Editing Dandy Nichols

{{short description|British actress (1907–1986)}}
{{Use British English|date=August 2015}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2020}}
{{Infobox person
|birth_name=Daisy Sander
|image=Actress_Dandy_Nichols.jpg
|caption=
|birth_date={{Birth date|1907|5|21|df=y}}
|birth_place=[[Fulham]], [[London]], England
|death_date={{Death date and age|1986|2|6|1907|5|21|df=y}}
|death_place=[[Whitechapel]], London, England
|occupation=Actress
|years_active=1947–1985
|spouse={{marriage|Stephen Bagueley Waters|1942|1955|end=divorced}}
}}
'''Dandy Nichols''' (born '''Daisy Sander'''; 21 May 1907 &ndash; 6 February 1986) was an English actress best known for her role as Else Garnett, the long-suffering wife of the character [[Alf Garnett]], in the [[BBC]] [[sitcom]] ''[[Till Death Us Do Part]]''.<ref name=bfi/><ref name=screenonline/>

== Early life and career ==
Born '''Daisy Sander''' in [[Fulham]], London,<ref name="heaven">{{cite web|url= https://televisionheaven.co.uk/biographies/dandy-nichols|title=Dandy Nichols|website=Television Heaven|access-date=7 July 2022}}</ref> she started her working life as a secretary in a London factory. Twelve years later, after drama, diction and fencing classes, she was spotted in a charity show by a producer, who offered her a job in his repertory theatre company in [[Cambridge]]. During her early career on stage she acted under the name Barbara Nichols but later changed it to Dandy, her childhood nickname.<ref name=screenonline/>

When the [[Second World War]] broke out, Nichols returned to office work but later undertook a six-week tour with [[ENSA]]. When the war was over, she returned to the theatre and also began appearing in films: usually comedies and almost invariably as a maid or charlady.<ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=lXnXDQAAQBAJ&q=paul+nicholas+The+Encyclopedia+of+British+Film%3A+Fourth+edition&pg=PA557 |title=The Encyclopedia of British Film: Fourth edition|first=Brian|last=McFarlane|date=16 May 2016|page=557|publisher=Oxford University Press|isbn=9781526111975}}</ref> The latter role she took on in the music video "[[Goody Two Shoes (song)|Goody Two Shoes]]" by [[Adam Ant]].<ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=M1Kh3hijIOgC&q=goody+two+shoes+dandy+nichols&pg=PA195|title=Stand and Deliver: My Autobiography|first=Adam|last=Ant|date=4 September 2008|page=195|publisher=Pan Macmillan|isbn=9780330464574}}</ref>

Nichols's successes in theatre include the [[Royal Court Theatre]] and [[Broadway theatre|Broadway]] productions of ''[[Home (Storey play)|Home]]''.<ref>{{cite web|url= https://theatricalia.com/play/4sj/home/production/aey|title=Production of Home - Theatricalia|website=Theatricalia.com|access-date=23 October 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url= https://www.ibdb.com/broadway-production/home-3565|title=Home – Broadway Play – Original|website=IBDb.com|access-date=23 October 2018}}</ref> Her big screen debut was in ''[[Hue and Cry (film)|Hue and Cry]]'', in 1947,<ref name="heaven"/> followed with performances in ''[[Nicholas Nickleby (1947 film)|Nicholas Nickleby]]'',<ref name="heaven"/> ''[[The Fallen Idol (film)|The Fallen Idol]]'', ''[[The Winslow Boy (1948 film)|The Winslow Boy]]'', ''[[The History of Mr. Polly (film)|The History of Mr Polly]]'', ''[[Scott of the Antarctic (film)|Scott of the Antarctic]]'', ''[[Mother Riley Meets the Vampire]]'' and Dickens' ''[[The Pickwick Papers (1952 film)|The Pickwick Papers]]''.<ref name=screenonline/><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.allmovie.com/artist/dandy-nichols-p52558/filmography|title=Dandy Nichols - Movies and Filmography - AllMovie|website=AllMovie|access-date=23 October 2018}}</ref>

== ''Till Death Us Do Part'' ==
Dandy Nichols's best-known role was Else Garnett in the landmark series ''Till Death Us Do Part'', where she played the long-suffering wife of the character [[Alf Garnett]] who was a parody of a working class [[Tory]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.allmovie.com/artist/dandy-nichols-p52558|title=Dandy Nichols - Biography, Movie Highlights and Photos - AllMovie|website=AllMovie}}</ref> The part was originally played in the pilot episode for the series (as part of the BBC's ''[[Comedy Playhouse]]'') by future ''[[EastEnders]]'' actress [[Gretchen Franklin]].<ref name=screenonline>{{cite web | url=http://www.screenonline.org.uk/people/id/874193/ | title=Nichols, Dandy (1907-1986) |  website=Screenonline.org.uk | access-date=26 September 2012}}</ref> However, when it was commissioned as a series, Franklin was unable to break her contract for a [[West End theatre|West End]] play and Nichols was cast.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/obituaries/1493873/Gretchen-Franklin.html|title=Gretchen Franklin|date=12 July 2005|website=Telegraph.co.uk}}</ref>

