Alethea Blow Charlton (9 August 1931 – 6 May 1976) was an English television and radio actress.

Early life and education Alethea was born in Middlesbrough, North Riding of Yorkshire, England. She attended Ripon High School and the Northern Theatre School which was based at the Bradford Playhouse.Kenneth Passingham "How Alethea Sees Herself: I Want the Be Bawdy, Brassy and Beautiful", TV Times, 12–18 July 1975, p.48-49

Career

After working in repertory for a few years in Yorkshire, she moved to London in 1960 before touring American universities as a member of a group. Charlton's first screen role was in a now missing episode of Educated Evans, a BBC comedy series starring Charlie Chester. Her only film appearance was in 1962's Touch of Death, starring William Lucas and David Sumner.

Beginning in 1961, she began to make regular appearances on TV, including multiple appearances on the long-running series Z-Cars between 1962 and 1971. In 1963 Charlton was a cast member in episodes two, three and four of the first ever Doctor Who serial (An Unearthly Child) as a cavewoman called Hur. She returned to the series two years later, playing the character Edith in the serial The Time Meddler in 1965.

Her TV credits include: Follyfoot, The Borderers, Doomwatch, Out of the Unknown, Upstairs, Downstairs. Her best known role was the character of Ethel Barraclough in the Granada Television drama Sam, across the shows three series broadcast from 1973 to 1975.

Between 1968 and 1975 Charlton made several appearances on BBC Radio 4's Afternoon Theatre. She also acted in The Dales, and in radio adaptations of Richard Gordon's Doctor novels.

Charlton died at the Royal Marsden Hospital, Chelsea, from skin cancer in May 1976, aged 44. Her death came less than two months after her Sam co-star, Michael Goodliffe. Her final acting role was in the soap opera The Cedar Tree, which was aired posthumously in October 1976.

