Monica Evans (born 7 June 1940) is an English retired actress and comedian known for her portrayal of Cecily Pigeon in

Neil Simon Marvin Neil Simon (July 4, 1927 – August 26, 2018) was an American playwright, screenwriter and author. He wrote more than 30 plays and nearly the same number of movie screenplays, mostly film adaptations of his plays. He received three ...

's '' The Odd Couple''. She was in the original Broadway cast for its entire run, then appeared in the 1968 film version, and finally appeared in some episodes of the first season of the

television Television (TV) is a telecommunication medium for transmitting moving images and sound. Additionally, the term can refer to a physical television set rather than the medium of transmission. Television is a mass medium for advertising, ...

series based on the play, all in the same role, alongside Carole Shelley as her sister Gwendolyn Pigeon. She also provided voices for the two animated films for

Walt Disney Productions The Walt Disney Company, commonly referred to as simply Disney, is an American multinational mass media and entertainment conglomerate headquartered at the Walt Disney Studios complex in Burbank, California. Disney was founded on October 16 ...

, such as ''

The Aristocats ''The Aristocats'' is a 1970 American Animated film, animated comedy film produced by Walt Disney Productions and distributed by Buena Vista Distribution. It is directed by Wolfgang Reitherman and written by Ken Anderson (animator), Ken Ander ...

'' (1970), as Abigail Gabble (the Goose) (alongside Shelley as Amelia Gabble) and ''

Robin Hood Robin Hood is a legendary noble outlaw, heroic outlaw originally depicted in English folklore and subsequently featured in literature, theatre, and cinema. According to legend, he was a highly skilled archer and swordsman. In some versions o ...

'' (1973) as Maid Marian, a vixen (again alongside Shelley as her handmaiden, Lady Kluck, a

chicken The chicken (''Gallus gallus domesticus'') is a domesticated subspecies of the red junglefowl (''Gallus gallus''), originally native to Southeast Asia. It was first domesticated around 8,000 years ago and is now one of the most common and w ...

). Evans trained at the Central School of Speech & Drama in the 1950s and was the stand-in for

Joan Plowright Joan Ann Olivier, Baroness Olivier (; 28 October 1929 – 16 January 2025), commonly known as Dame Joan Plowright, was an English actress whose career spanned over six decades. She received several accolades including two Golden Globe Awards, an ...

in ''Rhinoceros''. She took over the role from Plowright when Plowright's's relationship with

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 ...

became public. She was also one of the stars in a

soap opera A soap opera (also called a daytime drama or soap) is a genre of a long-running radio or television Serial (radio and television), serial, frequently characterized by melodrama, ensemble casts, and sentimentality. The term ''soap opera'' originat ...

for BBC Television called ''

Compact Compact as used in politics may refer broadly to a pact or treaty; in more specific cases it may refer to: * Interstate compact, a type of agreement used by U.S. states * Blood compact, an ancient ritual of the Philippines * Compact government, a t ...

'', set in the office of a magazine, and starred in '' The Severed Head'' in the West End. Evans was the maid of honor at Carole Shelley's wedding in 1967. She lived in the United States for several years. After her return to the UK she married

BBC Radio 1 BBC Radio 1 is a British national radio station owned and operated by the BBC. It specialises in modern popular music and Contemporary hit radio, current chart hits throughout the day. The station provides alternative genres at night, including ...

DJ Dave Cash. In 2018, she was at the 2018 TCM Classic Film Festival, reuniting with her old friend, Carole Shelley. As of April 2025, she is the last surviving cast member of ''Robin Hood'', alongside the four child actors (Billy Whitaker, Dana Laurita, Dori Whitaker, and Richie Sanders). As of May 2025, she, Dean Clark, and Roddy Maude-Roxby are the last surviving cast members of

TV and filmography

References

External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Evans, Monica 1940 births Living people Actors from the London Borough of Southwark English film actresses English voice actresses English stage actresses English women comedians English television actresses Alumni of the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art 20th-century English actresses Actresses from London People from Camberwell English expatriate actresses in the United States