Lill Roughley Explained

Lill Roughley
Birth Name:Lilian Roughley
Birth Place:Prescot, Lancashire, England
Occupation:Actress
Years Active:1979–2009

Lilian "Lill" Roughley (born 1949) is an English actress who has appeared on British television since the 1970s.[1] Her notable roles include Alice in the first series of Mulberry, and as Ella Dawkins in My Hero. In the 1980s and 1990s, Roughley also worked often with Victoria Wood, playing a variety of roles in Wood's various comedy series for the BBC.

Career

Roughley was born 1949 in Prescot, Lancashire. She had minor roles in the 1970s and 1980s in programmes including All the Fun of the Fair, Tales of the Unexpected, , Bergerac and Inspector Morse.[2] She worked with Victoria Wood again in 1989, appearing in four of her six comedy plays for television, and again in 1992's Victoria Wood's All Day Breakfast.[3] Also in 1992 she played Alice in the first series of Mulberry.[4] In the following years Roughley appeared in Minder, A Touch of Frost, the film Brassed Off, Hetty Wainthropp Investigates, Dinnerladies (a further collaboration with Victoria Wood),[5] Absolutely Fabulous (in the 2001 episode of the series, called "Small Opening",[6] as the "actress" portraying Edina in the play written by Saffron, based on her own life) and Heartbeat.[7] Roughley played Lorraine Thomson in one episode of Coronation Street, which aired on 17 May 1996.[8]

Roughley played Ella Dawkins in the sitcom My Hero, from 2000 to 2006.[9] [10] She also played the sexually voracious landlady, Mrs Best, in the BBC Radio 4 sitcom Hut 33 (2007–2009).[11]

Filmography

Film
YearTitleRoleDirector
1979All the Fun of the FairJack's WifeGlyn Edwards
1986Mr. LoveHousewifeRoy Battersby
1996Brassed OffRitaMark Herman
1997Keep the Aspidistra FlyingMrs. TrillingRobert Bierman
Television
YearTitleRoleNotes
1981Big Jim and the Figaro ClubPuddenSeries 1 (recurring; 3 episodes)
1982Tales of the UnexpectedBlonde GirlSeries 5 (guest; 1 episode)
1983The Home FrontMyraSeries 1 (guest; 1 episode)
1984A Family ManJeanSeries 1 (guest; 1 episode)
1984The Country Diary of an Edwardian LadyEffieSeries 1 (recurring; 5 episodes)
1985–87VariousSeries 1–2 (recurring; 4 episodes)
1985DrummondsPamSeries 1 (recurring; 3 episodes)
1986Starting OutMrs. BarnesSeries 5 (guest; 2 episodes)
1986Albion MarketBarbara OwenSoap opera (guest; 1 episode)
1986Paradise PostponedGlenys Bigwell/FawcettMiniseries (recurring; 5 episodes)
1987First SightDoreenSeries 1 (guest, 1 episode)
1987Mister Corbett's GhostMrs. PartridgeTV movie
1988Hard CasesMrs. NiechelSeries 1 (recurring; 4 episodes)
1988BergeracMrs. HetheringtonSeries 6 (guest; 1 episode)
1989Inspector MorseBetty ParkerSeries 3 (guest; 1 episode)
1989–90Joint AccountLouiseSeries 1–2 (main; all 16 episodes)
1989Flying LadyBrenda FisherSeries 2 (guest; 1 episode)
1989Made in SpainJacqueTV movie
1989Victoria WoodVariousSeries 1 (recurring; 4 episodes)
1990Rita RudnerSeries 1 (guest; 2 episodes)
1991JosieSeries 1 (guest; 1 episode)
1991–94MinderDoreen DaleySeries 8–10 (recurring; 6 episodes)
1992The Common PursuitCharlotte StoutBroadcast as part of Screen Two
1992MulberryAliceSeries 1 (main; 6 episodes)
1993Growing PainsMiriam CraddockSeries 2 (guest; 1 episode)
1995Just WilliamMrs. BottSeries 2 (guest; 2 episodes)
1996A Touch of FrostMrs. ChatterisSeries 4 (guest; 1 episode)
1996Roger RogerAngelaPilot episode (guest)
1996Coronation StreetLorraine ThomsonSoap opera (guest; 1 episode)
1997Hetty Wainthropp InvestigatesMaureen O'CallaghanSeries 3 (guest; 1 episode)
1998The Last SaluteSylviaSeries 1 (guest; 1 episode)
1998DinnerladiesShelaghSeries 1 (guest; 1 episode)
2000–06My HeroElla DawkinsSeries 1–6 (main; all 51 episodes)
2001Absolutely FabulousJudeSeries 4 (guest; 1 episode)
2002HeartbeatGloria GraySeries 11 (guest; 1 episode)

Notes and References

  1. Web site: FreeBMD Entry Info.
  2. Web site: Lill Roughley. www.aveleyman.com.
  3. Web site: Lill Roughley. https://web.archive.org/web/20191028213240/https://www.bfi.org.uk/films-tv-people/4ce2ba205704b. dead. 28 October 2019. BFI.
  4. Web site: Mulberry - The Complete First & Second Series DVD. British Comedy. Guide. British Comedy Guide.
  5. Web site: BFI Screenonline: dinnerladies (1998-2000) Credits. www.screenonline.org.uk.
  6. Web site: Small Opening (2001). https://web.archive.org/web/20170310101118/http://www.bfi.org.uk/films-tv-people/4ce2b872b54ae. dead. 10 March 2017. BFI.
  7. Web site: Lill Roughley. TVGuide.com.
  8. News: Biography - Lill Roughley. corrie.net.
  9. News: About "My Hero". sitcom.co.uk. 2007.
  10. Web site: My Hero. www.bbc.co.uk.
  11. Web site: BBC Radio 4 Extra - Hut 33, Series 1, Bridge Too Far. BBC.