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Eileen Mabel Elizabeth Way (2 September 1911 – 16 June 1994)[1] was a British actress who appeared in film and television roles in a career dating back to the 1930s. She trained at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art from the age of 16.[1][2]

She was in some of the first productions of Tennessee Williams‘ plays in Great Britain, including playing the role of the Mexican Woman in A Streetcar Named Desire,[3] and appeared at the Bristol Old Vic and Nottingham Playhouse.[4]

She appeared in a televised episode of Hancock’s Half Hour, The Reunion Party ‘, as a puritanical former ATS member, the TV series Doctor Who, in the serials An Unearthly Child (as Old Mother, the programme’s first on-screen death) and The Creature from the Pit (as Karela),[5] as well as in the 1966 film Daleks’ Invasion Earth 2150 A.D. (as Old Woman), based on the serial The Dalek Invasion of Earth (1964).[6] She also appeared in the second series of Poldark (1977) as Aunt Agatha; Century Falls;[5] Upstairs, Downstairs;[1] By the Sword Divided;[7] Inspector Morse;[1] Bergerac; and Ripping Yarns.[8]

She was married to the psychiatrist Felix Warden Brown.[9]

Filmography

Film

Year Title Role Notes
1951 Cheer the Brave 2nd woman
1952 The Happy Family Mrs. Potter
The Stranger Left No Card Secretary
Venetian Bird Woman Detective
1953 Street of Shadows Mrs. Thoms
Blood Orange Mme. Fernande
1954 They Who Dare Greek Woman
Knave of Hearts 1st Landlady Uncredited
Aunt Clara Maggie Mason
1955 On the Twelfth Day… Milkmaid Uncredited
1957 Bullet from the Past Lady at No. 72 Uncredited
Fortune is a Woman Mrs. Litchen’s housekeeper
1958 The Vikings[1] Kitala
1960 Kidnapped Jennet Clouston
1961 The Singer Not the Song Fortune teller Uncredited
1962 Village of Daughters Gloria Balbino
1964 The Bargee Onlooker Uncredited
The Comedy Man Landlady
1966 Daleks’ Invasion Earth 2150 A.D. Old Woman
Drop Dead Darling Italian Dressmaker
1969 Vendetta for the Saint The Maid
1981 Sphinx Aida
1984 Memed My Hawk Seuneh
1985 Bad Medicine Sra. Madera
1989 Queen of Hearts[1] Mama Sibilla

