Dorothea Melisande Elizabeth Gwenllian Phillips (born 5 September 1928), known as Dottie, is a Welsh actress, best known for her roles in the radio, theatre and film versions of Under Milk Wood and 102 Dalmatians (2000). She appeared in the first stage production of T. S. Eliot's 1958 play The Elder Statesman, at the Edinburgh Festival.
Early life and education Dorothea Phillips was the daughter of Canon W D Phillips, vicar of Cwmtillery. She had one sister. She studied English at Aberystwyth University followed by law, with the intention of becoming a barrister, about which she said, "I found law lessons so tedious that I spent most of my time in the university dramatic society." She was vice-chair of Abertillery Council's Entertainments Committee and vice-chair of the Students' Representative Council.
Career After graduation her first position in theatre was as an assistant stage manager, after which she joined a repertory company as an actor. She went on to appear in theatre, radio, film and television.
Theatre YearProductionCompany / Location 1947Dangerous Corner Liverpool Warehousing Company 1949Hayfever The New Garrick Players1953Pardon my ClawsTheatre Royal, HuddersfieldMaiden LadiesPink String and Sealing Wax 1954The Sleeping Prince Windsor Repertory Company1955 Under Milk Wood Theatre Royal, Newcastle The Love Match Brighton Royal1957 Doctor Angelus Edinburgh Gateway Company The Deep Blue Sea Curzon Productions Flare Path Lyceum Theatre, London George and Margaret Curzon Productions 1958 The Hamlet of Stepney Green Oxford Playhouse Company 1961 The Norman Wisdom ShowAlhambra Theatre, Bradford The Cupboard 1965 The Living Room Malvern Festival Theatre, Malvern1967 The Anniversary Palace Theatre, Watford Busybody Marlowe Theatre 1976 Mother's Day Royal Court, London 1978 The Boy Friend Richmond Theatre
Radio 1963: Under Milk Wood (BBC) with Richard Burton, about which Phillips said "Some people said there was a melancholy to Richard's voice but the Welsh are melancholy by nature. It's the quality of hwyl – a word which doesn't quite translate into English. At times Richard had it." 1966: This Little Piggy (BBC) 1967: The White Sparrow (BBC)
Film YearTitleRole 1962The Lamp in Assassin Mews Mrs Burke 1963The Cage 1964Under Milk Wood Mrs Ogmore -Pritchard 1967The Story of the Airship Housekeeper 1970Carry On Loving Aunt Beatrice Grubb1972Under Milk Wood Mrs Dai Bread OneCommuter Husbands Wife1979The Corn is Green Sarah PughS.O.S. Titanic Emma Bucknell 1980Heartland 1985Santa Claus: The Movie Miss Tucker1986The Canterville Ghost Aunt GretchenDuet for One Betty 1987Y Gwyliau (The Holiday) Mother 1988Olympus Force Mrs Grossopoulos 2000102 Dalmatians Mrs Mirthless
Television YearTitleRoleNotes 1960The Citadel 1962The Saint Mrs Barnes1 episode 1963 Dixon of Dock Green 1 episode: Christmas Dip 1965 Secret Agent 1 episode: Whatever happened to George Foster1966Out of the Unknown Nurse1 episode: Frankenstein Mark IIThe Newcomers Mrs Hartley1 episode Sexton BlakeMrs BardellSeries 1 1968One of the family 15 episodes 1969Life with Cooper 1 episode1970The Hero of My Life... Charles Dickens Mrs Hogarth1 episodeChoir Practice Mrs LloydMusical play, BBC 2 1971Once Upon a Time Narrator1 episode1972The Black Arrow Mistress Hatch13 episodesThe Gravediggers 1 episodeJason King Mrs Edwards1 episode: It's Too Bad About Auntie 1975The Little Match Girl First spinster1 episode 1976Thriller 1 episode: The Next Victim 1977Hogg's Back Mrs Biggle1 episode 1978Grange Hill Mrs Monroe Series 1 1980The Further Adventures of Oliver Twist Mrs Bedwin 1983Agatha Christie's Partners in Crime ABC Waitress1 episode: The Sunningdale Mystery Jane Eyre Lady Lynn 1984It's Max Boyce Gran4 episodes1986All at No 20 Miss Godfrey1 episodesIf Tomorrow Comes Brunhilda3 parts Agatha Christie 1 episode: Dead Man's Folly 1987The New Statesman Mrs Mumford1 episode 1988Shadow on the Sun Nurse 1989Agatha Christie's Poirot Nelly Morgan Problem at sea 1990She-Wolf of London Aunt Elsa 20 episodes1991The House of Eliott Lady Cravenhurst 1 episodeLove and Curses Aunt Elsa1 episode: Curiosity Killed the Cravitz 1996Screen Two 1 episode Century 1999Home Farm Twins
Also Dixon of Dock Green, No Hiding Place and Danger Man.
Soho, London In the 1960s, because of her legal qualification, Phillips held the licence to various bars in London's Soho, including the Irving, the Iron Lung, the Buckstone and the Kismet, where patrons included Terence Stamp, Albert Finney, David Hockney and Francis Bacon. In 2019 and 2021 Phillips was interviewed about her time spent in Soho.
References
External links https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0680367/