Vale: Mollie Sugden
Mollie Sugden, best known for her years as Are You Being Served's "Mrs. Slocombe," has died, aged 86.
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Mollie Sugden, best known for her years as Are You Being Served‘s “Mrs. Slocombe,” died today after a long illness. She was 86.
Sugden was renowned for her portrayal of fearsome battleaxes in such roles as Mrs Hutchinson in The Liver Birds and featured in many other comedies, including The Goodies, Steptoe and Son and Doctor in Charge.
But it was as the bossy sales lady Betty Slocombe in Are You Being Served? that she was best known. The long-running, innuendo-laden television comedy was such a hit that a feature film was made based on the series. Mrs Slocombe was a recognisable working type – the shopworn divorcee trying to keep up appearances, defying the years with ever more lurid rinses and returning home alone each night to her “little pussy”, to which there was always at least one reference in every show.
Sugden had a memorable delivery that helped keep the show alive for years: “Captain Peacock, I do not respond to any man’s finger!”, she says in response to a summons from the boss. “Before we go any further, Mr Rumbold, Miss Brahms and I would like to complain about the state of our drawers. They’re a positive disgrace.”
For the Australian adaptation, which featured John Inman, her role was assumed by opera’s June Bronhill.
In 2002 a tribute programme called Celebrating Mollie Sugden: An Are You Being Served? special was aired on American PBS stations, featuring many of the original cast. She was also the subject of a sketch in Little Britain.
Away from showbusiness, Mollie Sugden enjoyed gardening, cooking and driving fast cars. “I used to speed about in a Porsche,” she told an interviewer in 1995. “But seven or eight years ago I was done for doing 92mph on the motorway, so now I drive a Mercedes.”
13 Responses
This is sad and I never heard about Wendy passing, it has been a sad sad year !
Vale: Wendy Richard
A funny lady if there ever was one…. RIP Mollie
Its so sad – one of my all time favourite comedy actresses. She will forever live on in AYBS repeats and in my household. I’ve got two cats myself and I often go into work quoting Mrs Slocombe. My favourite Mrs Slocombe quote: “It was so cold this morning I’ve had my pussy in front of the fire to thaw out”.
Such a shame to see her go. She was one of the shining lights on the series.
RIP Mollie,thanks for giving me so many laughs over the years.
Who will stay up all night drying her wet pussy now when it gets out at night … Rest In Peace Mollie Sugden … may you be blessed with an after life of double entendre heaven.
This sucks. Three major AYBS stars died in such a short time. 🙁
My favourite Mrs Slocombe quote was her to Mr Granger – “I have a complaint – somebody has been through my drawers”..
Mollie seemed like a lovely lady and happy to laugh at herself. Loved her appearance on Little Britain – showed what a good sport she was.
I know Are you Being Served is rather un-PC these days, but it was amusing for its time and has a lot of great lines in it. I grew up watching that show and it brings back many memories.
I’m sure she’s busy upstairs now with Wendy Richard and John Inman who will be welcoming her and her lovely cat at the pearly gates.
Sia later Mollie – thanks for making me laugh.
She looked and acted just like my nan. Rest well, old duck!
I wonder if Mollie Sugden’s bridesmaid will be at the funeral
May Mrs Slocombe and her pussy rest in peace.
“Captain Peacock, I do not respond to any man’s finger!” Very funny and quite a rude show when you think about it. It’s surprising what they got away with back then. So many laughs.