Mavis Pugh

Mavis Gladys Fox Pugh (25 June 1914 – 6 December 2006) was a British actress who made many appearances (typically playing upper-class women) in several sitcoms including Dad's Army, Are You Being Served? and Fawlty Towers. Her best known role was as Lady Lavender Southwick in all four series of You Rang, M'Lord?. Before appearing on television, she had a long and successful career in repertory theatre, including with the Arthur Brough Players.[1]

Mavis Pugh
Born
Mavis Gladys Fox Pugh

(1914-06-25)25 June 1914
Croydon, Surrey, England
Died6 December 2006(2006-12-06) (aged 92)
Chichester, West Sussex, England
Years active1974–1993
Spouse
​
(m. 1959)​

Early life

Pugh was born in Croydon, Surrey in 1914.[2][3] Her father was a London solicitor, and her acting talent was first noticed while performing in school plays at Downs College in Folkestone, Kent.[2] Pugh won a scholarship to the International School of Acting. Having worked in rep in Amersham, Buckinghamshire, Pugh toured in 1939 with My Wife's Family and in 1943 made her West End debut in Junior Miss.[2] As well as doing several years in rep, Pugh toured music halls and clubs with Hugh Paddick with the pair trying to beat each other's ad-libbing.[4]

While performing at the Golders Green Hippodrome in 1956, she was spotted by Jimmy Perry, who then invited her to join his rep company at the Palace Theatre in Watford. There she met John Clegg, an actor who best known as pianist Gunner Graham in the BBC sitcom It Ain't Half Hot Mum. They married in 1959.[2]

Later life

Pugh did not begin her television career until the age of 60, with an appearance in the 1974 Dad's Army episode "The Captain's Car".[4] Two years later she appeared in one episode of It Ain't Half Hot Mum, titled "Ticket to Blighty", and in Are You Being Served? in the episode "Fifty Years On". She also appeared in two other Are You Being Served? episodes, "Take-over" and "The Club", both as different characters. In 1979, Pugh played Mrs Chase in the Fawlty Towers episode "The Kipper and the Corpse". Pugh had small parts in two films, The Class of Miss MacMichael in 1978 and Brothers and Sisters in 1980.[2]

Pugh appeared in two episodes of Hi-de-Hi! as The Hon. Winifred Dempster, the aunt of camp entertainments manager Clive Dempster - the 1986 episode "God Bless Our Family" (Series 8) and the 1988 episode "Wedding Bells" (Series 9). From 1987 to 1988, she played Mrs Barrable in four episodes of the Ronnie Corbett sitcom Sorry!. In 1989, she appeared in an episode of Alas Smith and Jones and an episode of Boon the following year. The largest role of her television career was that of the porridge-hurling Lady Lavender Southwick in all 26 episodes of You Rang, M'Lord?, from 1988 to 1993.

Death

Mavis Pugh died in Chichester, West Sussex on 6 December 2006, aged 92, of natural causes. She was survived by her husband, John Clegg.[2]

Filmography
Year Title Role Notes
1974 Dad's Army Lady Maltby
1975 The Growing Pains Of PC Penrose Mrs. Toombs
1976 It Ain't Half Hot Mum Chief Commander Crisp
1976-78 Are You Being Served? Claude’s Wife/Lady Weeble-Abel-Smith/Roger’s Mistress 3 episodes
1978The Class of Miss MacMichaelMrs. Barnett
1979 Fawlty Towers Mrs. Chase
1979 Spooner's Patch Woman
1980Brothers and SistersThe Mother
1982 The Stanley Baxter Hour Various Roles TV film
1986-88 Hi-de-Hi! The Honourable Winifred Dempster 2 episodes
1987-88 Sorry! Mrs. Barrable 4 episodes
1988 Life Without George Mrs. Matthews
1988-93 You Rang, M'Lord? Lady Lavender 26 episodes
1989 Close to Home Miss Rothermere
1989 Alas Smith and Jones
1990 Boon Lady in Office

References
  1. See Arthur Brough Players Programs (available at Heritage Centre Folkestone). 1960-1970
  2. "Obituary - Mavis Pugh". The Independent. 13 December 2006. Archived from the original on 12 May 2022.
  3. "Index entry". FreeBMD. ONS. Retrieved 2 January 2011.
  4. "Obituary - Mavis Pugh". The Scotsman. 3 January 2007.
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