Anna Cropper
Encyclopedia
Anna Cropper was a British
stage and television actress.
in London. She made her television debut as Chrysalis in "The Insect Play" in 1960, based on the 1921 play by Czechs Josef and Karel Capek. She appeared in Emergency Ward 10
three times and on Coronation Street
three times in 1962. She came to prominence playing a young schizophrenic in the 1967 television play In Two Minds by David Mercer, which aired as part of the BBC's The Wednesday Play
series which won the Writers' Guild
Award for the Best Television Play. In 1972 she starred in the television production of The Exorcism and in 1975 took over the lead role in the West End stage version when actress Mary Ure
died of overdose following the play's opening night. She played Mary Hodgson, the nurse of the boys who
inspired the creation of Peter Pan
in the BBC 1978 docudrama The Lost Boys
. Other television credits include the BBC adaptation of the Dennis Potter
play, Schmoedipus, part of the Play for Today
series and The Jewel in the Crown. She appeared in a 1999 episode of Midsomer Murders
, entitled Death's Shadow
.
, the daughter of Margaret, a stage actress and director, and Jack Cropper, a dentist. The family lived on Todmorden Road in Burnley
during her early life. She was married to the Coronation Street actor William Roache
in 1961. The marriage ended in divorce in 1974. They had two children, including the actor Linus Roache
.
She died suddenly in January 2007, aged 68, at her home in Tangmere
, West Sussex
.http://www.burnleycitizen.co.uk/news/1170455.tributes_to_screen_star_anna/
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
stage and television actress.
Career
Cropper studied acting at the Central School of Speech and DramaCentral School of Speech and Drama
The Central School of Speech and Drama was founded in London in 1906 by Elsie Fogerty to offer a new form of training in speech and drama for young actors and other students...
in London. She made her television debut as Chrysalis in "The Insect Play" in 1960, based on the 1921 play by Czechs Josef and Karel Capek. She appeared in Emergency Ward 10
Emergency Ward 10
Emergency – Ward 10 is a British television series shown on ITV between 1957 and 1967. Like The Grove Family, a series shown by the BBC between 1954 and 1957, Emergency – Ward 10 is considered to be one of British television's first major soap operas.-Overview:The series was made by the ITV...
three times and on Coronation Street
Coronation Street
Coronation Street is a British soap opera set in Weatherfield, a fictional town in Greater Manchester based on Salford. Created by Tony Warren, Coronation Street was first broadcast on 9 December 1960...
three times in 1962. She came to prominence playing a young schizophrenic in the 1967 television play In Two Minds by David Mercer, which aired as part of the BBC's The Wednesday Play
The Wednesday Play
The Wednesday Play was an anthology series of British television plays which ran on BBC1 from October 1964 to May 1970. Every week's play was usually written for television, although adaptations from other sources also featured...
series which won the Writers' Guild
Writers' Guild of Great Britain
The Writers' Guild of Great Britain, established in 1959, is a trade union for professional writers. It is affiliated with both the Trades Union Congress and the International Affiliation of Writers Guilds .-Activities:...
Award for the Best Television Play. In 1972 she starred in the television production of The Exorcism and in 1975 took over the lead role in the West End stage version when actress Mary Ure
Mary Ure
Eileen Mary Ure was a Scottish actress of stage and film.-Early life:Born in Glasgow where she studied at the school of drama, Ure was the daughter of civil engineer Colin McGregor Ure and Edith Swinburne. She went to the independent Mount School in York and trained for the stage at the Central...
died of overdose following the play's opening night. She played Mary Hodgson, the nurse of the boys who
Llewelyn Davies boys
The Davies boys were the sons of Arthur and Sylvia Llewelyn Davies . They served as the inspiration for the characters of Peter Pan and the other boys of J. M...
inspired the creation of Peter Pan
Peter Pan
Peter Pan is a character created by Scottish novelist and playwright J. M. Barrie . A mischievous boy who can fly and magically refuses to grow up, Peter Pan spends his never-ending childhood adventuring on the small island of Neverland as the leader of his gang the Lost Boys, interacting with...
in the BBC 1978 docudrama The Lost Boys
The Lost Boys (docudrama)
The Lost Boys is an award-winning 1978 docudrama mini-series produced by the BBC, written by Andrew Birkin, and directed by Rodney Bennett. It is about the relationship between Peter Pan creator J. M...
. Other television credits include the BBC adaptation of the Dennis Potter
Dennis Potter
Dennis Christopher George Potter was an English dramatist, best known for The Singing Detective. His widely acclaimed television dramas mixed fantasy and reality, the personal and the social. He was particularly fond of using themes and images from popular culture.-Biography:Dennis Potter was born...
play, Schmoedipus, part of the Play for Today
Play for Today
Play for Today is a British television anthology drama series, produced by the BBC and transmitted on BBC1 from 1970 to 1984. During the run, more than three hundred programmes, featuring original television plays, and adaptations of stage plays and novels, were transmitted...
series and The Jewel in the Crown. She appeared in a 1999 episode of Midsomer Murders
Midsomer Murders
Midsomer Murders is a British television detective drama that has aired on ITV since 1997. The show is based on the books by Caroline Graham, as originally adapted by Anthony Horowitz. The lead character is DCI Tom Barnaby who works for Causton CID. When Nettles left the show in 2011 he was...
, entitled Death's Shadow
Death's Shadow
Death's Shadow is the first episode of the second season of Midsomer Murders and the sixth episode overall. It stars John Nettles as Detective Chief Inspector Tom Barnaby and Daniel Casey as Detective Sergeant Gavin Troy.-Summary:...
.
Personal life
Cropper was born in Brierfield, LancashireLancashire
Lancashire is a non-metropolitan county of historic origin in the North West of England. It takes its name from the city of Lancaster, and is sometimes known as the County of Lancaster. Although Lancaster is still considered to be the county town, Lancashire County Council is based in Preston...
, the daughter of Margaret, a stage actress and director, and Jack Cropper, a dentist. The family lived on Todmorden Road in Burnley
Burnley
Burnley is a market town in the Burnley borough of Lancashire, England, with a population of around 73,500. It lies north of Manchester and east of Preston, at the confluence of the River Calder and River Brun....
during her early life. She was married to the Coronation Street actor William Roache
William Roache
William Patrick Harry Roache MBE is a British actor, best known for his role as Ken Barlow in the soap opera Coronation Street...
in 1961. The marriage ended in divorce in 1974. They had two children, including the actor Linus Roache
Linus Roache
Linus William Roache is an English actor.-Early life:Roache was born in Manchester, the son of Coronation Street actor William Roache and actress Anna Cropper. Roache was educated at Bishop Luffa Church of England School in Chichester, West Sussex and at the independent Rydal School in Colwyn Bay,...
.
She died suddenly in January 2007, aged 68, at her home in Tangmere
Tangmere
Tangmere is a village and civil parish in the Chichester District of West Sussex, England. Located three miles north east of Chichester it is twinned with Hermanville-sur-Mer in Lower Normandy, France....
, West Sussex
West Sussex
West Sussex is a county in the south of England, bordering onto East Sussex , Hampshire and Surrey. The county of Sussex has been divided into East and West since the 12th century, and obtained separate county councils in 1888, but it remained a single ceremonial county until 1974 and the coming...
.http://www.burnleycitizen.co.uk/news/1170455.tributes_to_screen_star_anna/