Patricia Greene
Patricia Greene | |
|---|---|
| Born | Patricia Honor Greene 1931 (age 93–94) Allenton, Derby, England |
| Nationality | English |
| Other names |
|
| Education |
|
| Alma mater | Royal Central School of Speech and Drama |
| Occupation | Actress |
| Years active | 1957–present |
| Known for | The Archers |
| Spouses | |
| Children | 1 |
Patricia Honor Richardson MBE (née Greene; born 1931)[1] is an English actress. She is best known as the voice of Jill Archer on the BBC Radio 4 radio soap opera The Archers.[2]
Greene is one of the world's longest-serving actors in a soap opera, in any medium.[3]
Early life
[change | change source]Patricia Honor Greene was born in Allenton, Derby, England in 1931.[1][4] She is the youngest of two children to Josie Greene (née Johnson), a housewife, and Edward Greene, an engineer and former piano salesman.[5] She has an older sister.[6] Greene and her family moved to Champion Street in the New Zealand area, before moving to Kirk Street in Chester Green.[7] She has recalled experiences of her mother having extramarital affairs, in which she would bring men to the family home and order Patricia not to tell their father.[5]
Greene attended Ashgate Infants School on Ashbourne Road and St Paul's Junior School. She also attended Parkfields Cedars Grammar School.[7] She later joined an amateur dramatic society. Greene trained at the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama in London from 1951 to 1954.[4]
Greene worked as a ward orderly at the Derby Children's Hospital. She also worked as a secretary in the sheet metal factory of Hawk Industries. She worked as a bus conductress on the trolley bus in Derby, and as a waitress during the holidays.[4]
Greene once noticed her father crying at one of her theatre performances. She credits that moment with her wanting to become an actress.[8]
Career
[change | change source]Greene made her broadcasting debut in 1957,[4] after being told "you'll never be a broadcaster, you sound like a fairy in hockey boots" by her then 84-year old tutor at the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama.[8][9]
Greene joined the cast of the BBC Radio 4 radio soap opera The Archers on 25 July 1957. She is the long-standing voice of Jill Archer (née Patterson).[2] She was the sixth, and last, actress to audition for the role and thought she would not be cast. Greene found the first six weeks tough due to her inexperience. She recalled that on her second day, she took stage directions too far and threw a glass of water over Norman Painting, who portrayed Phil Archer, and nearly electrocuted him. This impressed the creator Godfrey Baseley and he kept her in the serial.[10] She was paid seven guineas a week.[4] Greene was tempted to leave the series when her son was a toddler but felt a loyalty to the programme and stayed.[8] She was paid £16,000 for her work on the series in 2017.[11]
Greene portrayed Margaret Richmond in the first episode of the BBC One medical soap opera Doctors on 26 March 2000. She reprised the role for a second time in the 20 April 2000 episode.[12] Greene portrayed Ivy Watson in the 22 October 2000 episode of the BBC One medical drama Casualty.[12] Greene was the guest on the 27 December 2015 episode of the BBC Radio 4 programme Desert Island Discs.[5][13]
Personal life
[change | change source]Greene married actor Henry George Selway in October 1959 in Maidenhead, Berkshire. The couple divorced a few years later.[14][5]
Greene married Cyril Austen Richardson in April 1972 in Windsor, Berkshire.[15] The couple have one son.[16] She was widowed in November 1986.[17]
Greene is a patron of the Macular Society.[18]
Honours
[change | change source]Greene was appointed Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in 1997 Birthday Honours by Queen Elizabeth II for services to radio drama.[19]
Greene recieved an honorary degree from the University of Derby as a Master of Arts in 2017.[4]
Commonwealth honours
[change | change source]| Country | Date | Appointment | Post-nominal letters |
|---|---|---|---|
 United Kingdom
|
13 June 1997–present | Member of the Order of the British Empire (Civil Division) | MBE |
Honorary degree
[change | change source]| Location | Date | School | Degree | Gave Commencement Address |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 England
|
2017 | University of Derby | Master of Arts (MA) | No |
Filmography
[change | change source]Radio
[change | change source]| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1957–present | The Archers | Jill Archer | 2,430+ episodes |
| 1962 | Jennings at School | Gwen Day Burroughs | 1 episode |
