Kurt: /* External links */

2023-01-03T23:00:11Z

External links

← Older revision		Revision as of 18:00, 3 January 2023
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	==External links==		==External links==
	*{{IMDb name\|~~id=~~0336607\|~~name=~~Elspet Gray}}		*{{IMDb name\|0336607\|Elspet Gray}}

	~~{{Authority control}}~~

	{{DEFAULTSORT:Gray, Elspet}}		{{DEFAULTSORT:Gray, Elspet}}

Kurt at 22:58, 3 January 2023

2023-01-03T22:58:34Z

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	\| occupation = Actor		\| occupation = Actor
	\| yearsactive = 1948–2013		\| yearsactive = 1948–2013
	\| spouse = {{marriage\|[[~~Brian Rix, Baron Rix\|~~Brian Rix]]\|1949}}		\| spouse = {{marriage\|[[Brian Rix]]\|1949}}
	\| children = 4		\| children = 4
	}}		}}

Kurt at 22:58, 3 January 2023

2023-01-03T22:58:16Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 17:58, 3 January 2023
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	{{Short description\|Scottish actress}}		{{Short description\|Scottish actress}}
	~~{{Use dmy dates\|date=April 2021}}~~
	~~{{Use British English\|date=September 2015}}~~
	{{Infobox person		{{Infobox person
	\| honorific_prefix = [[The Right Honourable]]		\| honorific_prefix = [[w:The Right Honourable\|The Right Honourable]]
	\| name = The Lady Rix		\| name = The Lady Rix
	\| image = ~~Image of the actress~~ Elspet Gray.~~png~~		\| image = Elspet Gray.jpg
	\| image_size = 200px		\| image_size = 200px
	\| birthname = Elspet Jean MacGregor Gray		\| birthname = Elspet Jean MacGregor Gray
	\| birth_date = {{birth date\|1929\|4\|12\|df=y}}		\| birth_date = {{birth date\|1929\|4\|12\|df=y}}
	\| birth_place = [[Inverness]], Scotland		\| birth_place = [[w:Inverness\|Inverness]], Scotland
	\| death_date = {{death date and age\|2013\|2\|18\|1929\|4\|12\|df=y}}		\| death_date = {{death date and age\|2013\|2\|18\|1929\|4\|12\|df=y}}
	\| death_place = [[London]], England		\| death_place = [[w:London\|London]], England
	\| occupation = Actor		\| occupation = Actor
	\| yearsactive = 1948–2013		\| yearsactive = 1948–2013

Kurt: 1 revision imported

2023-01-03T22:56:43Z

1 revision imported

← Older revision	Revision as of 17:56, 3 January 2023
(No difference)

en>Robby.is.on: Simplify section headings.

2022-11-28T14:56:59Z

Simplify section headings.

New page

{{Short description|Scottish actress}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2021}}
{{Use British English|date=September 2015}}
{{Infobox person
| honorific_prefix = [[The Right Honourable]]
| name = The Lady Rix
| image = Image of the actress Elspet Gray.png
| image_size = 200px
| birthname = Elspet Jean MacGregor Gray
| birth_date = {{birth date|1929|4|12|df=y}}
| birth_place = [[Inverness]], Scotland
| death_date = {{death date and age|2013|2|18|1929|4|12|df=y}}
| death_place = [[London]], England
| occupation = Actor
| yearsactive = 1948–2013
| spouse = {{marriage|[[Brian Rix, Baron Rix|Brian Rix]]|1949}}
| children = 4
}}

'''Elspet Jean Gray, Baroness Rix''' (née '''Gray'''; 12 April 1929 – 18 February 2013) was a Scottish actress, who first became known for her partnership with her husband, [[Brian Rix]], and later was cast in many television roles in the 1970s and 1980s.<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=_S4f-nobIxEC&dq=elspet+gray+stage+career&pg=PA81|title=Some Joe You Don't Know: An American Biographical Guide to 100 British Television Personalities|first=Anthony|last=Slide|date=19 May 1996|publisher=Greenwood Publishing Group|isbn=9780313295508|via=Google Books}}</ref> She played Lady Collingford in the television series ''[[Catweazle]]'' and Mrs. Palmer in the television series ''[[Solo (TV series)|Solo]]'', alongside [[Felicity Kendal]].

==Career==
Gray had a long stage career, particularly known for her appearances in the [[Whitehall farce]]s, the company being managed by her husband [[Brian Rix]], which were originally performed at the [[Trafalgar Studios|Whitehall Theatre]] and later at the [[Garrick Theatre|Garrick]].<ref>{{cite news|last=Barker|first=Dennis|url=https://www.theguardian.com/stage/2013/feb/19/elspet-gray|title=Elspet Gray obituary|work=The Guardian|date=19 February 2013|access-date=16 December 2019}}</ref>

Gray appeared in many films and television programmes, her earliest being ''[[The Blind Goddess (1948 film)|The Blind Goddess]]'' (1948).<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.allmovie.com/artist/elspet-gray-p28357|title=Elspet Gray | Movies and Filmography|website=AllMovie}}</ref> She had several roles in the 1970s including parts in ''[[The Psychiatrist (Fawlty Towers)|Fawlty Towers]]'', as the paediatrician wife of a psychiatrist baffled by [[Basil Fawlty]]’s behaviour,<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.heraldscotland.com/opinion/13093177.elspet-gray/|title=Elspet Gray|website=HeraldScotland}}</ref> ''[[The Crezz]]'', ''[[Catweazle]]'', and in the 1980s with ''[[Doctor Who]]'' story ''[[Arc of Infinity]]'' and the [[World War II|World War Two]] drama ''[[Tenko (TV series)|Tenko]]''.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.aveleyman.com/ActorCredit.aspx?ActorID=6925|title=Elspet Gray|website=www.aveleyman.com}}</ref> She appeared as [[Gertrude of Flanders (Blackadder)|the Queen]] in the [[BBC]] [[Situation comedy|sitcom]] ''[[The Black Adder]]'' (1983), with [[Rowan Atkinson]] as her son in the title role, and as Mrs. Palmer in ''[[Solo (TV series)|Solo]]'' (1981–82), another comedy, this time with [[Felicity Kendal]] in the lead as her daughter.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.screenonline.org.uk/tv/id/500473/credits.html|title=BFI Screenonline: Blackadder (1983-89) Credits|website=www.screenonline.org.uk}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.comedy.co.uk/tv/solo/|title=Solo - BBC1 Sitcom|first=British Comedy|last=Guide|website=British Comedy Guide}}</ref>