Television

Year Title Episode(s) Role Network Archive status
1938 The Gay Lord Quex TV Movie Unknown BBC Television Service Missing
1939 The Day is Gone TV Movie Florrie BBC Television Service Missing
1947 The Gay Lord Quex TV Movie Miss. Moon BBC Television Service Missing
1952 BBC Sunday-Night Theatre Series 4, Episode 4: The Gay Lord Quex Miss. Moon BBC Television Service Missing
1955 Music and Macaroni Episodes 1-2, 5-6 Grandmother BBC Television Service Missing
BBC Sunday-Night Theatre Series 6, Episode 16: Midsummer Fire La Cachiporra BBC Television Service Missing
Thunder Rock TV Movie Ellen Kirby BBC Television Service Missing
The Blakes Episode 1 Gypsy Rebecca BBC Television Service Missing
Barbie Episodes 2-3 Miss McGinty BBC Television Service Missing
1956 Nom-de-Plume Episode 9: The Ten Strangers Mme. Felix BBC Television Service Missing
BBC Sunday-Night Theatre Series 7, Episode 34: Siding 723 Jadwiga Konska BBC Television Service Missing
Armchair Theatre Series 1, Episode 11: The Right Thing Unknown ITV (ABC) Missing
1957 ITV Television Playhouse Series 2, Episode 24: The Affair at Assino Tina ITV Missing
The Coelacanth TV Movie Nicko’s mother BBC Television Service Missing
BBC Sunday-Night Theatre Series 8, Episode 49: Counsellor at Law Sarah Becker BBC Television Service Missing
1958 Television World Theatre Series 1, Episode 3: Women of Troy Woman of Troy BBC Television Service Partial (18 minute excerpt survives)
General Electric Theater Series 6, Episode 15: Time to Go Now Old maid CBS Unknown
BBC Sunday-Night Theatre Series 9, Episode 32: The Shadow of Doubt Gladys Gibson BBC Television Service Missing
ITV Television Playhouse Series 4, Episode 10: Breakdown Susan ITV Exists
1959 The Adventures of William Tell Series 1, Episode 32: The Black Brothers Granny Rossi ITV (ITC) Exists
The Vagrant Heart TV Movie Mrs. Smith BBC Television Service Missing
1960 International Detective Series 1, Episode 5: The Winthrop Case Mama Carlucci ITV (ABPC) Exists
Hancock’s Half Hour Series 6, Episode 4: The Reunion Party Mavis Smith BBC Television Service Exists
BBC Sunday-Night Play Series 1, Episode 15: Glorious Morning Ruth Kellner BBC Television Service Missing
Series 1, Episode 27: A Town Has Turned to Dust Senora Rivera BBC Television Service Missing
Series 1, Episode 34: The Liberators Mama Valbella BBC Television Service Missing
Rendezvous Series 1, Episode 18: Next Time You’ll See Venice Signora Zampino ITV (Rediffusion) Exists
Theatre 70 Series 1, Episode 14: To Death With Love Marie Albert ITV (ATV) Missing
1961 Rashomon TV Movie The medium BBC Television Exists
The Charlie Drake Show Series 2, Episode 2: Charlie the Kid Unknown BBC Television Exists
One Step Beyond Series 3, Episode 27: The Confession Mrs. Evans ABC Exists
Dixon of Dock Green Series 8, Episode 7: Desperation Isa Capon BBC Television Missing
1962 Sir Francis Drake Series 1, Episode 22: The Gypsies Pastora ITV (ITC) Exists
Benny Hill Series 2, Episode 1: The Mystery of Black Bog Manor Lorna BBC Television Exists
1963 Compact Episode 126 Violet BBC Television Missing
Crane Series 1, Episode 5: The Executioners Unknown ITV (Rediffusion) Missing
Man of the World Series 2, Episode 6: The Bullfighter Catrina ITV (ATV) Exists
Moonstrike Series 1, Episode 21: A Matter of Trust Helene BBC Television Missing
Drama ’63 Series 3, Episode 14: Rasputin Was a Nice Old Man Landlady BBC Television Missing
Maupassant Series 1, Episode 10: Bachelors Mme. Padoie ITV (Granada) Exists
Maigret Series 4, Episode 3: The Lost Life Irene BBC Television Exists
The Sentimenal Agent Series 1, Episode 7: A Little Sweetness and Light Miss Mithras ITV (ITC) Exists
Kidnapped Episode 7: Catriona Jennet Clouston BBC Television Missing
Doctor Who Series 1: An Uneartly Child (2 episodes) Old woman BBC Television Exists
1964 ITV Play of the Week Series 9, Episode 23: Camino Real La Madrecita ITV (Granada) Missing
First Night Series 1, Episode 30: How Many Angels Mrs. Phillips BBC Television Missing
The Graham Stark Show Series 1, Episode 7   Unknown BBC One Missing
The Larkins Series 6, Episode 3: Gypsy’s Warning Gypsy ITV (ATV) Exists
Cluff Series 1, Episode 5: The Daughter-in-law Mrs. Bateson BBC One Missing
1965 Series 2, Episode 9: The Daughters Amy Horrisey BBC One Exists
Mogul Series 1, Episode 9: A Job for Willy Mrs. Murtagh BBC One Missing
Court Martial Series 1, Episode 4: No Wreath for an Angel Madame Cornelis ITV (ITC) Exists
1966 Series 1, Episode 10: Where There Was No Echo Woman ITV (ITC) Exists
The Wednesday Play Series 4, Episode 4: Calf Love Aunt Erika BBC One Exists
Series 4, Episode 22: The Executioner Marguerite Rosmer BBC One Missing
The Newcomers 29 episodes Cora Brassett BBC One Missing
1967 Comedy Playhouse Series 6, Episode 4: Heirs on a Shoestring Mrs. Jibbet BBC One Audio recording survives
