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{{Short description|English actress (1928 – 2008)}}
{{Short description|English actress (1928 – 2008)}}
{{EngvarB|date=October 2017}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2017}}
{{Infobox person
{{Infobox person
| name          = Kathy Staff
| name          = Kathy Staff
| image        = Kathy Staff standing outside (cropped and bg modified).jpg
| image        = Kathy Staff.jpg
| caption      = Kathy Staff
| caption      = Kathy Staff
| birth_name    = Minnie Higginbottom
| birth_name    = Minnie Higginbottom
| birth_date    = {{birth date|df=yes|1928|7|12}}
| birth_date    = {{birth date|1928|07|12|df=yes}}
| birth_place  = [[Dukinfield]], [[Cheshire]], England
| birth_place  = [[w:Dukinfield|Dukinfield]], [[w:Cheshire|Cheshire]], England
| resting_place = Dukinfield Cemetery and Crematorium
| resting_place = Dukinfield Cemetery and Crematorium
| death_date    = {{Death date and age|df=yes|2008|12|13|1928|7|12}}
| death_date    = {{Death date and age|2008|12|13|1928|07|12|df=yes}}
| death_place  = [[Ashton-under-Lyne]], [[Greater Manchester]], England
| death_place  = [[w:Ashton-under-Lyne|Ashton-under-Lyne]], [[w:Greater Manchester|Greater Manchester]], England
| occupation    = Actress
| occupation    = Actress
| years_active  = 1946–2008
| years_active  = 1946–2008
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}}
}}


'''Kathy Staff''' (born '''Minnie Higginbottom'''; 12 July 1928 – 13 December 2008) was an English actress known for her work on [[British television]]. She is best known for her portrayal of [[Nora Batty]] in ''[[Last of the Summer Wine]]'', the longest running sitcom in the world.
'''Kathy Staff''' (born '''Minnie Higginbottom'''; 12 July 1928 – 13 December 2008) was an English actress known for her work on [[w:British television|British television]]. She is best known for her portrayal of [[Nora Batty]] in ''[[Last of the Summer Wine]]'', the longest running sitcom in the world.


==Career==
==Career==


===Early career===
===Early career===
She began her acting career with touring repertory companies in 1946, changing her name to '''Katherine Brant'''. After she married John Staff in 1951,<ref name="exam"/> she adopted the surname as her stage name, hence Kathy Staff. She retired from the stage at this point to raise her family, but started working as an extra for [[ITV Granada|Granada Television]] in Manchester in the 1960s. In her autobiography, Staff revealed herself to be a [[Conservative Party (UK)|Conservative]], and noted that she had once stood as an election candidate for the party.<ref name="wrinkles" /> This appears to have been in 1971, when a Ms. M. Staff contested the Central ward in the [[Municipal Borough of Dukinfield]]. The seat was comfortably held by [[Labour Party (UK)|Labour]], with the [[Liberal Party (UK)|Liberals]] beating all three Conservative candidates, the last-placed of whom was Staff.<ref name="elections">{{cite web |title=Non-County Boroughs |url=http://www.electionscentre.co.uk/?page_id=3953 |website=Elections Centre |access-date=24 July 2019 |date=9 March 2018}}</ref><ref name="dukinfield">{{cite web |title=1971.xlsx |url=https://drive.google.com/file/d/1VbKa7eb12plLt91MV-XPZxfrs3JXaS2c/view |website=Google Docs |access-date=24 July 2019}}</ref>
She began her acting career with touring repertory companies in 1946, changing her name to '''Katherine Brant'''. After she married John Staff in 1951,<ref name="exam"/> she adopted the surname as her stage name, hence Kathy Staff. She retired from the stage at this point to raise her family, but started working as an extra for [[w:ITV Granada|Granada Television]] in Manchester in the 1960s. In her autobiography, Staff revealed herself to be a [[w:Conservative Party (UK)|Conservative]], and noted that she had once stood as an election candidate for the party.<ref name="wrinkles" /> This appears to have been in 1971, when a Ms. M. Staff contested the Central ward in the [[w:Municipal Borough of Dukinfield|Municipal Borough of Dukinfield]]. The seat was comfortably held by [[w:Labour Party (UK)|Labour]], with the [[w:Liberal Party (UK)|Liberals]] beating all three Conservative candidates, the last-placed of whom was Staff.<ref name="elections">{{cite web |title=Non-County Boroughs |url=http://www.electionscentre.co.uk/?page_id=3953 |website=Elections Centre |access-date=24 July 2019 |date=9 March 2018}}</ref><ref name="dukinfield">{{cite web |title=1971.xlsx |url=https://drive.google.com/file/d/1VbKa7eb12plLt91MV-XPZxfrs3JXaS2c/view |website=Google Docs |access-date=24 July 2019}}</ref>


