Barbara Windsor Celebrates...

Born Dora May Broadbent, Dora Bryan came from Oldham and her acting career began in pantomime when she was 12. Dora joined the Oldham Rep, changed her name and during the war joined ENSA in Italy to entertain British troops. Back in post-war London, she began to get dramatic roles in plays and films including Carry on Seargent.

In 1961, Dora appeared in the award-winning film, A Taste of Honey, winning the BAFTA for Best Actress. Throughout her career she often appeared in musicals such as Gentleman Prefer Blondes (1962) and Hello, Dolly! (1966-68). She made her Broadway debut as Mrs. Pierce in Pygmalion (1987) and other notable credits include her first Shakespearean role, Mistress Quickly in The Merry Wives of Windsor (1984), Mrs. Hardcastle in She Stoops To Conquer (1985) and Carlotta Campion (singing I'm Still Here) in the 1987 London production of Follies.

In 1999, she made an appearance in Dinnerladies and in 2000 she joined the cast of Last Of The Summer Wine. In 2001, she was a guest star on Absolutely Fabulous. Dora passed away in 2014 at the age of 91.

New interviews in the programme include Paul O'Grady, sons William Lawton and Daniel Lawton, Richard Mawbey, agent Barry Burnett, Russell Davies, Johnny Mans, Last Of The Summer Wine director Alan J.W. Bell, and, from the archive, Dora herself.