Kathleen Harrison

Kathleen Harrison (23 February 1892 – 7 December 1995) was a prolific English character actress best remembered for her role as Mrs. Huggett (opposite Jack Warner and Petula Clark) in a trio of British post-war comedies about a working-class family's misadventures, The Huggetts. She later played the charwoman Mrs. Dilber opposite Alastair Sim in the 1951 film Scrooge (US: A Christmas Carol, 1951) and a Cockney charwoman who inherits a fortune in the television series Mrs Thursday (1966–67).

Life and career Born in Blackburn, Lancashire, Harrison was brought up in London, her father having become borough engineer for Southwark. She was educated at Clapham High School before training at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (1914–15). She spent some years living in Argentina and Madeira before making her professional acting debut in the UK in the 1920s. Although disliked by critics, almost immediately it became one of the most popular programmes of its day. Harrison turned down the title role in writer Jeremy Sandford's Play for Today Edna, the Inebriate Woman (1971).

Harrison also starred with Warner in the film Home and Away (1956), about a working-class family that wins the football pools.

Personal life Harrison married John Henry Back in 1916; the couple had three children, two sons, and a daughter. She always pretended to be six years younger than her age, but in 1992 she owned up to reaching 100 and received her telegram from the Queen. Harrison died in 1995 at the age of 103. She was predeceased by her husband, John, and a son.

Filmography + Motion pictures Year Title Role Notes 1931 Hobson's Choice Ada Figgins 1932 Detective Lloyd Minor role Uncredited Aren't We All? Unspecified Uncredited A Blonde Dream Unspecified Uncredited 1933 The Man from Toronto Martha The Ghoul Kaney 1934 The Great Defender Agnes Carter – Locke's maid What Happened Then? Mrs. Munday Uncredited 1935 Inside the Room Nurse Uncredited Dandy Dick Jane (the maid) Uncredited Line Engaged Maid 1936 Jury's Evidence Broken Blossoms Mrs. Lossy The Tenth Man Confused voter Everybody Dance Lucy 1937 Aren't Men Beasts! Annie Wanted! Belinda Night Must Fall Mrs. Terence 1938 Bank Holiday May Jane Steps Out Bit role Uncredited Convict 99 Mabel Almost a Gentleman Mrs. Barker The Terror Parlor maid Uncredited I've Got a Horse Mabel The Outsider Mrs. Coates 1939 A Girl Must Live Penelope Home from Home Mabel Who Is Guilty Polly Discoveries Kitchen maid 1940 Mad Men of Europe Bit role They Came by Night Mrs. Lightbody Gaslight Bit role Uncredited Tilly of Bloomsbury Mrs. Welwyn The Girl in the News Cook The Flying Squad Mrs. Schiffan Salvage with a Smile The Housekeeper Short A Call for Arms Mrs. James Short 1941 The Ghost Train Miss Bourne Major Barbara Mrs. Price The Remarkable Mr. Kipps Customer Uncredited Once a Crook Auntie I Thank You Cook A Letter from Home The Maid Short 1942 The Big Blockade Bit Role Uncredited In Which We Serve Mrs. Blake Much Too Shy Amelia Peabody 1943 Dear Octopus Mrs. Glossop The New Lot Keith's Mother Short – Uncredited 1944 It Happened One Sunday Mrs. Purkiss 1945 Waterloo Road Bit role Uncredited Meet Sexton Blake! Mrs. Bardell Great Day Pub customer Caesar and Cleopatra Egyptian woman Uncredited 1946 Wanted for Murder Florrie I See a Dark Stranger Waitress Uncredited Carnival Bit role Uncredited 1947 Temptation Harbour Mrs. Slater Code of Scotland Yard Mrs. Catt Holiday Camp Mrs. Huggett 1948 Oliver Twist Mrs. Sowerberry Bond Street Ethel Brawn The Winslow Boy Violet – the maid Here Come the Huggetts Ethel Huggett The Day Begins Early Mrs. Huggett Short Vote for Huggett Ethel Huggett 1949 Now Barabbas Mrs. Brown The Huggetts Abroad Ethel Huggett Landfall Mona's mother The Gay Adventure Isobel 1950 Double Confession Kate Waterfront Mrs. McCabe Trio Emma Brown Foreman 1951 The Magic Box Mother in Family Group Scrooge Mrs. Dilber 1952 The Happy Family Lillian Lord The Pickwick Papers Rachel Wardle 1953 Turn the Key Softly Granny Quilliam The Dog and the Diamonds Mrs. Fossett 1954 Let's Make Up Kate 1955 Where There's a Will Annie Yeo Cast a Dark Shadow Emmie All for Mary Nannie Cartwright Harrison repeats her stage performance 1956 It's a Wonderful World Miss Gilly Home and Away Elsie The Big Money Mrs. Frith 1957 Seven Thunders Mme. Abou 1958 A Cry from the Streets Mrs. Farrer Alive and Kicking Rosie 1961 On the Fiddle Mrs. Cooksley 1962 Mrs. Gibbons' Boys Mrs. Gibbons The Fast Lady Mrs. Staggers 1963 West 11 Mrs. Beckett 1969 Lock Up Your Daughters! Lady Clumsey 1979 The Omega Connection Elderly lady

+ Television Year Title Role Notes 1954 All for Mary Nannie Cartwright TV movie 1956 Rheingold Theatre Mrs. Mintern Episode: Treasure in Store 1956 Nude with Violin Cherry May Waterton TV movie 1959 BBC Sunday Night Theatre Mrs. Ashworth Episode: Waters of the Moon 1959–1960 Theatre Night Emma Hornett/Gladys Pudney Episodes: Watch It, Sailor!/How Say You? 1963 Comedy Playhouse Woman Episode: Shamrot 1964 Martin Chuzzlewit Mrs. Prig TV series 1964 Laughter from the Whitehall Nannie Cartwright Episode: All for Mary 1966–1967 Mrs Thursday Alice Thursday TV series 1968 Dixon of Dock Green Kitty Putnam TV series 1968 BBC Play of the Month Mrs. Ashworth Episode: Waters of the Moon 1969 NBC Experiment in Television Voice Episode: Pinter People 1973 ITV Sunday Night Theatre Rose Episode: The Coffee Lace 1973 Spring & Autumn Daisy/Ice Cream Vendor 1973 Stars on Sundays Mrs. Wardle Episode: Glories of Christmas 1974 Charles Dickens' World of Christmas TV movie 1976 Shades of Greene Mrs. Salmon Episode: The Case for the Defence 1976 Our Mutual Friend Henrietty Boffin TV mini-series 1979 Danger UXB Mrs. Dollery Episode: The Quiet Weekend