Jean Alexander
Biography
Biography
Born Jean Mavis Hodgkinson in Liverpool, actress Jean Alexander was determined to become an actress from childhood. As a teenager, Alexander took elocution lessons and joined amateur theater groups. She graduated from St Edmund's College for Girls, and worked for several years in a library before beginning to act professionally. She began her career on the stage. Her very first role was Flossie in a production of Somerset Maugham's play "Sheppey". Her television debut came in 1961, when she played Mrs Gibson in "Deadline Midnight." She next appeared in the long-running soap opera "Coronation Street" (ITV 1960- ), in 1962. In her first appearance she played a small role as a landlady, but two years later she returned to the series in the role of Hilda Ogden. Alexander's character remained a staple of the show for 23 years. She was a fan favorite, and tremendously popular with viewers. The British League for Hilda Ogden was a fan group established by such illustrious cultural personalities as Laurence Olivier, Sir John Betjeman and and Michael Parkinson. In addition to her work on "Coronation Street," Alexander also appeared in "Last of the Summer Wine" (BBC 1979-2010), beginning her role as a guest appearance and gradually becoming a series regular. Alexander also appeared in a number of movies, including "Scandal" (1989), and "Willie's War" (1994). Alexander never married, and continued acting until her retirement in 2012. In 2016 she died, only three days after her 90th birthday.
Life Events
1961
Cast in first TV role
1964
Joined cast of "Coronation Street"
1992
Joined cast of "Last of the Summer Wine"
