Big Red Book

Celebrating television's This Is Your Life

• HOME
• |
• SERIES
• |
• SUBJECTS
• |
• FEATURES
• |
• ARTICLES
• |
• INTERVIEWS
• |
• ABOUT

THIS IS YOUR LIFE - Gretchen Franklin, actress, was surprised by Michael Aspel while filming a scene for the BBC television soap opera EastEnders at the BBC Elstree Studios.

Gretchen, who was born into a theatrical family in London, began her performing career as a chorus girl and later became a renowned tap dancer, touring with Gracie Fields and performing with the dance group, The Three Girlies.

Having moved into acting, she appeared in many stage productions and had regular roles in several television series, including ITV's soap opera Castle Haven during the early 1970s. In 1985, she joined the newly launched BBC soap opera EastEnders as a regular character, Ethel Skinner, from the soap's first episode.

programme details...

• Edition No: 905
• Subject No: 888
• Broadcast date: Wed 25 Jan 1995
• Broadcast time: 7.00-7.30pm
• Recorded: Fri 20 Jan 1995
• Venue: BBC Television Centre
• Series: 35
• Edition: 13
• Code name: Circle

on the guest list...

• Bill Treacher
• Wendy Richard
• Michael Cashman
• Christopher Hewitt
• Alfred Marks
• Melvyn Hayes
• Frank Thornton
• Kathy Staff
• June Brown
• Clive Dunn - cousin
• Ernie - dog
• Roley - dog
• Anna Wing
Filmed tributes:
• Leslie Grantham
• Roy Barraclough
• Su Pollard

related appearances...

• Roy Barraclough - Oct 1987
• Ken Dodd - May 1990
• Anita Dobson - Mar 2002

production team...

• Researcher: Mark Linnane
• Writer: Norman Giller
• Director: Brian Klein
• Associate Producer: John Graham
• Executive Producer: Peter Estall
• Producer: Malcolm Morris

• names above in bold indicate subjects of This Is Your Life

East End Life

Albert Square's finest

Roy Barraclough

Clive Dunn

Alfred Marks

Su Pollard

Kathy Staff

Frank Thornton

Screenshots of Gretchen Franklin This Is Your Life