy Ollerenshaw in Hi-de-Hi!
Hi-de-Hi!
Hi-de-Hi! is a British sitcom that aired on the BBC from 1980-1988. It was set in a holiday camp during the 1950s and 1960s and was written by Jimmy Perry and David Croft, who had written Dad's Army and It Ain't Half Hot Mum. The title was the phrase used to greet the campers and in early episodes...
. She continued in this role until the programme's end in 1988, by which time she had become a household name.
In 1981 she became one of the presenters of children's magazine show Get Set for Summer, in which she delivered wacky reports and bogus weather forecasts.
During the run of Hi-de-Hi!, Pollard had a singing career, and in 1986, she reached #2 in the UK Singles Chart
UK Singles Chart
The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...
with the song "Starting Together", the theme song from the BBC Television
BBC Television
BBC Television is a service of the British Broadcasting Corporation. The corporation, which has operated in the United Kingdom under the terms of a Royal Charter since 1927, has produced television programmes from its own studios since 1932, although the start of its regular service of television...
'fly-on-the-wall' documentary series The Marriage. It was her only Top 40 hit; her first single, "Come To Me (I Am Woman)", had reached #71 in 1985 and her only charting album, Su, peaked at #86 in the UK Albums Chart
UK Albums Chart
The UK Albums Chart is a list of albums ranked by physical and digital sales in the United Kingdom. It is compiled every week by The Official Charts Company and broadcast on a Sunday on BBC Radio 1 , and published in Music Week magazine and on the OCC website .To qualify for the UK albums chart...
in November 1986. In 1987, she toured the UK
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
with The Su Pollard Show and co-hosted It's a Royal Knockout
It's a Royal Knockout
The Grand Knockout Tournament was a one-off charity event which was shown on British television on 19 June 1987...
.
Shortly after Hi-de-Hi! had ended, the writers David Croft and Jimmy Perry
Jimmy Perry
Jimmy Perry OBE is an English writer, scriptwriter, producer, author and actor, most famous for devising and co-writing the BBC sitcoms Dad's Army with David Croft.-Education:...
chose Pollard to star as Ivy Teasdale in their new sitcom You Rang, M'Lord?
You Rang, M'Lord?
You Rang M'Lord? is a British television series written by Jimmy Perry and David Croft, the creators of Dad's Army, It Ain't Half Hot Mum and Hi-de-Hi! It was broadcast between 1990 and 1993 on the BBC...
, which starred her Hi-de-Hi! co-stars Paul Shane and Jeffrey Holland
Jeffrey Holland
Jeffrey Holland is an English actor well known for roles in television sitcoms, as well as BBC Radio comedy, including Week Ending.-Early life and career:...
. This period sitcom ran from 1988 to 1993. In 1988, she won the "Rear of the Year
Rear of the Year
Rear of the Year is a light-hearted British award for celebrities who are considered to have a notable posterior. It was created by publicity consultant Anthony Edwards and is organised by Rear of the Year Limited.-History:...
" award. In 1995 Pollard took over as face of the National Egg Awareness Campaign. From 1995 to 1997 she played Ethel Schumann in another David Croft sitcom Oh, Doctor Beeching!
Oh, Doctor Beeching!
Oh, Doctor Beeching! is a British television sitcom written by David Croft and Richard Spendlove, which, after a broadcast pilot on 14 August 1995, ran for two series from 8 July 1996, with the last episode being broadcast on 28 September 1997...
. From 1989 to 1990, Pollard's distinctive voice voiced the lead character in the BBC children's television series
Children's television series
Children's television series, are commercial television programs designed for, and marketed to children, normally scheduled for broadcast during the morning and afternoon when children are awake. They can sometimes run in the early evening, for the children that go to school...
Penny Crayon
Penny Crayon
Penny Crayon is a children's television series that was produced for the BBC in the United Kingdom in 1989. It was first broadcast on BBC One from 14 September 1989 to 1 October 1990 and was made by Maddocks Animation, which had previously produced Jimbo and the Jet Set and The Family-Ness.Penny...