| 1962 | Norman and Henry Bones | Matron | 1 episode |
| 1964 | It's a Woman's World | Mary | 1 episode |
| 1967–1969 | A Traveller in Time | Herself | 10 episodes |
| 1971 | A Thin Man Screaming | Prunella | 1 episode |
| 1972 | The Captain from Nottingham | Mary Hepworth | 1 episode |
| 1972 | Requiem | Mrs Harris | 1 episode |
| 1972 | Sylvia's Lovers | Hester | 3 episodes |
| 1972 | The Compost Heap | Caroline | 1 episode |
| 1973 | When You Come Home | Mother | 1 episode |
| 1974 | A Deadly Wit | Mrs Partridge | 1 episode |
| 1974 | Lord Dracula | 1 episode | |
| 1974 | Heroes | Sarah Broke | 1 episode |
| 1974–1975 | Home to Roost | Kath | 24 episodes |
| 1980 | The Inheritance: 1: Alarm Among the Heirs | Toinette | 3 episodes |
| 1981 | Prayers for Timothy | Betsy Boston | 1 episode |
| 1986 | The Ticket | Cynthia | 1 episode |
| 1989 | The Beast of Ambridge | Freda the Pig | 1 episode |
| 2001–2007 | Radio 4 Appeal | Herself | 6 episodes |
| 2007 | The News Quiz | Jill Archer | 1 episode |
| 2008–2020 | With Great Pleasure | Herself | 4 episodes |
| 2011 | The Archers at 60 | Jill Archer | 1 episode |
| 2014–2023 | Woman's Hour | Herself | 8 episodes |
| 2015 | Desert Island Discs | Herself | 1 episode |
| 2017 | Feedback | Herself | 1 episode |
| 2018 | Lord Dracula | 1 episode | |
| 2018 | Great Lives | Herself | 1 episode |
| 2020–2022 | Home to Roost | Kath | 9 episode |
| 2021 | A Social History of The Archers | Herself | 1 episode |
Film and television
[change | change source]| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1957 | A Man for All Seasons | Woman | TV Movie |
| 1961 | The Kitchen | Anne | Film |
| 1965–1969 | Crossroads | Mrs. Lynch, Margaret Robson, Mrs. Grey | 6 episodes |
| 1985 | This Is Your Life | Herself | |
| 1985 | Wogan | Herself | 1 episode |
| 1990 | One Foot in the Grave | Jill Archer (voice) | 1 episode |
| 2000 | Doctors | Margaret Richmond | 2 episodes |
| 2000 | Casualty | Ivy Watson | 1 episode |
| 2007 | Arena | Herself | 1 episode |
References
[change | change source]- ↑ 1.0 1.1 England & Wales, Civil Registration Birth Index, 1916-2007: JAN 1931 7b 920 DERBY – Patricia H Greene
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 "Jill Archer - BBC Radio 4". BBC. Retrieved 14 October 2023.
- ↑ Sarrubba, Stefania (31 January 2023). "Who are the longest-serving actors in soap?". Radio Times. Retrieved 14 October 2023.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 4.5 "Patricia Greene MBE". University of Derby. Retrieved 14 October 2023.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 "Desert Island Discs, Patricia Greene". BBC. Retrieved 14 October 2023.
- ↑ England & Wales, Civil Registration Birth Index, 1916-2007: JUL 1929 7b 968 DERBY – Sheila Greene
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 "Derby Born star of The Archers Patricia Greene". Great British Life. 19 May 2011. Retrieved 14 October 2023.
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 "Archers star Patricia Greene: Tutor said I'd never be a broadcaster". Belfast Telegraph. 27 December 2015. ISSN 0307-1235. Retrieved 14 October 2023.
- ↑ Pye, Helen (27 December 2015). "Archers Star Patricia Greene: Tutor Said I'd Never Be A Broadcaster". HuffPost UK. Retrieved 14 October 2023.
- ↑ "Desert Island Discs, Patricia Greene: 'I was totally useless'". BBC. Retrieved 14 October 2023.
- ↑ Harvey, Chris (24 July 2017). "The Archers' Patricia Greene: 'I only get £16,000 a year - the BBC salary bill is obscene'". The Telegraph. ISSN 0307-1235. Retrieved 14 October 2023.
- ↑ 12.0 12.1 Hawley, Zena (14 July 2017). "Longest serving soap actress Patricia Greene receives honorary degree from the University of Derby". Derbyshire Live. ISSN 0307-1235. Retrieved 14 October 2023.
- ↑ Smith, Andrew (25 November 2015). "Desert Island Discs with Patricia Greene (Jill Archer)". BBC. Retrieved 14 October 2023.
- ↑ England & Wales, Civil Registration Marriage Index, 1916-2005: OCT 1959 6a 91 MAIDENHEAD – Henry G Selway = Patricia H Greene
- ↑ England & Wales, Civil Registration Marriage Index, 1916-2005: APR 1972 6a 720 WINDSOR – Cyril A Richardson = Patricia H Greene
- ↑ England & Wales, Civil Registration Birth Index, 1916-2007: JUL 1972 5d 2644 ST MARYLEBONE – Charles Austen Richardson
- ↑ England & Wales, Civil Registration Death Index, 1916-2007: NOV 1986 19 706 WINDSOR and MAIDENHEAD – Cyril Austen Richardson
- ↑ "Patrons". Macular Society. Retrieved 14 October 2023.
- ↑ "No. 54794". The London Gazette. 13 June 1997. Retrieved 14 October 2023.
- ↑ "Patricia Greene - BBC Programme Index". BBC. Retrieved 14 October 2023.
- ↑ "Patricia Greene". IMDb. Retrieved 14 October 2023.