124:(21 August 1936 – 16 February 2020) was an English actress, principally on television, whose career spanned over sixty years. In her later years, she was best known for playing Grandma in the sitcom
369:, as Grandma Nelly Buller. She had to leave the show in 2018 due to illness, making a final cameo contribution in the series 5 episode "The Violin" (as a voice on the telephone).
985:
339:. Her final appearance was in September 2009, when her character died from severe burns after being involved in an explosion at a shopping centre.
236:
1000:
926:
475:
510:
157:
75:
326:
when the character was first introduced in 1991. She had filmed several scenes of the character but they were scrapped;
893:
333:
From 2006 to 2009, she played the recurring role of a homeless woman called Mrs Bassey in the popular medical drama
995:
990:
352:
1005:
230:
Cuka then moved into television. Her subsequent television roles included the 1971 BBC miniseries adaption of
599:
548:
444:
305:
215:
814:
787:
652:
492:
458:
347:
283:
687:
634:
248:
980:
975:
704:
335:
104:
146:
Francis), a tailor, and Joseph Cuka, a process engraver. The family subsequently moved to
8:
722:
669:
427:
365:
310:
295:
197:
126:
111:
918:
866:
758:
582:
260:
242:
152:
955:
840:
289:
274:
189:
184:
169:
219:
179:
571:
343:
317:
265:
202:
969:
410:
254:
960:
792:
300:
525:
231:
951:
740:
565:
535:
322:
279:
142:) was born in London, England, the only child of Letitia Alice Annie (
378:
360:
63:
922:
616:
327:
174:
44:
150:. As a child, she appeared in BBC radio broadcasts as part of
894:"Friday Night Dinner pays tribute to late star Frances Cuka"
147:
269:
919:"Frances Cuka: Friday Night Dinner star dies aged 83"
867:"Friday Night Dinner star Frances Cuka dies aged 83"
188:, continuing in the role when the play moved to the
377:Cuka died after suffering a stroke at her home in
986:Alumni of the Guildhall School of Music and Drama
967:
210:. In 1963 she played Becky Sharp in the musical
640:Lillie Goodwin; Maeve Richards; Martha Tanner
178:and then in 1958 created the role of Jo in
133:
785:
381:, London on 16 February 2020, aged 83.
968:
891:
786:Coveney, Michael (20 February 2020).
359:From March 2011, she appeared in the
350:, in the unusual four-act version of
196:she appeared in several plays at the
511:The Attic: The Hiding of Anne Frank
158:Guildhall School of Music and Drama
76:Guildhall School of Music and Drama
13:
678:Episode: Swords into Ploughshares
14:
1017:
945:
278:. She had recurring roles in the
929:from the original on 9 June 2020
168:After the Guildhall, she joined
163:
353:The Importance of Being Earnest
293:. Her film roles have included
911:
885:
859:
833:
807:
779:
728:Grandma Eleanor "Nelly" Buller
384:
192:and Broadway. Between runs of
1:
841:"Interview with Frances Cuka"
772:
731:Supporting role, 12 episodes
346:for Logos Theatre Company at
252:(the episode "Charlie Boy"),
225:
1001:English television actresses
600:Snow White: A Tale of Terror
445:Henry VIII and his Six Wives
306:Henry VIII and his Six Wives
7:
892:S, Ian; well (1 May 2020).
713:Recurring role, 7 episodes
622:Mrs. Jones; Sandra Fletcher
330:was then cast in the role.
16:English actress (1936â2020)
10:
1022:
560:
505:
439:
348:Upstairs at the Gatehouse
172:; there she performed in
97:
89:
81:
71:
52:
30:
23:
476:The Watcher in the Woods
372:
996:English stage actresses
815:"Frances Cuka obituary"
788:"Frances Cuka obituary"
658:Lady on the underground
320:in the BBC1 soap opera
264:. She also appeared as
991:English film actresses
249:Hammer House of Horror
1006:Actresses from London
549:Mountains of the Moon
237:Sense and Sensibility
156:. She trained at the
134:Early life and career
925:. 21 February 2020.
670:Rosemary & Thyme
342:In 2010, she played
845:The Theatre Archive
723:Friday Night Dinner
450:Catherine of Aragon
366:Friday Night Dinner
311:Catherine of Aragon
198:Royal Court Theatre
130:from 2011 to 2018.
