Pat Ashton


Pat Ashton was an English actress. Her engaging cockney, blonde persona is best remembered for appearances in English TV-sitcom film spin-offs On the Buses and Mutiny on the Buses.
She was married to Geoff Godwin 1953-1985, separated with 1 child.

Early life

Ashton was born and raised in Wood Green, North London. Trained from childhood as a singer and tap-dancer, she performed in the 1950s at seaside resorts around England in summer season shows. In the early 1960s, she toured Europe with Joan Littlewood's Theatre Workshop in Oh, What a Lovely War!. Early West End appearances included Half a Sixpence and The Matchgirls.

Career

Ashton's first television break was taking the role of Fanny Cornforth opposite Oliver Reed in Ken Russell's Danté's Inferno , a film in the Omnibus series on the life of Dante Gabriel Rossetti. The part later led to a small role in Russell's 1971 film The Devils.
In 1970, Ashton's chirpy, blonde persona found her understudying Barbara Windsor in the Ned Sherrin-produced musical Sing a Rude Song, based on the life of music hall singer Marie Lloyd; she successfully took the lead role when Windsor was struck down with laryngitis.
Ashton played numerous TV roles; credits include: On the Buses - subsequently making memorable appearances in two spin-off films; The Benny Hill Show ; Both Ends Meet ; Don't Drink the Water ; Yus, My Dear, Rooms ; Only When I Laugh ; The Gaffer, Tripper's Day and The Beer Hunter Minder Episode 1980.
A notable television role was that of Annie, wife of a burglar who comes out of prison to find that his old friend has moved in, in Thick As Thieves .
On stage, she later appeared in Stepping Out'', and was a regular performer at the Players' Theatre in London.

Partial filmography