About

Known credits:
69
Birthday:
1923-02-07
Place of birth:
Parbold, Lancashire, England, UK
Website:
N/A

Dora Bryan

Overview

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

Acting
2005 MirrorMask Actor Aunt Nan 60
Fair
1996 Absolutely Fabulous: The Last Shout Actor Millie 59
Average
1995 Bed Actor Bosom Lady N/A
N/A
1994 Mother's Ruin Actor N/A
N/A
1991 Palmer Actor Monica N/A
N/A
1990 On the Up Actor 69
Fair
1989 Apartment Zero Actor Margaret McKinney 59
Average
1983 Screamtime Actor Emma 58
Average
1972 Up the Front Actor Cora Crumpington 58
Average
1971 Hands of the Ripper Actor Mrs. Golding 59
Average
1967 Two A Penny Actor Ruby Hopkins 58
Average
1967 Before The Fringe Actor N/A
N/A
1966 The Sandwich Man Actor Mrs. De Vere 59
Average
1966 The Great St. Trinian's Train Robbery Actor Amber Spottiswood 58
Average
1964 The Dream Machine Actor Self N/A
N/A
1961 A Taste of Honey Actor Helen 60
Fair
1960 Alice Through the Looking Box Actor N/A
N/A
1960 Hello London Actor herself 58
Average
1960 The Night We Got the Bird Actor Julie Skidmore 58
Average
1960 Follow That Horse! Actor N/A
N/A
1959 Operation Bullshine Actor Pvt. Cox 58
Average
1959 Desert Mice Actor Gay Bennett 59
Average
1958 Carry On Sergeant Actor Norah 59
Average
1958 The Man Who Wouldn't Talk Actor Telephonist 58
Average
1957 Small Hotel Actor (uncredited) 59
Average
1956 The Green Man Actor Lily 59
Average
1956 Child in the House Actor Cassie 59
Average
1955 The Cockleshell Heroes Actor Myrtie 58
Average
1955 As Long as They're Happy Actor May 59
Average
1955 You Lucky People! Actor Hortense Tipp 58
Average
1954 Harmony Lane Actor Comedian N/A
N/A
1954 Mad About Men Actor Berengaria 58
Average
1954 The Crowded Day Actor Marge 58
Average
1954 The Young Lovers Actor Switchboard Operator (uncredited) 58
Average
1954 Fast and Loose Actor Mary Rawlings, the maid 59
Average
1954 You Know What Sailors Are Actor 58
Average
1953 The Intruder Actor Dora Bee 59
Average
1953 The Fake Actor Barmaid 59
Average
1953 Street Corner Actor Prostitute 58
Average
1953 Women of Twilight Actor Olga 58
Average
1953 The Real Thing Actor Dora N/A
N/A
1952 The Ringer Actor Mrs. Hackett 59
Average
1952 Miss Robin Hood Actor Pearl 59
Average
1952 Mother Riley Meets the Vampire Actor Tilly 58
Average
1952 Time, Gentlemen, Please! Actor Peggy Stebbins 59
Average
1952 Gift Horse Actor Glad Flanagan 59
Average
1952 13 East Street Actor Valerie 59
Average
1952 Whispering Smith Vs. Scotland Yard Actor Miss La Fosse 58
Average
1951 High Treason Actor Mrs. Bowers 58
Average
1951 Lady Godiva Rides Again Actor Movie Publicist 59
Average
1951 No Highway in the Sky Actor 59
Average
1951 Scarlet Thread Actor Maggie 58
Average
1951 Circle of Danger Actor Bubbles Fitzgerald 59
Average
1951 The Quiet Woman Actor Elsie Tripp 59
Average
1950 Traveller's Joy Actor Eva 59
Average
1950 No Trace Actor Maisie 59
Average
1950 Something in the City Actor Waitress 59
Average
1950 The Blue Lamp Actor Maisie 59
Average
1949 The Cure for Love Actor Jenny Jenkins N/A
N/A
1949 The Interrupted Journey Actor the waitress 59
Average
1949 Don't Ever Leave Me Actor Talkative Hairdresser (uncredited) 59
Average
1949 Adam and Evelyne Actor Blonde Sales Assistant (uncredited) 59
Average
1949 Now Barabbas Actor Winnie 59
Average
1949 The Perfect Woman Actor Model in Shop 59
Average
1949 Once Upon a Dream Actor Barmaid 59
Average
1948 No Room at the Inn Actor The Girl 59
Average
1948 The Fallen Idol Actor Rose 61
Fair
1947 Odd Man Out Actor Girl in Telephone Kiosk (uncredited) 62
Fair
According To Dora Actor N/A
N/A