127:Friday Night Dinner
112:Friday Night Dinner
873:. 21 February 2020
821:. 20 February 2020
759:Closer to the Moon
583:Afraid of the Dark
243:Adam Adamant Lives
847:. British Library
770:
769:
539:spin-off episode
316:Cuka was cast as
290:Coronation Street
275:Henry IV, Part II
138:Cuka (pronounced
119:
118:
99:Notable credit(s)
90:Years active
66:, London, England
1013:
939:
938:
936:
934:
915:
909:
908:
906:
904:
889:
883:
882:
880:
878:
863:
857:
856:
854:
852:
837:
831:
830:
828:
826:
811:
805:
804:
802:
800:
783:
630:2001, 2005, 2007
519:Television film
389:
388:
194:A Taste of Honey
185:A Taste of Honey
170:Theatre Workshop
100:
59:
56:16 February 2020
40:
38:
21:
20:
1021:
1020:
1016:
1015:
1014:
1012:
1011:
1010:
966:
965:
948:
943:
942:
932:
930:
917:
916:
912:
902:
900:
890:
886:
876:
874:
865:
864:
860:
850:
848:
839:
838:
834:
824:
822:
813:
812:
808:
798:
796:
784:
780:
775:
576:Unaired scenes
387:
375:
228:
220:Sybil Thorndike
180:Shelagh Delaney
166:
153:Children's Hour
136:
109:
98:
72:Alma mater
67:
61:
57:
48:
42:
36:
34:
26:
17:
12:
11:
5:
1019:
1009:
1008:
1003:
998:
993:
988:
983:
978:
964:
963:
958:
947:
946:External links
944:
941:
940:
910:
884:
858:
832:
806:
777:
776:
774:
771:
768:
767:
765:
762:
755:
751:
750:
747:
744:
737:
733:
732:
729:
726:
719:
715:
714:
711:
708:
701:
697:
696:
694:
691:
684:
680:
679:
676:
673:
666:
662:
661:
659:
656:
649:
645:
644:
641:
638:
631:
627:
626:
623:
620:
613:
609:
608:
606:
603:
596:
592:
591:
589:
586:
578:
577:
574:
572:Peggy Mitchell
569:
562:
558:
557:
555:
552:
545:
541:
540:
532:
529:
521:
520:
517:
514:
507:
503:
502:
499:
498:Mary Lancaster
496:
489:
485:
484:
482:
479:
472:
468:
467:
465:
462:
454:
453:
451:
448:
441:
437:
436:
434:
433:Ethel Cratchit
431:
424:
420:
419:
417:
414:
407:
403:
402:
399:
396:
393:
386:
383:
374:
371:
344:Lady Bracknell
318:Peggy Mitchell
272:TV version of
266:Doll Tearsheet
227:
224:
208:Live Like Pigs
165:
162:
135:
132:
117:
116:
101:
95:
94:
91:
87:
86:
83:
79:
78:
73:
69:
68:
62:
60:(aged 83)
54:
50:
49:
43:
41:21 August 1936
32:
28:
27:
24:
15:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1018:
1007:
1004:
1002:
999:
997:
994:
992:
989:
987:
984:
982:
979:
977:
974:
973:
971:
962:
959:
957:
953:
950:
949:
928:
924:
920:
914:
899:
895:
888:
872:
868:
862:
846:
842:
836:
820:
816:
810:
795:
794:
789:
782:
778:
766:
763:
761:
760:
756:
753:
752:
748:
745:
743:
742:
738:
735:
734:
730:
727:
725:
724:
720:
717:
716:
712:
709:
707:
706:
702:
699:
698:
695:
692:
690:
689:
685:
682:
681:
677:
675:Barbara Boxer
674:
672:
671:
667:
664:
663:
660:
657:
655:
654:
653:Swimming Pool
650:
647:
646:
642:
639:
637:
636:
632:
629:
628:
624:
621:
619:
618:
614:
611:
610:
607:
604:
602:
601:
597:
594:
593:
590:
587:
585:
584:
580:
579:
575:
573:
570:
568:
567:
563:
559:
556:
554:Lady Houghton
553:
551:
550:
546:
543:
542:
538:
537:
533:
530:
528:
527:
523:
522:
518:
516:Mrs. Van Daan
515:
513:
