Cleo Sylvestre obit

Trailblazing actress Cleo Sylvestre dies aged 79

 

She was not on the list.

Trailblazing actress Cleo Sylvestre has died aged 79, her agent has confirmed.

She was the first black actress to play a leading role at the National Theatre, and to have a regular leading role in a UK soap opera, Crossroads.

Sylvestre appeared in TV series including Grange Hill and the Channel 5 reboot of All Creatures Great and Small.

Her agents Fulcrum Talent told BBC News Sylvestre would be "sorely missed by so many".

Sylvestre also had a brief singing career, releasing a version of To Know Him is to Love Him in 1964, which featured The Rolling Stones as her backing singers. The actress had met the band at a blues night in Soho.

Last month, she appeared on an episode of The Antiques Roadshow talking about her time with the legendary rock'n'roll band.

Born in April 1945, Sylvestre grew up and was educated in Camden, north London.

She pursued a career in acting and made her West End debut at Wyndham's Theatre in 1967's Wise Child, written by Simon Gray.

The actress went on to become the first black woman to have leading role in a National Theatre production when she appeared in Peter Nichols’ satire The National Health in 1969.

Her screen credits included appearances in TV series Till Death Do Us Part, Doctors, Coronation Street, The Bill, New Tricks and Doctor Who, as well as a regular role in school drama Grange Hill.

She worked regularly with Ken Loach, on his first film Poor Cow and later on Cathy Come Home and Up the Junction.

After appearing in Some Women, a dramatisation of real-life stories from imprisoned women shown on BBC Two, she was spotted by TV producer Reg Watson, who cast her on ITV's Crossroads.

She played Meg Richardson's adopted daughter Melanie in the soap opera from 1970 to 1972.

Crossroads had about 15 million viewers at the time, and brought Sylvestre to a national audience.

Sylvestre was made an MBE in the 2023 New Year Honours for services to drama and charity.

Announcing her death, Sylvestre's agent confirmed "with deep regret" the actress died on Friday morning.

"Much-loved and admired by her peers, she will be remembered as a trail blazer and a true friend. She will be sorely missed by so many," the statement added.

"We ask that you respect the privacy of her family at this difficult time."

Playwright and author Bonnie Greer led the tributes to Sylvestre on Twitter.

"The actor #CleoSylvestreMBE has crossed over," Greer wrote. "She was one of the reasons that - from my vantage point in NYC - I thought that this country has the best anglophone theatre, and the best place to be a black woman in it. I still think that. Thank you, Cleo!"

Actress

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Beautiful Things

Short

Older Bambi

2024

 

Jasmine Jobson in Platform 7 (2023)

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6.5

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8.6

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9.0

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Beyond the Lake (2022)

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The Split (2018)

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Bloods (2021)

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2019

 

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2018

 

Pillars of Eternity II: Deadfire (2018)

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Five by Five (2017)

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The Idris Takeover (2017)

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Connie

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Doctors (2000)

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2 episodes

 

Ben Whishaw in Paddington (2014)

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7.3

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Uncle (2012)

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7.8

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2014

1 episode

 

The Guilty (2013)

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6.7

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Ilse Lawson

2013

2 episodes

 

Kenneth Cranham and Cleo Sylvestre in The Curry Club (2007)

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2007

 

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8.0

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Milly

2006

1 episode

 

Madeleine Fairley in Kidulthood (2006)

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6.7

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Mrs. Andrews

Davinia

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1988–2004

6 episodes

 

Amanda Burton, Emilia Fox, Sam Barnard, David Caves, and Genesis Lynea in Silent Witness (1996)

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7.9

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1st Neighbour

2000

1 episode

 

Tube Tales (1999)

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Woman (segment "A Bird in the Hand")

1999

 

Boyz Unlimited (1999)

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7.7

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Midwife

1999

1 episode

 

Sue Jenkins, Sue Johnston, Dean Sullivan, and Claire Sweeney in Brookside (1982)

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6.6

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Linda Golding

1998

2 episodes

 

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7.5

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1993

1 episode

 

The Punk (1993)

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1993

 

