Vera Frances

Vera Frances Ward (née Still, 29 September 1930 – 7 January 2026) was a British actress who worked with Arthur Askey, Tommy Handley, George Formby, Dinah Sheridan, John Mills and Alastair Sim, amongst others.

Life and career Frances was born in Dagenham, Essex, England on 29 September 1930. Her father was a props and special effects man for Gainsborough Pictures at Lime Grove Studios in Shepherd's Bush. She made her first film appearance in Back-Room Boy as the Cockney girl Jane. She then went on to make another six films.

In her late teens, Frances left film to follow her ambition to be a dance teacher. This proved to be very successful and resulted in a dance school. After marrying Dennis William Ward in 1953, Frances moved the school to March, Cambridgeshire. Dennis died in Cambridge in 2000, at the age of 73. In a February 2008 interview, Frances stated that she stopped making films because there were limited opportunities available for her when transitioning from a child actress.

Frances died on 7 January 2026, at the age of 95.

Filmography