Anna was born in Durban, South Africa in 1940. Her first professional acting job was being the voices of various puppets.
Also 3 years training with the South African National Theatre.
Undoubtedly Anna is best known for her creation of the horrendous Olive in On the Buses who became a national figure, the symbol of the suffering wife. Anna played in eight series of On the Buses, Mutiny on the Buses, and Holiday on the Buses. The series also transferred to the stage/ which in 1987 took Anna to Victoria and Vancouver and the next year to Toronto.
In another hit series, The Rag Trade she created yet another splendid character and went on to play the bossy Rosita in two series of Trouble and Strife for Central Television and in BBC's Roland Rat - The Series. Other television appearances are as varied as Celebrity Squares to the BBC's Play for Today. Anna made a cameo appearance in the Pilot for Gayle Tuesday's new show, Gayle's World, with Frank Skinner on Fantasy Football League. Cash in Hand for 6 Foot High Films and was the regular Aunt Sal in Eastenders. Other work has been on Birds of a Feather for Alomo and Boyz Unlimited for Hatrick & Revolver for BBC Scotland.
Other films include two in the Carry On series, Poor Cow, Lock Up Your Daughter, Stainless Steel, Star Spies and Jonathan Harvey's Beautiful Thing playing Marlene the nosey neighbour.
She has appeared in countless pantomimes in such roles as Empress of China in Aladdin, Nurse Glucose in Robin Hood, Alice in Dick Whittington, Fairy Godmother in Cinderella and Fairy Bowbells in Dick Whittington. Anna starred in the national tours of Steaming. Not Now Darling and Noises Off, in which she played Dottie Otley, and at Theatre Clwyd appeared in The Brother of Merlin - her first Jacobean text. This was followed by a revival of The Late Edwina Black and Sue Townsends's Bazarr and Rummage with Jill Gasgoine and she was invited back to Theatr Clywd to play Emma Hornett in Watch it Sailor.
She starred in Sailor Beware on the Isle of Man and a very successful No.l tour of When did you last see your trousers for the Live Theatre Company/ Straight and Narrow for Multistar Productions. The Farndale Avenue Housing Estate Townswomens Dramatic Society Murder Mystery at Hornchurch and on tour, Noises Off for Birmingham Old Stage and No. 1 Tour of The Unexpected Guest playing Mrs Warwick and lately playing Joan Maple in Murdered to Death on tour.
Theatre-in-Education - Ark Theatre Company, Class Actors/ Role Play. Anna has acted and directed for these companies. Who Goes Bare Tour. Starring Trevor Bannister, Linda Lusardi, Melvyn Hayes, Brian Cant and Anna Karen
Information courtesy of UK Productions
