Anna Cropper (13 May 1938 – 22 January 2007) was an English stage and television actress.

Early years

Cropper was born in Brierfield, Lancashire, the daughter of Margaret, a stage actress and director, and Jack Cropper, a dentist. The family lived on Todmorden Road in

Burnley Burnley () is a town and the administrative centre of the wider Borough of Burnley in Lancashire, England, with a 2021 population of 78,266. It is north of Manchester and east of Preston, at the confluence of the River Calder and River B ...

during her early life.

Career

Cropper studied acting at the Central School of Speech and Drama in London. She made her television debut as Chrysalis in ''The Insect Play'' (1960), based on the 1921 play by Czech brothers Josef and

Karel Čapek Karel Čapek (; 9 January 1890 – 25 December 1938) was a Czech writer, playwright, critic and journalist. He has become best known for his science fiction, including his novel '' War with the Newts'' (1936) and play '' R.U.R.'' (''Rossum' ...

. She appeared in '' Emergency Ward 10'' three times and on ''

Coronation Street ''Coronation Street'' (colloquially referred to as ''Corrie'') is a British television soap opera created by ITV Granada, Granada Television and shown on ITV (TV network), ITV since 9 December 1960. The programme centres on a cobbled, terraced ...

'' three times in 1962.Obituary
''The Burnley Citizen''; accessed 12 June 2018. She came to prominence playing a young schizophrenic in the television play '' In Two Minds'' (''

The Wednesday Play ''The Wednesday Play'' is an anthology series of United Kingdom, British television plays which ran on BBC One, BBC1 for six seasons from October 1964 to May 1970. The plays were usually original works written for television, although dramatic ...

'', BBC, 1967) by David Mercer. which won the Writers' Guild Award for the Best Television Play of 1967. Her film roles included appearances in '' All Neat in Black Stockings'' (1968), '' Cromwell'' (1970) and '' Nanou'' (1986). In 1972 she starred in the television production of ''The Exorcism'' and in 1975 took over the lead role in the West End stage version when actress Mary Ure died of an overdose following the play's opening night. She played Mary Hodgson, the nurse of the boys who inspired the creation of

Peter Pan Peter Pan is a fictional character created by Scottish novelist and playwright J. M. Barrie. A free-spirited and mischievous young boy who can fly and never grows up, Peter Pan spends his never-ending childhood having adventures on the mythical ...

in the BBC docudrama '' The Lost Boys'' (1978). Other television roles included two episodes of the

BBC The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) is a British public service broadcaster headquartered at Broadcasting House in London, England. Originally established in 1922 as the British Broadcasting Company, it evolved into its current sta ...

's ''

Play for Today ''Play for Today'' is a British television anthology drama series, produced by the BBC and transmitted on BBC1 from 1970 to 1984. During the run, more than three hundred programmes, featuring original television plays, and adaptations of stage ...

'', as Norah Palmer in the James MacTaggart-directed ''Robin Redbreast'' (1970), a Christmas supernatural thriller by John Bowen and Dennis Potter's play ''Schmoedipus'' (1974). She appeared in '' The Jewel in the Crown'' (1984) and featured in '' Anna of the Five Towns'' (1985) a 4-part BBC period drama. Her last television credit is for an episode of ''

Midsomer Murders ''Midsomer Murders'' is a British Mystery fiction, mystery television series, adapted by Anthony Horowitz and Douglas Watkinson from the novels in the ''Chief Inspector Barnaby'' book series created by Caroline Graham (writer), Caroline Graham. ...

'' entitled " Death's Shadow" (1999).

Personal life and death

Cropper married ''Coronation Street'' actor William Roache in 1961. They had two children, son

Linus Roache Linus William Roache (born 1 February 1964) is a British actor. He played Executive ADA List of Law & Order characters#Michael Cutter, Michael Cutter in the NBC dramas ''Law & Order'' (2008–2010) and ''Law & Order: Special Victims Unit'' (2011 ...

and daughter Vanya. They divorced in 1974. Cropper died of a heart attack in January 2007, aged 68, at her home in Tangmere,

West Sussex West Sussex is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in South East England. It is bordered by Surrey to the north, East Sussex to the east, the English Channel to the south, and Hampshire to the west. The largest settlement is Cr ...

Selected television

Filmography

References

External links

* 1938 births 2007 deaths 20th-century English actresses Alumni of the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama English stage actresses English television actresses People from Brierfield, Lancashire Actresses from Burnley Actors from Chichester District 20th-century English businesspeople Actresses from West Sussex Actors from the Borough of Pendle {{england-actor-stub