Michele Dotrice
Updated: 12/20/2025, 12:12:01 PM Wikipedia source
Michele Dotrice (born 27 September 1948) is an English actress. She played Betty Spencer, the long-suffering wife of Frank Spencer, portrayed by Michael Crawford, in the BBC sitcom Some Mothers Do 'Ave 'Em, which ran from 1973 to 1978, and returned in 2016 for a special.
Infobox
Born
(1948-09-27) 27 September 1948 (age 77)Cleethorpes, Lincolnshire, England
Occupation
Actress
Years active
1960–present
Spouse
mw- Edward Woodward (m. 1987; died 2009)
Children
1
Parents
mw- Roy Dotrice (father)Kay Newman (mother)
Relatives
Karen Dotrice (sister)
Tables
· Filmography › Film
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 1966 | The Witches | Valerie Creek | |
| 1970 | And Soon the Darkness | Cathy | |
| Jane Eyre | Mary Rivers | ||
| 1971 | The Blood on Satan's Claw | Margaret | |
| 1976 | Not Now, Comrade | Nancy Rimmington | |
| 1999 | Captain Jack | Deirdre | |
| 2015 | The Importance of Being Earnest LIVE | Miss Prism | |
| 2016 | Starfish | Jean | |
| The Lock-in | Posh Woman | Short film | |
| 2020 | Blithe Spirit | Edna |
· Filmography › Television
1961
The Treasure Seekers
Role(s)
Princess
Notes
Episode 3: "Held to Ransom"
Operation Fantail
Role(s)
Susan Forest
Notes
Television films
Vice Versa
Role(s)
Dulcie Grimstone
Adventure to Order
Role(s)
Sandra
1961–1962
Role(s)
Signpost
Notes
Schoolgirl
1962
Role(s)
Barbara Cahoun
Notes
Series 3; episode 19: "The Happiest Days of Your Life"
Daff
Role(s)
Series 3; episode 31: "To Whom It May Concern"
The Father
Role(s)
Bertha
Notes
Television film
Katy
Role(s)
Clover Carr
Notes
All 8 episodes
1962–1963
Role(s)
The Old Curiosity Shop
Notes
Nell Trent
1966
Thérèse
Role(s)
Series 4; episode 7: "Amerika"
1967
Tess Cosgrove
Role(s)
Series 12; episode 18: "On the Island"
Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
Role(s)
Vicky Heald/Crabbe
Notes
6 episodes
1968
1970
1971
Role(s)
Mary Hisgins
Notes
Series 1; episode 5: "The Horse of the Invisible"
1972
The Sextet
Role(s)
Ange
Notes
Episode 1: "The Gregorian Chant"
Vickie
Role(s)
Episode 2: "Night Duty"
Maggie Firebrace
Role(s)
Episode 3: "A Question of Degree"
Veronica Sands
Role(s)
Episode 4: "Follow the Yellow Brick Road"
Barbara
Role(s)
Episode 5: "Stoker Leishman's Diaries"
Marion
Role(s)
Episode 6: "Stanley's Style "
Paula Lelliot
Role(s)
Episode 7: "Disappearing Trick"
Claire Ramsdale
Role(s)
Episode 8: "Blur and Blank via Cleckheaton"
1973
Menace
Role(s)
Sharon
Notes
Series 2; episode 8: "Comfortable Words"
1973–1978
Role(s)
Some Mothers Do 'Ave 'Em
Notes
Betty Spencer
1974
Zodiac
Role(s)
Julie Prentiss
Notes
Episode 6: "The Horns of the Moon"
1977
1979
Morecambe and Wise at the BBC
Role(s)
Various
Notes
Episode: 7 February 1979
Role(s)
Lady Percy
Notes
Henry IV, Part I and Henry IV, Part II. Television films
1981
Chintz
Role(s)
Kate Carter
Notes
All 7 episodes
1998
2004
A Thing Called Love
Role(s)
Barbara Hopewell
Notes
Episodes 4 & 6: "Hooked on a Feeling" and "Love Hurts"
2009
Jane Shields
Role(s)
Series 11; episode 98: "Hello, Hello, Hello"
2010
Role(s)
Mrs. Hubbard
Notes
Series 5; episode 4: "The Mirror Crack'd from Side to Side"
2014
2018
2019
