Avis Bunnage

Mildred Avis Bunnage (22 April 1923 – 4 October 1990) was an English actress of film, stage and television.

Early life Bunnage was born in Ardwick, Manchester. She attended Manley Park Municipal School and Chorlton Central School in Manchester. She worked as a secretary and a nursery teacher before deciding to become an actress.

Career Bunnage gained stage experience in rep and made her first professional appearance at Chorlton Rep Theatre in Manchester in 1947. Her television appearances include one episode of The Frighteners, ("The Disappearing Man" in 1972), with Victor Maddern; Rising Damp, as Rupert Rigsby's (Leonard Rossiter)'s estranged wife, Veronica; one episode of Wodehouse Playhouse, (1978); and as Amy Jenkinson, Ivy Unsworth's friend, in 11 episodes of In Loving Memory. Bunnage was a member of Joan Littlewood's Theatre Workshop company at the Theatre Royal Stratford East. There she created the role of Helen, the mother in A Taste of Honey, her first West End role when the play transferred to Wyndham's Theatre, and a role in Oh, What a Lovely War! at Stratford East, which also transferred to Wyndham's Theatre.

When Bunnage was on holiday from this production for two weeks, her role was taken over by Danny La Rue. Among her other roles for the Theatre Workshop were Mrs. Lovett in Christopher Bond's play Sweeney Todd (the basis for the Sondheim musical), and the title role in a play about the music hall performed Marie Lloyd. In the early years of Coronation Street, she played Lucille Hewitt's aunt. Bunnage was in the musical Billy at the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane, playing the mother of Billy Liar. She played Golda in Fiddler on the Roof, opposite Alfie Bass, at Her Majesty's Theatre in London.

Among Bunnage's various film roles were several British New Wave productions, such as Saturday Night and Sunday Morning and The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner.

Personal life Married to Derek Orchard, she died on 4 October 1990 in Thorpe Bay, Southend-on-Sea, Essex, aged 67.

Filmography Year Title Role Notes1959 Expresso Bongo Mrs. Rudge Uncredited1960 Doctor in Love Mrs. Jimp Uncredited1960 Saturday Night and Sunday Morning Blousy Woman 1961 No Love for Johnnie Constituent Uncredited1962 The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner Mrs. Smith 1962 The L-Shaped Room Doris 1963 Sparrows Can't Sing Bridgie 1963 What a Crazy World Mary Hitchens 1963 Tom Jones Landlady. George Inn The Human Jungle 1965 Rotten to the Core Countess de Wett (Matron) 1965 A Study in Terror Landlady 1966 The Wrong Box Queen Victoria 1967 The Whisperers Mrs. Noonan 1968 Mrs. Brown, You've Got a Lovely Daughter Tulip's Mother 1972 The Frighteners Violet, Arthur's wife(ITV (TV network) episode with Victor Maddern, 4 August. 1977 The Fosters Mrs Pugh Series 2, Episode 13 "The House Guest"1978 Panic Old Lady Short1979 Leave it to Charlie Mrs. Foster Episode: "Do Sit Down, Mrs. Foster"1982 Gandhi Colin's Mother 1984 Forbidden Frau Schimdt 1985 No Surrender Martha Gorman 1988 CivvyStreet Lou's mother 1990 The Krays Helen (Final film role)