Rita May (actress)
| Rita May | |
|---|---|
| Born | England, UK |
| Occupation | Actress |
Rita May is a British television actress.
May began her career as a singer on the working men's club circuit in and around South Yorkshire. She featured in the television adaptation of Barry Hines' The Price of Coal, a Play for Today first broadcast in 1977, and as Jimmy Kemp's mother in the Hines' scripted nuclear war drama Threads (1984). She has appeared in popular television series such as Early Doors and Drop Dead Gorgeous, and radio programmes including Ed Reardon's Week and The Blackburn Files. In 2005, she appeared in one episode of Heartbeat. In March 2009, it was announced that from 17 April she would appear as Connie Rathbone, a new love interest of pigeon fancier Jack Duckworth, in the ITV1 soap opera Coronation Street. She had already appeared in the soap opera in 'bit parts' on three earlier occasions.
Since 2011, she has appeared in the Sky 1 situation comedy Trollied in which she plays Margaret, a mature and bumbling supermarket deli employee. She appeared in the CITV drama Children's Ward for its entire run from 1989 to 2000, and was the only original cast member to do so.
Filmography
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1980 | The Gamekeeper | Mary | |
| 1981 | Looks and Smiles | Receptionist | |
| 1984 | Threads | Mrs. Kemp | TV film |
| 1996 | When Saturday Comes | Mabel | |
| 1998 | Sharpe's Justice | Mrs. Trent | TV film |
| 1999 | Fanny and Elvis | Rick's Mother | Minor role |
| 2002 | Blood Strangers | Pat Beresford | TV film |
| 2009 | In the Loop | Mrs. Michaelson | |
| Red Riding: In the Year of Our Lord 1974 | Aunty Win | TV film | |
| 2012 | The Argument | Maureen | TV film |
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1977 | Play for Today | Kath Storey | 2 episodes |
| 1978 | Fallen Hero | Molly | 1 episode |
| Coronation Street | Marjorie Pitts | 2 episodes | |
| 1979 | Crown Court | Zoe Grimshaw | 1 episode |
| 1981 | Coronation Street | Freda | 1 episode |
| 1982 | Play for Today | Pat | 1 episode |
| 1983 | The Gathering Seed | Martha Kilbride | 5 episodes |
| 1984 | Juliet Bravo | Audrey Mason | 1 episode |
| Mitch | Enid | 1 episode | |
| 1985 | Edge of Darkness | Tea Lady | Mini series |
| 1988 | Wish Me Luck | Marguerite | 1 episode |
| 1989–2000 | Children's Ward | Mags | Main role |
| 1991 | The Bill | Doreen Noakes | Minor role |
| 1994 | Heartbeat | Junk Shop Owner | Minor role |
| 1996 | Hetty Wainthropp Investigates | Supermarket Shopper | Cameo role |
| 1998 | The Cops | Pauline's Neighbour | Cameo role |
| Casualty | Marion Copes | 1 episode | |
| 1999 | My Wonderful Life | Mrs. Newell | 1 episode |
| 2000 | City Central | Betty Sharples | 1 episode |
| Fat Friends | Joan Kirk | Recurring role | |
| Coronation Street | Mrs. Wilberforce | 1 episode | |
| 2001 | In Deep | Joan Jameson | 2 episodes |
| Clocking Off | Brenda Sleight | 1 episode | |
| Coronation Street | Brenda Kelly | 1 episode | |
| Doctors | Eileen Neville | 1 episode | |
| 2003 | The Royal | Aunt Mary Graham | Minor role |
| Last of the Summer Wine | Celia | Minor role | |
| 2003–04 | Early Doors | Jean | Main role |
| 2004 | Holby City | Queenie Taylor | 1 episode |
| The Bill | School Secretary | Minor role | |
| Doctors | Sadie O'Malley | 1 episode | |
| 2005 | No Angels | Mrs. Clemence | Minor role |
| Bodies | Judith Bailey | 1 episode | |
| 2005, 2007 | Heartbeat | Mrs. Sneddon | 2 episodes |
| 2006 | The Street | Margie's Friend | Cameo role |
| Casualty | Eileen Slater | 1 episode | |
| 2006–07 | Drop Dead Gorgeous | Nana Howard | Recurring role |
| 2008 | Trexx and Flipside | Edna | 1 episode |
| Sunshine | Doreen | Minor role | |
| Doctors | Maggie Wilson | 1 episode | |
| 2009–10 | Coronation Street | Connie Rathbone | Recurring role |
| 2010 | Casualty | Eileen Thompson | 1 episode |
| Doctors | Phyllis March | 1 episode | |
| 2011–present | Trollied | Margaret | Main role |
| 2011 | Doctors | Mary Roberts | 1 episode |
| 2014 | Remember | Mavis | Minor role |
External links
- Rita May at the Internet Movie Database