Yvonne Gilan
| Yvonne Gilan | |
|---|---|
| Born |
Yvonne Janette Gilan 12 October 1931 London, England |
| Nationality | British |
| Occupation | Actress, writer, vocal coach |
| Years active | 1961-1994 |
| Spouse(s) | Michael Gill (m. 1951–1978) |
| Website | http://www.yvonnegilan.co.uk/ |
Yvonne Gilan (born 12 October 1931) is an English actress who is best remembered for her portrayal of Mme. Peignoir in Fawlty Towers. She was married to the television director Michael Gill and is the mother of the late journalist, Adrian, known as A. A. Gill.
In 1964 she wrote a short fantasy film, The Peaches, starring Juliet Harmer, with a small cameo role for Adrian as a bespectacled chess player. The film became the British choice for the Cannes Film Festival, and won several international awards.
Her comic skills were displayed earlier in Alan Bennett's comedy series On the Margin (1966). Gilan's acting career has also included roles in Z-Cars (1967) as Vera Cowley, Dixon of Dock Green (1969), Crossroads (1976) as Eileen Blythe, a few episodes of Dr. Finlay's Casebook (1963–69) in several roles and The House of Elliot as Ruth Bannister. Her film credits include Agatha (1979) as Mrs. Braithwaite, Chariots of Fire (1981) as Mrs. Liddell, and Empire of the Sun (1987) as Mrs. Lockwood.
Gilan's Fawlty Towers appearance in "The Wedding Party", first transmitted on BBC television on 3 October 1975, was as a French antiques dealer who seemed to have a soft spot for hotel owner Basil Fawlty. He, in turn, indulged her a little, while fending off her hints at a nocturnal encounter while she was under the influence of alcohol ("a little tipsy", as she put it). Her character had an unusual take on his character: "Are you a romantic, Mr. Fawlty..? Well, I think you are. I think beneath that English exterior throbs a passion that would make Lord Byron look like a tobacconist." After announcing that, due to the summer heat, she would sleep "au naturel tonight", subsequently she teased Fawlty that he had left his cassette player in her room as an excuse to gain entry during the night.
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