Patricia Shakesby
Patricia Shakesby | |
|---|---|
 Patricia Shakesby in the 1990s | |
| Born | Patricia Shakesby 6 November 1942 Cottingham, East Riding of Yorkshire, England |
| Occupation(s) | Actress, writer |
| Years active | 1960–2010 |
| Known for |
|
| Spouse | Alan Purkiss (m 1997) |
Patricia Shakesby (born 6 November 1942)[1] is an English actress and playwright, best known for her role as Polly Urquhart in Howards' Way.[2][3] She is also notable for being an original cast member of Coronation Street, in which she played Susan Cunningham, the first on-screen love interest of Ken Barlow.[4]
Early life and roles
[edit]Shakesby was born in Cottingham, East Riding of Yorkshire.[1] She began her acting career in London’s West End, aged 18, playing the Sea Witch in Where the Rainbow Ends. Other West End appearances included Susie in Someone to Kill, Charlotte in Night of the Iguana, Felicity in The Real Inspector Hound and Helen in Suddenly at Home. For the Royal Shakespeare Company, Troilus and Cressida, Hamlet, Romeo and Juliet, The Merchant of Venice, The Love-Girl and the Innocent and La Ronde.
Patricia made her television debut, on 9 December 1960 in Coronation Street. Shakesby played Ken Barlow's (William Roache) middle class girlfriend, Susan Cunningham, for 12 episodes. In the first episode, Ken states he is taking Susan to the Imperial Hotel, which Ken's father, Frank, forbids, as Ken's mother, Ida, works as a cleaner in the kitchens there and Frank does not like the thought of Ken spending money in the same establishment where his mother works hard to earn it.[4]
In 1972, Shakesby appeared alongside Anthony Hopkins in the television series War and Peace, playing Vera Rostova. Between 1985 and 1990, she appeared in six series of the BBC television series Howard's Way, playing Polly Urquhart. Her other television credits include Hancock's Half Hour, Dixon of Dock Green, Z-Cars, The Borderers, On the Buses, The Liver Birds, The Likely Lads, Sapphire & Steel, Casting the Runes and Yes Minister.[1][5]
On stage, Shakesby has appeared with Ronnie Barker in a 1970s production of The Real Inspector Hound and several plays for the Royal Shakespeare Company in Stratford-upon-Avon and London. She wrote a play, The Lady of the Abbey, based on the life of the wife of Robert Fitzhamon, who founded Tewkesbury Abbey.[4]
Personal life
[edit]Shakesby married Tewkesbury Civic Society chairman Alan Purkiss in 1997. The couple live in Mill Bank, Tewkesbury, Gloucestershire.[4] She won an award for playing the best drunk on television; however, Shakesby is teetotal, as alcohol gives her a migraine.[4]
Filmography
[edit]Film
[edit]| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1962 | She Knows Y'Know | Valerie | Early film role |
| 1965 | He Who Rides a Tiger | A Policewoman |
Television
[edit]| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1960–1961 | Coronation Street | Susan Cunningham | Original cast member; 12 episodes |
| 1965 | Emergency-Ward 10 | Joan Barry | 2 episodes |
| 1969 | Detective | Mrs. Grange | 1 episode |
| 1969 | The Inside Man | Vera Kaczka | 1 episode |
| 1970 | The Borderers | Anne Michie | 1 episode |
| 1971 | Doctor in the House | Nurse | 1 episode |
| 1971 | On the Buses | Nurse | 1 episode |
| 1971 | The Liver Birds | Jean Pike | 1 episode |
| 1971 | The Fenn Street Gang | Nurse | 1 episode |
| 1972 | War and Peace | Vera Rostova | 4 episodes |
| 1979 | ITV Playhouse | Elise Marriott | 1 episode |
| 1980 | Yes Minister | Mandy (Secretary) | 1 episode |
| 1981 | Sapphire & Steel | Anne Shaw | 6 episodes |
| 1985 | Late Starter | Jane Bourne | 3 episodes |
| 1985–1989 | Howard's Way | Polly Urquhart | 54 episodes |
Select stage roles
[edit]- 1960, Sea Witch, Where the Rainbow Ends at the West End
- 1960s, Susie, Someone to Kill at the West End
- 1960s, Charlotte, Night of the Iguana at the West End
- 1960s, Felicity, The Real Inspector Hound at the West End
- 1960s, Annie, When We Are Married in repertory
- 1971–72, Helen, Suddenly at Home at the Fortune Theatre
- 1970s, Mam, A Prayer for Wings at Theatre Clwyd
- 1970s, Constance, She Stoops to Conquer in repertory
- 1970s, Cordelia, King Lear in repertory
- 1970s, Miranda, The Tempest in repertory
- 1970s, The Princess of France, Love's Labour's Lost in repertory
- 1970s, Titania, A Midsummer Night's Dream in repertory
- 1970s, Olivia, Twelfth Night in repertory
- 1970s, Clara, They Came to a City in repertory
- 1970s, Edna, An Inspector Calls in repertory
- 1970s, Ann, Man and Superman in repertory
- 1970s, Amanda, Private Lives in repertory
- 1970s, Fiona, How the Other Half Loves in repertory
- 1970s, Constance, The Constant Wife in repertory
- 1970s, Do Not Disturb in repertory
- 1970s, Linda, Move Over Mrs. Markham in repertory
- 1980s, The Merchant of Venice with the Royal Shakespeare Company
- 1980s, Andromache, Troilus and Cressida with the Royal Shakespeare Company
- 1980s, Lady Capulet, Romeo and Juliet with the Royal Shakespeare Company
- 1980s, Hamlet with the Royal Shakespeare Company
- 1980s, Love Girl and the Innocent with the Royal Shakespeare Company
- 1980s, The link figure, La Ronde with the Royal Shakespeare Company
- 1980s, The Wife, The Seven Year Itch on UK tour[6]
- 1980s, The Spin of the Wheel on UK tour
- 1980s, Goodnight Mrs. Puffin on UK tour
- 1980s, Dead of Night on UK tour
- 1990s, Elsie, Laburnum Grove in repertory
- 1990s, Hippolyta, The Rape of the Belt in repertory
- 1990s, The Heiress on UK tour
- 1990s, Straight and Narrow on UK tour[7]
- 1990s, Queen Elizabeth, Shadow in the Sun (two-hander) on UK tour
- 1980s–1990s, Various plays in productions staged in Vienna, Frankfurt, and Zurich
References
[edit]- ^ a b c "BFI | Film & TV Database | SHAKESBY, Patricia". ftvdb.bfi.org.uk. Archived from the original on 19 January 2009. Retrieved 13 April 2014.
- ^ "Patricia Shakesby | Theatricalia". theatricalia.com.
- ^ "The Passion". www.bbc.co.uk.
- ^ a b c d e Jenkins, Robin (13 January 2019). "Glos woman who appeared on Corrie 'checked into brothel by mistake'". GloucestershireLive.
- ^ "Patricia Shakesby". www.aveleyman.com.
- ^ "The Seven Year Itch – Richmond Theatre". PicClick. Retrieved 12 October 2025.
- ^ "Patricia Shakesby – Straight & Narrow". Gordon Craig Theatre Archive. Retrieved 12 October 2025.
External links
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