Barbara Murray obit

Barbara Murray. Actress. September 27, 1929 - May 20, 2014. Aged 84

BARBARA Murray began her acting career during the golden age of film-making and ended it during the golden age of British television.

 

She was not on the list.

Best known for her role as Lady Pamela Wilder in the 1960s ITV drama The Plane Makers and its sequel The Power Game, Murray made the transition from stage to screen easily.

 

From starring in the 1948 film Anna Karenina and romancing Dirk Bogarde in the 1957 film Campbell’s Kingdom to playing scatterbrain Deirdre in the sitcom Never A Cross Word and Madame Goesler in the BBC’s period blockbuster The Pallisers, Murray showcased her versatility time and again.

 

She was born in London and was sent to boarding school so that her theatrical parents could tour the country with their dance act.

 

Although she occasionally joined them on stage, acting was her true passion.

 

After a brief flirtation with modelling she successfully auditioned for the Rank Organisation where she landed a five-year contract worth £10 a week, about £360 today.

 

She was just 17.

 

Murray made her stage and screen debuts in 1949, beginning in regional rep at the Newcastle Playhouse and appearing in the British comedy film Badger’s Green.

 

That same year she starred opposite Richard Attenborough and Dirk Bogarde in the movie Boys In Brown and the surprise hit Ealing comedy Passport To Pimlico.

In 1952 she married The Sound Barrier actor John Justin and they had three daughters.

 

“My best part is mum,” she once said.

 

It was the reason she turned down a new Rank contract when it was offered.

 

But the marriage to Justin didn’t last and in 1964 she married actor-turned English teacher Bill Holmes. That marriage also ended in divorce.

 

The next two decades turned out to be her most prolific.

 

Theatre fans saw her in numerous roles including the lead of Stella in the original production of Harold Pinter’s The Collection and as Isolde Poole in The Tunnel Of Love.

 

Her film credits included Meet Mr Lucifer, The Punch And Judy Man opposite Tony Hancock, Some Will, Some Won’t alongside Ronnie Corbett and Leslie Phillips and Up Pompeii! with Frankie Howerd.

 

Whether it was on stage, TV or the silver screen, Murray was grateful for this prolonged period of work and after the success of The Power Game bought her own house in Richmond upon Thames, Surrey.

 

“I’ve been insecure, broke and unhappy, and having a house of my own always seemed the big unattainable,” she said in 1969.

 

Murray, who was living in Spain at the time of her death, is survived by her children.

Actress

The Harpist (1999)

The Harpist

5.4

Mrs. Budde

1999

 

Shelley Fabares, Craig T. Nelson, Bill Fagerbakke, Kenneth Kimmins, and Jerry Van Dyke in Coach (1989)

Coach

7.0

TV Series

Older Woman

1996

1 episode

 

Casualty (1986)

Casualty

6.1

TV Series

Vivien Guyett

1994

1 episode

 

The Bretts (1987)

The Bretts

8.2

TV Series

Lydia

1987–1989

19 episodes

 

Windsor Davies and Donald Sinden in Never the Twain (1981)

Never the Twain

6.6

TV Series

Stephanie

Janis Hunter

1984–1988

2 episodes

 

The Power (1984)

The Power

4.5

Tommy's Mother

1984

 

Dick Emery and Barry Evans in Legacy of Murder (1982)

Legacy of Murder

7.7

TV Series

Sarah

1982

2 episodes

 

Paul McGann, Colin Baker, Tom Baker, Peter Davison, William Hartnell, Sylvester McCoy, Jon Pertwee, and Patrick Troughton in Doctor Who (1963)

Doctor Who

8.4

TV Series

Lady Cranleigh

1982

2 episodes

 

Tony Britton, David Kelly, Richard O'Sullivan, and Tessa Wyatt in Robin's Nest (1977)

Robin's Nest

6.4

TV Series

Marion Nicholls

1979–1980

3 episodes

 

The Curse of King Tut's Tomb (1980)

The Curse of King Tut's Tomb

4.8

TV Movie

Giovanna Antoniella

1980

 

Jimmy Edwards and Eric Sykes in Charley's Aunt (1977)

Charley's Aunt

6.0

TV Movie

Donna Lucia

1977

 

Ian Hendry, Carole Mowlam, and Maureen Pryor in The Sunday Drama (1977)

The Sunday Drama

5.0

TV Series

Heather

1977

1 episode

 

Mikel Lambert in The Mackinnons (1977)

The Mackinnons

6.3

TV Series

Helen Gordon

1977

1 episode

 

BBC Play of the Month (1965)

BBC Play of the Month

6.7

TV Series

Lady Utterword

1977

1 episode

 

Affairs of the Heart (1974)

Affairs of the Heart

7.8

TV Series

Leonie Alsager

1975

1 episode

 

Susan Hampshire, Philip Latham, Donal McCann, Barbara Murray, and Bryan Pringle in The Pallisers (1974)

The Pallisers

8.2

TV Mini Series

Marie Finn

Marie Goesler

Madame Max Goesler

1974

21 episodes

 

Ooh La La! (1968)

Ooh La La!

