Eunice Black

Eunice Black (1914-2007) was an English character actress best known for her roles in various sitcoms and comedy movies.

Eunice Black
Eunice Black in 1988
Born
Eunice Holden

23 October 1914
West Ham, Essex, UK
Died27 August 2007(2007-08-27) (aged 92)
OccupationActress

Early life

Eunice Black was born on 23 October 1914 in West Ham, Essex, as Eunice Holden.

Career

Black started out at the Unity Theatre, London, before becoming a qualified teacher of English and Drama. She taught both through the Second World War.[1]

Television

Black appeared in the 1962 Christmas episode of Faces of Jim, 'The Christmas Face of Jim,' opposite Jimmy Edwards, June Whitfield, Ronnie Barker and Michael Brennan.[2] This was her television debut.[3]

Black was a regular supporting cast member on the ITV sitcom On The Buses, appearing in three different roles.[4] Her first appearance was as a traffic warden in 'Mum's Last Fling', series 3, and she reappeared as a 'clippie' called Rosie in two episodes of series 4 titled 'Dangerous Driving' and 'Christmas Duty.'[5][6] She also played clippies called Gladys in series 6 ('No Smoke Without Fire') and Ada in the first spin-off film On the Buses (1971); and played Mrs Hudson in Holiday on the Buses (1973).[7][8] These made her one of the On the Buses franchise's most regularly used guest actors.[8]

In addition to this, she appeared as a guest actor on many British sitcoms such as Please Sir!, The Liver Birds, Doctor at Large, George and Mildred, and The Benny Hill Show.[8] Her last sitcom appearance was in a 1988 episode of Last of the Summer Wine.[3]

Film

Black made her film debut in A Taste of Honey (1961).[1] Other film roles included small appearances in Drop Dead Darling (1966),[9] Chitty Chitty Bang Bang (1968), The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1982),[10] and Bullseye! (1990).[3][5]

Death

Black died on 27 August 2007 in London, aged 92.[8] Her autobiography, Nine Lives of a Free Spirit, was published the following year.[3][11]

Filmography
Year Title Role Notes
1961A Taste of HoneySchoolteacherUncredited
1966Drop Dead DarlingMatron
1968Chitty Chitty Bang BangCourtierUncredited
1970Love Is a Splendid IllusionSecond Catty Woman
1971On the BusesAda
1973Holiday on the BusesMrs. Hudson
1974The Cherry Picker
1974Sex PlayMiss Grimm
1982The Hunchback of Notre DameClergyTV movie
1990Bullseye!Old Cleaning Lady(final film role)

References
  1. Newley, Patrick (24 October 2007). "Obits round up". The Stage. Retrieved 27 February 2017.|(subscription required)
  2. Perry, Chris. The Kaleidoscope British Christmas Television Guide 1937-2013. Lulu.com. p. 131. ISBN 9781900203609.
  3. Walker, Craig. The On The Buses Quiz Book. Andrews UK Limited. p. 188. ISBN 9781909143111.
  4. "Eunice Black". www.aveleyman.com.
  5. "Eunice Black". BFI.
  6. "On the Buses - S4 - Episode 5: Christmas Duty". Radio Times.
  7. "No Smoke without Fire (1972)". BFI.
  8. Walker, Craig. On The Buses: The Complete Story. Andrews UK Limited. p. 90. ISBN 9781908382849.
  9. Cowie, Peter; Elley, Derek. World Filmography: 1967. Fairleigh Dickinson Univ Press. p. 187. ISBN 9780498015656.
  10. Pitts, Michael R. Columbia Pictures Horror, Science Fiction and Fantasy Films, 1928-1982. McFarland. p. 355. ISBN 9780786457663.
  11. Black, Eunice (2008). Nine lives of a free spirit : an autobiography by Eunice Black. Leicester: Matador. ISBN 9781906221553.
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