Vivienne Ann Martin (28 December 1930 – 22 January 2023) was a New Zealand-born character actress. She had a career in British television, radio, stage and film which spanned over 40 years. She was best known for her portrayal of Mrs Lillian Rudd in the radio sitcom King Street Junior, of which she starred for the entire series from 1985 to 1998. She also starred in the radio sitcom It Sticks Out Half a Mile as Miss Perkins, and in eleven episodes of The Dick Emery Show from 1974 to 1980. From 1994 to 1995, she appeared in three episodes of the sitcom As Time Goes By, in which she played secretary Gwen Flack.
Biography Martin was born in Kaitaia, New Zealand on 28 December 1930. In the early 1950s, after receiving a bursary from the New Zealand Government, Martin moved to England in order to take up acting. In 1967, after starring in a number of unsuccessful musical comedy stage productions, Martin decided to focus her acting career on television roles.
Martin's first on-screen appearance was in the 1954 film The Belles of St Trinian's, in which she played Arabella. She landed her first television role in 1957 with The Benny Hill Show, but her first regular role was in the 1958 television adaptation of Pride and Prejudice, in which she played Lydia Bennet.
Martin appeared in many sitcoms throughout her career. Her first regular sitcom role was in the 1961 musical sitcom Moody In..., followed by the 1971 six-episode television series Keep It in the Family. She appeared in the second series of the ITV sitcom Up the Workers in 1976, and had a starring role as Miss Perkins in It Sticks Out Half a Mile, the radio sequel to Dad's Army. She again played the same character, now called Miss Baxter, in the television adaptations of the series: Walking the Planks in 1985 and High & Dry in 1987.
Martin was best known in her role as Mrs Rudd in the radio sitcom King Street Junior. She appeared throughout the sitcom's entire run, from 1985 to 1998.
From 1994 to 1995, Martin appeared in three episodes of the British television sitcom As Time Goes By, in which she played secretary Gwen Flack.
Personal life and death In June 1976, Martin married British actor John Burgess; she was his third wife. Their marriage lasted just six weeks.
Martin died on 22 January 2023, at the age of 92. Her death was announced by the performing arts trade union Equity in their Spring/Summer 2023 magazine.
Filmography Film and television +Sources:YearTitleRoleNotes1954The Belles of St Trinian'sArabellaFilm, first on-screen role1954Aunt ClaraMaidFilm, uncredited1954Carrington V.C.Private SmithFilm, uncredited1955As Long as They're HappyKayFilm1955The Water GypsiesDaisy FigTelevision film1955Secret VentureLolaFilm1957Town on TrialFilm, uncredited1957–60The Benny Hill ShowVariousATV series1958Hancock's Half HourElizabethEpisode: "Matrimony, Almost"1958Pride and PrejudiceLydia BennetFive episodes1958Rush HourEpisode: "Murder He Says"1960Two-Way StretchFred's WifeFilm1960Bootsie and SnudgeEnidEpisode: "The Blind Date"1960BBC Sunday-Night PlayFanny MarryotEpisode: "Tuppence in the Gods"1961The Benny Hill ShowVariousBBC series, Series 41961Moody In...VariousMusical sitcom1961Armchair TheatreRobbieEpisode: "Tune on the Old Tax Fiddle"1962A Pair of BriefsHotel MaidFilm, uncredited1963Armchair TheatreDaphne PerkinsEpisode: "Little Doris"1965Public EyeEileen OsborneEpisode: "And a Very Fine Fiddle Has He"1965UndermindDorothyEpisode: "The New Dimension"1967Thirty-Minute TheatreFrankie OneEpisode: "Boa Constrictor"1967Before the FringeVariousFour episodes1968The Dickie Henderson ShowMrs AshburtonEpisode: "The Amateur Professional"1969PlayhouseJudy JenkinsEpisode: "The Beauty Operators"1970Bachelor FatherMrs MooreEpisode: "A Spot of Natural Expression"1971Keep It in the FamilyYvonne Bannister1971Please Sir!Miss PettingEight episodes1972Dead of NightJessieEpisode: "Two in the Morning"1974Z-CarsGeorgia JonesEpisode: "Certain Parties"1974–80The Dick Emery ShowVariousEleven episodes1976Up the WorkersMavisSeries 21979Rings on Their FingersGirl in RestaurantEpisode: "Anniversary Jig"1980AngelsAudrey MearsTwo episodes1980–81The Good CompanionsElsie LongstaffMiniseries, nine episodes1982Legacy of MurderMrs HarperEpisode: "Holy Smoke"1982The Further Adventures of Lucky JimLollipop LadyEpisode: "The Ties That Bing"1983SpyshipMrs FranklinMiniseries, three episodes1985Walking the PlanksMiss Baxter1986Ever Decreasing CirclesDiana DanbyEpisode: "House to Let"1987High & DryMiss Baxter1987Divided We StandEdnaFive episodes1992GarboBin Lady with BudgieFilm1993The BillMrs FullerEpisode: "Return to Sender"1993Paul Merton: The SeriesSeries 2, Episode 21994–95As Time Goes ByGwen FlackThree episodes1996EastEndersAunt BettyOne episode
Radio +Source:YearTitleRoleNotes1967Sam and JanetJanet Marshall1983–84It Sticks Out Half a MileMiss Perkins1985–98King Street JuniorMrs Lillian Rudd2000King Street Junior RevisitedMrs Lillian RuddEpisode: "Centenary"
Theatre +Source:YearTitleTheatreRoleNotes1963Oliver!West End, LondonNancy1966The MatchgirlsGlobe Theatre, LondonKateLead role1966The Great GrimaldiPalace Theatre, Manchester1967The Ballad of Queenie SwannYvonne Arnaud Theatre, GuildfordQueenie SwannLead role1984Little MePrince of Wales Theatre, LondonMrs Eggleston
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