===''Last of the Summer Wine''===
===''Last of the Summer Wine''===
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===Television===
===Television===


Staff had a regular role as Doris Luke in the popular ATV soap opera, ''[[Crossroads (British TV series)|Crossroads]]'' from 1978 to 1984 and 2001 to 2002. Her other television roles included ''[[Coronation Street]]'' as [[Vera Hopkins]],<ref name="exam"/> ''[[No Frills (TV series)|No Frills]]'' as Molly Bickerstaff, ''[[Open All Hours]]'' as Mrs Blewitt, ''Dawson's Weekly'' and ''[[The Benny Hill Show]]''. She appeared in a television version of ''Separate Tables'' in 1983.
Staff had a regular role as Doris Luke in the popular ATV soap opera, ''[[w:Crossroads (British TV series)|Crossroads]]'' from 1978 to 1984 and 2001 to 2002. Her other television roles included ''[[w:Coronation Street|Coronation Street]]'' as [[w:Vera Hopkins|Vera Hopkins]],<ref name="exam"/> ''[[w:No Frills (TV series)|No Frills]]'' as Molly Bickerstaff, ''[[Open All Hours]]'' as Mrs Blewitt, ''Dawson's Weekly'' and ''[[The Benny Hill Show]]''. She appeared in a television version of ''Separate Tables'' in 1983.


She was the subject of ''[[This Is Your Life (British TV series)|This Is Your Life]]'' in 1984 when she was surprised by [[Eamonn Andrews]] while shopping in [[Harrods]].{{Citation needed|date=September 2021}} She also appeared on ''[[Lily Savage's Blankety Blank]]''.,<ref name="blanketyblank">{{cite episode|series=[[Lily Savage's Blankety Blank]]|airdate=25 March 2001|network=[[ITV (TV network)|ITV]]}}</ref> plus a brief appearance in Follyfoot.
She was the subject of ''[[w:This Is Your Life (British TV series)|This Is Your Life]]'' in 1984 when she was surprised by [[w:Eamonn Andrews|Eamonn Andrews]] while shopping in [[w:Harrods|Harrods]]. She also appeared on ''[[w:Lily Savage's Blankety Blank|Lily Savage's Blankety Blank]]''.,<ref name="blanketyblank">{{cite episode|series=[[w:Lily Savage's Blankety Blank|Lily Savage's Blankety Blank]]|airdate=25 March 2001|network=[[w:ITV (TV network)|ITV]]}}</ref> plus a brief appearance in ''‘Follyfoot’''.


===Theatre===
===Theatre===
Her theatre roles included Lady Bracknell in ''[[The Importance of Being Earnest]]'' at [[Birmingham Rep]], Madame Arcati and Mrs Malaprop in touring productions of ''[[Blithe Spirit (play)|Blithe Spirit]]'' and ''[[The Rivals]]'' respectively and a touring production of the comedy ''Sailor, Beware!'', as well as two [[West End theatre|West End]] plays: the farce ''[[Two into One]]'' and comedy ''[[When We Are Married]]'', and many pantomimes.<ref name="wrinkles">{{cite book |last1=Staff |first1=Kathy |title=My story : wrinkles and all |date=1997 |publisher=Hodder & Stoughton |isbn=9780340694299}}</ref>
Her theatre roles included Lady Bracknell in ''[[w:The Importance of Being Earnest|The Importance of Being Earnest]]'' at [[w:Birmingham Rep|Birmingham Rep]], Madame Arcati and Mrs Malaprop in touring productions of ''[[w:Blithe Spirit (play)|Blithe Spirit]]'' and ''[[w:The Rivals|The Rivals]]'' respectively and a touring production of the comedy ''Sailor, Beware!'', as well as two [[w:West End theatre|West End]] plays: the farce ''[[w:Two into One|Two into One]]'' and comedy ''[[w:When We Are Married|When We Are Married]]'', and many pantomimes.<ref name="wrinkles">{{cite book |last1=Staff |first1=Kathy |title=My story : wrinkles and all |date=1997 |publisher=Hodder & Stoughton |isbn=9780340694299}}</ref>