512:
508:
504:
500:
497:
495:
494:
490:
487:
486:
483:
480:
478:
477:
473:
470:
469:
466:
463:
461:
460:
459:Hide and Seek
456:
455:
452:
449:
447:
446:
442:
438:
435:
432:
430:
429:
425:
422:
421:
418:
416:Hilda Summers
415:
413:
412:
411:Over the Odds
408:
405:
404:
400:
397:
394:
391:
390:
382:
380:
370:
368:
367:
362:
357:
355:
354:
349:
345:
340:
338:
337:
331:
329:
325:
324:
319:
314:
312:
308:
307:
303:'s wife, and
302:
298:
297:
292:
291:
286:
285:
281:
277:
276:
271:
267:
263:
262:
257:
256:
255:The Champions
251:
250:
245:
244:
239:
238:
233:
223:
221:
217:
213:
209:
205:
204:
199:
195:
191:
187:
186:
181:
177:
176:
171:
164:Theatre roles
161:
159:
155:
154:
149:
145:
141:
131:
129:
128:
123:
114:
113:
107:
106:
102:
96:
92:
88:
84:
80:
77:
74:
70:
65:
55:
51:
46:
33:
29:
22:
19:
952:Frances Cuka
931:. Retrieved
913:
901:. Retrieved
897:
887:
875:. Retrieved
870:
861:
849:. Retrieved
844:
835:
823:. Retrieved
819:the Guardian
818:
809:
797:. Retrieved
793:The Guardian
791:
781:
757:
739:
721:
703:
688:Oliver Twist
686:
668:
651:
633:
615:
598:
581:
564:
547:
534:
524:
509:
491:
481:Mary Fleming
474:
457:
443:
426:
409:
376:
364:
358:
351:
341:
334:
332:
321:
315:
304:
301:Bob Cratchit
294:
288:
282:
273:
259:
253:
247:
241:
235:
229:
216:George Baker
214:, alongside
211:
207:
201:
200:, including
193:
183:
173:
167:
151:
143:
139:
137:
125:
122:Frances Cuka
121:
120:
110:
108:(2006â2009)
103:
58:(2020-02-16)
25:Frances Cuka
18:
981:2020 deaths
976:1936 births
898:Digital Spy
799:20 February
749:3 episodes
746:Esther Levy
710:Mrs. Bassey
693:Mrs. Bedwin
643:3 episodes
625:2 episodes
588:Mrs. Dalton
526:CivvyStreet
501:Guest role
464:Mrs. Dickie
385:Filmography
280:soap operas
232:Jane Austen
212:Vanity Fair
115:(2011â2018)
970:Categories
851:14 October
773:References
741:Holby City
736:2012, 2014
612:2001, 2003
566:EastEnders
536:EastEnders
531:Lil Sewell
493:Crossroads
323:EastEnders
309:(1972) as
299:(1970) as
284:Crossroads
226:Television
82:Occupation
37:1936-08-21
961:Biography
718:2011â2018
700:2006â2009
379:Hampstead
361:Channel 4
218:and Dame
93:1957â2018
64:Hampstead
47:, England
927:Archived
923:BBC News
903:6 August
877:6 August
871:BBC News
825:3 August
705:Casualty
617:The Bill
336:Casualty
328:Jo Warne
190:West End
182:'s play
105:Casualty
635:Doctors
428:Scrooge
363:sitcom
296:Scrooge
203:Endgame
175:Macbeth
85:Actress
933:9 June
605:Nannau
401:Notes
395:Title
261:Minder
140:Chewka
45:London
764:Sarah
398:Role
392:Year
373:Death
268:in a
956:IMDb
935:2020
905:2020
879:2020
853:2012
827:2021
801:2020
754:2014
683:2005
665:2004
648:2003
595:1997
561:1991
544:1990
506:1988
488:1987
471:1980
440:1972
423:1970
406:1961
287:and
258:and
206:and
148:Hove
53:Died
31:Born
954:at
270:BBC
234:'s
144:nÊe
972::
921:.
896:.
869:.
843:.
817:.
790:.
356:.
313:.
246:,
240:,
222:.
160:.
937:.
907:.
881:.
855:.
829:.
803:.
39:)
35:(
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.