RIP Barbara Windsor (1937-2020)

I just heard on the BBC that Barbara Windsor passed away at the age of 93. In Britain, she was considered a national treasure, having been a star of stage and screen for years. On this side of the pond, public broadcasting viewers will know her best as Peggy Mitchell from EASTENDERS.

A quick glance at any news story on the late actress shows an impressive career that lasted decades (she made her stage debut at 13) and an incredible life that included being named a dame for her services to charity and entertainment. She starred in the CARRY ON film series (something I’m sure means little to most Americans but, trust me, a very cool thing indeed) and had a small part in the film CHITTY CHITTY BANG BANG (maybe a little more recognizable this side of the pond). But it was her role as landlady of the Queen Victoria pub on the British soap that may have been her most enduring role (she appeared in over 1,500 episodes from 1994 to 2016).

Wednesday Trivia Question

Who was Jon Pertwee’s first wife?

Actor Jon Pertwee will be best known to public television viewers as Doctor #3 on the long-running science fiction series DOCTOR WHO. His tenure was from 1970 to 1974 (five seasons, 128 episodes) but he also popped up in the 20th Anniversary adventure “The Five Doctors” in 1983 and the charity special “Dimensions In Time” produced ten years later.