Filmography

YearTitleEpisode(s)RoleNetworkArchive status1958Educated EvansSeries 2, Episode 4: Musical TipLucyBBC Television ServiceMissing1961Deadline MidnightSeries 3, Episode 9: StripteaseObjectorITV (ATV)Exists1962Z-CarsSeries 1, Episode 22: Incident ReportedVicky CarronBBC TelevisionExistsSilent EvidenceEpisode 6: Prophet of TruthSister CookBBC TelevisionMissingPlayboxSeries 8, Episode 2Sarah HeppleBBC TelevisionMissingTouch of DeathFeature filmMrs. GreyHelion PicturesExists1963Z-CarsSeries 2, Episode 24: Follow My LeaderMillie LovegroveBBC TelevisionMissingThe Sunday PlaySeries 4, Episode 48: Plain JaneMyrtleBBC TelevisionMissingDoctor WhoSeries 1: An Uneartly Child (3 episodes)HurBBC TelevisionExists1964CompactEpisode 232: A Difficult AssignmentMrs. TimmsBBC TelevisionMissingSergeant CorkSeries 3, Episode 6: The Case of the Medicine ManRoseITV (ATV)ExistsArmchair Mystery TheatreSeries 2, Episode 3: The Lonely CrimeNoraITV (ABC)MissingThe SleeperSeries 1, Episode 3: RendezvousIlinaBBC TwoExistsCluffSeries 1, Episode 5: The Daughter-in-lawMiriam BatesonBBC OneMissingThe VillainsSeries 3, Episode 1: BentMary BatesITV (Granada)ExistsThe Indian Tales of Rudyard KiplingEpisode 23: A Second-rate WomanMrs. BentBBC OneMissingArmchair TheatreEpisode: The Bandstand (unbroadcast due to schedling issues)UnknownITV (ABC)Exists1965Z-CarsSeries 4, Episode 24: The Long SpoonMrs. RosserBBC OneMissingSherlock HolmesEpisode 3: The Copper BeechesMrs. RucastleBBC OneExistsDoctor WhoSeries 2: The Time Meddler (4 episodes)EdithBBC OneExistsArmchair Mystery TheatreSeries 3, Episode 9: The MadamLeonieITV (ABC)MissingCluffSeries 2, Episode 13: The Village ConstableGunhildaBBC OneExistsHereward the WakeSeries 1, Episode 9: The War ArrowGunhildaBBC OneMissingZ-CarsSeries 5, Episode 11: But the Crying...Margaret ThomsonBBC OneExists1966The Wednesday PlaySeries 4, Episode 7: A Game, Like, Only a GameElizabethBBC OneMissingThe Woman in WhiteAll six episodesMarian HalcombeBBC OneMissingThirty-Minute TheatreSeries 2, Episode 6: Play to WinMargot WintersBBC TwoMissing1967Sir Arthur Conan DoyleEpisode 2: The Croxley MasterAnastasiaBBC TwoMissingEmergency Ward 10Series 3, Episode 8: A Cry for HelpReneeITV (ATV)MissingOut of Town TheatreEpisode 5: A Nun's TaleSister UrsulaBBC OneMissingArmchair TheatreSeries 7, Episode 17: The Snares of DeathVera GabbitasITV (ABC)MissingITV PlayhouseSeries 1, Episode 2: They Said 'Let's Live Together'MadgeITV (Rediffusion)MissingThe Revenue MenSeries 2, Episode 12: Fox in the High StreetJanice BrentBBC TwoMissingSoftly, SoftlySeries 3, Episode 9: The HuntMrs. ForbesBBC OneExists1968Public EyeSeries 3, Episode 8: Honesty Is the Best PolicyJudy MarchmontITV (ABC)MissingThe ExpertSeries 1, Episode 7: Nobody's Going to Hurt YouAlice SimpsonBBC TwoMissing1969Z-CarsSeries 6, Episode 197-198: Lost Property, Pts. 1 & 2Mary SmithBBC OneMissingThe BorderersSeries 1, Episode 6: StrangerLandladyBBC TwoExistsHardy Heating Co. Ltd.Six of eleven episodesJean WilkinsBBC OneExistsThe Mind of Mr. J.G. ReederSeries 1, Episode 1: The Treasure HuntMargaret ShackletonITV (Thames)ExistsThe Gold RobbersSeries 1, Episode 2: GroundedFay HartfordITV (LWT)ExistsThe ExpertSeries 2, Episode 12: Do Not Go GentlePat ElliotBBC TwoExistsThe Wednesday PlaySeries 9, Episode 3: The Mark II WifeDolorea SweetingBBC OneExistsDetectiveSeries 3, Episode 7: Elimination RoundHarriet WardBBC OneMissingPaul TempleSeries 1, Episode 5: The Man Who Wasn't ThereEnid BrayBBC OneMissing1970Z-CarsSeries 6, Episodes 317-318: In and Out, Pts. 3 & 4FranBBC OneExistsManhuntSeries 1, Episode 20: MachineHeleneITV (LWT)ExistsChronicleEpisode: Atatürk - Father of the TurksSelf - voiceBBC TwoExistsSpecial BranchSeries 2, Episode 7: Not to Be TrustedBrenda CliffordITV (Thames)ExistsThirty-Minute TheatreSeries 6, Episode 3: Did Your Nanny Come From Bergen?Younger sisterBBC TwoMissingMenaceSeries 1, Episode 6: Man with a MissionAlice CampbellBBC TwoExistsRyan InternationalSeries 1, Episode 9: The Muck RakerMarianneBBC OneExists1971Thirty-Minute TheatreSeries 6, Episode 12: Waugh Plays Cops and RobbersCynthia HolmesBBC TwoExistsITV Sunday Night TheatreSeries 3, Episode 8: Behind the Spearmint SignHelen BurrowayITV (LWT)ExistsITV Sunday Night DramaEpisode: Turn of the Year - The ParcelHerITVMissingShadows of FearSeries 1, Episode 5: Repent at LeisureJennyITV (Thames)ExistsDoomwatchSeries 2, Episode 9: In the DarkFlora SetonBBC OneExistsZ-CarsSeries 6, Episodes 402-403: Influence, Pts. 1–2Rachel EdmundsBBC OneMissingOut of the UnknownSeries 4, Episode 3: This Body Is MineAnn MeredithBBC TwoExistsPublic EyeSeries 5, Episode 5: The Beater and the GameMaureenITV (Thames)ExistsTrialSeries 1, Episode 4: On the Evidence You Will HearJulia SamuelsBBC TwoMissingUpstairs, DownstairsSeries 1, Episode 3: Board WagesEnidITV (LWT)ExistsPlay for TodaySeries 2, Episode 4: O Fat White WomanMiss RoneBBC OneExistsThe Rivals of Sherlock HolmesSeries 1, Episode 11: The Assyrian RejuvenatorDoris PrattITV (Thames)Exists1972Thirty-Minute TheatreSeries 7, Episode 19: The Penthouse ApartmentMrs. RuncaBBC TwoMissingSix Days of JusticeSeries 1, Episode 5: With Intent to DeceiveMolly FosterITV (Thames)ExistsThe Lotus EatersSeries 1, Episode 6: A Tiger in Bristol StreetMonica TurtonBBC TwoExistsPlay for TodaySeries 3, Episode 8: The BankruptAnneBBC OneExists1973ThrillerSeries 1, Episode 3: Someone at the Top of the StairsMrs. OxheyITV (ATV)ExistsAway From it AllSeries 1, Episode 6: The Summer HouseAliceBBC TwoMissingSamSeries 1: All 13 episodesEthel BarracloughITV (Granada)ExistsFollyfootSeries 3, Episode 10: The Helping HandPhyllis WetherbyITV (Yorkshire)Exists1974SamSeries 2: All 13 episodesEthel BarracloughITV (Granada)ExistsCrown CourtSeries 3, Episodes 113-114: Strange Past, Pts. 2–3Betty TringITV (Granada)Exists1975SamSeries 3: All 13 episodesEthel BarracloughITV (Granada)Exists1976Big Boy Now!Series 1, Episode 7: Staff RelationsMarjorie MarchantITV (ATV)MissingThe Cedar TreeSeries 1, Episode 6: A Question of Values - Part 2Mrs. WickhamITV (ATV)Exists

References

External links