===Films===
===Films===
She appeared in ''[[A Kind of Loving (film)|A Kind of Loving]]'' (1962) as [[Thora Hird]]'s neighbour, as well as ''[[The Family Way]]'' (1966), ''[[The Dresser (1983 film)|The Dresser]]'' (1983), ''[[Camille (1984 film)|Camille]]'' (1984), ''[[Little Dorrit (1987 film)|Little Dorrit]]'' (1988), and ''[[Mary Reilly (film)|Mary Reilly]]'' (1996).<ref>[https://www.independent.co.uk/news/obituaries/kathy-staff-nora-batty-in-last-of-the-summer-wine-and-veteran-of-itv-soaps-1128233.html ''The Independent'']</ref>
She appeared in ''[[w:A Kind of Loving (film)|A Kind of Loving]]'' (1962) as [[Thora Hird]]'s neighbour, as well as ''[[w:The Family Way|The Family Way]]'' (1966), ''[[w:The Dresser (1983 film)|The Dresser]]'' (1983), ''[[w:Camille (1984 film)|Camille]]'' (1984), ''[[w:Little Dorrit (1987 film)|Little Dorrit]]'' (1988), and ''[[w:Mary Reilly (film)|Mary Reilly]]'' (1996).<ref>[https://www.independent.co.uk/news/obituaries/kathy-staff-nora-batty-in-last-of-the-summer-wine-and-veteran-of-itv-soaps-1128233.html ''The Independent'']</ref>


==Illness and death==
==Illness and death==
She died on 13 December 2008 at the Willow Wood Hospice in [[Ashton-under-Lyne]], at the age of 80, with her husband John at her bedside, after a brain tumour was diagnosed earlier in the year.<ref name="MENObit">{{cite news|url=http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/s/1085305_summer_wines_nora_batty_dies|title=Summer Wine's Nora Batty dies|last=Dowling|first=Nicola|date=14 December 2008|work=Manchester Evening News|publisher=M.E.N. Media|access-date=14 December 2008}}</ref><ref name="Teleg1">{{cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/obituaries/3759421/Kathy-Staff.html|title=Kathy Staff|date=14 December 2008|work=The Daily Telegraph|access-date=14 December 2008}}</ref> Her death was announced on 14 December.<ref>{{cite news|title=Summer Wine star Staff dies at 80|publisher=BBC News|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/7782250.stm|date=14 December 2008|access-date=14 December 2008}}</ref>
She died on 13 December 2008 at the Willow Wood Hospice in [[w:Ashton-under-Lyne|Ashton-under-Lyne]], at the age of 80, with her husband John at her bedside, after a brain tumour was diagnosed earlier in the year.<ref name="MENObit">{{cite news|url=http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/s/1085305_summer_wines_nora_batty_dies|title=Summer Wine's Nora Batty dies|last=Dowling|first=Nicola|date=14 December 2008|work=Manchester Evening News|publisher=M.E.N. Media|access-date=14 December 2008}}</ref><ref name="Teleg1">{{cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/obituaries/3759421/Kathy-Staff.html|title=Kathy Staff|date=14 December 2008|work=The Daily Telegraph|access-date=14 December 2008}}</ref> Her death was announced on 14 December.<ref>{{cite news|title=Summer Wine star Staff dies at 80|publisher=BBC News|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/7782250.stm|date=14 December 2008|access-date=14 December 2008}}</ref>
Her funeral took place at St Mark's Dukinfield, where she was a lifelong member and sang in the choir. She is commemorated in a memorial screen at the church.<ref>Chester Diocesan News, February 2011</ref>
Her funeral took place at St Mark's Dukinfield, where she was a lifelong member and sang in the choir. She is commemorated in a memorial screen at the church.<ref>Chester Diocesan News, February 2011</ref>