A Very British Christmas
Role(s)
Sandra
Notes
Television film. (aka A Very Yorkshire Christmas)
2022
The Royal Mob
Role(s)
Queen Victoria
Notes
Episodes 1–3
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 1961 | The Treasure Seekers | Princess | Episode 3: "Held to Ransom" |
| Operation Fantail | Susan Forest | Television films | |
| Vice Versa | Dulcie Grimstone | ||
| Adventure to Order | Sandra | ||
| 1961–1962 | Signpost | Schoolgirl | 8 episodes |
| 1962 | BBC Sunday-Night Play | Barbara Cahoun | Series 3; episode 19: "The Happiest Days of Your Life" |
| Daff | Series 3; episode 31: "To Whom It May Concern" | ||
| The Father | Bertha | Television film | |
| Katy | Clover Carr | All 8 episodes | |
| 1962–1963 | The Old Curiosity Shop | Nell Trent | All 13 episodes |
| 1965 | Love Story | Jill Allen | Series 3; episode 19: "The Sad Smile of the Mona Lisa" |
| 1966 | Thirteen Against Fate | Sonia | Episode 13: "The Consul" |
| Out of the Unknown | R.747 | Series 2; episode 4: "Level Seven" | |
| Theatre 625 | Vera Alexandrovna | Series 3; episode 24: "A Month in the Country" | |
| Thérèse | Series 4; episode 7: "Amerika" | ||
| ITV Play of the Week | Julie | Series 12; episode 17: "Julie's Gone" | |
| 1967 | Tess Cosgrove | Series 12; episode 18: "On the Island" | |
| Sir Arthur Conan Doyle | Vicky Heald/Crabbe | 6 episodes | |
| Les Misérables | Fantine | Episodes 2–4 | |
| 1968 | Late Night Horror | Phrynne Banstead | Episode 5: "The Bells of Hell" |
| Middlemarch | Dorothea | Mini-series; all 7 episodes | |
| The Wednesday Play | Emma | Series 8; episode 13: "On the Eve of Publication" | |
| 1969 | ITV Sunday Night Theatre | Jane | Series 1; episode 18: "Toys" |
| 1970 | BBC Play of the Month | Irina | Series 5; episode 4: "The Three Sisters" |
| The Wednesday Play | Emma | Series 9; episode 24: "Emma's Time" | |
| 1971 | Jason King | Felicity | Episode 3: "Buried in the Cold Cold Ground" |
| The Rivals of Sherlock Holmes | Mary Hisgins | Series 1; episode 5: "The Horse of the Invisible" | |
| 1972 | The Sextet | Ange | Episode 1: "The Gregorian Chant" |
| Vickie | Episode 2: "Night Duty" | ||
| Maggie Firebrace | Episode 3: "A Question of Degree" | ||
| Veronica Sands | Episode 4: "Follow the Yellow Brick Road" | ||
| Barbara | Episode 5: "Stoker Leishman's Diaries" | ||
| Marion | Episode 6: "Stanley's Style " | ||
| Paula Lelliot | Episode 7: "Disappearing Trick" | ||
| Claire Ramsdale | Episode 8: "Blur and Blank via Cleckheaton" | ||
| 1973 | Menace | Sharon | Series 2; episode 8: "Comfortable Words" |
| 1973–1978 | Some Mothers Do 'Ave 'Em | Betty Spencer | Series 1–3; all 22 episodes |
| 1974 | Zodiac | Julie Prentiss | Episode 6: "The Horns of the Moon" |
| ITV Playhouse | Frances | Series 7; episode 11: "A Kind of Bonus" | |
| 1976 | The Morecambe and Wise Show | Herself / Constance | Series 9; episode 2 |
| 1977 | I'm Bob, He's Dickie | Various | Episode 1 |
| BBC Play of the Month | Catherine Winslow | Series 12; episode 4: "The Winslow Boy" | |
| 1979 | Morecambe and Wise at the BBC | Various | Episode: 7 February 1979 |
| BBC Television Shakespeare | Lady Percy | Henry IV, Part I and Henry IV, Part II. Television films | |
