Dame Barbara Windsor (born Barbara Ann Deeks; 6 August 193710 December 2020) was an English actress. She was known for her roles in the Carry On films and for playing Peggy Mitchell in the BBC One soap opera EastEnders. She joined the cast of EastEnders in 1994 and won the 1999 British Soap Award for Best Actress, before leaving the show in 2016.
Windsor began her career on stage in 1950 at the age of 13, and made her film debut as a schoolgirl in The Belles of St. Trinian's (1954) while studying shipping management at Bow Technical College. She received a BAFTA Award nomination for the film Sparrows Can't Sing (1963), and a Tony Award nomination for the 1964 Broadway production of Oh, What a Lovely War!. In 1972, she starred opposite Vanessa Redgrave in the West End production of The Threepenny Opera.
Between 1964 and 1974, she appeared in nine Carry On films, including Carry On Spying (1964), Carry On Doctor (1967), Carry On Camping (1969), Carry On Henry (1971), and Carry On Abroad (1972). She also co-presented the 1977 Carry On compilation That's Carry On!. Windsor also starred in all four "Carry On Christmas" Thames TV specials, and appeared in both series of the 1975 ATV sitcom "Carry On Laughing". Outside of Carry On, her other film roles included A Study in Terror (1965), Chitty Chitty Bang Bang (1968), and as the voice of Mallymkun, the Dormouse in Alice in Wonderland (2010) and Alice Through the Looking Glass (2016).
Windsor was made a Dame (DBE) in the 2016 New Year Honours for services to charity and entertainment. She was awarded the British Soap Award for Outstanding Achievement in 2010, as well as the Freedom of the City of London in 2010.
Early life
Windsor was born on 6 August 1937 in Shoreditch, London (though her birth was registered in Stepney), the only child of John Deeks, a bus driver, and his wife, Rose (née Ellis), a dressmaker.
In 1939, at the start of World War II, Windsor's father was called up for the war, so Windsor and her mother went to live with her mother's family in Yoakley Road, Stoke Newington, where Windsor attended St Mary's Infants' School in nearby Lordship Road.
Windsor's mother initially refused to let her be evacuated, but conceded after one of Windsor's school friends was killed by a bomb during an air raid. Aged 6, Windsor was evacuated to Blackpool to live with a couple, but they attempted to sexually abuse her. although she was expelled because she argued with the reverend mother after the latter refused to let Windsor have time off to appear in a pantomime.
Windsor moved to the Aida Foster School, Golders Green, and took elocution lessons. When Windsor's father came to watch a performance, she was ridiculed by the others as her father had begun working as a trolley bus conductor and had come in his uniform. Enraged, Windsor covered the girls in theatrical face powder, throwing more over the chaperone who tried to stop her. Despite this, Windsor was chosen to appear in the chorus of the successful musical Love From Judy in the West End in 1952, which ran for two years. Her stage name of "Windsor" was inspired by the Coronation of Elizabeth II in 1953. By the time she was 16, Windsor's parents divorced, and she was made to testify unwillingly against her father in court. Because custody of her had been awarded to her mother following the divorce, Windsor's father ceased all contact with Windsor, and would ignore her if he saw her in the street for many years afterwards.
Career
Windsor made her film debut as an uncredited extra in 1954 playing a schoolgirl in The Belles of St. Trinians;
After joining Joan Littlewood's Theatre Workshop at the Theatre Royal, Stratford East, she came to prominence in their 1959 stage production Fings Ain't Wot They Used T'Be She also appeared in the comedy films Crooks in Cloisters (1964) and San Ferry Ann (1965), the thriller film A Study in Terror (1965), the fantasy film Chitty Chitty Bang Bang (1968) and Ken Russell's musical film The Boy Friend (1971), and the TV sitcoms The Rag Trade and Wild, Wild Women.
Carry On
Windsor came to prominence with her portrayals of a "good-time girl" in nine Carry On films. Her first was Carry On Spying in 1964 and her final one was Carry On Dick in 1974. She also appeared in several Carry On... television and compilation specials between 1964 and 1977.
From 1973 to 1975, she appeared with several of the Carry On team in the West End revue Carry On London!.
She was strongly identified with the Carry On films for many years, which restricted the roles she was offered later in her career.
