Trivia

Did not work professionally as an actress until the age of 50 and from that point, became one of the most recogniseable faces on television and film, being named as the nation's favourite fictional grandmother. Previous to acting, she lived a difficult life of relative poverty, working in dead-end jobs while raising two children on her own.

Announced that she was retiring in 2009, at the age of 87, because she had suffered a stroke which left her unable to accept any further acting roles. Nevertheless she did take on some further minor roles after making a recovery.

Was actually christened Betty, rather than Elizabeth.

In 2006 she moved into an assisted living facility in North London. In 2010, she moved to a similar facility in Worthing, West Sussex.

Was in three different versions of "A Christmas Carol," twice as the same character. Played Ms. Dilber in two TV versions of A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens: A Christmas Carol (1984), with George C. Scott and A Christmas Carol (1999) with Patrick Stewart.

She had roles in two "Oliver Twist" films - the 2005 Roman Polanski adaptation, Oliver Twist (2005), and the 1999 I.T.V. mini-series, Oliver Twist (1999). She portrayed separate characters in both versions.

She was awarded the MBE (Member of the Order of the British Empire) in the 2009 Queen's New Year Honours List for her services to Drama.

Played the same role of "Peg Sliderskew" in two different adaptations of "Nicholas Nickleby", in 1977 and 2001.

Her final television appearance was in October 2013, at the age of 91, in the second and third episodes of the first series of The Tunnel (2013).

Mother of Sarah.

Daughter of Wilfred Gleadle (born 7 May 1901, died 19 September 1973) and Nellie Gleadle (born Nellie Foster, died 1924).

During the war she served in the WRENS and saw service in Scotland, the Middle East and Ceylon.

She twice played roles intended for Beryl Reid - Apartment Zero (1988) and High Spirits (1988).

Sister of Leila N Gleadle (born 1924, died 1924).

She appeared in nine Charles Dickens adaptations from 1974 to 2005, including three of "A Christmas Carol" alone: David Copperfield (1974), Nicholas Nickleby (1977), A Christmas Carol (1984), Little Dorrit (1987), A Christmas Carol (1999), Oliver Twist (1999), A Christmas Carol (2000), The Life and Adventures of Nicholas Nickleby (2001) and Oliver Twist (2005).