# Daphne Heard

Delia Phyllis Daphne Heard (21 August 1904 – 22 June 1983) was an English actress and acting teacher. She was born in Plymouth, Devon. She appeared in numerous made-for-TV movies and TV series. She was perhaps best known in latter years as Richard's elderly mother Mrs. Polouvicka in To the Manor Born.

## Film

Her film credits include roles in Goodbye Gemini (1970), the film version of Please Sir! (1971) as an old gypsy, Jude the Obscure (1971) as Drusilla Fawley, and The Triple Echo (1972). She also appeared as the nanny in Laurence Olivier's film Three Sisters (1970) based on the Anton Chekhov play, with Joan Plowright, Alan Bates and Olivier himself as Chebutikin.

## Television and radio

She performed in many other television serials, including Wild, Wild Women, Doctor Who (in a story-stealing turn in the serial Image of the Fendahl as white witch 'Granny' Tyler), the sitcom Don't Forget to Write! as Mrs Field the cleaner, Z-Cars and Nanny Webster in Upstairs, Downstairs, series 2, episode 8, "Out of the Everywhere". In 1966, she was cast as a beleaguered tenant in Vacant Possession, a TV play produced by Rediffusion.
In 1971, Heard starred in a couple of episodes in the TV sitcom For the Love of Ada playing the nosey next door neighbour.
In 1974, she played the part of Mrs. Froggitt in the pilot episode of Oh No It's Selwyn Froggitt.
From its inception until her death in 1983, she played the part of Maud, the eccentric housekeeper, in the Hinge and Bracket radio series.

## Teaching career

During the 1950s and 1960s, she was a member of the teaching staff at the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School.