.
More recently, Su Pollard made a guest appearance in Gimme Gimme Gimme in 2001 and voiced Noisy in Little Robots
Little Robots
Little Robots is a stop-motion animated children's TV series, produced by Cosgrove Hall Films for Create TV and Film Limited and broadcast on CBeebies . The fiction series was based on the eponymous book by Mike Brownlow, published by Ragged Bears Publishing...
. In 2001, she presented Songs of Praise
Songs of Praise
Songs of Praise is a BBC Television programme based around traditional Christian hymns. It is a widely watched and long-running religious television programme, one of the few peak-time free-to-air religious programmes in Europe Songs of Praise is a BBC Television programme based around traditional...
three times and she has made four appearances on Just a Minute
Just a Minute
Just a Minute is a BBC Radio 4 radio comedy panel game chaired by Nicholas Parsons. Its first transmission on Radio 4 was on 22 December 1967, three months after the station's launch. The Radio 4 programme won a Gold Sony Radio Academy Award in 2003....
. She also regularly appears in pantomime
Pantomime
Pantomime — not to be confused with a mime artist, a theatrical performer of mime—is a musical-comedy theatrical production traditionally found in the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, Jamaica, South Africa, India, Ireland, Gibraltar and Malta, and is mostly performed during the...
s and other stage shows including Annie
Annie (musical)
Annie is a Broadway musical based upon the popular Harold Gray comic strip Little Orphan Annie, with music by Charles Strouse, lyrics by Martin Charnin, and the book by Thomas Meehan. The original Broadway production opened in 1977 and ran for nearly six years with a blonde Annie as the poster...
and The Pirates of Penzance
The Pirates of Penzance
The Pirates of Penzance; or, The Slave of Duty is a comic opera in two acts, with music by Arthur Sullivan and libretto by W. S. Gilbert. The opera's official premiere was at the Fifth Avenue Theatre in New York City on 31 December 1879, where the show was well received by both audiences...
. In 2008, Pollard starred in the musical Shout! alongside Claire Sweeney
Claire Sweeney
Claire Jane Sweeney is an English actress, singer and television personality best known for playing the role of Lindsey Corkhill in the Channel 4 soap opera Brookside and her appearance on the first series of the Reality TV show Celebrity Big Brother.-Early Life:Sweeney was born in Walton, Liverpool...
. From April 2009, Pollard appeared in the London transfer of Shout! at the Arts Theatre
Arts Theatre
The Arts Theatre is a theatre in Great Newport Street, in Westminster, Central London. It now operates as the West End's smallest commercial receiving house.-History:...
. In December 2010, Pollard had a guest role in the Christmas special of ITV's hit show Benidorm
Benidorm (TV series)
Benidorm is an award-winning British television comedy-drama that is produced by Tiger Aspect for ITV and written by Derren Litten, co-writer of The Catherine Tate Show, exploiting the working-class stereotype of this popular tourist destination....
, playing herself.
Singles
- October 1985: "Come To Me (I Am Woman)" (UKUK Singles ChartThe UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...
#71) - January 1986: "Starting Together" (UK #2)
- July 1986: "You've Lost That Loving Feeling"
- November 1986: "Wives Will Always Be the Last to Know"
- March 1987: "Come To Me (I Am Woman)" (re-issue)
- 1990: "My Miracle"
- 1998: "Your Disco Needs Su"
Albums
- November 1986: Su (UKUK Albums ChartThe UK Albums Chart is a list of albums ranked by physical and digital sales in the United Kingdom. It is compiled every week by The Official Charts Company and broadcast on a Sunday on BBC Radio 1 , and published in Music Week magazine and on the OCC website .To qualify for the UK albums chart...
#86) - 1991 AMONG FRIENDS - The words & music of Richard Kates (Singing I WANNA BE IN LONDON)
- 2001: The Collection'
- 2012 THERE'S SOMETHING ABOUT YOU - More words & music of Richard Kates (Singing Tallulahballoo!)