Theatre
Windsor starred on Broadway in the Theatre Workshop's Oh, What a Lovely War! and received a 1965 Tony Award nomination for Best Featured Actress in a Musical.
EastEnders
thumb|upright|Waxwork of Windsor as [[Peggy Mitchell displayed in Blackpool]]
When EastEnders was launched in 1985, the producers said they would not cast well-known actors (although Wendy Richard was a rare exception). Windsor has said that she would have liked to have been part of the original cast. By 1994, this policy was relaxed, and Windsor accepted an offer to join EastEnders. She took over the role of Peggy Mitchell (who was previously a minor character played by Jo Warne in 1991). Peggy was the widowed mother of established key characters Phil and Grant Mitchell, and younger sister Samantha. For this role, she received the Best Actress award at the 1999 British Soap Awards, and a Lifetime Achievement Award at the 2009 British Soap Awards. On 10 September 2010, her character left Albert Square after a fire destroyed the Queen Victoria pub, of which she was the owner.
In July 2013, it was announced that Windsor was to return for one episode, which aired on 20 September 2013. She again returned for a single episode on 25 September 2014, and made a further appearance for EastEnders 30th anniversary on 17 February 2015. In February 2015, Windsor, along with Pam St Clement (Pat Evans), took part in EastEnders: Back to Ours to celebrate 30 years of EastEnders. Windsor and St. Clement looked back on some of their characters' most dramatic moments.
In November 2015, Windsor secretly filmed a return to EastEnders, which was shown in January 2016. After this, the character was confirmed to be killed off later in the year. This was Windsor's decision, as she said that she would always be open to a return to the show unless bosses decided to kill the character off. Her last appearance aired on BBC One on 17 May 2016. On 25 January 2022, by which time Windsor had died, an episode aired in which Peggy's son Phil Mitchell (Steve McFadden) hears his mother's voice giving him advice. The scene was made using archived audio from previous episodes.
Later life
Windsor hosted two series of the BBC documentary Disaster Masters in 2005. She provided the voice of the Dormouse in Walt Disney's live-action adaptation of Lewis Carroll's Alice in Wonderland (2010), directed by Tim Burton. Windsor starred in the pantomime Dick Whittington at the Bristol Hippodrome over the Christmas/New Year period of 2010/2011. In September 2010, it was announced that Windsor would be fronting a TV campaign for online bingo site Jackpotjoy as the Queen of Bingo. She appeared as herself in one episode of Come Fly with Me in January 2011.
thumb|upright|Windsor in 2009
From 2011 onwards, she regularly did presenting work for BBC Radio 2 music and showbusiness history programmes, and also was a regular stand in for Elaine Paige on Elaine Paige on Sunday. She reprised her voice role of the Dormouse in the film Alice Through the Looking Glass (2016).
In 2016, Windsor was invited to switch on the Blackpool Illuminations 57 years after her co-star in the film Too Hot to Handle, Jayne Mansfield, had performed the task during a break in filming.
In May 2017, Windsor appeared in a cameo role as herself in BBC Television's biopic about her life, Babs, written by EastEnders scriptwriter Tony Jordan. It showed Windsor in the 1990s as she prepared to go on stage, and recalled events from her life, including her childhood, marriage to gangster Ronnie Knight, and her roles in the Carry On films.
Personal life
Windsor was married three times, and had no children. She was married to:
- Ronnie Knight, (married 2 March 1964, divorced January 1985)
- Stephen Hollings, chef/restaurateur (married 12 April 1986 in Jamaica, divorced 1995)
- Scott Mitchell, former actor and recruitment consultant (married 8 April 2000)
Prior to her marriage to Knight, Windsor had a one-night stand with East End criminal Reggie Kray, and a longer relationship with his older brother Charlie Kray. During the time of making her later Carry On films, she had a well-publicised affair with her fellow actor and co-star Sid James, which lasted three years, until 1976.
Windsor also dated Gary Crosby in the 1960s and had brief sexual encounters with Victor Mature, Anthony Newley, Ronnie Scott, James Booth, George Best and Maurice Gibb, the latter two while she was still married. In the late 1950s, Windsor became engaged to singer Cliff Lawrence, but he physically beat her. In her autobiography, All of Me, Windsor stated that she often turned up at Winston's, the club where she sang, with a black eye, and detailed one occasion when Lawrence dragged her down the street by her hair. Windsor ended the relationship, and then started dating Knight. Windsor said that Lawrence would spy on her and Knight from telephone boxes, only leaving them alone after Knight threatened him.
