Denise Coffey | |
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| Born | Denise Dorothy Coffey (1936-12-12)12 December 1936 |
| Died | 24 March 2022(2022-03-24) (aged 85) |
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Denise Dorothy Coffey (12 December 1936 – 24 March 2022) was an English actress, comedian, director and playwright.
Coffey was born inAldershot in 1936,[1] the only child of Dorothy (née Malcolm), and her husband, Denis Coffey, an Irishman fromCork and asquadron leader in theRoyal Air Force.[2][3][4] Coffey was born three months prematurely, weighing just two pounds. She suffered with bronchitis for much of her life.[5] The family moved frequently during the Second World War, though eventually settled inInverkeithing in Fife, and later in Milesmark outsideDunfermline.[5] She attendedDunfermline High School, and growing up was a big fan ofGeorge Bernard Shaw, who influenced her later writing.[5]
After training at theGlasgow College of Dramatic Art (now the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland)[6][5] she began a career in repertory at theGateway Theatre inEdinburgh, then moved to the Palladium Theatre there. She appeared in as many as 12 shows a week, many with quick changes.[5]
Coffey created a satire of a radical radio talk show calledScope. The presenter was so impressed that he hired her as an interviewer for theBBC in Edinburgh, where she remained for three years.[5] In the early 1960s, she left Scotland behind her, and began working as a character actress inLondon's West End.[5]
Television audiences first became acquainted with her as the sole female in the late 1960s comedy showDo Not Adjust Your Set, which also featuredDavid Jason and three futureMonty Python members;Terry Jones,Michael Palin, andEric Idle.[5] The producer,Humphrey Barclay, discovered her on stage in 1967 during a performance at the Edinburgh Festival. He was so impressed with her energy, that he hired her to work onDo Not Adjust Your Set, which ran from 1967 to 1969.[5] She later appeared in another sketch show,End of Part One, which aired from 1979–1980.[5]
In the 1970s, she was a member of directorFrank Dunlop's repertory company in London'sYoung Vic Theatre, appearing in several productions includingScapino (1974) and beginning her career as a playwright with some children's shows. She also wrote the children's TV seriesC.A.B. which was aired in 1986.[5]
Coffey had a few supporting film roles: Sidonia inWaltz of the Toreadors (1962), Peg inGeorgy Girl (1966), Soberness inFar from the Madding Crowd (1967), and Mrs E. inVivian Stanshall'sSir Henry at Rawlinson End (1980). Apart fromDo Not Adjust Your Set, her television appearances included theStanley Baxter series (1968, 1971),Girls About Town (1970–71),Hold the Front Page (1974; which she also created),End of Part One (1979) andThe Adventure Game (1980). Coffey played the role of Librarian "Jenny" in the BBC Schools 10 episodeLook and Read seriesDark Towers (1981).[5]
On radio, Coffey featured inThe Wordsmiths at Gorsemere, in the first series ofThe Burkiss Way and inThe Next Programme Follows Almost Immediately and made guest appearances on several programmes, includingI'm Sorry I Haven't a Clue andJust a Minute. She starred withMiriam Margolyes in two series ofAlison and Maud (2002–4).[5] She was also a regular panellist onThe Law Game. She consistently refused to appear in commercials declaring that it was reprehensible to try to persuade people to buy things they did not need.
Coffey died on 24 March 2022, at the age of 85.[2]
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