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! Year !! Title !! Role
! Year !! Title !! Role
|-
|-
|1969 || ''[[Castle Haven (TV series)|Castle Haven]]'' || Lorna Everitt
|1969 || ''[[w:Castle Haven (TV series)|Castle Haven]]'' || Lorna Everitt
|-
|-
|1970|| ''[[Queenie's Castle]]'' || Mrs Blakely
|1970|| ''[[w:Queenie's Castle|Queenie's Castle]]'' || Mrs Blakely
|-
|-
|1973 || ''[[Hadleigh (TV series)|Hadleigh]]'' || Mrs Brennan
|1973 || ''[[w:Hadleigh (TV series)|Hadleigh]]'' || Mrs Brennan
|-
|-
|1973–2001<br>2002–2008 || ''[[Last of the Summer Wine]]'' || [[Nora Batty]]; 243 episodes  
|1973–2001<br>2002–2008 || ''[[Last of the Summer Wine]]'' || [[Nora Batty]]; 243 episodes  
|-
|-
|1973–1975 || ''[[Coronation Street]]'' || [[Vera Hopkins]]
|1973–1975 || ''[[w:Coronation Street|Coronation Street]]'' || [[w:Vera Hopkins|Vera Hopkins]]
|-
|-
|1975 || ''[[Emmerdale]]'' || Winnie Purvis
|1975 || ''[[w:Emmerdale|Emmerdale]]'' || Winnie Purvis
|-
|-
|1976–1981 || ''[[Open All Hours]]'' || Mrs Blewett
|1976–1981 || ''[[Open All Hours]]'' || Mrs Blewett
|-
|-
|1978–1984<br>2001–2002 || ''[[Crossroads (British TV series)|Crossroads]]'' || Doris Luke
|1978–1984<br>2001–2002 || ''[[w:Crossroads (British TV series)|Crossroads]]'' || Doris Luke
|-
|-
|1983–1986 || ''[[The Benny Hill Show]]'' || Various
|1983–1986 || ''[[The Benny Hill Show]]'' || Various
|-
|-
|1988 || ''[[No Frills (TV series)|No Frills]]'' || Molly Bickerstaff  
|1988 || ''[[w:No Frills (TV series)|No Frills]]'' || Molly Bickerstaff  
|}
|}


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* {{IMDb name|0821220}}
* {{IMDb name|0821220}}
* {{Discogs artist|Kathy Staff}}
* {{Discogs artist|Kathy Staff}}
* [http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/obituaries/article5342119.ece Obituary] in ''[[The Times]]''. Retrieved 2008-12-15
* [http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/obituaries/article5342119.ece Obituary] in ''[[w:The Times|The Times]]''. Retrieved 2008-12-15
* [https://www.independent.co.uk/news/obituaries/kathy-staff-nora-batty-in-last-of-the-summer-wine-and-veteran-of-itv-soaps-1128233.html Obituary in ''The Independent'']
* [https://www.independent.co.uk/news/obituaries/kathy-staff-nora-batty-in-last-of-the-summer-wine-and-veteran-of-itv-soaps-1128233.html Obituary in ''The Independent'']


Latest revision as of 16:31, 26 December 2022

Kathy Staff
Kathy Staff.jpg
Kathy Staff
Born
Minnie Higginbottom

(1928-07-12)12 July 1928
Dukinfield, Cheshire, England
Died13 December 2008(2008-12-13) (aged 80)
Ashton-under-Lyne, Greater Manchester, England
Resting placeDukinfield Cemetery and Crematorium
OccupationActress
Years active1946–2008
Spouse
John Staff
​
(m. 1951)​
Children2
RelativesConstance (sister)

Kathy Staff (born Minnie Higginbottom; 12 July 1928 – 13 December 2008) was an English actress known for her work on British television. She is best known for her portrayal of Nora Batty in Last of the Summer Wine, the longest running sitcom in the world.

Career

Early career

She began her acting career with touring repertory companies in 1946, changing her name to Katherine Brant. After she married John Staff in 1951,[1] she adopted the surname as her stage name, hence Kathy Staff. She retired from the stage at this point to raise her family, but started working as an extra for Granada Television in Manchester in the 1960s. In her autobiography, Staff revealed herself to be a Conservative, and noted that she had once stood as an election candidate for the party.[2] This appears to have been in 1971, when a Ms. M. Staff contested the Central ward in the Municipal Borough of Dukinfield. The seat was comfortably held by Labour, with the Liberals beating all three Conservative candidates, the last-placed of whom was Staff.[3][4]

Last of the Summer Wine

Staff was best known for her role as one of the main characters, Nora Batty, in the long-running BBC sitcom Last of the Summer Wine. She played Nora Batty from the pilot episode in 1973 [1] until 2008, the year she died from a brain tumour, totalling 245 episodes.