In her autobiography, Windsor discussed her five abortions: three in her 20s, and the last at the age of 42. She said that she never wanted children as a result of her father rejecting her after her parents' divorce.
Windsor was best friends with fellow actress Anna Karen, whom she met while filming Carry On Camping and who later went on to play Peggy Mitchell's sister Aunt Sal in EastEnders on and off for 20 years.
Windsor was friends with Amy Winehouse, and in 2012 became a patron of the Amy Winehouse Foundation. In 2014, Windsor unveiled a statue of Winehouse in Camden Market.
Since July 2023, her widower, has been in a relationship with her EastEnders co-star Tanya Franks, who played Rainie Cross.
Health problems
In April 2014, Windsor was diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease. She chose not to make news of the condition public, but it was known to her friends and colleagues. On 10 May 2018, Windsor's husband, Scott Mitchell, publicly revealed her condition. In January 2019, Mitchell and some of Windsor's former co-stars from EastEnders announced that they would be running the London Marathon in aid of a dementia campaign. Mitchell said that Windsor's health and mental state had been deteriorating, and she had moments when she no longer recognised him.
On Windsor's 82nd birthday in August 2019, she and Mitchell became ambassadors for the Alzheimer's Society. On the same day, Mitchell and Windsor appeared in a video for the charity, in which Windsor said, "Unite with me, against dementia". Mitchell highlighted the problems many face with the disease, and urged viewers to sign a letter to Prime Minister Boris Johnson, saying he "urgently needs to address these challenges." In August 2020, BBC News reported that Windsor had been moved into a care home in London.
Death
Windsor died at Anita Dorfman House, a Jewish Care home in Stanmore, North West London, on 10 December 2020, aged 83.
The next episode of EastEnders, broadcast on 11 December 2020, was dedicated to Windsor's memory. As well as this, the 2017 biopic Babs, which documented Windsor's life, was also broadcast. Among those who paid tributes to her were her EastEnders co-stars, entertainers, politicians including then Prime Minister Boris Johnson, former Prime Minister David Cameron, the then Leader of the Opposition Keir Starmer and members of the Royal family, Prince William, Duke of Cambridge – who described Windsor as "a true national treasure ... a giant of the entertainment world" – and Charles, Prince of Wales with his wife Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall.
Windsor's funeral took place on 8 January 2021. Her body was cremated at Golders Green Crematorium. The service was attended by Anna Karen, Christopher Biggins, Ross Kemp, David Walliams and Matt Lucas, amongst others, although numbers were limited due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Floral decorations on Windsor's coffin spelled out the words "The Dame", "Saucy" (Windsor's catchphrase in the Carry On films) and "The Queen Peggy". Windsor's funeral programme featured the famous photo of her in Carry On Camping, a photo that she said "will follow me right to the end".
In popular culture
Windsor was played by Samantha Spiro in Terry Johnson's play Cleo, Camping, Emmanuelle and Dick, which premiered at the National Theatre in 1998. Rachel Clarke took over the role of Windsor in the touring production of the play in 2001. Spiro reprised the role in the subsequent TV film adaptation, Cor, Blimey! (2000). The latter also featured a cameo appearance from Windsor, playing herself.
In the 2006 BBC television film Kenneth Williams: Fantabulosa!, Windsor was again played by Rachel Clarke. Spiro reprised her role as Windsor in the TV biopic Babs in 2017, with Jaime Winstone and Honor Kneafsey playing younger versions of Windsor.
Honours
Windsor was appointed Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in the 2000 New Year Honours, and in the same year she was the first person to be inducted into the newly created BBC Hall of Fame. In August 2010 she was given the Freedom of the City of London, and in November 2010 she was honoured by the City of Westminster at a tree-planting and plaque ceremony.
She was inducted into the Hackney Empire Walk of Fame on 25 May 2017.
Windsor was appointed Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire (DBE) in the 2016 New Year Honours for services to charity and entertainment.
In November 2014, she was awarded an honorary doctorate from the University of East London.
