Josephine Tewson

Acting

Biography

Josephine Ann Tewson (26 February 1931 - 18 August 2022) was a British stage and television character actress. She is best known for her roles in popular and long-running British television sitcoms, such as Elizabeth "Liz" Warden, one of the long-suffering neighbours of Hyacinth Bucket in Keeping Up Appearances (1990–95), and Miss Davenport in Last of the Summer Wine (2003–10). She was formerly married to Leonard Rossiter.

Ratings

Acting
—0 ratings

Filmography

Acting

3 titles

Keeping Up Appearances

TV

Hyacinth Bucket (whose name, she insists, is pronounced "Bouquet") is a suburban housewife in the West Midlands. She would be the first to tell you that she is a gracious hostess, a respected citizen, and a well-connected member of high society. If you don't believe that, just ask her best friend Elizabeth, held captive in Hyacinth's kitchen; or the postmen and neighbours who bristle at the sound of her voice; or Richard, her weary and compliant husband. In fact, Hyacinth's reputation could be as perfect as her new lounge set, if not for her senile father's love of running wild in the nip. Oh, and she would prefer it if her brother-in-law was a sharper dresser. And that her husband was more ambitious. And that her sisters were more presentable. And do take your shoes off before you come in the house, dear. Mind that you don't brush against the wallpaper.

Overall—
Story—
Acting—
Cinematography—
Concept—
Entertaining—
Uniqueness—
Family Friendly—

Shelley

TV

Shelley is a British sitcom made by Thames Television and originally broadcast on ITV from 12 July 1979 to 12 January 1984 and from 11 October 1988 to 1 September 1992. Starred Hywel Bennett as James Shelley, originally 28 years old and a sardonic, perpetually unemployed anti-establishment 'freelance layabout' with a doctoral degree. In the original run, Belinda Sinclair played Shelley's girlfriend Fran, and Josephine Tewson appeared regularly as his Landlady, Edna Hawkins. The series was created by Peter Tilbury who also wrote the first three series. The scripts for subsequent episodes were by Andy Hamilton and Guy Jenkin, Colin Bostock-Smith, David Frith, Bernard McKenna and Barry Pilton. All 71 episodes were produced and directed by Anthony Parker. Series seven was titled on screen The return of Shelley, and was broadcast in 1988. This time round, Shelley is separated from Fran, and lives on his own, doing his best to avoid obtaining gainful employment. The series begins with Shelley returning to the UK from Saudi Arabia, where he had taught English for a few years, only to find that his calls to his old friends are now screened by answer phones and that yuppieness has taken root in his old neighbourhood. The final three series returned to the on-screen title of Shelley.

Overall—
Story—
Acting—
Cinematography—
Concept—
Entertaining—
Uniqueness—
Family Friendly—