Edna Doré
Edna Doré (born Edna Lillian Gorring; 31 May 1921 – 11 April 2014) was a British actress. Doré was known for her bit-part roles in situation comedies and for playing the character of Mo Butcher in EastEnders (1988–90).
Career
Doré began her career as a chorus girl in ENSA, before joining the wartime company of Phyllis Dixey at the Whitehall Theatre as a dancer. She later spent seventeen years in repertory theatre before becoming a member of the National Theatre for ten years, especially remembered for her roles in productions directed by Bill Bryden such as The Mysteries. She turned to television acting in 1960 and subsequently had parts in many successful series, including Dixon of Dock Green, Doctor in the House, The Liver Birds, Terry and June, Tenko, Z-Cars, and Open All Hours.
In 1988 she starred in Mike Leigh's award winning film High Hopes, for which she received the award for Best Supporting Player at the 1989 European Film Awards. Here, she played Mrs. Bender, who suffers from the early stages of Alzheimer's disease. That year she was also cast in the BBC soap opera EastEnders, where she played Mo Butcher, the battleaxe mother of Mike Reid's character, Frank Butcher. During her time in the show, she once again received wide acclaim for her portrayal of an elderly lady's descent into Alzheimer's disease. The story—about the effect that Alzheimer's has on the sufferer's family—had to be curtailed when Doré decided to leave the programme in 1990. The character was killed off at the end of 1992. In 1997 she played Kath in Nil by Mouth. Other film credits include Tube Tales (1999), Weak at Denise (2001) and All or Nothing (2002).
The Salt Lake Tribune
03 Jun 2020
The Salt Lake Tribune
03 Jun 2020
