Mum as a Model

Modelling or working as a model, sounds synonymous with glitz and glamour. My mother doesn't care if this is not, exactly, the case.

It has ever been thus. No one can constrain her. She flew to the Netherlands to appear in this advertisement:

Mum loves being in front of the camera and loves being paid for it.Here she is appearing as a cross person in the magazine Take a Break:

This was a commercial for Estrella Crisps. She looks dangerous.

At one time she kept popping up as a psalmist on a TV advert. Did you ever see it?

I do like this photo taken on a shoot advertising a new kind of Mars Bar. It's the one that rings true as honest and natural.

Mum on German television

Daphne Neville (left) appearing as Emma in 'Die Rose von Kerrymore'

Angela Howard-Bent, CEO of Dashwood Film Productions, became well known for her enthusiasm to adapt Rosamunde Pilcher's bestselling romantic novels. In the year 2000 she co-produced The Rose of Kerrymore as a dual language production with German television. To the delight of the cast and crew this was shot on location in Dorset, featuring some of the most beautiful scenery in England .

My mother played Emma the housekeeper, enjoying the opportunity to see around the historic churches and interesting country estate where the story was set. She was the only member of the cast who was not German.

Matthias Zahlbaum, (above) known for Drunter und Druber, Das Schlob meins Vaters and Zwei Manner am Herd played Dr Tom Winter. Jenny Jurgens played Sally, the girl who fell in love with him, while Dietmar Schonherr had the role of grumpy old Lord Kerrymore. Mum was thrilled to be acting as his housekeeper.

When the series was broadcast in 2001, Matthias Zahlbaum wrote enthusiastically from Hamburg, saying that 6 million people had watched the ninety minute drama. He was very pleased with the viewing figures. We rang to congratulate Angela Howard-Bent, who had worked so hard on the project.

While Die Rose von Kerrymore was directed by Axel de Roche, who only had time to direct one further episode, the screenplay was written by Marlies Ewald, who went on to adapt many more well-loved Rosamunde Pilcher novels for the screen. It proved a hugely successful series, running for years. ZDF produced more than 100 of her stories for German television viewers.

Distributed by ZDF Enterprises, Die Rose von Kerrymore was a co-production with Steamship Films, FFP Media Entertainment, Zweiters Deutsches Fernsehen, Osterreichischer Rundfunk, MediaTrade, Videx International and Mainostelvisio (MTV3)

Daphne Neville is a leading character in Funnily Enough, the true story, recently serialised in eleven issues of iBelieve magazine.

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'Funnily Enough' in the December issue of IBelieve, the Christian Lifestyle Magazine

The last extract in a series that has spanned eleven months,

when I have often been given a line on the front cover:

Author Sophie Neville in Richard Kay's column in the Daily Mail

Sophie's magical Swallows tales

Forty years after she enchanted film-goers as Titty in Swallows And Amazons, Sophie Neville has found a new audience with an ebook telling the behind-the-scenes secrets of the film of Arthur Ransome classic children’s novel.

‘After all these years, I’ve gently lifted the lid on the antics of the adult cast and crew,’ she tells me. 

‘And I’m thrilled because it has outsold Julian Clary and Stephen Fry in Amazon’s bestsellers list!’ 

The Secrets Of Filming Swallows And Amazons is based on diaries, letters and old photographs which Sophie has turned into a heart-warming account of making the movie

The Secrets Of Filming Swallows & Amazons is based on diaries, letters and old photographs which Sophie has turned into a heart-warming account of making the movie, which starred Virginia McKenna and Ronald Fraser and was set in the Lake District.

‘Looking back, it was an interesting experience promoting a major film as a child star, adds Sophie, now 53.

‘There were also some funny experiences, too, such as being with Ronald Fraser, who played the pirate and was a truly  drunken sailor!’

To read more please click here: 

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2511596/RICHARD-KAY-Widow-whos-haunted-losing-Britains-celebrity-chef-Langan.html#ixzz2lN6fkTeX
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Mum's More Medical Moments in Movies

For someone who is never ever ill, and hates even the idea of hospital, it is rather surprising to digest the fact that Mum loves playing a patient.

