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Anna Wing, who played Lou Beale on EastEnders, dies aged 98 Anna Wing, who played Lou Beale on EastEnders, dies aged 98
(about 1 hour later)
When Anna Wing took on her most famous role, in EastEnders in 1985, the Sun ran the headline: "Enter the dragon ... Lou Beale!" As hard as nails and as brittle as pressed flowers, Lou was one of a declining breed, a widowed East End mother whose power indoors was absolute, but whose attitude towards the outside world was one of mounting fear and alienation. She played Albert Square's indomitable matriarch for only four years but Wing, who has died aged 98, became synonymous for many with her character. When Anna Wing took on her most famous role, in EastEnders in 1985, the Sun ran the headline: "Enter the dragon ... Lou Beale!" As hard as nails and as brittle as pressed flowers, Lou was one of a declining breed, an East End widow whose power indoors was absolute, but whose attitude towards the outside world was one of mounting fear and alienation. She played Albert Square's indomitable matriarch for only four years but Wing, who has died aged 98, became synonymous for many with her character.
The original character outline by Julia Smith and Tony Holland, creators of EastEnders, described Lou Beale thus: " [T]he changing face of the area (especially the immigrants) is a constant source of fear to her, but then she doesn't go out much. She prefers to be at home, or on a trip down memory lane." The original character outline by Julia Smith and Tony Holland, creators of EastEnders, described Lou Beale thus: "The changing face of the area (especially the immigrants) is a constant source of fear to her, but then she doesn't go out much. She prefers to be at home, or on a trip down memory lane." Wing recognised this stereotypical character as she had grown up among such women. Born in Hackney, east London, she took her birth certificate to the audition to prove she was the daughter of a greengrocer – which was fitting since Lou and her late husband Albert had built up the Beales' business running a fruit and veg stall on Walford market.
Wing recognised this stereotypical character since she had grown up among just such women. Born in Hackney, east London, she took along her birth certificate to the audition to prove she was the daughter of a greengrocer – which was fitting since Lou and her late husband Albert had built up the Beales' business running a fruit and veg stall on Walford Market. At the time of her audition, Wing was 71 and the show's producers worried whether she was up to EastEnders' tough filming schedules. "All my life I've been an actress, now I want to be a household name," she told them.
At the time of her audition, Wing was 71 and the show's producers worried about whether she was up to EastEnders' tough filming schedules. "All my life I've been an actress, now I want to be a household name," she told them. She worked 70 hours a week for four years to achieve that aim, playing Lou largely from an armchair, dispensing reminiscences to the family faithful. "I can recall when there was 25 of us round this table for Sunday winkles, and separate tables out in the yard for the kiddies," she said once. She could even reflect on the menopause with her trademark combination of denial and sentiment: "I never had all that trouble. I just got on with it. In my day, we fetched ourselves by the bootstraps and carried on, no matter what."
She worked 70 hours a week for four years to achieve that aim, playing Lou largely from an armchair, dispensing reminiscences to the family faithful. "I can recall when there was 25 of us round this table for Sunday winkles, and separate tables out in the yard for the kiddies," she said once. She could even reflect on the menopause with her trademark combination of denial and sentiment: "I never had all that trouble. I just got on with it. In my day, we fetched ourselves by the bootstraps and carried on no matter what." By 1988, Wing had had enough. She asked to be written out. "We had 31 million viewers and it was shown all over the world, and I suddenly thought 'Should I be in this?'... I had a crisis of conscience." So the scriptwriters killed Lou off. She returned from an outing to Leigh-on-Sea feeling ill and retreated to bed. After giving putative wisdom to her descendants, her last words were: "That's you lot sorted. I can go now." After her funeral, her son, Pete, proposed a toast to that "bloody old bag".
By 1988, Wing had had enough. She asked to be written out. "We had 31 million viewers and it was shown all over the world, and I suddenly thought 'Should I be in this?'... I had a crisis of conscience." So the scriptwriters obligingly killed Lou off. She returned from an outing to Leigh on Sea feeling ill and retreated to bed. After giving putative wisdom to her descendants, she said her last words: "That's you lot sorted. I can go now." At the Queen Vic after her funeral, her son Pete proposed a toast to that "bloody old bag". Wing deserves disentangling from the legend of Lou Beale. She was several things unimaginable to her soap character, including a Quaker and a CND supporter. She decided, aged 11, that she wanted to be an actor after seeing John Gielgud on stage at the Old Vic (in 1977, she appeared with her idol in Alain Resnais' film Providence).
