CIARAN MEETS THE STARS
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Anna Karen was born in Durban, South Africa, in 1940 and trained with the South African National Theatre.
Anna Karen is, however, best known for her frumpy character, Olive Rudge, in On the Buses, the TV comedy series which ran for 74 episodes from 1969 to 1973. The series, which starred Reg Varney, Bob Grant and Stephen Lewis, made Olive a national figure, the symbol of the downtrodden, dowdy wife. She also appeared in the three spin-off films - On the Buses (1971), Mutiny On the Buses (1972) and Holiday On the Buses (1973).
Anna Karen is married to comedian, Terry Duggan.
In 1997, she was in Eastenders briefly as Aunt Sal (Peggy Mitchell's sister) and the character has made occasional appearances in 2001, 2002 and, more recently, in 2007.
During the 1980s and 90s, Anna Karen's work was mostly on stage, appearing in countless pantomimes, and touring theatre productions.
Anna Karen created another notable TV character, also called Olive, a skiving machinist in The Rag Trade (1977-1978). She also appeared as the bossy Rosita Pearman in Troubles and Strife (1985-1986).
Anna Karen
Anna Karen had a small part in Carry On Camping (1969) in which she plays one of the 'schoolgirls' (although she was 28 at the time!) unflatteringly credited as 'Hefty Girl'! In the film she has a fight with Barbara Windsor, and she can also be seen in the background, wearing a blue costume, in the famous scene where Barbara Windsor loses her bra!
Links
Barbara Windsor loses her bra in Carry On
Camping, as Anna Karen looks on
The physical education scene from Carry On Camping
Anna Karen as Olive Rudge in On The Buses
Anna signed this On The Buses DVD cover for me
Anna Karen when young
Anna Karen featured on the video
sleeve of On The Buses Series 6
I met Anna Karen at the Birmingham NEC in July 2006. She was very friendly and I told her that I was collecting the complete series of On The Buses, which I find very funny. We had quite a long chat about the comedy, and she signed my DVD sleeve of the fifth series where she is pictured with the late Michael Robbins who played her husband Arthur.