6.5

TV Series

Leontine

1973

1 episode

 

Gene Barry, Barry Morse, and Catherine Schell in The Adventurer (1972)

The Adventurer

6.2

TV Series

Lady Diane Battersley

1973

1 episode

 

Comedy Playhouse (1961)

Comedy Playhouse

7.2

TV Series

Lottie Elms

1973

1 episode

 

Tim Brooke-Taylor and Madeline Smith in His and Hers (1970)

His and Hers

5.8

TV Series

Kay Sherwin

1972

13 episodes

 

Joan Collins, Peter Cushing, and Ralph Richardson in Tales from the Crypt (1972)

Tales from the Crypt

6.8

Enid (segment "Wish You Were Here")

1972

 

Sean Connery, Michael Caine, Paul Scofield, and Anna Calder-Marshall in ITV Saturday Night Theatre (1969)

ITV Saturday Night Theatre

5.8

TV Series

Barbara Love

1971

1 episode

 

Jason King (1971)

Jason King

6.9

TV Series

Simone D'Arblay

1971

1 episode

 

Derek Jacobi, Ronald Fraser, Charles Gray, Bernard Hepton, John Thaw, and Douglas Wilmer in The Rivals of Sherlock Holmes (1971)

The Rivals of Sherlock Holmes

7.2

TV Series

Lady Wiltshire

1971

1 episode

 

Alfred Marks in Albert and Victoria (1970)

Albert and Victoria

5.4

TV Series

Victoria Hackett

1971

2 episodes

 

Up Pompeii (1971)

Up Pompeii

6.0

Ammonia

1971

 

Ronnie Corbett, Thora Hird, Michael Hordern, Barbara Murray, and Leslie Phillips in Some Will, Some Won't (1970)

Some Will, Some Won't

5.8

Lucille

1970

 

Never a Cross Word

5.5

TV Series

Deirdre Baldock

1969–1970

7 episodes

 

Horst Janson and Jacqueline Pearce in The Root of All Evil? (1968)

The Root of All Evil?

TV Series

Isobel Mann

1969

1 episode

 

Kaz Garas, Anthony Quayle, and Anneke Wills in Strange Report (1969)

Strange Report

8.2

TV Series

Mrs. Sanders

1969

1 episode

 

Peter Wyngarde in Department S (1969)

Department S

7.3

TV Series

Tania Andre

1969

1 episode

 

Patrick Wymark in The Power Game (1965)

The Power Game

8.0

TV Series

Lady Pamela Wilder

1965–1969

32 episodes

 

Ralph Bates, Roland Culver, Eric Flynn, Barrie Ingham, Freddie Jones, and André Morell in The Caesars (1968)

The Caesars

7.9

TV Mini Series

Caesonia

1968

1 episode

 

A Dandy in Aspic (1968)

A Dandy in Aspic

6.2

Miss Vogler

1968

 

John Betjeman in Contrasts (1967)

Contrasts

TV Series

Lady Macbeth

1968

1 episode

 

Conflict

TV Series

Millamant

Candida

1967

2 episodes

 

ITV Play of the Week (1955)

ITV Play of the Week

6.7

TV Series

Barbara

Joanna Lyppiatt

Celia Raeburn ...

1959–1965

5 episodes

 

The Wednesday Play (1964)

The Wednesday Play

7.2

TV Series

Valerie Daintry

1965

1 episode

 

The Indian Tales of Rudyard Kipling (1963)

The Indian Tales of Rudyard Kipling

7.2

TV Series

Mrs. Hauksbee

1964

7 episodes

 

John Barrie and William Gaunt in Sergeant Cork (1963)

Sergeant Cork

8.0

TV Series

Mrs. Lily Sinclair

1964

1 episode

 

Reginald Marsh, Barbara Murray, and Patrick Wymark in The Plane Makers (1963)

The Plane Makers

7.7

TV Series

Pamela Wilder

1963–1964

7 episodes

 

Roger Moore in The Saint (1962)

The Saint

7.5

TV Series

Denise Dumont

Iris Lansing

1963–1964

2 episodes

 

Doctor in Distress (1963)

Doctor in Distress

5.6

Iris Marchant - Physiotherapist

1963

 

The Punch and Judy Man (1963)

The Punch and Judy Man

6.2

Lady Jane Caterham

1963

 

The Escape of R.D.7

TV Series

Dr. Anna Hastings

1961

5 episodes

 

Armchair Theatre (1956)

Armchair Theatre

7.5

TV Series

Virginia Douglas

1961

1 episode

 

Moira Lister in Somerset Maugham Hour (1960)

Somerset Maugham Hour

7.6

TV Series

Betty Welldon-Burns

1960

1 episode

 

Patrick McGoohan in Danger Man (1960)

Danger Man

7.9

TV Series

Gerda Sandor

1960

1 episode

 

Bob Dylan, David Warner, Ursula Howells, Reg Lye, and Maureen Pryor in The Madhouse on Castle Street (1963)

BBC Sunday-Night Play

8.6

TV Series

Ann Whitefield

1960

1 episode

 

Fay Compton, Walter Horsbrugh, John Justin, Malcolm Keen, Barbara Murray, George Roderick, Guy Rolfe, Peter Sallis, Jennifer Wright, and Arthur Shepherd in The Widow of Bath (1959)

The Widow of Bath

TV Series

Lucy Bath

1959

6 episodes

 

Operation Bullshine (1959)

Operation Bullshine

5.6

Pvt. Betty Brown

1959

 

A Cry from the Streets (1958)

A Cry from the Streets

6.4

Ann

1958

 

BBC Sunday-Night Theatre (1950)

BBC Sunday-Night Theatre

7.1

TV Series

Lady Panniford

Eileen Perry

Stella ...