## Filmography

| Title | Year | Role |
| Yellow Sands (TV movie) | 1948 | Jennifer Varwell |
| Miranda (TV movie) | 1949 | Nurse Carey |
| Rest you Merry (TV movie) | 1958 | Jin |
| The True Misery of the Passion (TV movie) | 1960 | Despair |
| Lorna Doone (TV series; eleven episodes; erased by BBC) | 1963 | Betty Maxworthy |
| Compact | 1963 | Mrs. Metcalfe |
| Viewpoint | 1963 | Actress |
| Story Parade | 1964 | Mrs. Poulton-Morse |
| The Children of the New Forest (TV series; six episodes) | 1964 | Judith Villiers |
| Thursday Theatre (TV anthology series) | 1964 | Mrs. Dorbeil |
| Esther Waters | 1964 | Mrs. Latch |
| The Walrus and the Carpenter (TV series) | 1965 | |
| Undermind (TV series) | 1965 | Mrs. Neary |
| Poison Island (TV series) | 1965 | Mrs. Stimcoe |
| Thirteen Against Fate (episode "The Witness") | 1966 | Madame Naquet |
| The Woman in White | 1966 | Madame Fosco |
| Blackmail | 1966 | Mrs. Pearce |
| Macbeth (TV movie) | 1966 | Third Witch |
| ITV Play of the Week (TV series) | 1967 | Witness |
| Sanctuary (TV series) | 1967 | Mrs. Evans |
| Boy Meets Girl (TV series). 24 wiped BBCTV episodes. | 1967 | Mary |
| Hobson's Choice (BBC Schools) | 1967 | Mrs. Hepworth |
| Softly, Softly (TV series) | 1967 | Mrs Evans - Mrs Peck |
| Inheritance (TV series) | 1967 | Janie Mellor |
| Dr. Finlay's Casebook (TV series) | 1964-1968 | 3 character roles: Grandma, Mrs. McNaughton, and Mrs. Verrier |
| Public Eye (TV series) | 1968 | Nora |
| Nicholas Nickleby (TV series) | 1968 | Peg Sliderskew |
| Mr. Rose (TV series) | 1968 | Mrs. Simmons |
| City '68 (TV series) | Miss. Barnes |
| The Wednesday Play 1968 | 1968 | Mrs. Edgell - Nan |
| Nearest and Dearest (TV series sitcom) | 1968 | Mrs. Hardman |
| Wild, Wild Women (TV series) | 1969 | Ginny |
| Big Breadwinner Hog (TV series) | 1969 | Mrs. Lennox |
| Rogues' Gallery (TV series) | 1969 | Grandma Groom |
| The Expert (TV series) | 1969 | Mrs. Dipper |
| The First Churchills (TV miniseries) | 1969 | Mrs. Jennings |
| Ace of Wands (TV series) | 1970 | Ma Epps |
| Goodbye Gemini | 1970 | Mrs. McLaren |
| Three Sisters | 1970 | Anfissa |
| The Emergency of Anthony Purdy Esq, Farmer's Labourer (TV movie) | 1970 | Mother |
| ITV Saturday Night Theatre | 1971 | Mrs. Castleton |
| Jude the Obscure (serial) | 1971 | Drusilla Fawley |
| For the Love of Ada (TV series) | 1971 | Mrs. Chandler |
| Z-Cars (TV series) | 1964-1971 | Various - 3 character roles |
| Thick as Thieves (TV movie) | 1971 | |
| Please Sir? | 1971 | Old Gypsy Lady |
| Thirty-Minute Theatre (TV series) | 1971 | Mrs. Norton |
| Owen M.D.(TV series) | 1971 | Mary Brough |
| Suspicion (TV series) | 1972 | Mrs. Fawcett |
| The Fenn Street Gang (TV series) | 1972 | Mrs. Upjohn |
| Spyder's Web (TV series) | 1972 | Mrs. Hartley |
| Horace (TV movie) | 1972 | Mrs.Beal |
| Pretenders (TV series) | 1972 | Carrity |
| The Triple Echo (AKA Soldier in Skirts, in US) | 1972 | Shopkeeper |
| Upstairs, Downstairs (TV series) | 1972 | Nanny Webster |
| Cranford (TV series) | 1972 | Mrs. Fitz-Adams |
| Country Matters (TV series) | 1972 | Cassandra |
| Arthur of the Britons (TV series) | 1973 | Elder |
| Whatever Happened to the Likely Lads? (TV series) | 1973 | Aunt Beattie |
| The Jensen Code (TV series) | 1973 | Granny Powell |
| Orson Welles Great Mysteries (TV series) | 1973 | Deborah Crabbe |
| The Kids from 47A (TV series) | 1974 | Miss Budge |
| John Halifax, Gentleman (TV series) | 1974 | Jael |
| Oh No It's Selwyn Froggitt (TV series) | 1974 | Florrie Froggitt |
| BBC Play of the Month (TV series) | 1970-1974 | 3 character roles |
| Horizon (TV series) | 1974 | Magistrate |
| Churchill's People (TV series) | 1975 | Old Woman |
| Wodehouse Playhouse (TV series) | 1975 | Nanny Wilkes |
| Village Hall (TV series) | 1975 | Mrs. Goodchild |
| Comedy Playhouse | 1974-1975 | Aunty Vee - Mum |
| Plays for Britain (TV series) | 1976 | Mrs. Brown |
| Westway (TV series) | 1976 | Miss Marlbury |
| Angels (TV series) | 1976 | Edith Dawson |
| Within These Walls (TV series) | 1976 | Ralda Loveridge |
| Murder Most English: A Flaxborough Chronicle (TV series) | | Mrs. Crunkinghorn |
| Marie Curie (TV miniseries) | 1977 | Madame Sophie Curie |
| The Upchat Line (TV series) | 1977 | Mrs. Burgess |
| Doctor Who (TV series) – in serial Image of the Fendahl | 1977 | Martha Tyler |
| Hazell (TV series) | 1978 | Kathleen Donaldson |
| Crown Court (TV series) | 1974-1978 | 4 character roles |
| Coronation Street (TV series) | 1978 | Lizzie Hinchcliffe |
| Don't Forget to Write (TV series) | 1977-1979 | Mrs. Field |
| Late Night Drama (TV series) | 1980 | Mrs. Woon |
| Nanny (TV series) | 1981 | Miss Cooper |
| John Keats (TV miniseries) | 1981 | Mrs. Cook |
| To the Manor Born (TV series) | 1979-1981 | Maria Polouvicka |
| Play for Today (TV series) | 1982 | Mrs Merridew |
| Horace (TV series) | 1982 | Mrs. Tiddy |