Daphne Neville with Roy Dotrice

She doesn't seem to mind what she looks like on the screen. Here she is playing Louise, an A&E patient in 'Casualty', the long-running hospital drama made by BBC TV.

Playing a patient called Louise in 'Casualty'

The call now is for old ladies in need of comfort. This was a short WWII mystery movie called Lost Hearts shot on location near Malvern in Worcestershire in 2011.

Katrina Norbury and Daphne Neville in 'Lost Hearts'

She absolutely adored being in 'Doctors' for BBC TV - you can tell from this photo.

Daphne Neville and Tony Adams in 'Doctors'

Things were once different. She always enjoyed being a medic, although appearing as Nurse Fisher in the film 'Diagnosis Murder'  with Christopher Lee did not do much for her career in that area.

Daphne Neville as Nurse Fisher in 'Diagnois Murder'

I am sure she did something terrible to the poor man in the wheel chair. He didn't look very well at all.

Playing a mid-wife for BBC TV back in 1994

There even was a time when she played a doctor. That was alarming.She played Dr Machin in the ATV soap opera Crossroads. So many people though she was a real doctor she could hardly go to the supermarket.

Playing Dr Hilary Machin in 'Crossroads'

For a more comprehensive credit list please click here

Mum on Television

It can be rather a shock. There we are, innocently watching television and Mum appears - with George Cole. 

In 'Minder' with George Cole 

Then my friends ring to ask if it was true. 

'Is she working as a receptionist now?'

'Not, exactly. She was just playing the part of a receptionist on 'London's Burning'.'

or 

'We saw your mother in tears, terribly upset!'

'Oh, dear, have they been repeating 'Prime Suspect'?'

'Yes! That's what is was. Helen Mirren was the detective.'

It was a bit confusing when Mum appeared as a Magistrate when she was one in real life. 

Chariman of the bench in 'Close Relations' for BBC TV

She was rather shocked to see herself with a Mrs Thatcher hair-do but I told her that it would probably lead to another part. Instead she ended up wearing this curly wig. Theatrical wigs tend to be terribly itchy.

Playing the Headmistress in 'House of Elliott' for BBC
with Louise Lombard and Stella Gonet

She loves climbing into a costume but would rather wear a hat.

On location with Gregor Fisher filming 'Rab C.Nesbitt'

With Roderick Smith in 'Dangerfield'

Filming 'To The Manor Born' one chilly day

And to give her her due, she gets to meet interesting people in interesting places. She readily admits that appearing on television is her hobby as well being her job. She loves it. We just have to be stoic viewers.

Playing Laura's Mum in 'Secret Smile' for Granada
with David Tennant

To see more about Daphne Neville's work in film and television please click here.

My Mother's Maddest Moments in Movies

It all started when Mum played Mad Mary in the She-Wolf of London. My sisters were mortified. 

She then appeared as 'a lovely Babooska' in The Saint with Val Kilmer for Paramount Pictures. He was dressed up as a babushka too, trying to escape from some baddie, you'll have to tell me who.

Things got worse. Here she is in The Ghost of Greville Lodge, but what shocked her friends recently was seeing her looking hideous as the Dowager Duchess in a TV movie Maggie Smith starred in called Capturing Mary. It was directed by Stephen Poliakoff. At least she was drenched in jewels.

Seeing Mum on Casualty was somehow more appalling. She played a pathetic character called Doreen Oaken in one episode but said it was quite restful as she spent most to the time being pushed around on a gurney. 

Her best part was playing Miriam in The Chase directed by Sue Tully, who I worked with years ago when she was in Eastenders. The Chase is a BBC drama series about a veterinary practice in Yorkshire. Mum adopted the accent, and was given a terrible haircut, to play a resentful woman on community service who found fulfillment when she came across a baby otter trapped in rubbish and managed to rescue it. Needless to say it was her own tame otter. She must have spent days in a costume comprised of fisherman's waders over a red zoot suit but has never been happier.

Mum's lastest role was playing a nun for the BBC. I just hope my sisters do not see the result.

Click here for more photos of this mad life or read the true story - snatches of which are in Funnily Enough.