Dora Bryan
Known for Acting · 87 credits
- Born
- 1923-02-07
- Died
- 2014-07-23
- Place of birth
- Parbold, Lancashire, England, UK
- Also known as
- Дора Брайен · Dora May Broadbent
Biography
Dora May Bryan OBE was an English actress of stage, film and television. Born Dora May Broadbent, her career began in pantomime as a child actor. In World War II she joined the ENSA in Italy to entertain British troops.
After having established herself as a versatile stage actress, covering everything from drama and comedy to musicals, she started to appear in film in the late 1940s, and in 1968 she even had her own TV series, "According to Dora". At one point in her career she was Britain's highest-paid star.
She was active on stage until the mid 1990s and continued to work in film and television until 2005, when she finally had to give up the acting profession as she could no longer remember her lines.
Her autobiography According To Dora was published in 1987. In 1996, she was awarded an OBE in recognition of her services to acting and the same year she was also awarded the Laurence Olivier Award for her role in the West End production of the Harold Pinter play "The Birthday Party".
She was married to British cricket player Bill Lawton from 1954 to his death in 2008. She lived in a nursing home in Hove, outside Brighton, until her death in 2014.
Known For
TV Shows (21)
Doctors
2000
as Lily Anderson
Casualty
1986
as Hester Blewett
The Sooty Show
1955
as Herself
Last of the Summer Wine
1973
as Roz
Heartbeat
1992
as Jane Thompson
Absolutely Fabulous
1992
as Dolly
World in Action
1963
An Audience with...
1978
as Self
Performance
1991
as Bosom Lady
Theatre Night
1957
as Julie Skidmore
Frank Stubbs Promotes
1993
as Molly Bramley
dinnerladies
1998
as Connie
Virtual Murder
1992
as Mrs Mim
Hippies
1999
as Dame Nelly Fletcher
On the Up
1990
Educating Archie
1958
Both Ends Meet
1972
as Dora Page
Happily Ever After
1961
as Dora Morgan
Before The Fringe
1967
According To Dora
Mother's Ruin
1994
Movies (66)
Hello London
1960
as herself
MirrorMask
2005
as Aunt Nan
The Dream Machine
1964
as Self
The Fallen Idol
1948
as Rose
No Highway in the Sky
1951
The Cockleshell Heroes
1955
as Myrtie
Carry On Sergeant
1958
as Norah
A Taste of Honey
1961
as Helen
Scarlet Thread
1951
as Maggie
Time, Gentlemen, Please!
1952
as Peggy Stebbins
Lady Godiva Rides Again
1951
as Movie Publicist
Odd Man Out
1947
as Girl in Telephone Kiosk (uncredited)
The Sandwich Man
1966
as Mrs. De Vere
Apartment Zero
1989
as Margaret McKinney
Miss Robin Hood
1952
as Pearl
The Blue Lamp
1950
as Maisie
Hands of the Ripper
1971
as Mrs. Golding
The Green Man
1956
as Lily
Gift Horse
1952
as Glad Flanagan
Adam and Evelyne
1949
as Blonde Sales Assistant (uncredited)
Now Barabbas
1949
as Winnie
Circle of Danger
1951
as Bubbles Fitzgerald
Whispering Smith vs. Scotland Yard
1952
as Miss La Fosse
Child in the House
1956
as Cassie
High Treason
1951
as Mrs. Bowers
The Interrupted Journey
1949
as the waitress
Operation Bullshine
1959
as Pvt. Cox
Mad About Men
1954
as Berengaria
The Ringer
1952
as Mrs. Hackett
The Perfect Woman
1949
as Model in Shop
The Crowded Day
1954
as Marge
You Lucky People!
1955
as Hortense Tipp
The Man Who Wouldn't Talk
1958
as Telephonist
Up the Front
1972
as Auntie Cora Crumpington
The Young Lovers
1954
as Switchboard Operator (uncredited)
Don't Ever Leave Me
1949
as Talkative Hairdresser (uncredited)
No Trace
1950
as Maisie
13 East Street
1952
as Valerie
Alice Through the Looking Box
1960
as Queen
Screamtime
1983
as Emma
Thora Hird Tribute
2003
as Self (archive footage, uncredited)
The Great St Trinian's Train Robbery
1966
as Amber Spottiswood
As Long as They're Happy
1955
as May
Absolutely Fabulous: The Last Shout
1996
as Millie
Something in the City
1950
as Waitress
The Fake
1953
as Barmaid
You Know What Sailors Are
1954
No Room at the Inn
1948
as The Girl
Mother Riley Meets the Vampire
1952
as Tilly
The Intruder
1953
as Dora Bee
Street Corner
1953
as Prostitute
Bed
1995
as Bosom Lady
The Night We Got the Bird
1960
as Julie Skidmore
Desert Mice
1959
as Gay Bennett
Once Upon a Dream
1949
as Barmaid
The Cure for Love
1949
as Jenny Jenkins
Harmony Lane
1954
as Comedian
Traveller's Joy
1950
as Eva
Two a Penny
1967
as Ruby Hopkins
Women of Twilight
1953
as Olga
The Quiet Woman
1951
as Elsie Tripp
Palmer
1991
as Monica
Follow That Horse!
1960
Small Hotel
1957
as (uncredited)
Fast and Loose
1954
as Mary Rawlings, the maid
The Real Thing
1953
as Dora
About Dora Bryan
Dora May Bryan OBE was an English actress of stage, film and television. Born Dora May Broadbent, her career began in pantomime as a child actor. In World War II she joined the ENSA in Italy to entertain British troops. After having established herself as a versatile stage actress, covering everything from drama and comedy to musicals, she started to appear in film in the late 1940s, and in 1968 she even had her own TV series, "According to Dora". At one point in her career she was Britain's highest-paid star. She was active on stage until the… With 87 credits spanning from 1947 to 2005, Dora Bryan has appeared in 66 films and 21 TV shows.
Fans searching for Dora Bryan movies, Dora Bryan filmography, or the latest projects starring Dora Bryan can stream many of these titles on Bowood.TV, free and in HD, with no subscription required.
Most Popular Dora Bryan Movies
- Hello London (1960) — as herself
- MirrorMask (2005) — as Aunt Nan
- The Dream Machine (1964) — as Self
- The Fallen Idol (1948) — as Rose
- No Highway in the Sky (1951)
Where to Watch Dora Bryan Films
Most Dora Bryan movies and series are available to stream on Bowood.TV in full HD, completely free and without signup. Browse the complete filmography above to jump directly to any title. For more films and the latest web series featuring Dora Bryan, check our movies catalogue and browse page.