Mickey Dunne Series 1, Episode 13: Are There Any More at Home Like You Sophia Lombardi BBC One Missing
Z-Cars Series 6, Episode 49: The Great Art Robbery, Pt. 1 Mrs. Hancock BBC One Exists
The Troubleshooters Series 4, Episode 11: Who Buys Who? Saroya BBC One Missing
1968 The Spanish Farm Episodes 1, 3 and 4 Berthe BBC Two Partial (Episode 4 survives)
ITV Playhouse Series 2, Episode 9: The Kindness of Mrs Radcliffe Gypsy woman ITV Missing
1969 The Saint Series 6, Episodes 15-16: Vendetta for the Saint, Pts.1 & 2 The maid ITV (ITC) Exists
Omnibus Series 2, Episode 16: The Woman from the Shadows Old Dorothy BBC One Exists
The Gold Robbers Series 1, Episode 8: The Arrangement The dowager ITV (LWT) Exists
Series 1, Episode 12: The Man with Two Faces ITV (LWT) Exists
The Wednesday Play Series 9, Episode 1: The Last Train Through Harecastle Tunnel Mrs. Phillips BBC One Exists
Series 9, Episode 6: All Out for Kangaroo Valley Woman in pub BBC One Missing
The Flaxton Boys Series 1, Episode 8: The Witches Macena ITV (Yorkshire) Exists
1970 Germinal Episodes 3 & 4: Mob Rule / Soldiers Ma Brûlé BBC Two Exists
ITV Playhouse Series 3, Episode 32: A Sound from the Sea Woman ITV Exists
The Doctors Episodes 97-104 Alice Platt BBC One Missing
1972 New Scotland Yard Series 1, Episode 3: Memory of a Gauntlet Mrs. Esther Gruber ITV (LWT) All programmes exist from this point
The Onedin Line Series 2, Episode 3: A Woman Alone Old woman BBC One
Thirty Minutes Worth Series 1, Episode 6 Unknown ITV (Thames)
1973 The Adventures of Black Beauty Series 1, Episode 25: The Barge Maggie   ITV (LWT)
1974 Z-Cars Series 10, Episode 1: Bits An’ Bats Mrs. McGann BBC One
Upstairs, Downstairs Series 4, Episode 8: The Glorious Dead Madame Francini ITV (LWT)
1976 The Glittering Prizes Series 1, Episode 6: A Double Life Mrs. Hersh BBC Two
1977 Z-Cars Series 12, Episode 2: Rage Mrs. Riley BBC One
The Mackinnons Series 1, Episode 7: Shame the Devil Christina McSween BBC One
Poldark Series 2, Episodes 1-5 Agatha Poldark BBC One
Ripping Yarns Series 1, Episode 5: Across the Andes by Frog Old woman BBC Two
Just William Series 2, Episode 5: William the Philanthropist Mrs. Marsh ITV (LWT)
1978 Les Misérables TV Movie Lodger CBS
1979 Doctor Who Series 17: The Creature from the Pit (4 episodes) Karela BBC One
Secret Army Series 3, Episode 10: Collaborator Woman patient BBC One
1980 Fair Stood the Wind for France TV Movie Grandmother BBC One
1982 Minder Series 3, Episode 1: Dead Men Do Tell Tales Mrs. Chamber’s mother ITV (Thames)
The Hunchback of Notre Dame TV Movie Woman in crowd CBS
1983 The Old Men at the Zoo Episode 4: Armageddon Mrs. Langley-Beard BBC Two
By the Sword Divided Series 1: 9 episodes Minty BBC One
BBC Television Shakespeare Series 6, Episode 2: Macbeth Second witch BBC Two
1984 Sakharov TV Movie Ruf Grigorievna HBO
1985 By the Sword Divided Series 2: 8 episodes Minty BBC One
Mussolini: The Untold Story Episode 2 Vendor NBC
1986 Paradise Postponed Episodes 10-11: Faith Unfaithful / The Simcox Inheritance Dora Nowt ITV (Thames)
All Passion Spent All 3 episodes Genoux BBC One
1987 Screen Two Series 3, Episode 6: Naming the Names Finn’s granny BBC Two
One by One Series 3, Episode 1: Changing Places Mrs. Maplin BBC One
Vanity Fair Episode 3: Crawley of Queen’s Crawley Mrs. Tinker BBC One
1988 The Rainbow Episodes 1 & 3: Ghosts / The Darkness of Paradise Lydia Brangwen BBC One
1989 War and Remembrance Episodes 10-11 Mrs. Stern ABC
1990 Chillers Series 1, Episode 12: Under a Dark Angel’s Eye Edna France 3
Screen One Series 2, Episode 6: One Last Chance Aunt Anna BBC One
1991 Bergerac Series 9, Episode 7: The Waiting Game Mrs. Edwards BBC One
Inspector Morse Series 5, Episode 4: Greeks Bearing Gifts Mrs. Papas ITV (Carlton)
Birds of a Feather Series 3, Episode 10: Cuckoo Irene BBC One
1992 Sean’s Show Series 1: 6 episodes Mrs. Pebbles Channel 4
The Bill Series 8, Episode 74: A Blind Eye Mrs. Collins ITV (Thames)
1993 The Detectives Series 1, Episode 2: Hostage Old lady BBC One
Century Falls 5 episodes Alice Harkness BBC One
Sean’s Show Series 2, all 7 episodes Mrs. Pebbles Channel 4

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f “Obituary: Eileen Way”. The Independent. 2 July 1994.
  2. ^ Fabrique. “Eileen Way — RADA”. www.rada.ac.uk.
  3. ^ “Production of A Streetcar Named Desire – Theatricalia”. theatricalia.com.
  4. ^ “Eileen Way obituary”. The Doctor Who Cuttings Archive. Retrieved 7 May 2015.
  5. ^ a b “BBC – Cult – Classic TV – Century Falls (1993)”. www.bbc.co.uk.
  6. ^ “Eileen Way”. BFI. Archived from the original on 17 June 2017.
  7. ^ “Eileen Way obituary – the Doctor Who Cuttings Archive”.
  8. ^ “BBC Two – Ripping Yarns, Series 1, Across the Andes by Frog”. BBC.
  9. ^ “Munks Roll Details for Felix Warden Brown”. munksroll.rcplondon.ac.uk. Archived from the original on 8 August 2014. Retrieved 3 August 2014.