Mel Martin (born March 1947) is an English actress.

Early life

Her father was the artist Frank Vernon Martin, who died in 2005.

Career

Her breakthrough role was as the star of LWT's '' Love For Lydia'' (1977), adapted from the novel by H E Bates. She has appeared in British television programmes beginning with ''

Special Branch Special Branch is a label customarily used to identify units responsible for matters of national security and Intelligence (information gathering), intelligence in Policing in the United Kingdom, British, Commonwealth of Nations, Commonwealth, ...

'' (1969) in which she played Barbara Cartwright, ''

Mystery and Imagination ''Mystery and Imagination'' is a British television anthology series of classic horror and supernatural dramas. Five series were broadcast from 1966 to 1970 by the ITV network and produced by ABC and (later) Thames Television. Outline The se ...

: Sweeney Todd'' (1970), then ''

The Pallisers ''The Pallisers'' is a 1974 BBC television adaptation of Anthony Trollope's Palliser novels. Set in Victorian era England with a backdrop of parliamentary life, Simon Raven's dramatisation covers six novels and follows the events and characters ...

'', '' Love For Lydia'', '' Bergerac'', ''

Minder A minder is the person assigned to guide or escort a visitor, or to provide protection to somebody, or to otherwise assist or take care of something, i.e. a person who " minds". Government-appointed persons to accompany foreign visitors are of ...

'', ''

Cover Her Face ''Cover Her Face'' is the debut 1962 crime novel of P. D. James. It details the investigations into the death of a young, ambitious maid, surrounded by a family which has reasons to want her gone – or dead. The title is taken from a passage f ...

'', ''

Lovejoy ''Lovejoy'' is a British television comedy-drama mystery fiction, mystery series, based on the Lovejoy (novel series), novels by John Grant (Lovejoy), John Grant under the pen name Jonathan Gash. The show, which ran to 71 episodes over six ser ...

'', ''

Cadfael Brother Cadfael is the main fictional character in a series of historical murder mysteries written between 1977 and 1994 by the linguist-scholar Edith Pargeter under the name Ellis Peters. The character of Cadfael himself is a Welsh Benedic ...

'', ''

When the Boat Comes In ''When the Boat Comes In'' is a British television period drama produced by the BBC between 8 January 1976 and 21 April 1981. Across the whole series, events are set in the time period from 1919 to 1937. The series stars James Bolam as Jack Fo ...

'', ''

Inspector Morse Endeavour Morse, GM, is the namesake character of the series of "Morse" detective novels by British author Colin Dexter, a Detective Chief Inspector in the Thames Valley Police in Oxford, England. On television he was portrayed by John ...

'' and '' The Men's Room'' (1991), as well as films such as ''

Quincy's Quest ''Quincy's Quest'' is a 1979 British family film directed by Robert Reed, and starring Tommy Steele, Mel Martin and Charles Morgan. A version was first shown on television on 23 December 1962 as ''The Tommy Steele Show: Quincy's Quest''. Plot ...

'' (1979), '' Business As Usual'' (1987), ''

White Hunter Black Heart ''White Hunter Black Heart'' is a 1990 American adventure drama film produced, directed by and starring Clint Eastwood. It is based on the 1953 book of the same name written by Peter Viertel, who cowrote the screenplay with James Bridges and B ...

'' (1990), and ''

Tom's Midnight Garden ''Tom's Midnight Garden'' is a children's fantasy novel by English author Philippa Pearce. It was first published in 1958 by Oxford University Press with illustrations by Susan Einzig. The story is about a twelve-year-old, Tom, who, while stayi ...

'' (1999). She starred as Fiona Samson, the double agent and wife of Bernard Samson (played by

Ian Holm Sir Ian Holm Cuthbert (12 September 1931 – 19 June 2020) was an English actor. After graduating from RADA (Royal Academy of Dramatic Art) and beginning his career on the British stage as a member of the Royal Shakespeare Company, he became a ...

) in the television adaptation of

Len Deighton Leonard Cyril Deighton ( ; born 18 February 1929) is a British author. His publications have included cookery books and works on history, but he is best known for his spy novels. After completing his national service in the Royal Air Force, D ...

