Patricia Greene

Patricia Honor Richardson MBE (née Greene; born 1931)England & Wales, Civil Registration Birth Index, 1916-2007: JAN 1931 7b 920 DERBY – Patricia H Greene is an English actress. She is best known as the voice of Jill Archer on the BBC Radio 4 radio soap opera The Archers.

Greene is one of the world's longest-serving actors in a soap opera, in any medium. 

 Early life 
Patricia Honor Greene was born in Allenton, Derby, England in 1931. She is the youngest of two children to Josie Greene (née Johnson), a housewife, and Edward Greene, an engineer and former piano salesman. She has an older sister.England & Wales, Civil Registration Birth Index, 1916-2007: JUL 1929 7b 968 DERBY – Sheila Greene Greene and her family moved to Champion Street in the New Zealand area, before moving to Kirk Street in Chester Green. She has recalled experiences of her mother having extramarital affairs, in which she would bring men to the family home and order Patricia not to tell their father.

Greene attended Ashgate Infants School on Ashbourne Road and St Paul's Junior School. She also attended Parkfields Cedars Grammar School. She later joined an amateur dramatic society. Greene trained at the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama in London from 1951 to 1954.

Greene worked as a ward orderly at the Derby Children's Hospital. She also worked as a secretary in the sheet metal factory of Hawk Industries. She worked as a bus conductress on the trolley bus in Derby, and as a waitress during the holidays.

Greene once noticed her father crying at one of her theatre performances. She credits that moment with her wanting to become an actress.

 Career 
Greene made her broadcasting debut in 1957, after being told "you'll never be a broadcaster, you sound like a fairy in hockey boots" by her then 84-year old tutor at the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama. 

Greene joined the cast of the BBC Radio 4 radio soap opera The Archers on 25 July 1957. She is the long-standing voice of Jill Archer (née Patterson). She was the sixth, and last, actress to audition for the role and thought she would not be cast. Greene found the first six weeks tough due to her inexperience. She recalled that on her second day, she took stage directions too far and threw a glass of water over Norman Painting, who portrayed Phil Archer, and nearly electrocuted him. This impressed the creator Godfrey Baseley and he kept her in the serial. She was paid seven guineas a week. Greene was tempted to leave the series when her son was a toddler but felt a loyalty to the programme and stayed. She was paid £16,000 for her work on the series in 2017.

Greene portrayed Margaret Richmond in the first episode of the BBC One medical soap opera Doctors on 26 March 2000. She reprised the role for a second time in the 20 April 2000 episode. Greene portrayed Ivy Watson in the 22 October 2000 episode of the BBC One medical drama Casualty. Greene was the guest on the 27 December 2015 episode of the BBC Radio 4 programme Desert Island Discs.

 Personal life 
Greene married actor Henry George Selway in October 1959 in Maidenhead, Berkshire. The couple divorced a few years later.England & Wales, Civil Registration Marriage Index, 1916-2005: OCT 1959 6a 91 MAIDENHEAD – Henry G Selway = Patricia H Greene

Greene married Cyril Austen Richardson in April 1972 in Windsor, Berkshire.England & Wales, Civil Registration Marriage Index, 1916-2005: APR 1972 6a 720 WINDSOR – Cyril A Richardson = Patricia H Greene The couple have one son.England & Wales, Civil Registration Birth Index, 1916-2007: JUL 1972 5d 2644 ST MARYLEBONE – Charles Austen Richardson She was widowed in November 1986.England & Wales, Civil Registration Death Index, 1916-2007: NOV 1986 19 706 WINDSOR and MAIDENHEAD – Cyril Austen Richardson

Greene is a patron of the Macular Society.

 Honours 
Greene was appointed Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in 1997 Birthday Honours by Queen Elizabeth II for services to radio drama.

Greene recieved an honorary degree from the University of Derby as a Master of Arts in 2017.

 Commonwealth honours 
CountryDateAppointmentPost-nominal letters13 June 1997–presentMember of the Order of the British Empire (Civil Division)MBE

 Honorary degree 
LocationDateSchoolDegreeGave Commencement Address2017University of DerbyMaster of Arts (MA)No

 Filmography 
 Radio 
YearTitleRoleNotes1957–presentThe ArchersJill Archer2,430+ episodes1962Jennings at SchoolGwen Day Burroughs1 episode1962Norman and Henry BonesMatron1 episode1964It's a Woman's WorldMary1 episode1967–1969A Traveller in TimeHerself10 episodes1971A Thin Man ScreamingPrunella1 episode1972The Captain from NottinghamMary Hepworth1 episode1972RequiemMrs Harris1 episode1972Sylvia's LoversHester3 episodes1972The Compost HeapCaroline1 episode1973When You Come HomeMother1 episode1974A Deadly WitMrs Partridge1 episode1974Lord Dracula1 episode1974HeroesSarah Broke1 episode1974–1975Home to RoostKath24 episodes1980The Inheritance: 1: Alarm Among the HeirsToinette3 episodes1981Prayers for TimothyBetsy Boston1 episode1986The TicketCynthia1 episode1989The Beast of AmbridgeFreda the Pig1 episode2001–2007Radio 4 AppealHerself6 episodes2007The News QuizJill Archer1 episode2008–2020With Great PleasureHerself4 episodes2011The Archers at 60Jill Archer1 episode2014–2023Woman's HourHerself8 episodes2015Desert Island DiscsHerself1 episode2017FeedbackHerself1 episode2018Lord Dracula1 episode2018Great LivesHerself1 episode2020–2022Home to RoostKath9 episode2021A Social History of The ArchersHerself1 episode

 Film and television 
YearTitleRoleNotes1957A Man for All SeasonsWomanTV Movie1961The KitchenAnneFilm1965–1969CrossroadsMrs. Lynch, Margaret Robson, Mrs. Grey6 episodes1985This Is Your LifeHerself1985WoganHerself1 episode1990One Foot in the GraveJill Archer (voice)1 episode2000DoctorsMargaret Richmond2 episodes2000CasualtyIvy Watson1 episode2007ArenaHerself1 episode

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References

Category:1931 births
Category:Living people
Category:Actors from Derbyshire
Category:English radio actors
Category:English movie actors
Category:English television actors