Dandy Nichols

Template:Short description Template:Use British English Template:Use dmy dates Template:Infobox person Dandy Nichols (born Daisy Sander; 21 May 1907 – 6 February 1986) was an English actress best known for her role as Else Garnett, the long-suffering wife of the character Alf Garnett, in the BBC sitcom Till Death Us Do Part.<ref name=bfi/><ref name=screenonline/>

Early life and career

Born Daisy Sander in Fulham, London,<ref name="heaven">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> she started her working life as a secretary in a London factory. Twelve years later, after drama, diction and fencing classes, she was spotted in a charity show by a producer, who offered her a job in his repertory theatre company in Cambridge. During her early career on stage she acted under the name Barbara Nichols but later changed it to Dandy, her childhood nickname.<ref name=screenonline/>

When the Second World War broke out, Nichols returned to office work but later undertook a six-week tour with ENSA. When the war was over, she returned to the theatre and also began appearing in films: usually comedies and almost invariably as a maid or charlady.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> The latter role she took on in the music video "Goody Two Shoes" by Adam Ant.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>

Nichols's successes in theatre include the Royal Court Theatre and Broadway productions of Home.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Her big screen debut was in Hue and Cry, in 1947,<ref name="heaven"/> followed with performances in Nicholas Nickleby,<ref name="heaven"/> The Fallen Idol, The Winslow Boy, The History of Mr Polly, Scott of the Antarctic, Mother Riley Meets the Vampire and Dickens' The Pickwick Papers.<ref name=screenonline/><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Till Death Us Do Part

Dandy Nichols's best-known role was Else Garnett in the landmark series Till Death Us Do Part, where she played the long-suffering wife of the character Alf Garnett who was a parody of a working class Tory.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> The part was originally played in the pilot episode for the series (as part of the BBC's Comedy Playhouse) by future EastEnders actress Gretchen Franklin.<ref name=screenonline>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> However, when it was commissioned as a series, Franklin was unable to break her contract for a West End play and Nichols was cast.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Nichols's role seemed, at first, almost negligible: spending the best part of one early episode reading the telephone book as Alf embarked on another of his tirades. However, Else proved to be a perfect foil for Alf, and could put him down effortlessly with a withering look or cutting remark.<ref name=screenonline/> Perhaps her finest hour – in an episode shown by the BBC in tribute to Dandy in 1986 – was when, in 1974, Else took a leaf out of Prime Minister Edward Heath's book and went on a "three-day week", forcing Alf to fend for and feed himself on her days off.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

In the original scripts, Alf was to refer to his wife as a "silly cow". This was firmly vetoed by BBC Head of Comedy Frank Muir, who thought this was inappropriate. Nichols said that it was "a lot of silly fuss about a silly moo" which was overheard by script writer Johnny Speight and became the series' most enduring catchphrase.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>

In Sickness and in Health

Till Death Us Do Part came to an end in 1975 but was revived in 1981, entitled Till Death..., and again in 1985.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Nichols agreed to appear, but had been suffering from rheumatoid arthritis and had to use a wheelchair.<ref name=screenonline/> Her illnesses were written into the scripts, and the series was appropriately renamed In Sickness and in Health.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> The series continued after her death, with Alf left on his own.<ref name="heaven"/>

Film career

Nichols appeared in numerous films, which included Carry On Doctor,<ref name="heaven"/> Ladies Who Do, The Holly and the Ivy, The Vikings,<ref name="heaven"/> the Beatles' film Help!,<ref name="heaven"/> Georgy Girl, Doctor in Clover, The Birthday Party, The Bed Sitting Room, O Lucky Man!, Confessions of a Window Cleaner and Britannia Hospital amongst others.<ref name=bfi>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Later years

After her role in Till Death Do Us Part, Nichols found work in television, notably playing opposite Alastair Sim in William Trevor's production of The Generals Day.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> She made appearances in Flint, The Tea Ladies and Bergerac.<ref name=bfi/><ref name=screenonline/> On stage, she appeared in Ben Travers's comedy Plunder, as well as playing alongside Sir Ralph Richardson and Sir John Gielgud in David Storey's Home, in both London and on Broadway.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Personal life

Nichols was married to the newspaper editor Stephen Bagueley Waters in 1942,<ref name="heaven"/> but the marriage ended in divorce in 1955.

Nichols's poor health led to a fall in her flat and she died three days later of pneumonia and heart disease on 6 February 1986 aged 78 at the London Hospital, Whitechapel.<ref name="heaven"/>

Television roles

Year	Title	Role	Notes
1966 to 1975 1981 1985	Till Death Us Do Part Till Death... In Sickness and in Health	Else Garnett
1971	The Trouble With You, Lilian	Madge
1981	The Bagthorpe Saga	Mrs Forsdyke
1983	Bergerac	Mrs Honeyman	Episode: A Message for the Rich

Partial filmography

• Goody Two Shoes (Adam Ant music video) (1982) - Cleaning lady

External links

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