The Attendant (1993)

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6.0

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Conservator

1993

 

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8.2

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Mrs. Toad

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1990

6 episodes

 

Grange Hill (1978)

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7.1

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1979–1990

7 episodes

 

Casualty (1986)

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6.1

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1988

1 episode

 

Susie Lindeman in An Anorexic's Tale: The Brief Life of Catherine (1988)

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6.9

TV Movie

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1988

 

Alphonsia Emmanuel, Ian Hogg, and Joe McGann in Rockliffe's Babies (1987)

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Mother Superior

1988

1 episode

 

The Gemini Factor (1987)

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8.1

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Verity

1987

6 episodes

 

Peter Capaldi in The Love Child (1987)

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1987

 

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6.6

Mother

1987

 

George Cole in Minder (1979)

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7.8

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1985

1 episode

 

Maurice Colbourne, John Duttine, and Emma Relph in The Day of the Triffids (1981)

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7.3

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1981

1 episode

 

Fanny Rowe in Life Begins at Forty (1978)

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4.2

TV Series

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1980

2 episodes

 

You're Only Young Twice (1977)

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7.3

TV Series

Sister

1978

1 episode

 

Tim Brooke-Taylor and John Junkin in The Rough with the Smooth (1975)

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Rosalie

1975

1 episode

 

Against the Crowd (1975)

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6.9

TV Series

Beryl

1975

1 episode

 

Marked Personal (1973)

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8.2

TV Series

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1974

2 episodes

 

Thick as Thieves (1974)

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6.7

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1974

1 episode

 

Armchair 30

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1973

1 episode

 

Phyllis Calvert and Jack Hedley in Kate (1970)

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6.0

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Alice

1972

1 episode

 

Alfred Burke in Public Eye (1965)

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8.5

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Traffic Warden

1972

1 episode

 

Anthony Booth, Warren Mitchell, Dandy Nichols, and Una Stubbs in Till Death Us Do Part (1965)

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7.4

TV Series

Second Nurse

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1967–1972

2 episodes

 

The Alf Garnett Saga (1972)

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5.1

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1972

 

Edward Woodward in Callan (1967)

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8.3

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Tina

1972

1 episode

 

Trog (1970)

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4.0

Nurse Cleo (uncredited)

1970

 

Romy Schneider and Dennis Waterman in My Lover, My Son (1970)

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5.2

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1970

 

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

Strange Report

8.2

TV Series

Margaret

1969

1 episode

 

Fionnula Flanagan in Some Women (1969)

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Millie Jackson

1969

 

School for Unclaimed Girls (1969)

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4.9

Carlien

1969

 

Television Club

TV Series

Rose

1969

1 episode

 

The Wednesday Play (1964)

The Wednesday Play

7.5

TV Series

Rachel

Stephanie Ward

Inmate: at Holm Lea ...

1965–1969

4 episodes

 

Warren Mitchell and Una Stubbs in Alf 'n' Family (1968)

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6.2

Girl at Wedding Party

1968

 

The Expert (1968)

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8.1

TV Series

Vicky Hammond

1968

3 episodes

 

Ray Barrett, Geoffrey Keen, and Philip Latham in Mogul (1965)

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7.2

TV Series

Karima

Gert

1965–1967

2 episodes

 

Fay Compton in Sanctuary (1967)

Sanctuary

8.0

TV Series

Julie Marshall

1967

1 episode

 

James Ellis and John Slater in Z Cars (1962)

Z Cars

7.1

TV Series

Nurse

1967

1 episode

 

Peter Adamson, Jean Alexander, Johnny Briggs, Margot Bryant, and Doris Speed in Coronation Street (1960)

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5.6

TV Series

Cilla Christie

1966

6 episodes

 

Police Patrol

TV Series

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1965

1 episode

 

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

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8.4

TV Series

Concubine (uncredited)

1965

1 episode

 

Noele Gordon in Crossroads (1964)

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4.4

TV Series

Melanie Harper

1964–1988

 

Johnny on the Run (1953)

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6.7

Susie (as Cleopatra Sylvestre)

1953