Ruth Dunning
Ruth Dunning (17 May 1911 – 27 February 1983) was a Welsh actress of stage, television, and film. Personal life. Mary Ruth Dunning was born in Prestatyn, Denbighshire, in 1911 (some sources give 1909). Career. Stage. As a young actress, Dunning was a member of an amateur theatre company in Altrincham. In 1934, she took over a part from Wendy Hiller in "Love on the Dole", at the Garrick Theatre in London. Other stage appearances for Dunning included Val Gielgud's "Punch and Judy" (1937), A. A. Milne's "Gentleman Unknown" (1938), Ted Willis' "The Eyes of Youth" (1959 ), and Willis' adaptation of Gorky's "Mother" (1961). Film and television. Dunning found fame in the role of Gladys Grove in BBC Television's "The Grove Family" (1954–1957), also portraying that character in the 1955 film "It's a Great Day". In 1956, she appeared in a television commercial for Persil laundry detergent, on the first night of Granada Television's broadcasts in the north of England. In 1962 she was awarded the British Academy Television Award for Best Actress for her work on "Armchair Theatre". Other screen roles played by Dunning included Leonie in "Intimate Relations" (1953), Auntie B.  in "Urge to Kill" (1960), Mrs. Mitchell in "Hoffman" (1970), Betty Atherton in "The Sextet" (1972), Agnes Henderson in "The House in Nightmare Park" (1973), Miss Minchin in "A Little Princess" (1973), Mildred Finch in "An Unofficial Rose" (1974–1975), Lesley Whittle's mother in "The Black Panther" (1977), and Mrs. Crabtree in "Children of the Stones" (1977). Personal life. Ruth Dunning was married to the actor Jack Allen. She died in 1983, aged 71 years, in London. The Ruth Dunning and Jack Allen Collection at the University of Bristol holds some of her papers, including contracts, scripts, and photographs. Ruth