Wing deserves disentangling from the legend of Lou Beale. She was several things unimaginable to her soap character, including a Quaker and CND supporter. She decided, aged 11, that she wanted to be an actor after seeing John Gielgud on stage at the Old Vic (in 1977, she appeared with her idol in Alan Resnais' film Providence). After attending the Croydon School of Acting in south London, Wing worked extensively in repertory theatre. She was also a teacher – and an artist's model, at tenpence an hour. "I had a very attractive body, a Renoir, and they were mad about it."
After attending the Croydon School of Acting in south London, Wing worked extensively in repertory theatre. She also worked as a teacher – and an artist's model, at tenpence an hour. "I had a very attractive body, a Renoir, and they were mad about it." When war broke out in 1939, Wing, a lifelong pacifist, took a nursing course and volunteered with the Red Cross. After the war, she worked as both a nursery school teacher and a stalwart of rep, where she met her first husband, the merchant navy lieutenant and actor Peter Davey. The pair had a son, Mark, and were divorced in 1947.
A lifelong pacifist, when war broke out in 1939 she took a nursing course and volunteered with the Red Cross. After the war, she worked both as a nursery school teacher and as a stalwart of repertory theatre, where she met her first husband, the merchant navy lieutenant and actor Peter Davey. The pair had a son, Mark, and were divorced in 1947. In 2007, she reckoned to have appeared in at least 50 plays in 68 years, among them Early Morning in 1969 and A Man for All Seasons in 1971. During the 70s, she worked with Mark (the actor and director Mark Wing-Davey) in Sheffield Crucible's production of Free for All. She also had small parts in films including Billy Liar (1963) and an adaptation of Ibsen's A Doll's House (1973).
In 2007, she reckoned to have appeared in at least 50 plays in 68 years, among them Early Morning in 1969 and A Man for All Seasons in 1971. During the 70s, she worked with her eldest son Mark Wing-Davey, the actor and director, in Sheffield Crucible's production of Free for All. She also had small parts in films such as Billy Liar (1963) and an adaptation of Ibsen's A Doll's House (1973). Between 1953 and 1960, she was the partner of the surrealist poet Philip O'Connor, with whom she had a second son, John. She encouraged O'Connor to write his first book, the extraordinary Memoirs of a Public Baby (1958). She once lamented that she had nothing to remember him by but a scribbled farewell note reading: "I love you, the gist of it is, I've been unfaithful. Have packed and gone." She said: "I pined for him for 15 years."
Between 1953 and 1960, she was the partner of the surrealist poet Philip O'Connor, whom she encouraged to write his first book, the extraordinary Memoirs of a Public Baby (1958). She once lamented that she had nothing to remember O'Connor by but a scribbled farewell note reading: "I love you, the gist of it is, I've been unfaithful. Have packed and gone." She said: "I pined for him for 15 years." She had a second son, John, with O'Connor. Wing appeared in the ATV soap Market in Honey Lane between 1967 and 1969. The drama was set in a cockney market and made at Elstree studios where, 20 years later, she would film EastEnders. During this era, she also had roles in Dixon of Dock Green, Z Cars and Play for Today. But EastEnders was to be her big, if belated, break.
Wing appeared in the ATV soap Market in Honey Lane between 1967 and 1969. The drama was set in a Cockney market, and made at Elstree studios where, 20 years later, she would film EastEnders. During this era, she also had roles in Dixon of Dock Green, Z Cars and Play for Today. But EastEnders was to be her big, if belated, break. After EastEnders, she had parts in Casualty, Doctors, French and Saunders, The Bill and Silent Witness. In the cinema, in 2004, she appeared opposite Orlando Bloom in The Calcium Kid and as an ancient fairy in Tooth. That year, she was made an MBE for her services to drama and charity. Perhaps her strangest incarnation was in 2012 as a nonagenarian East End gangster in a music video for the band Quarrel. She played an indomitable woman bent on purging her manor of funk music.
After EastEnders, she had parts in Casualty, Doctors, French and Saunders, The Bill, Silent Witness and Doctor Who. In the cinema, in 2004, she appeared opposite Orlando Bloom in The Calcium Kid and as an ancient fairy in Tooth. That year, she was made an MBE for her services to drama and charity. Perhaps her strangest incarnation was in 2012 as a nonagenerian East End gangster in a music video for the band Quarrel. She played an indomitable woman bent on purging her manor of funk music.
Wing is survived by her two sons and five grandchildren.Wing is survived by her two sons and five grandchildren.
• Anna Eva Lydia Catherine Wing, actor, born 30 October 1914; died 7 July 2013• Anna Eva Lydia Catherine Wing, actor, born 30 October 1914; died 7 July 2013
• This article was amended on 11 July 2013. The original stated that Wing took a role in Doctor Who after she left EastEnders. This has been corrected.