Avril Elgar, a diminutive and sharp-featured English character actress, was born as Avril Williams at a military barracks in West Yorkshire to an army officer and a subsequent teacher. She was one of two daughters born to this union.
Elgar's passion for acting began as early as 1949, when she started performing in amateur dramatics. She then went on to receive training at the Old Vic school in London, and made her professional debut at the Royal Court Theater eleven years later, playing the role of the second witch in Macbeth. At this point, she had already adopted her middle name 'Elgar' as her surname.
Throughout her lengthy career on the stage, Elgar was praised for her versatility, showcasing a broad gallery of characters ranging from eccentric to waspish, and from arch to timid. Some of her most notable stage portrayals include Miss Havisham in Great Expectations, the Duchess of York in Richard III, and Mrs. Bennet in Pride and Prejudice.
Elgar also had a successful career on television, appearing in a range of roles, from comedy to drama. Some of her most notable recurring roles include the dominating mother in the police sitcom Rosie (1977),and the snobbish sister Ethel in George & Mildred (1976),which is arguably her best-known role.
In addition to her stage and television work, Elgar also appeared in several BBC adaptations, including a production of Jean Anouilh's Joan of Arc (1964),where she played the title role, busybody neighbour Betsy-Jane Duckworth in Spring and Port Wine (1970),and the austere matriarch of the Fenwick mining family in The Stars Look Down (1974).
Avril Elgar retired from acting in 2011 and passed away on September 17, 2021, at the age of 89. She was married to the actor James Maxwell for 43 years, until his passing in 1995.
