Doreen Mantle

Doreen June Mantle was born 22 June 1926 in Johannesburg, South Africa and is a character actress who is probably best known for her recurring role as Mrs Warboys in the long-running British sitcom One Foot in the Grave (1990) appearing in 18 episodes in the 1990s. Mantle first travelled to Britain with her parents when she was just six weeks old. Around four years later they returned to South Africa. She then returned to the UK permanently in her late twenties.

Began her acting career alongside her day job as a social worker in South Africa before moving permanently to the UK with her husband in the mid 1950's.

She has appeared in many British television series from the 1960s to the present, such as The Duchess of Duke Street, The Wild House, Chalk (1997), Casualty (1986), The Bill (1984), Doctors (2000), Holby City (1999), Love Soup (2005) and Jonathan Creek (1997).

In 1979 she was awarded the Laurence Olivier Award for Best Actress in a Supporting Role for her performance in Death of a Salesman. She has also done a great deal of radio work for BBC Radio 3, BBC Radio 4 and BBC World Service.

In January 2002 Doreen appeared on a 'Classic British Sitcom Stars' special of TV quiz The Weakest Link (2000). When asked by host Anne Robinson what her most memorable moment was on the crazy sitcom One Foot in the Grave (1990) Doreen replied very matter-of-factly: 'I was rolled down a hill and mounted by a dog'. The studio audience erupted in hysterics.

She played lollipop lady Queenie in Clatterford (2006). Mantle has worked extensively on the stage in such productions as My Fair Lady, Keep It in the Family, The Seagull and Hamlet. She also toured Britain in Billy Liar in the role of Florence Boothroyd and performed at the National Theatre in The Voysey Inheritance.