biography of Gemma Craven

Rita Gemma Craven 

(born 1 June 1950) is a retired Irish actress. She is best known for her role as Joan Parker, the frigid wife of Arthur (Bob Hoskins), in the BBC TV drama Pennies From Heaven (1978).

Craven's family moved from Dublin to Britain in 1960, and she attended the same school as Helen Mirren, St Bernard's Convent High School for Girls in Westcliff-on-Sea in Essex. 

She appeared as Cinderella in the film The Slipper and the Rose (1976) opposite Richard Chamberlain.^[3] She was cast as an unknown, having been spotted by one of the producers while performing at the Bristol Old Vic in a production of The Threepenny Opera. The local press touted the event as her own "Cinderella" story.

In London's West End, she starred opposite Tom Conti in the musical They're Playing Our Song for which she won a Laurence Olivier Award (at the time known as the Society of West End Theatre Awards SWET) for her performance, the lead role in South Pacific, and in Noël Coward's Private Lives opposite Marc Sinden, Tony Anholt and Anholt's wife Tracey Childs which toured throughout 1991 and into 1992.  She also played Josie in Boy George's Taboo and features on the OCR singing "Independent Woman". 

She appeared as Joan Parker, the frigid wife of Arthur (Bob Hoskins), in the original television version of Dennis Potter's Pennies From Heaven (1978); she as since talked about the difficulty the role presented in undertaking a nude scene, which was seen as counter to her public image  She also made guest appearances on Robin of Sherwood (1985), The Bill, The Morecambe and Wise Show, The Two Ronnies, Father Ted (episode "And God Created Woman") and in the popular British drama Midsomer Murders episode, "Shot at Dawn" as Judy Hicks, the wife of Dave Hicks (Brian Capron). She co-starred in the acclaimed 1982 British TV version of East Lynne. On the same Victorian theme she also appeared on BBC TV's long running old time music hall show The Good Old Days.

Her most substantial film role was as Minna Wagner opposite Richard Burton's Richard Wagner, in the 1983 film Wagner. She also appeared in Why Not Stay for Breakfast? (1979), Double X: The Name of the Game (1992), The Mystery of Edwin Drood (1993), Words Upon the Window Pane (1994) and The Hole (2001).

On radio, she played the part of Helen in the BBC Radio 4 comedy Clare in the Community.

She appeared on Irish television in the popular medical drama series The Clinic which ran weekly on RTÉ One.

In November/December 2008, Craven appeared in Hollyoaks Later as Erin "Ma" Fisher – Mother to Malachy, Kris and Bernadette.

About

Irish-born actress who played Joan Parker in the popular BBC series Pennies From Heaven and also appeared in South Pacific.

Before Fame

She acted alongside Richard Chamberlain in 1976's The Slipper and the Rose. She was cast in the film after its producers saw her perform in a stage production of The Threepenny Opera at the Bristol Old Vic.

Trivia

She acted opposite Richard Burton in the 1983 film Wagner. She won a Laurence Olivier Award for her work in the musical They're Playing Our Song.

• Her father suffered from Progressive Supranuclear Palsy (PSP) for seven years before he died. This is the same disease that actor Dudley Moore died from.
• Won the award for Best Actress in a Musical in the 1980 Laurence Olivier Awards for her performance in 'They're Playing Our Song'.
• Her family moved from Dublin, Ireland when she was 10-years old
• Attended St Bernard's Convent High School for Girls in Westcliff-on-Sea in Essex.
• She sprang to fame with the film The Slipper and the Rose.
• Her parents moved to Leigh on Sea when she was a child.
• Her 2nd marriage was to David Beamish who was an accountant.
• Divorced Fraser Hines 22nd February 1987.
• Divorced Frazer Hines after 2 1/2years.

Family Life

She was briefly married to fellow actor, Frazer Hines. But she remarried David Beamish in 1990, and they separated six years later.

Spouses

Associated With

She and actress Helen Mirren both attended St. Bernard's Convent High School for Girls in Essex, England.

MINI BIO :

Her father, Gabriel, was a bus conductor and her mother, Lillian, was a dancer and comedienne on the music halls, Gemma made her debut at the age of 3 singing 'Out of my Heart' at the Marymont Hall in Dublin and won 1st prize. The family eventually moved to Westcliff on Sea when she was 9 and her father worked on Ford's production line. Gemma's first professional part was in 'The Flower Drum Song' at the Little Theatre then became ASM at the Palace Theatre, Westcliff which was her first full time job while her first professional stage role was in 'Cinderella' in 1960.

Craven was married from 1981 to 1984 to actor Frazer Hines, and from 1990 to 1996 to financier David Beamish.

Gemma Craven's family moved from Dublin to England in 1960, and she attended the same school as Helen Mirren, St Bernard's Convent High School for Girls in Westcliff-on-Sea in Essex. 

She appeared as Cinderella in the film The Slipper and the Rose (1976) opposite Richard Chamberlain. Cast as an unknown, she was spotted by one of the producers while performing at the Bristol Old Vic in a production of The Threepenny Opera. The local press touted the event as her own "Cinderella" story. The musical gave Craven an opportunity to shine with her impressive singing talents.

In London's West End, she starred opposite Tom Conti in the musical They're Playing Our Song for which she won a Laurence Olivier Award for her performance,  the lead role in South Pacific and in Noël Coward'sPrivate Lives opposite Marc Sinden, Tony Anholt and his wife Tracey Childs which toured throughout 1991 and into 1992. She also played Josie in Boy George's Taboo and features on the OCR singing "Independent Woman". 

She appeared as Joan Parker, the frigid wife of Arthur (Bob Hoskins), in the original television version of Dennis Potter's Pennies From Heaven (1978) and has made guest appearances on Robin of Sherwood (1985),The Bill, The Morecambe and Wise Show, The Two Ronnies and Father Ted (episode "And God Created Woman"). in the popular English drama Midsomer Murders episode, "Shot at Dawn" as Judy Hicks, the wife of Dave Hicks (Brian Capron).

Her most substantial film role was as Minna Wagner opposite Richard Burton's Richard Wagner, in the 1983 film Wagner. She also made an appearance in The Mystery of Edwin Drood (1993).

On radio, she played the part of Helen in the BBC Radio 4 comedy Clare in the Community.

She appeared on Irish television in the popular medical drama series The Clinic which runs weekly on RTÉ One.

In November/December 2008, Craven appeared in Hollyoaks Later as Erin "Ma" Fisher - Mother to Malachy, Kris and Bernadette.

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