Anna Cropper

Anna Cropper (13 May 1938 – 22 January 2007) was an English stage and television actress.

Anna Cropper
Born13 May 1938 (1938-05-13)
Brierfield, Lancashire, England
Died22 January 2007 (2007-01-23) (aged 68)
Tangmere, West Sussex, England
Other namesAnna Roache
OccupationActress
Years active1960–1999
Spouse(s)
(
m. 1961⁠–⁠1974)
(divorced)
ChildrenLinus Roache
Vanya Roache

Early years

Cropper was born in Brierfield, Lancashire, the daughter of Margaret, a stage actress and director, and Jack Cropper, a dentist.[1] The family lived on Todmorden Road in Burnley during her early life.[2]

Career

Cropper studied acting at the Central School of Speech and Drama in London. She made her television debut as Chrysalis in The Insect Play (1960), based on the 1921 play by Czech brothers Josef and Karel Čapek. She appeared in Emergency Ward 10 three times and on Coronation Street three times in 1962.[3]

She came to prominence playing a young schizophrenic in the television play In Two Minds (The Wednesday Play, BBC, 1967) by David Mercer.[4] which won the Writers' Guild Award for the Best Television Play of 1967.[5]

Her film roles included appearances in All Neat in Black Stockings (1968), Cromwell (1970) and Nanou (1986). 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 an 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 docudrama The Lost Boys (1978). Other television roles included two episodes of the BBC's Play for Today, as Norah Palmer in the James MacTaggart-directed Robin Redbreast (1970), a Christmas supernatural thriller by John Bowen and Dennis Potter's play Schmoedipus (1974).

She appeared in The Jewel in the Crown (1984) and featured in Anna of the Five Towns (1985) a 4-part BBC period drama. Her last television credit is for an episode of Midsomer Murders entitled Death's Shadow (1999).[5]

Marriage

She was married to the Coronation Street actor William Roache in 1961. The marriage ended in divorce in 1974. They had two children, son Linus Roache and daughter Vanya.[6] Vanya died on 2 March 2018 aged 50.

Death

Cropper died suddenly in January 2007, aged 68, at her home in Tangmere, West Sussex.[7]

Selected television
YearTitleRoleWriter
1960The Insect PlayChrysalis
1967Angel PavementMiss Cadham
1967In Two MindsKate WinterDavid Mercer
1970Robin RedbreastNorah PalmerJohn Bowen
1972The ExorcismJohn Bowen
1975SchmoedipusDennis Potter
1978The Lost BoysMary Hodgson
1984The Jewel in the Crown
1985Anna of the Five Towns
1986Nemesis(Miss Marple)Anthea Bradbury-Scott

Filmography
Year Title Role Notes
1968All Neat in Black StockingsSis
1970CromwellRuth Carter
1986NanouNanou's mother
1994Don't Get Me StartedMotherVoice, Uncredited

References
  1. "Anna Cropper". The Independent. London, UK. 2 February 2007. Retrieved 25 April 2010.
  2. Tributes to screen star Anna Cropper, Lancashire Telegraph; accessed 12 June 2018.
  3. Obituary, The Burnley Citizen; accessed 12 June 2018.
  4. Philip Purser. "Anna Cropper Insightful actor at her best in haunted roles". London, UK: The Guardian. Retrieved 28 March 2008.
  5. Anthony Hayward (2 February 2007). "Anna Cropper Cutting-edge television actress". London: The Independent. Retrieved 28 March 2008.
  6. "Anna Cropper". London, UK: Telegraph.co.uk. Retrieved 12 June 2018.
  7. Hewitt, Andrew (5 February 2007). "Tributes to screen star Anna". Burnley Citizen. Retrieved 31 March 2015.


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