Nichols's role seemed, at first, almost negligible: spending the best part of one early episode reading the telephone book as Alf embarked on another of his tirades. However, Else proved to be a perfect foil for Alf, and could put him down effortlessly with a withering look or cutting remark.<ref name=screenonline/> Perhaps her finest hour – in an episode shown by the BBC in tribute to Dandy in 1986 – was when, in 1974, Else took a leaf out of Prime Minister [[Edward Heath]]'s book and went on a "three-day week", forcing Alf to fend for and feed himself on her days off.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bfi.org.uk/films-tv-people/4ce2b849bf260|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210812182804/https://www2.bfi.org.uk/films-tv-people/4ce2b849bf260|url-status=dead|archive-date=12 August 2021|title=Else's Three Day Week (1974)|website=Bfi.org.uk|access-date=23 October 2018}}</ref>

In the original scripts, Alf was to refer to his wife as a "silly cow". This was firmly vetoed by BBC Head of Comedy [[Frank Muir]], who thought this was inappropriate. Nichols said that it was "a lot of silly fuss about a silly moo" which was overheard by script writer [[Johnny Speight]] and became the series' most enduring catchphrase.<ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=GGNADwAAQBAJ&q=dandy+nichols+silly+moo&pg=PT308|title=1001 TV Series: You Must Watch Before You Die|first=Paul|last=Condon|date=15 February 2018|publisher=Octopus|isbn=9781788400466}}</ref>

==''In Sickness and in Health''==
''[[Till Death Us Do Part]]'' came to an end in 1975 but was revived in 1981, entitled ''[[Till Death...]]'', and again in 1985.<ref>{{cite web|url= http://www.screenonline.org.uk/people/id/465520/index.html|title=BFI Screenonline: Speight, Johnny (1920-1998) Biography|website=Screenonline.org.uk|access-date=23 October 2018}}</ref> Nichols agreed to appear, but had been suffering from [[rheumatoid arthritis]] and had to use a wheelchair.<ref name=screenonline/> Her illnesses were written into the scripts, and the series was appropriately renamed ''[[In Sickness and in Health]]''.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.museum.tv/eotvsection.php?entrycode=nicholsdand|title=NICHOLS, DANDY: British Actor|website=Museum.tv|access-date=26 September 2012|author=Pickering, David|archive-date=5 September 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120905005652/http://www.museum.tv/eotvsection.php?entrycode=nicholsdand|url-status=dead}}</ref> The series continued after her death, with Alf left on his own.<ref name="heaven"/>

==Film career==
Nichols appeared in numerous films, which included ''[[Carry On Doctor]]'',<ref name="heaven"/> ''[[Ladies Who Do]]'', ''[[The Holly and the Ivy (film)|The Holly and the Ivy]]'', ''[[The Vikings (film)|The Vikings]]'',<ref name="heaven"/> [[the Beatles]]' film ''[[Help! (film)|Help!]]'',<ref name="heaven"/> ''[[Georgy Girl]]'', ''[[Doctor in Clover]]'', ''[[The Birthday Party (1968 film)|The Birthday Party]]'', ''[[The Bed Sitting Room (film)|The Bed Sitting Room]]'', ''[[O Lucky Man!]]'', ''[[Confessions of a Window Cleaner]]'' and ''[[Britannia Hospital]]'' amongst others.<ref name=bfi>{{cite web|url=http://www.bfi.org.uk/films-tv-people/4ce2b9f4deda3|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160811002332/http://www.bfi.org.uk/films-tv-people/4ce2b9f4deda3|url-status=dead|archive-date=11 August 2016|title=Dandy Nichols|website=Bfi.org.uk}}</ref>

