Polly Perkins (born Gillian Nessie Arnold, 31 May 1943) is a British actress, singer and writer. Perkins rose to fame in the 1960s as a popstar, going on to regularly appear in theatre and

cabaret Cabaret is a form of theatrical entertainment featuring music, song, dance, recitation, or drama. The performance venue might be a pub, a casino, a hotel, a restaurant, or a nightclub with a stage for performances. The audience, often dinin ...

throughout the UK. She is known for playing Rose Cotton, the half-sister of

Dot Cotton Dorothy "Dot" Branning (also Cotton) is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera, ''EastEnders'', played by June Brown. In a special episode entitled ''EastEnders: Dot's Story'' (2003) a young Dot was played by Tallulah Pitt-Brown in ...

(

June Brown June Muriel Brown (16 February 1927 – 3 April 2022) was an English actress and author. She was best known for her role as Dot Cotton on the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders'' (1985–1993; 1997–2020). In 2005, she won Best Actress at the '' ...

), in the

BBC #REDIRECT BBC Here i going to introduce about the best teacher of my life b BALAJI sir. He is the precious gift that I got befor 2yrs . How has helped and thought all the concept and made my success in the 10th board exam. ...

soap opera '' EastEnders'' between 2011 and 2012.

Early and personal life

Perkins was born Gillian Nessie Arnold to theatrical parents Dickie and Mitzi, who both had a successful career performing a cabaret/vaudeville act. Dickie's second wife, Dottie Arnold, was also a successful variety performer. Perkins has two children, singer songwriter Tim Arnold and film producer/director Toby Tobias. In 1985, Perkins moved to Spain.

Career

Perkins started her career performing at the

Windmill Theatre The Windmill Theatre in Great Windmill Street, London, was a variety and revue theatre best known for its nude '' tableaux vivants'', which began in 1932 and lasted until its reversion to a cinema in 1964. Many prominent British comedians o ...

Soho Soho is an area of the City of Westminster, part of the West End of London. Originally a fashionable district for the aristocracy, it has been one of the main entertainment districts in the capital since the 19th century. The area was develo ...

, when still in her teens, she first appeared nude aged 15. During the 60's, Perkins was a teen pop star, a

thespian and the first compere of the cult TV show ''

Ready Steady Go! ''Ready Steady Go!'' (or ''RSG!'') was a British rock/pop music television programme broadcast every Friday evening from 9 August 1963 until 23 December 1966. It was conceived by Elkan Allan, head of Associated-Rediffusion, Rediffusion TV. Al ...

''. She starred in stage musicals as diverse as '' Salad Days'' and ''

Let My People Come ''Let My People Come'' is a musical with book and music by Earl Wilson, Jr. and lyrics by Wilson and Phil Oesterman. Subtitled "A Sexual Musical", the sexually-explicit show originally ran from 1974 to 1976 at The Village Gate theater in Greenwic ...

'', and appeared in episodes of ''

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 ...

'', ''

The Sweeney ''The Sweeney'' is a 1970s British television police drama focusing on two members of the Flying Squad, a branch of the Metropolitan Police specialising in tackling armed robbery and violent crime in London. It stars John Thaw as Detective ...

'', Rules of Justice and ''Nanny''. Perkins was the leading lady in many West End cabaret clubs including The Latin Quarter, Blue Angel, The Celebrite, The Gaslight, The Directors Lodge, The Gargoyle, The Piano Bar and Madame Jojo's. She became a much-loved figure in Soho clubs for her smoky rendition of

Edith Piaf Edith is a feminine given name derived from the Old English words ēad, meaning 'riches or blessed', and is in common usage in this form in English, German, many Scandinavian languages and Dutch. Its French form is Édith. Contractions and ...

's '' Je Ne Regrette Rien''. She also ran and performed in her own club "Polly's Candlelight" in Mayfair throughout 1977/78. Perkins was cast as Trish Valentine, a washed-up

nightclub singer A nightclub act is a production, usually of nightclub music or comedy, designed for performance at a nightclub, a type of drinking establishment, by a nightclub performer such as a nightclub singer or nightclub dancer, whose performance ma ...

, in the BBC soap opera '' Eldorado'' in the mid-90s. In 2011, she returned to the stage in the debut performance of songs from her son's new musical ''

Secrets of Soho ''Secrets of Soho'' is a solo album by British singer songwriter Tim Arnold that was released in 2006. Arnold went on to write an original story derived from the themes and characters on the album, resulting in the new stage musical Marina. In ...

'' at The Phoenix Artist Club. In the movie Metropolitan by

Whit Stillman John Whitney Stillman (born January 25, 1952) is an American writer-director and actor known for his 1990 film ''Metropolitan'', which earned him a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay. He is also known for his other fil ...

there is a mentioned character named Polly Perkins although an appearance is never made. In May 2011, it was announced by that Perkins would be joining the cast of BBC soap opera '' EastEnders'' as

Rose A rose is either a woody perennial flowering plant of the genus ''Rosa'' (), in the family Rosaceae (), or the flower it bears. There are over three hundred species and tens of thousands of cultivars. They form a group of plants that can b ...

, the estranged half-sister of

Dot Branning Dorothy "Dot" Branning (also Cotton) is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera, '' EastEnders'', played by June Brown. In a special episode entitled ''EastEnders: Dot's Story'' (2003) a young Dot was played by Tallulah Pitt-Brown in f ...

. Speaking of her casting, Perkins said "I am thrilled to be joining the cast of ''EastEnders'', the show is a real British institution with an extraordinary creative team. I'm really looking forward to working with June again, who I have been friends with for over 30 years."

Filmography

Television

*''BBC Sunday Night Play-She's A Free Country'' *'' The Colony'' *'' Menace'' *''

'' *''Flickers'' *''Rules of Justice'' *''

Nanny A nanny is a person who provides child care. Typically, this care is given within the children's family setting. Throughout history, nannies were usually servants in large households and reported directly to the lady of the house. Today, modern ...

'' *''Play For Today-Wayne And Albert'' *'' Eldorado'' *'' EastEnders'' (2011–12)

Stage

*'' Salad Days'' *''

'' *''Blood Brothers (Salon Varietés Production)''

Film

*'' Take It or Leave It'' *''The Mumbo Jumbo''

Discography

Albums

*''Pop Lore According to the Academy'' (1969) - Reissued on CD and is available digitally. *''Liberated Woman'' (1973) *''Polly'' (1977)

Singles

*''I Reckon You'' (1963) *''Sweet As Honey'' (1963) *''Young Lover'' (1964) *''I Went By Your House Today'' (1964) *''Munching The Candy'' (1969) *''Coochie Coo'' (1973)

Bibliography

*''Songs for the Liberated Woman'' (1973) *''Far Too Dainty'' (2003)

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Perkins, Polly 1943 births Living people English television actresses English women singers English film actresses English stage actresses