Thelma Barlow (born 19th June 1929 in Middlesbrough) is a British actress most famous for her role on Coronation Street as timid Mavis Wilton, a part she first played in 1971, and did so until 1997, when she quit the programme.
She first worked as a secretary for seven years and was attracted to doing a speech and drama class at evening school after completing courses on shorthand and typing there. Her tutors persuaded her to take part in amateur dramatics and after that worked for fifteen years in productions for the Liverpool Playhouse, Bristol Old Vic and Joan Littlewood's Theatre Workshop, London before Granada Television asked her to play the small role of Mavis in the second half of Episode 1103 (11th August 1971) and then to return in April 1972 for the two episodes covering the wedding of Ernest Bishop and Emily Nugent. The following year the role became a regular part in the programme.
Thelma's other credits include Dinnerladies, Where the Heart Is and Doctor Who.