Shortly after the death of actor Bill Owen on 12 July 1999, coincidentally also Staff's birthday, Staff left the show briefly. She stated in interviews that things just were not the same since his passing, and her heart was no longer in it. She would later return to the show and remain until she died in 2008.

Television

Staff had a regular role as Doris Luke in the popular ATV soap opera, Crossroads from 1978 to 1984 and 2001 to 2002. Her other television roles included Coronation Street as Vera Hopkins,[1] No Frills as Molly Bickerstaff, Open All Hours as Mrs Blewitt, Dawson's Weekly and The Benny Hill Show. She appeared in a television version of Separate Tables in 1983.

She was the subject of This Is Your Life in 1984 when she was surprised by Eamonn Andrews while shopping in Harrods. She also appeared on Lily Savage's Blankety Blank.,[5] plus a brief appearance in ‘Follyfoot’.

Theatre

Her theatre roles included Lady Bracknell in The Importance of Being Earnest at Birmingham Rep, Madame Arcati and Mrs Malaprop in touring productions of Blithe Spirit and The Rivals respectively and a touring production of the comedy Sailor, Beware!, as well as two West End plays: the farce Two into One and comedy When We Are Married, and many pantomimes.[2]

Films

She appeared in A Kind of Loving (1962) as Thora Hird's neighbour, as well as The Family Way (1966), The Dresser (1983), Camille (1984), Little Dorrit (1988), and Mary Reilly (1996).[6]

Illness and death

She died on 13 December 2008 at the Willow Wood Hospice in Ashton-under-Lyne, at the age of 80, with her husband John at her bedside, after a brain tumour was diagnosed earlier in the year.[7][8] Her death was announced on 14 December.[9] Her funeral took place at St Mark's Dukinfield, where she was a lifelong member and sang in the choir. She is commemorated in a memorial screen at the church.[10]

Television roles

Year Title Role
1969 Castle Haven Lorna Everitt
1970 Queenie's Castle Mrs Blakely
1973 Hadleigh Mrs Brennan
1973–2001
2002–2008		 Last of the Summer Wine Nora Batty; 243 episodes
1973–1975 Coronation Street Vera Hopkins
1975 Emmerdale Winnie Purvis
1976–1981 Open All Hours Mrs Blewett
1978–1984
2001–2002		 Crossroads Doris Luke
1983–1986 The Benny Hill Show Various
1988 No Frills Molly Bickerstaff

References

  1. ^ a b c "Nora: Kathy Staff". The Huddersfield Daily Examiner. 1 January 2000. Archived from the original on 12 May 2008. Retrieved 14 December 2008.
  2. ^ a b Staff, Kathy (1997). My story : wrinkles and all. Hodder & Stoughton. ISBN 9780340694299.
  3. ^ "Non-County Boroughs". Elections Centre. 9 March 2018. Retrieved 24 July 2019.
  4. ^ "1971.xlsx". Google Docs. Retrieved 24 July 2019.
  5. ^ Lily Savage's Blankety Blank. 25 March 2001. ITV.
  6. ^ The Independent
  7. ^ Dowling, Nicola (14 December 2008). "Summer Wine's Nora Batty dies". Manchester Evening News. M.E.N. Media. Retrieved 14 December 2008.
  8. ^ "Kathy Staff". The Daily Telegraph. 14 December 2008. Retrieved 14 December 2008.
  9. ^ "Summer Wine star Staff dies at 80". BBC News. 14 December 2008. Retrieved 14 December 2008.
  10. ^ Chester Diocesan News, February 2011

Further reading

  • Staff, Kathy (1999). Book of Happy Families.
  • Staff, Kathy (1999). My Story, Wrinkles & All.

External links

Retrieved from "https://www.thegoonshow.co.uk/wiki/index.php?title=Kathy_Staff&oldid=29089"