| 1981 | Chintz | Kate Carter | All 7 episodes |
| 1986 | The Equalizer | Vanessa Daniels | Episode: "Heartstrings" (S2.E11) |
| 1988 | Boon | Nikki | Series 3; episode 8: "Peacemaker" |
| 1995 | Bramwell | Lady Cora Peters | Series 1; episodes 1–4 & 6 |
| 1997 | Q.E.D. | Anna Peters | Episode: "Cause of Death" |
References
- The Old Curiosity Shop bbc.co.uk, retrieved 15 October 2017https://web.archive.org/web/20171016015831/http://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/1a00dcae589c4c31b48907484ff84971
- And Soon the Darkness tcm.com, retrieved 15 October 2017https://web.archive.org/web/20171016014809/http://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/title/67317/And-Soon-The-Darkness/
- The Blood on Satan's Claw tcm.com, retrieved 15 October 2017https://web.archive.org/web/20211023014733/https://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/title/69136/the-blood-on-satans-claw
- Jane Eyre tcm.com, retrieved 15 October 2017https://web.archive.org/web/20111211032032/http://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/title/79674/Jane-Eyre/
- Not Now, Comrade tcm.com, retrieved 15 October 2017https://web.archive.org/web/20151019184906/http://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/title/486931/Not-Now-Comrade/
- Some Mothers Do 'Ave 'Em comedy.co.uk, retrieved 15 October 2017https://www.comedy.co.uk/tv/some_mothers_do_ave_em/
- Some Mothers Do 'Ave 'Em bbc.co.uk, retrieved 15 October 2017https://www.bbc.co.uk/comedy/somemothers/index.shtml
- Lewis, Roz. "Where are they now... ? 'Some Mothers Do ’Ave' ’Em actress Michele Dotrice" Express, 22 October 2016http://www.express.co.uk/life-style/life/722795/Some-Mothers-Do-Ave-Em-actress-Michele-Dotrice-where-is-she-now?_ga=2.10178421.152977412.1508091617-604655595.1508091617
- "Michael Crawford to reprise Frank Spencer for Sport Relief"https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-35595714
- Chintz comedy.co.uk, retrieved 15 October 2017https://www.comedy.co.uk/tv/chintz/
- Paton, Maureen. "I'm the luckiest lady alive says Michele Dotrice" Express, 22 October 2012http://www.express.co.uk/expressyourself/353628/I-m-the-luckiest-lady-alive-says-Michele-Dotrice?_ga=2.92375901.1503649076.1508082004-962390833.1508082004
- " 'Death in Paradise', Episode 8" bbc.co.uk, retrieved 15, 2017https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b03xl49z
- "The 12 Days of Christine"https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b05pwfcf
- Billington, Michael. " 'Nell Gwynn' review – Gemma Arterton sparkles in chaotic comedy" The Guardian, 12 February 2016https://www.theguardian.com/stage/2016/feb/12/nell-gwynn-review-gemma-arterton-apollo-london
- Shenton, Mark. " 'The Girls', Musical by Gary Barlow and Tim Firth, to Premiere in West End" Playbill, 16 September 2016http://www.playbill.com/article/new-musical-the-girls-by-gary-barlow-and-tim-firth-set-to-premiere-at-west-ends-phoenix-theatre-in-january-2017#
- Equalizer Star Dies Archived 1 March 2010 at the Wayback Machinehttp://news.sky.com/skynews/Home/Edward-Woodward-Equalizer-And-Wicker-Man-Actor-Dies-Aged-79/Article/200911315454650