Queenie Watts (born Mary Spenton; 21 July 1923 – 25 January 1980) was an English actress of film and television, as well as an occasional singer.[1] She was noted for her broad cockney accent.[2]
Biography
Watts was born Mary Spenton in London in 1923. She appeared in many British films, including the Joan Littlewood production Sparrows Can't Sing (1963), and as herself in Portrait of Queenie (1964), featuring in scenes set around Poplar, the Isle of Dogs and the Iron Bridge Tavern, Poplar, which she ran in real life and in which she starred in the TV series Stars and Garters (1963).[2] In 1966 she appeared in the film version of Alfie, singing "Goodbye, Dolly Gray" in a memorable, riotous bar-room brawl sequence, and also appeared as a pub singer in the Tommy Steele film Half a Sixpence in 1967.[2][3] A film directed by Michael Orrom called Portrait of Queenie was made in 1964, in which she sang jazz standards and some originals songs was released by the BFI. In the film she collaborated with a number of musicians including Stan Tracey and his band at the time.[4] Her sole record called Queen High, in which she sang the same songs from Portrait of Queenie, was released in 1966 on the UK Columbia label with catalogue number SX 6047.[5]
Watts appeared in Dad's Army in the role of Mrs Edna Peters, also in several episodes of Dixon of Dock Green in different roles, in two episodes of Callan (appearing as the aunt of petty crook Lonely, played by Russell Hunter), and one episode of Steptoe and Son (1972). She appeared in three episodes of the Play for Today anthology series for the BBC, including Waterloo Sunset transmitted on 23 January 1979.[12]
She ran pubs (including the Iron Bridge Tavern, East India Dock Road, London and the Rose and Crown, Pennyfields, Poplar) with her husband, "Slim Watts", where she also sang and played piano with an eight-piece band to pull in more customers.[4]