==Later years==
After her role in ''Till Death Do Us Part'', Nichols found work in television, notably playing opposite [[Alastair Sim]] in [[William Trevor]]'s production of ''The Generals Day''.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bfi.org.uk/films-tv-people/4ce2b6b378025|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200815001607/https://www.bfi.org.uk/films-tv-people/4ce2b6b378025|url-status=dead|archive-date=15 August 2020|title=The General's Day (1972)|website=Bfi.org.uk|access-date=23 October 2018}}</ref> She made appearances in ''[[Flint]]'', ''The Tea Ladies'' and ''[[Bergerac (TV series)|Bergerac]]''.<ref name=bfi/><ref name=screenonline/> On stage, she appeared in [[Ben Travers]]'s comedy ''Plunder'', as well as playing alongside Sir [[Ralph Richardson]] and Sir [[John Gielgud]] in [[David Storey]]'s ''Home'', in both London and on Broadway.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://theatricalia.com/play/303/plunder/production/avw|title=Production of Plunder - Theatricalia|website=Theatricalia.com|access-date=23 October 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://britishlibrary.typepad.co.uk/english-and-drama/2013/04/royal-court-theatre-recordings-at-the-british-library.html|title=Royal Court Theatre recordings at the British Library - English and Drama blog|website=Britishlibrary.typepad.co.uk}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.ibdb.com/Person/View/77105|title=Dandy Nichols – Broadway Cast & Staff|website=IBDb.com}}</ref>

==Personal life==
Nichols was married to the newspaper editor Stephen Bagueley Waters in 1942,<ref name="heaven"/> but the marriage ended in divorce in 1955.

Nichols's poor health led to a fall in her flat and she died three days later of pneumonia and heart disease on 6 February 1986 aged 78 at the [[London Hospital]], [[Whitechapel]].<ref name="heaven"/>

== Television roles ==
{|class= "wikitable"
! Year !! Title !! Role !! Notes
|-
|1966 to 1975<br>1981<br>1985 || ''[[Till Death Us Do Part]]'' <br> ''[[Till Death...]]'' <br> ''[[In Sickness and in Health]]'' || Else Garnett ||
|-
|1971 || ''The Trouble With You, Lilian'' || Madge ||
|-
|1981 || ''[[The Bagthorpe Saga]]'' || Mrs Forsdyke ||
|-
|1983 || ''[[Bergerac (TV series)|Bergerac]]'' || Mrs Honeyman || Episode: ''A Message for the Rich''
|}

