Eileen Joan Essell (8 October 1922 – 15 February 2015) was an English actress, noted in part for not beginning her screen acting career until the age of 79.

Career

Essell retired from stage acting in 1958 following her marriage to playwright and actor Gerard McLarnon. She later earned a living as a teacher at the Central School of Music and Drama and the City University. After the death of her husband in 1997, Christopher Webber (a family friend) lured her back on stage to play a leading role in a zarzuela he was directing at London's Bloomsbury Theatre, ''The Girl with the Roses'' (1999). Although she had acted onstage in the 1940s/1950s, her first screen performance was in an episode of '' Doctors''. She later appeared in ''

The Bill ''The Bill'' is a British police procedural television series, broadcast on ITV (TV network), ITV from 16 October 1984 until 31 August 2010. The programme originated from a one-off drama, "Woodentop (The Bill), Woodentop" (part of the ''Storyb ...

'', '' Doc Martin'', ''

Holby City ''Holby City'' (stylised on-screen as HOLBY CIY) is a British medical drama television series that aired weekly on BBC One. It was created by Tony McHale and Mal Young as a Spin-off (media), spin-off from the established BBC medical drama '' ...

'', '' Hustle'', '' Casualty'', '' Ideal'' and '' Sensitive Skin'', among other episodes. She guest starred as Christine in the episode "From Out of the Rain" in season 2 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 ...

spin-off show '' Torchwood''. On film, she is best remembered for the role of Mrs. Connelly in '' Duplex''.

Death

Essell died on 15 February 2015, at the age of 92.

Filmography

Television

References

External links

*
Listed under "In Memoriam"
1922 births 2015 deaths 20th-century English actresses 21st-century English actresses Actresses from London English stage actresses English television actresses {{England-actor-stub