1951–1957

8 episodes

 

Campbell's Kingdom (1957)

Campbell's Kingdom

6.3

Jean Lucas

1957

 

Doctor at Large (1957)

Doctor at Large

6.0

Kitty

1957

 

Romantic Chapter

TV Movie

Renata

1957

 

The Teckman Mystery (1954)

The Teckman Mystery

6.2

Woman on plane (uncredited)

1954

 

Meet Mr. Lucifer (1953)

Meet Mr. Lucifer

5.9

Patricia

1953

 

Death Goes to School (1953)

Death Goes to School

5.9

Miss Shepherd

1953

 

Both Sides of the Law (1953)

Both Sides of the Law

6.7

WPC Lucy Loggart

1953

 

Hot Ice

Mary

1952

 

Barbara Murray and Dermot Walsh in The Frightened Man (1952)

The Frightened Man

6.2

Amanda

1952

 

Another Man's Poison (1951)

Another Man's Poison

6.8

Chris Dale

1951

 

Barbara Murray and Sydney Tafler in Mystery Junction (1951)

Mystery Junction

5.7

Pat Dawn

1951

 

The Concert

TV Movie

Anna Partridge

1951

 

William Hartnell, Natasha Parry, Maxwell Reed, Edward Underdown, and Ernest Haines in The Dark Man (1951)

The Dark Man

6.2

Carol Burns

1951

 

A Christmas Carol

6.9

TV Movie

Scrooge's Fiancée

1950

 

Tony Draws a Horse (1950)

Tony Draws a Horse

5.1

Joan Parsons

1950

 

Boys in Brown (1949)

Boys in Brown

6.1

Kitty Hurst

1949

 

Don't Ever Leave Me (1949)

Don't Ever Leave Me

6.5

Joan Robbins

1949

 

Poet's Pub (1949)

Poet's Pub

6.1

Nelly Bly

1949

 

A Boy, a Girl and a Bike (1949)

A Boy, a Girl and a Bike

6.2

Minor Role (uncredited)

1949

 

Hermione Baddeley, Paul Dupuis, Stanley Holloway, and Margaret Rutherford in Passport to Pimlico (1949)

Passport to Pimlico

7.1

Shirley Pemberton

1949

 

Badger's Green (1949)

Badger's Green

6.8

Jane Morton

1949

 

To the Public Danger (1948)

To the Public Danger

6.3

Short

Bit Role (uncredited)

1948

 

Stewart Granger and Joan Greenwood in Saraband (1948)

Saraband

6.5

(uncredited)

1948

 

Anna Karenina (1948)

Anna Karenina

6.6

Undetermined Role (uncredited)

1948

 

Soundtrack

Susan Hampshire, Philip Latham, Donal McCann, Barbara Murray, and Bryan Pringle in The Pallisers (1974)

The Pallisers

8.2

TV Mini Series

performer: "To Daffodils" (uncredited)

1974

1 episode

 

Self

Chasing the Sun (2001)

Chasing the Sun

8.0

TV Series

(voice)

2001

1 episode

 

Michael Aspel, Lionel Blair, and Una Stubbs in Give Us a Clue (1979)

Give Us a Clue

7.0

TV Series

Self - Panellist

Self

1980–1982

2 episodes

 

Tuesday's Documentary (1968)

Tuesday's Documentary

7.7

TV Series

Self

1970–1982

2 episodes

 

Looks Familiar (1970)

Looks Familiar

8.0

TV Series

Self

1973

1 episode

 

Call My Bluff (1965)

Call My Bluff

7.1

TV Series

Self

1966–1971

7 episodes

 

The British Screen Awards

TV Special

Self

1971

 

The Morecambe & Wise Show (1968)

The Morecambe & Wise Show

8.1

TV Series

Self

1970

1 episode

 

The Eamonn Andrews Show (1964)

The Eamonn Andrews Show

7.8

TV Series

Self

1967

1 episode

 

A Royal Gala

TV Special

Lady Pamela Wilder

1966

 

Sunday Night

TV Series

1966

1 episode

 

Don't Say a Word

TV Series

Self - Guest

1963

1 episode

 

Helen Atkinson Wood, Nell Campbell, Simon Hickson, Brian Travers, and Trevor Neal in Juke Box Jury (1959)

Juke Box Jury

7.6

TV Series

Self - Panellist

1963

1 episode

 

Panorama (1953)

Panorama

7.0

TV Series

Theatrical Performer in No Other Verdict

1954

1 episode