Michele Dotrice



Michele Dotrice (born 27 September 1948) is an English actress, best known for her portrayal of Betty, the long-suffering wife of Frank Spencer, played by Michael Crawford, in the BBCsitcom Some Mothers Do 'Ave 'Em, which ran from 1973 to 1978.

Her father Roy Dotrice is an actor, as was her mother Kay Dotrice. She has two sisters, Karen Dotrice and Yvette Dotrice, who also followed their parents’ footsteps into acting.

Career
Her first significant role was at the age of 14 in a 13-part TV adaptation of The Old Curiosity Shop, in which she played Nell. In 1970 she had a starring role in the film thriller And Soon the Darkness, and she appeared in other similarly themed films around this time. It was, however, her appearance in Some Mothers Do 'Ave 'Em that made her a household name, and she played the role for five years from 1973.

In 1981 she took the leading role in the short-lived sitcom Chintz, while the mid-1990s saw her appearing for several episodes in the period drama Bramwell. More recently, she has made numerous guest appearances in well-known British television series, including Midsomer Murders (1 episode, 1998), Holby City (1 episode, 2002), Murder in Suburbia (as Cindy in Episode 6, Season 2, 2005), and the BBC daytime soap opera Doctors (1 episode, 2008). In addition, she made several appearances in a 2004 Nottingham-set BBC comedy-drama entitled 'A Thing Called Love', which starred Paul Nicholls and Roy Barraclough among others.

As of 2013 she is touring doing an adapted version of The Ladykillers, playing the role of Mrs Wilberforce.

[edit] Personal life
Dotrice was married to actor Edward Woodward from January 1987 until his death in November 2009. They have a daughter named Emily Beth.