
Dora Bryan
Known for Acting · 87 credits
- Born
- 1923-02-07
- Died
- 2014-07-23
- Place of birth
- Parbold, Lancashire, England, UK
- Also known as
- Дора Брайен · Dora May Broadbent
Biography
Dora May Bryan OBE was an English actress of stage, film and television. Born Dora May Broadbent, her career began in pantomime as a child actor. In World War II she joined the ENSA in Italy to entertain British troops.
After having established herself as a versatile stage actress, covering everything from drama and comedy to musicals, she started to appear in film in the late 1940s, and in 1968 she even had her own TV series, "According to Dora". At one point in her career she was Britain's highest-paid star.
She was active on stage until the mid 1990s and continued to work in film and television until 2005, when she finally had to give up the acting profession as she could no longer remember her lines.
Her autobiography According To Dora was published in 1987. In 1996, she was awarded an OBE in recognition of her services to acting and the same year she was also awarded the Laurence Olivier Award for her role in the West End production of the Harold Pinter play "The Birthday Party".
She was married to British cricket player Bill Lawton from 1954 to his death in 2008. She lived in a nursing home in Hove, outside Brighton, until her death in 2014.
Known For
TV Shows (21)

Casualty
1986
as Hester Blewett

Heartbeat
1992
as Jane Thompson

Doctors
2000
as Lily Anderson

Absolutely Fabulous
1992
as Dolly

Last of the Summer Wine
1973
as Roz

An Audience with...
1978
as Self

The Sooty Show
1955
as Herself

World in Action
1963

Performance
1991
as Bosom Lady

dinnerladies
1998
as Connie

Frank Stubbs Promotes
1993
as Molly Bramley

Theatre Night
1957
as Julie Skidmore

On the Up
1990

Hippies
1999
as Dame Nelly Fletcher

Virtual Murder
1992
as Mrs Mim
Educating Archie
1958
Both Ends Meet
1972
as Dora Page
Before The Fringe
1967
Mother's Ruin
1994
According To Dora
Happily Ever After
1961
as Dora Morgan
Movies (66)

MirrorMask
2005
as Aunt Nan

Now Barabbas
1949
as Winnie

The Fake
1953
as Barmaid

The Cockleshell Heroes
1955
as Myrtie

The Fallen Idol
1948
as Rose

A Taste of Honey
1961
as Helen

No Highway in the Sky
1951

Absolutely Fabulous: The Last Shout
1996
as Millie

Odd Man Out
1947
as Girl in Telephone Kiosk (uncredited)

Apartment Zero
1989
as Margaret McKinney

Time, Gentlemen, Please!
1952
as Peggy Stebbins

Carry On Sergeant
1958
as Norah

Gift Horse
1952
as Glad Flanagan

The Blue Lamp
1950
as Maisie

Miss Robin Hood
1952
as Pearl

High Treason
1951
as Mrs. Bowers

Child in the House
1956
as Cassie

Adam and Evelyne
1949
as Blonde Sales Assistant (uncredited)

The Sandwich Man
1966
as Mrs. De Vere

Up the Front
1972
as Auntie Cora Crumpington

The Interrupted Journey
1949
as the waitress

Mad About Men
1954
as Berengaria

The Great St Trinian's Train Robbery
1966
as Amber Spottiswood

Something in the City
1950
as Waitress

The Ringer
1952
as Mrs. Hackett

Lady Godiva Rides Again
1951
as Movie Publicist

Desert Mice
1959
as Gay Bennett

The Night We Got the Bird
1960
as Julie Skidmore

The Quiet Woman
1951
as Elsie Tripp

The Man Who Wouldn't Talk
1958
as Telephonist

The Green Man
1956
as Lily

You Know What Sailors Are
1954

Circle of Danger
1951
as Bubbles Fitzgerald

Street Corner
1953
as Prostitute

Bed
1995
as Bosom Lady

The Crowded Day
1954
as Marge

As Long as They're Happy
1955
as May

The Perfect Woman
1949
as Model in Shop

Whispering Smith vs. Scotland Yard
1952
as Miss La Fosse

Traveller's Joy
1950
as Eva

Screamtime
1983
as Emma

Thora Hird Tribute
2003
as Self (archive footage, uncredited)
The Dream Machine
1964
as Self

The Intruder
1953
as Dora Bee

Hands of the Ripper
1971
as Mrs. Golding

Palmer
1991
as Monica

Women of Twilight
1953
as Olga

The Cure for Love
1949
as Jenny Jenkins

The Young Lovers
1954
as Switchboard Operator (uncredited)

Once Upon a Dream
1949
as Barmaid
Hello London
1960
as herself

Alice Through the Looking Box
1960
as Queen

Mother Riley Meets the Vampire
1952
as Tilly

Harmony Lane
1954
as Comedian

Scarlet Thread
1951
as Maggie

No Trace
1950
as Maisie

Two a Penny
1967
as Ruby Hopkins

Don't Ever Leave Me
1949
as Talkative Hairdresser (uncredited)

Small Hotel
1957
as (uncredited)

Fast and Loose
1954
as Mary Rawlings, the maid

No Room at the Inn
1948
as The Girl

13 East Street
1952
as Valerie

Operation Bullshine
1959
as Pvt. Cox
Follow That Horse!
1960

You Lucky People!
1955
as Hortense Tipp
The Real Thing
1953
as Dora
About Dora Bryan
Dora May Bryan OBE was an English actress of stage, film and television. Born Dora May Broadbent, her career began in pantomime as a child actor. In World War II she joined the ENSA in Italy to entertain British troops. After having established herself as a versatile stage actress, covering everything from drama and comedy to musicals, she started to appear in film in the late 1940s, and in 1968 she even had her own TV series, "According to Dora". At one point in her career she was Britain's highest-paid star. She was active on stage until the… With 87 credits spanning from 1947 to 2005, Dora Bryan has appeared in 66 films and 21 TV shows.
Fans searching for Dora Bryan movies, Dora Bryan filmography, or the latest projects starring Dora Bryan can stream many of these titles on CineFlixo, free and in HD, with no subscription required.
Most Popular Dora Bryan Movies
- MirrorMask (2005) — as Aunt Nan
- Now Barabbas (1949) — as Winnie
- The Fake (1953) — as Barmaid
- The Cockleshell Heroes (1955) — as Myrtie
- The Fallen Idol (1948) — as Rose
Where to Watch Dora Bryan Films
Most Dora Bryan movies and series are available to stream on CineFlixo in full HD, completely free and without signup. Browse the complete filmography above to jump directly to any title. For more films and the latest web series featuring Dora Bryan, check our movies catalogue and browse page.