Sheila Hancock OBE (born 22 February, 1933) is an English actress and comedian.
Born on the Isle of Wight, the daughter of a publican, she attended Dartford County Grammar School and the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art. She then joined Joan Littlewood's Theatre Workshop, and has since appeared in over 40 films, mostly television releases. Big-screen roles include Carry On Cleo (1964), Take a Girl Like You (1970), Buster (1988) and Three Men and a Little Lady (1990). In 1978 she appeared on the West End stage as Miss Hannigan in the original London cast of Annie the Musical. Since October 2006, she has been playing the role of Fraulein Schneider in the West End revival of the musical Cabaret at the Lyric Theatre. In 2007, she won a Laurence Olivier Award, as "Best Performance in a Supporting Role In A Musical" for the part.
Television series she has participated in include Have I Got News For You, Room 101, Doctor Who, Call My Bluff and EastEnders where she played Barbara Owen. In 2006 she played the character of Junie Taylor, who was the sister of the well-known character Joannie "Nan" Taylor, from The Catherine Tate Show, and she was a regular contributor to BBC2's third season of ' Grumpy Old Women '. She was also in the Original series of The Rag Trade (1961) as Carol.
On radio, she has also made numerous appearances on Just a Minute from the 1960s onwards.
Hancock was nominated for the BAFTA Award for Best Actress in a Leading Role in 2002, for her role in The Russian Bride; and again in 2003 for her role in the TV series Bedtime.
Sheila Hancock was born 22nd February 1933 on the Isle of White, she later moved to King's Cross in London where her mother and father ran a pub. Sheila went to Dartford Grammar School, and then with a grant she went to RADA. Sheila then went into 9 years of weekly rep around the country. While in Rep in Bath she meet actor Alec Ross, who she married in 1955 and had a daughter Melanie 'Ellie Jane' Thaw on 15th July 1964. Sheila's first big TV hit was her appearance in The Rag Trade in the early 1960s, her first theatre success was in Rattle of a Simple Man at the Garrick Theatre London. In 1969 Sheila starred in the West End hit So Want About Love? where she meet the actor John Thaw. The same year her mother died of cancer, followed nearly nine months later by Alec's tragic death. On 24th December 1973 she married John Thaw, with their daughters Melanie and Abigail present. On 27th July 1974 at Queen Charlotte's Hospital, Hammersmith, Sheila gave birth to her only child with John, Joanna Suzy Thaw. In the 1980s Sheila toured the UK with RSC and later with the National Theatre. In 1988 Sheila was told she had breast cancer, she fought and won her battle against it. She and Thaw split briefly during this period. In the early 1990s Sheila and John bought a house in Luckington Wiltshire. As well as farm house in Provence in France. In 2001 John was told he had cancer. For nine months John fought against it, and with Sheila's help his privacy was protected. John died in Sheila's arms the day before her 69th birthday. Since his death Sheila has written a book called The Two of Us: My Life with John Thaw, and has made numerous Television and stage appearance talking about the book and her life with John. Sheila lives in Hammersmith near her daughters and grandchildren.
