Changes: Rita May

Revision as of 19:02, 18 April 2021

Rita May (born 9th May 1942 in Sheffield) appeared in Coronation Street as five different characters:

Taxi driver Marjorie Pitts in September 1978
British Legion barmaid Freda Woods in June 1981
Prospective Park Road B&B buyer Mrs Wilberforce in September 2000
Lollipop Lady Brenda Kelly in November 2001
Connie Rathbone, appearing between April 2009 and December 2010.

Children's Ward

Rita appeared in every episode of Children's Ward (1989-2000) (known as The Ward from 1996 - 1999), which was an award-winning children's drama made by Granada and created by Street writers Paul Abbott and Kay Mellor. Rita played Mags and was the only person to last the entire run. Many future stars of Coronation Street made their TV debuts on the programme, including Chris Bisson, Vicky Binns, Alan Halsall, Chloe Newsome, Tina O'Brien and Nikki Sanderson. Other major Coronation Street actors to have had early roles in the show are Steven Arnold, Jane Danson and Paul Fox.

Other work

Other notable roles for Rita have been in comedy Early Doors and drama Drop Dead Gorgeous (which also starred former Coronation Street actors Lee Boardman, Sushil Chudasama and Kathryn Hunt, (who played her daughter)).

Her work on radio has included a regular role in Radio 4 Comedy Ed Reardon's Week and, in 1982, a play by Tony Robinson entitled Paula's Tape (aired as an episode of Thirty Minute Theatre), which earned her a Best Actress nomination in the Sony Radio Awards.

In 1981 a play she had written, One Hundred and Eighty!!! was screened as part of BBC2 Playhouse. The following year another of her plays, England's Green and Peasant Land - which she also starred in - was screened as part of BBC1's Play for Today strand. Her only TV role prior to playing Marjorie Pitts had been in two linked Play For Today's in 1977.

Personal life

Rita has two sons and is the widow of Geoffrey Wilkinson who himself had five roles in Coronation Street between 1979 and 2004.

External link

http://www.dalypearson.co.uk/page.asp?partid=159

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
 [[Image:Rita May.jpg|thumb|Rita May]]
-Rita May has appeared in ''[[Coronation Street]]'' as five different characters:
+'''Rita May''' (born [[9th May]] [[1942]] in [[Sheffield]]) appeared in ''[[Coronation Street]]'' as five different characters:
-* Taxi driver [[Marjorie Pitts]] in [[1978]]
+*Taxi driver [[Marjorie Pitts]] in [[September 1978]]
-* [[British Legion]] barmaid [[Freda Woods]] in [[1981]]
+*[[British Legion]] barmaid [[Freda Woods]] in [[June 1981]]
-* Prospective [[Park Road B&B|B&B]] buyer [[Mrs Wilberforce]] in [[2000]]
+*Prospective [[Park Road B&B]] buyer [[Mrs Wilberforce]] in [[September 2000]]
-* Lollipop Lady [[Brenda Kelly]] in [[2001]]
+*Lollipop Lady [[Brenda Kelly]] in [[November 2001]]
-* [[Connie Rathbone]] from [[2009]] to present
+*[[Connie Rathbone]], appearing between [[April 2009]] and [[December 2010]].
+==''Children's Ward''==
+Rita appeared in every episode of ''Children's Ward'' (1989-2000) (known as ''The Ward'' from 1996 - 1999), which was an award-winning children's drama made by [[Granada Television|Granada]] and created by ''Street'' writers [[Paul Abbott]] and [[Kay Mellor]]. Rita played Mags and was the only person to last the entire run. Many future stars of ''Coronation Street'' made their TV debuts on the programme, including [[Chris Bisson]], [[Vicky Binns]], [[Alan Halsall]], [[Chloe Newsome]], [[Tina O'Brien]] and [[Nikki Sanderson]]. Other major ''Coronation Street'' actors to have had early roles in the show are [[Steven Arnold]], [[Jane Danson]] and [[Paul Fox]].
+==Other work==
-====''Children’s Ward''====
+Other notable roles for Rita have been in comedy ''Early Doors'' and drama ''Drop Dead Gorgeous'' (which also starred former ''Coronation Street'' actors [[Lee Boardman]], [[Sushil Chudasama]] and [[Kathryn Hunt]], (who played her daughter)).
+Her work on radio has included a regular role in Radio 4 Comedy ''Ed Reardon's Week'' and, in [[1982]], a play by Tony Robinson entitled ''Paula's Tape'' (aired as an episode of ''Thirty Minute Theatre''), which earned her a Best Actress nomination in the Sony Radio Awards.
-Rita appeared in every episode of ''Childrens' Ward'' (1989-2000) (known as ''The Ward'' from 1996 – 1999), which was an award-winning childrens’ drama made by [[Granada Television|Granada]] and created by ''Street'' writers [[Paul Abbott]] and [[Kay Mellor]]. Rita played Mags and was the only person to last the entire run. Many future stars of ''Coronation Street'' made their TV debuts on the programme, including [[Chris Bisson]], [[Vicky Binns]], [[Alan Halsall]], [[Chloe Newsome]], [[Tina O'Brien]] and [[Nikki Sanderson]]. Other major ''Corrie'' characters to have had early roles in the show are [[Steven Arnold]], [[Jane Danson]] and [[Paul Fox]].
+In 1981 a play she had written, ''One Hundred and Eighty!!!'' was screened as part of ''BBC2 Playhouse''. The following year another of her plays, ''England's Green and Peasant Land'' - which she also starred in - was screened as part of BBC1's ''Play for Today'' strand. Her only TV role prior to playing Marjorie Pitts had been in two linked ''Play For Today'''s in [[1977]].
-====Other work====
+==Personal life==
-Other notable roles for Rita have been in comedy ''Early Doors'' and drama ''Drop Dead Gorgeous'' (which also starred former ''Coronation Street'' actors [[Lee Boardman]],  [[Sushil Chudasama]] and [[Kathryn Hunt]], (who played her daughter)).
+Rita has two sons and is the widow of [[Geoffrey Wilkinson]] who himself had five roles in ''Coronation Street'' between [[1979]] and [[2004]].
-Her work on radio has included a regular role in Radio 4 Comedy ''Ed Reardon’s Week'' and, in [[1982]], a play by Rony Robinson entitled ''Paula's Tape'' (aired as an episode of ''Thirty Minute Theatre''), which earned her a Best Actress nomination in the Sony Radio Awards.
-In 1981 a play she had written, ''One Hundred and Eighty!!!'' was screened as part of ''BBC2 Playhouse''. The following year another of her plays, ''England’s Greens and Peasant Land'' - which she also starred in - was screened as part of BBC1’s ''Play for Today'' strand. Her only TV role prior to playing Marjorie Pitts had been in two linked ''Play For Today''’s in [[1977]].
-====Personal life====
-Rita has two sons and is the widow of [[Geoffrey Wilkinson]] who himself had five roles in ''Coronation Street'' spanning [[1979]] – [[2004]].