==Partial filmography==
{{small|Source:<ref name=bfi/>}}
{{columns-list|colwidth=30em|
*''[[Hue and Cry (film)|Hue and Cry]]'' (1947) - Bit Part (uncredited)
*''[[The Life and Adventures of Nicholas Nickleby (1947 film)|The Life and Adventures of Nicholas Nickleby]]'' (1947) - Mantalini's Employee (uncredited)
*''[[The Winslow Boy (1948 film)|The Winslow Boy]]'' (1948) - Miss Hawkins (uncredited)
*''[[The Fallen Idol (film)|The Fallen Idol]]'' (1948) - Mrs. Patterson
*''[[Woman Hater (1948 film)|Woman Hater]]'' (1948) - Mrs. Burrell
*''[[Here Come the Huggetts]]'' (1948) - Aunt Edie Hopkins
*''[[Scott of the Antarctic (film)|Scott of the Antarctic]]'' (1948) - Caroline
*''[[The History of Mr. Polly (film)|The History of Mr. Polly]]'' (1949) - Mrs. Johnson
*''[[Now Barabbas]]'' (1949) - Bit Part
*''[[Don't Ever Leave Me]]'' (1949) - Mrs. Marshall
*''[[Your Witness (film)|Your Witness]]'' (1950) - Waitress
*''[[Tony Draws a Horse]]'' (1950) - Mrs. Smith
*''[[Dance Hall (1950 film)|Dance Hall]]'' (1950) - Mrs. Crabtree
*''[[The Clouded Yellow]]'' (1950) - Ernie's Mother on Train (uncredited)
*''[[White Corridors]]'' (1951) - Char
*''[[High Treason (1951 film)|High Treason]]'' (1951) - Woman Scrubbing Porch Step (uncredited)
*''[[Women of Twilight (film)|Women of Twilight]]'' (1952) - Third Landlady (uncredited)
*''[[The Happy Family (1952 film)|The Happy Family]]'' (1952) - Ada
*''[[Emergency Call (1952 film)|Emergency Call]]'' (1952) - Barmaid
*''[[Mother Riley Meets the Vampire]]'' (1952) - Mrs. Mott
*''[[The Pickwick Papers (1952 film)|The Pickwick Papers]]'' (1952) - Lady at Ball (uncredited)
*''[[The Holly and the Ivy (film)|The Holly and the Ivy]]'' (1952) - Neighbour
*''[[Street Corner (1953 film)|Street Corner]]'' (1953) - Mrs. Furness - Neighbour (uncredited)
*''[[Meet Mr. Lucifer]]'' (1953) - Mrs. Clarke
*''[[The Wedding of Lilli Marlene]]'' (1953) - Mrs. Harris (uncredited)
*''[[Adventure in the Hopfields]]'' (1954) - Mrs. Harris
*''[[Time Is My Enemy]]'' (1954) - Mrs. Budd - Charwoman
*''[[The Crowded Day]]'' (1954) - Charwoman
*''[[Mad About Men]]'' (1954) - Nurse Carey's Landlady (uncredited)
*''[[The Glass Cage (1955 film)|The Glass Cage]]'' (1955) - Woman with Child (uncredited)
*''[[Where There's a Will (1955 film)|Where There's a Will]]'' (1955) - Maud Hodge
*''[[The Deep Blue Sea (1955 film)|The Deep Blue Sea]]'' (1955) - Mrs. Elton
*''[[A Time to Kill (1955 film)|A Time to Kill]]'' (1955) - Waitress (uncredited)
*''[[Lost (1956 film)|Lost]]'' (1956) - Mrs. Gamble (uncredited)
*''[[Not So Dusty (1956 film)|Not So Dusty]]'' (1956) - Mrs. Clark (Nobby's wife)
*''[[The Feminine Touch (1956 film)|The Feminine Touch]]'' (1956) - The Ward Maid
*''[[Yield to the Night]]'' (1956) - Mrs. Price
*''[[Tiger in the Smoke]]'' (1956) - Stall Attendant (uncredited)
*''[[Town on Trial]]'' (1957) - Mrs. Wilson (uncredited)
*''[[Doctor at Large (film)|Doctor at Large]]'' (1957) - Lady in Outpatients Dept.
*''[[Carry On Sergeant]]'' (1958) - (uncredited)
*''[[The Strange World of Planet X (film)|The Strange World of Planet X]]'' (1958) - Mrs. Tucker 
*''[[The Vikings (1958 film)|The Vikings]]'' (1958) - Bridget
*''[[A Cry from the Streets]]'' (1958) - Mrs. Jenks (uncredited)
*''[[Crooks Anonymous]]'' (1962) - Mrs. Cundall
*''[[Don't Talk to Strange Men]]'' (1962) - Molly
*''[[Ladies Who Do]]'' (1963) - Mrs. Merryweather
*''[[Act of Murder (film)|Act of Murder]]'' (1964) - Maud Peterson
*''[[The Leather Boys]]'' (1964) - Mrs. Stanley
*''[[The Knack ...and How to Get It]]'' (1965) - Tom's Landlady, and off-screen voice
*''[[The Amorous Adventures of Moll Flanders]]'' (1965) - Orphanage Superintendent
*''[[Rotten to the Core (film)|Rotten to the Core]]'' (1965) - Woman in Cemetery (uncredited)
*''[[Help! (film)|Help!]]'' (1965) - Neighbour,(uncredited)
*''[[The Early Bird]]'' (1965) - Woman Flooded by Milk
*''[[Doctor in Clover]]'' (1966) - Patient with Kidney Stones
*''[[Georgy Girl]]'' (1966) - Hospital Nurse
*''[[How I Won the War]]'' (1967) - First Old Lady
*''[[Carry On Doctor]]'' (1967) - Mrs. Roper
*''[[The Birthday Party (1968 film)|The Birthday Party]]'' (1968) - Meg Bowles
*''[[Till Death Us Do Part (film)|Till Death Us Do Part]]'' (1969) - Else Garnett
*''[[The Bed Sitting Room (film)|The Bed Sitting Room]]'' (1969) - Mrs Ethel Shroake
*''[[First Love (1970 film)|First Love]]'' (1970) - Princess Zasekina
*''[[The Alf Garnett Saga]]'' (1972) - Else Garnett
*''[[O Lucky Man!]]'' (1973) - Tea Lady / Neighbour
*''[[Confessions of a Window Cleaner]]'' (1974) - Mrs. Lea
*''[[Three for All]]'' (1975) - Henrietta
*''[[Britannia Hospital]]'' (1982) - Florrie
*''[[The Plague Dogs (film)|The Plague Dogs]]'' (1982) - Phyllis (voice)
}}
*''Goody Two Shoes (Adam Ant music video)'' (1982) - Cleaning lady

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* {{IMDb name|id=0629563|name=Dandy Nichols}}
*{{Screenonline name|id=874193|name=Dandy Nichols}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Nichols, Dandy}}
[[Category:1907 births]]
[[Category:1986 deaths]]
[[Category:20th-century British businesspeople]]
[[Category:20th-century English actresses]]
[[Category:Actors from the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham]]
[[Category:Actresses from London]]
[[Category:Deaths from pneumonia in England]]
[[Category:English television actresses]]
[[Category:English film actresses]]
[[Category:English stage actresses]]
[[Category:English atheists]]
[[Category:People from Fulham]]