Gray continued her acting career until the late 1990s, appearing in ''[[Agatha Christie's Poirot]]'', the films ''[[The Girl in a Swing (1988 film)|The Girl in a Swing]]'' (1988) and ''[[Four Weddings and a Funeral]]'' (1994), and as Hilary in the British television comedy ''[[Dinnerladies (TV series)|Dinnerladies]]''.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www2.bfi.org.uk/films-tv-people/4ce2ba1f59721|title=Elspet Gray|website=BFI}}</ref>

==Personal life and death==
Gray married Brian Rix in 1949. The couple had four children – two sons and two daughters. Their eldest child, daughter Shelley (born 1951)<ref name="autogenerated1">[http://search.ancestry.co.uk/cgi-bin/sse.dll?rank=1&f1=&f0=rix&f16=&rg_f8__date=&rs_f8__date=0&f3=&f17=&f2=gray&gskw=&prox=1&f4=&f5=&db=onsbirth84&ti=5538&ti.si=0&gl=&gss=mp-ONSBirth84&gst=&so=3 England & Wales, Birth Index: 1916–2005] {{registration required}}</ref> had [[Down syndrome]]. The experience of caring for her led the couple to become active campaigners for the disabled. Rix later became [[Mencap]] chairman and president. He became a [[life peer]] in 1992. Shelley died in July 2005, aged 53.<ref>[http://search.ancestry.co.uk/cgi-bin/sse.dll?rank=1&gsfn=&gsln=rix&gsby=1951&gsb2co=1,All+Countries&gsb2pl=1,+&gsdy=2005&gsd2co=1,All+Countries&gsd2pl=1,+&sbo=1&sbor=&srchb=r&prox=1&ti=5538&ti.si=0&gss=angs-c&pcat=34&h=14492011&recoff=3&db=ONSDeath93&indiv=1 England & Wales, Death Index: 1984–2005] {{registration required}}</ref>

Their younger daughter [[Louisa Rix|Louisa]] (born 1955)<ref name="autogenerated1" /> was formerly an actress, and is now an interior designer. Their elder son [[Jamie Rix|Jamie]] (born 1959)<ref name="autogenerated1" /> is a [[Children's literature|children's author]] who has produced television programmes such as ''[[My Hero (UK TV series)|My Hero]]''. Their younger son Jonathan (born 1960)<ref name="autogenerated1" /> is Professor of Participation and Learning Support at the [[Open University]].<ref>[http://www.open.ac.uk/people/jrmr2 Jonty Rix at Open University]</ref>

Gray served on the Council of the [[Actors' Charitable Trust]] for many years, particularly giving her time to the management committee of the actors' care home, [[Denville Hall]].

Gray died in hospital on 18 February 2013, aged 83.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.itv.com/news/update/2013-02-19/actress-elspet-gray-dies-aged-83/|title=Actress Elspet Gray dies aged 83|website=ITV News}}</ref>

==Filmography==
{| class="wikitable sortable jquery-tablesorter"
!Year
!Title
!Role
!Notes
|-
|1948|| ''[[The Blind Goddess (1948 film)|The Blind Goddess]]'' || Daphne Dearing ||
|-
|1948|| ''Fly Away Peter'' || Phyllis Hapgood ||
|-
|1948|| ''[[Love in Waiting]]'' || Brenda Lawrence ||
|-
|1949|| ''[[Trottie True]]'' || Honor Bellaire || Uncredited
|-
|1951|| ''[[Reluctant Heroes]]'' || Lt. Virginia ||
|-
|1954|| ''[[Johnny on the Spot]]'' || Joan Ingram ||
|-
|1954|| ''[[Devil's Point (film)|Devil's Point]]'' || June Mallard ||
|-
|1961|| ''[[The Night We Got the Bird]]'' || Woman with dog ||
|-
|1969|| ''[[Goodbye, Mr. Chips (1969 film)|Goodbye, Mr. Chips]]'' || Lady Sutterwick || Uncredited
|-
|1988|| ''[[The Girl in a Swing (1988 film)|The Girl in a Swing]]'' || Mrs. Dresland ||
|-
|1990|| ''[[Agatha Christie's Poirot|Double Sin]]'' || Miss Penn ||
|-
|1994|| ''[[Four Weddings and a Funeral]]'' || Laura's Mother – Wedding One ||
|}

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
*{{IMDb name|id=0336607|name=Elspet Gray}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Gray, Elspet}}
[[Category:1929 births]]
[[Category:2013 deaths]]
[[Category:British baronesses|Rix]]
[[Category:People from Inverness]]
[[Category:Scottish film actresses]]
[[Category:Scottish television actresses]]
[[Category:Spouses of life peers]]
[[Category:Alumni of the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art]]

Elspet Gray - Revision history

Kurt: /* External links */

Kurt at 22:58, 3 January 2023

Kurt at 22:58, 3 January 2023

Kurt: 1 revision imported

en>Robby.is.on: Simplify section headings.