's trilogy ''

Berlin Game ''Berlin Game'' is a 1983 spy novel by Len Deighton. It is the first novel in the first of three trilogies about Bernard Samson, a middle-aged intelligence officer working for the British Secret Intelligence Service (MI6). ''Berlin Game'' i ...

'', '' Mexico Set'' and '' London Match'' (broadcast as ''

Game, Set and Match ''Game, Set and Match'' is a 1988 television serial directed by Ken Grieve and Patrick Lau and written by John Howlett. It is based on the books '' Berlin Game'' (1983), '' Mexico Set'' (1984), and '' London Match'' (1985) by Len Deighton. ...

''). She portrayed

Vivien Leigh Vivien Leigh ( ; born Vivian Mary Hartley; 5 November 1913 – 8 July 1967), styled as Lady Olivier after 1947, was a British actress. After completing her drama school education, Leigh appeared in small roles in four films in 1935 and progress ...

opposite Anthony Higgins as

Laurence Olivier Laurence Kerr Olivier, Baron Olivier ( ; 22 May 1907 – 11 July 1989) was an English actor and director. He and his contemporaries Ralph Richardson and John Gielgud made up a trio of male actors who dominated the British stage of the m ...

in the TV biopic '' Darlings of the Gods''. In 2004, she portrayed Dorothy Huber in "They Understand Me in Paris", an episode of '' Rosemary and Thyme''; Dorothy was the wife of millionaire Casper Hubert. She played Lady Dant in Mrs 'Arris Goes to Paris (1992). In 1997 she played Dawn Langley in "Daughter of the Regiment", ''

Hetty Wainthropp Investigates ''Hetty Wainthropp Investigates'' is a British crime drama television series, starring Patricia Routledge as the title character, Henrietta "Hetty" Wainthropp, that aired for four series between 3 January 1996 and 4 September 1998 on BBC One. T ...

'' (S3:E2). She has also appeared in the 1993 Christmas Special episode of ''

Only Fools and Horses ''Only Fools and Horses'' (titled onscreen as ''Only Fools and Horses....'') is a British television sitcom that was created and written by John Sullivan (writer), John Sullivan. Seven series were originally broadcast on BBC One in the United Ki ...

'' " Fatal Extraction" as Delboy's love interest Beverley.

Personal life

Martin was married to Paul Ridley from 1980 to 1982. Her second marriage is to actor

John Duttine John Arthur Duttine (born 15 March 1949) is an English actor noted for his roles on stage, films and television. He is well known for his role as Sgt George Miller in '' Heartbeat'' and Bill Masen in the TV series '' The Day of the Triffids''. ...

, whom she met while filming the TV adaptation of

Ruth Rendell Ruth Barbara Rendell, Baroness Rendell of Babergh, (; 17 February 1930 – 2 May 2015) was an English author of thrillers and psychological murder mysteries. Rendell is best known for creating Chief Inspector Wexford.The Oxford Companion ...

's '' Talking to Strange Men''. Martin and Duttine have appeared together on screen several times. In the ''

Casualty Casualty may refer to: *Casualty (person), a person who is killed or rendered unfit for service in a war or natural disaster **Civilian casualty, a non-combatant killed or injured in warfare * The emergency department of a hospital, also known as ...

'' episode "Branded" from February 1995, she played Mrs Jackson, whose transvestite former husband was played by Duttine. In the '' Heartbeat'' episode entitled "Troubled Waters", broadcast on 22 July 2007, Martin made a guest appearance in the series but never appeared in the same scenes as Duttine who was playing his regular role of Sergeant George Miller. She played Emily Merryweather, a widow who took a big shine to local garage owner Bernie Scripps played by Peter Benson. In April 2002, they played the prosecution and defence barristers at Little Mo's trial for the attempted murder of her husband Trevor in ''

EastEnders ''EastEnders'' is a British television soap opera created by Julia Smith (producer), Julia Smith and Tony Holland which has been broadcast on BBC One since February 1985. Set in the fictional borough of Walford in the East End of London, the ...

''.

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Martin, Mel 1947 births Living people English film actresses English television actresses Place of birth missing (living people)