Commonwealth honours
{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%"
! style="width:20%;"| Country
! style="width:20%;"| Date
! style="width:55%;"| Appointment
! style="width:5%;"| Post-nominal letters
|-
| || 2000–2016 || Member of Order of the British Empire (Civil Division) || MBE
|-
| || 2016–10 December 2020 || Dame Commander of Order of the British Empire (Civil Division) || DBE
|-
|}
Scholastic
; Chancellor, visitor, governor, rector and fellowships
{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%"
! style="width:20%;"| Location
! style="width:20%;"| Date
! style="width:40%;"| School
! style="width:20%;"| Position
|-
| || 201510 December 2020 || Royal Central School of Speech and Drama || Honorary Fellow
|-
|}
Honorary degrees
{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%"
! style="width:20%;"| Location
! style="width:20%;"| Date
! style="width:40%;"| School
! style="width:20%;"| Degree
! style="width:20%;"| Gave Commencement Address
|-
| || 20 November 2014 || University of East London || Doctor of Arts (D.Arts) || Yes
|-
|}
Freedom of the City
- 4 August 2010: London.
Filmography
Film
{| class="wikitable" style="empty-cells:show"
|-
! Year
! Title
! Role
! Notes
!
|-
|1954 || The Belles of St Trinian's || Schoolgirl || rowspan=3|Uncredited ||
|-
|1956 || Lost || Young Girl in Chemist ||
|-
|On the Fiddle || Mavis || ||
|-
|| Crooks in Cloisters || Bikini || ||
|-
|1987 || It Couldn't Happen Here || Seaside landlady / Neil's mother || ||
|-
|2001 || Second Star To The Left || Babs || rowspan=3|Voice ||
|-
|2010 || Alice in Wonderland || rowspan=2|Mallymkun ||
|-
|1961–1963 || The Rag Trade || Gloria || 15 episodes ||
|-
|rowspan=2|1963 || The Plane Makers || Marlene || Episode: "Any More for the Skylark?" ||
|-
| The Rag Trade || Judy || 8 episodes ||
|-
| Two Plus Two || Louella || <sup>Episode: "A Funny Thing Happened To Me on My Way To the Altar"</sup>||
|-
|1968–1969 || Wild, Wild Women || Millie || All 7 episodes ||
|-
|rowspan=2|1988 || The Nephew || Aunty Vicky || 3 episodes ||
|-
|rowspan=2|1989 || Norbert Smith: A Life || Greenham Women's Leader || TV film ||
|-
|1990 || Family Fortunes || Fairy || Episode: "Celebrity Christmas Special 2" ||
|-
|1992 || Double Vision || Snow Queen Boss || TV film ||
|-
|2006 || Doctor Who || Peggy Mitchell || Episode: "Army of Ghosts" ||
|-
|2006 || Who Do You Think You Are? || Herself || Season 3, Episode 1: "Barbara Windsor" ||
|-
|2009 || Walk on the Wild Side || Mouse || Voice; Episode: #1.3 ||
|-
|2015 || Children in Need || Star Wars sketch ||
|-
|2017 || Babs || Herself || TV film Critics have noted that her stage work demonstrated a discipline and theatrical grounding that underpinned her later popular success, with one assessment describing her as a “mischievous and instinctive stage performer” whose early theatre training gave depth to her comic screen persona.
{| class="wikitable sortable"
! Year !! Production !! Role !! Venue / Company !! Ref
|-
| 1951 || Love from Judy || Chorus || Saville Theatre, London ||
|-
| 1959 || Fings Ain't Wot They Used T'Be || Ensemble || Theatre Royal Stratford East / Garrick Theatre, London ||
|-
| 1963–1964 || Oh, What a Lovely War! || Performer || Theatre Royal Stratford East / Broadway ||
|-
| 1965 || Twang! || Ensemble || Prince of Wales Theatre, London ||
|-
| 1966 || Come Spy with Me || Performer || West End ||
|-
| 1970 || Sing a Rude Song || Marie Lloyd || West End ||
|-
| 1972 || The Threepenny Opera || Lucy Brown || West End revival ||
|-
| 1973–1974 || Carry On London! || Performer || West End revue ||
|-
| 1981 || Entertaining Mr Sloane || Kath || Lyric Theatre, Hammersmith ||
|}
References
External links
|-