Susan Valentine (born 27 January 1951 in

London London is the Capital city, capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of both England and the United Kingdom, with a population of in . London metropolitan area, Its wider metropolitan area is the largest in Wester ...

), known until 2015 as Susan Skipper, is a British television, film and stage actress. She is best known for playing the parts of Victoria Bourne in ''

The Cedar Tree ''The Cedar Tree'' was a television serial that ran from 1976 to 1979 on ITV in the United Kingdom. It involved the story of the upper class Bourne family in the decade leading up to the Second World War. The main setting is Larkfield Manor, ...

'', Tina in '' West End Tales'' and Madeleine in '' Don't Wait Up'', all on British television. She is the widow of

Anthony Valentine Anthony Valentine (17 August 1939 – 2 December 2015) was an English actor best known for his television roles: the ruthless Toby Meres in '' Callan'' (1967–72), the sadistic Major Horst Mohn in '' Colditz'' (1972–74), the suave titular g ...

, to whom she was married for 33 years. After attending the

Central School of Speech and Drama The Royal Central School of Speech and Drama, commonly shortened to Central, is a drama school founded by Elsie Fogerty in 1906, as the Central School of Speech Training and Dramatic Art, to offer a new form of training in speech and drama for ...

in London she made her television debut in a 1974 two-part episode of the

Thames TV Thames Television, commonly simplified to just Thames, was a franchise holder for a region of the British ITV television network serving London and surrounding areas from 30 July 1968 until the night of 31 December 1992. Thames Television broa ...

drama anthology

Rooms In a building or a ship, a room is any enclosed space within a number of walls to which entry is possible only via a door or other dividing structure. The entrance connects it to either a passageway, another room, or the outdoors. The space is t ...

entitled "Jo and Anne" before appearing in the

Carry On Laughing ''Carry On Laughing'' is a British television comedy series produced in 1975 for ATV. Based on the '' Carry On'' films, it was an attempt to address the films' declining cinema attendance by transferring the franchise to television. Many of t ...

sitcom series in 1975. She went on to appear in series like ''

'', '' West End Tales'', '' Don't Wait Up'' (beside

Nigel Havers Nigel Allan Havers (born 6 November 1951) is an English actor and presenter. His film roles include Lord Andrew Lindsay in the 1981 British film ''Chariots of Fire'', which earned him a BAFTA nomination; as Dr. Rawlins in the 1987 Steven Spielb ...

), ''

The Sweeney ''The Sweeney'' is a British police drama television series 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 ...

'' and ''

Doctor Who ''Doctor Who'' is a British science fiction television series broadcast by the BBC since 1963. The series, created by Sydney Newman, C. E. Webber and Donald Wilson (writer and producer), Donald Wilson, depicts the adventures of an extraterre ...

''. In 1982 she was seen as Elizabeth Sarah Lavinia Spencer, Lady Diana's oldest sister, in the television drama '' Charles & Diana: A Royal Love Story'' by

James Goldstone James Goldstone (June 8, 1931 – November 5, 1999) was an American film and television director whose career spanned over thirty years. Early life and education Goldstone was born in Los Angeles, the son of the Hollywood agent and early televi ...

. In 1983, she played a nurse in an episode of the acclaimed

Reilly, Ace of Spies ''Reilly, Ace of Spies'' is a 1983 British television programme dramatizing the life of Sidney Reilly, a Russian-born adventurer who became one of the greatest spies ever to work for the United Kingdom and the British Empire. Among his exploits ...

. In 1987 she had a short appearance in a flashback sequence as

Emily Lloyd Emily Alice Lloyd-Pack (born 29 September 1970), known as Emily Lloyd, is a British actress. At the age of 16, she starred in her debut and breakthrough role in the 1987 film ''Wish You Were Here'', for which she received critical acclaim and ...

's mother in

David Leland David Leland (20 April 1941 – 24 December 2023) was a British film director, screenwriter and actor who came to international fame with his directorial debut ''Wish You Were Here'' in 1987. Life and career Leland initially trained as an ac ...

's film ''

Wish You Were Here Wish You Were Here may refer to: Film, television, and theater Film * ''Wish You Were Here'' (1987 film), a British comedy-drama film by David Leland * ''Wish You Were Here'' (2012 film), an Australian drama/mystery film by Kieran Darcy-Smith ...

'' (1987). She had also an engagement as a stage actress at the Mill Theatre

Sonning Sonning (traditional: ; modern: ) is a village and civil parish in Berkshire, England, on the River Thames, east of Reading, Berkshire, Reading. The village was described by Jerome K. Jerome in his book ''Three Men in a Boat'' as "the most fair ...

where she played e.g. the role of Pat Cooper in the

Terence Rattigan Sir Terence Mervyn Rattigan (10 June 191130 November 1977) was a British dramatist and screenwriter. He was one of England's most popular mid-20th-century dramatists. His plays are typically set in an upper-middle-class background.Geoffrey Wan ...

play ''

Separate Tables ''Separate Tables'' is the collective name of two one-act plays by Terence Rattigan, both taking place in the Beauregard Private Hotel, Bournemouth, on the south coast of England. The first play, titled ''Table by the Window'', focuses on the ...

''. She was the first female voice of Sat-nav. Skipper married the British actor

in 1982. He died on 2 December 2015.

References

External links

Short biography and filmography at Associated International Management
* 1951 births Alumni of the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama English television actresses Living people English stage actresses English film actresses Actresses from London {{England-actor-stub