170:. She made her first public appearance at the East Ham Palace and shortly afterwards, sang "Dear Little Jammy Face" at a restaurant in London. After this event, her mother and her aunt were keen for her to begin a stage career. Gordon was credited as the first woman to be seen on colour television sets, as she took part, as a teenager, in
370:
and Head of Drama
Margaret Matheson wanted to end the soap opera in favour of more expensive and lavish drama productions. The decision to dismiss Gordon—the show's most popular cast member—was taken in the hope that viewers would desert the show, giving Central a valid excuse to axe it. The British
475:
in 1981, Gordon announced that she might, once her stage work had come to an end, take up the offer of returning to presenting. In the same interview, she commented that a future role as a breakfast television presenter was being negotiated. She would, however, not return to television full-time
400:. The programme's new look was designed to bring back Gordon on an "as and when" basis, starting with a three-month stint from April 1985. Gordon's return as Meg was devised by the new producer, Phillip Bowman, who himself ended the involvement with the series of regulars
290:
was in office. Initially commissioned as an emergency schedule filler, the show became so successful that Gordon gave up her executive position to concentrate on presenting. She then moved on to present a daily live entertainment show,
33:
124:(25 December 1919 – 14 April 1985) was an English actress and television presenter, of Scottish descent. She played the role of Meg Mortimer (originally Richardson, later Ryder) in the long-running British soap opera
375:, was responsible for Gordon's sacking. Margaret Matheson had stated that it was not Denton or herself who sacked Gordon. According to Denton, "I simply carried out the request of the
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press had stated that Denton was the one responsible for the sacking of Gordon, though it was later revealed that Jack Barton, producer and head writer of
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It became known in 1982 that Gordon was suffering from cancer, for which she underwent two major operations. She retired to her home in
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producer (Barton) to dismiss her. I took the flak as that was part of my job to protect my staff." Gordon returned to
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when she was born. She was given the middle name of Noele because she was born on
Christmas Day. After attending
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Gordon never married. For many years, in the 1960s and early 1970s, she stayed in a large white-washed
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408:. Gordon, who had already appeared in 3,521 episodes, was too ill to make the planned return.
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1004:"ITV commissions Nolly starring academy award-nominated Helena Bonham Carter as Noele Gordon"
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1023:"What happened to Noele Gordon? ITV drama remembers soap legend and Crossroads sacking"
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came to an end after more than 2,000 episodes. It made way for a new daily soap opera,
209:. In April 1949, she took the role of Meg Brockie in the original London production of
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503:; her mother Joan (1893–1979) lived in the house and Gordon joined her at weekends.
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712:"Welcome to Nollywood: The staggering true story of Crossroads queen Noele Gordon"
629:"Welcome to Nollywood: The staggering true story of Crossroads queen Noele Gordon"
914:"Crossroads star Noele Gordon faced brutal hurdles no Rolls-Royce could overcome"
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263:. She worked behind the scenes as Head of Lifestyle programmes. Gordon helped
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As detailed by ITV in their on-air obituary broadcast prior to an episode of
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to be revamped; one element in the updating of the show was its renaming as
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cast who had a permanent contract; all other cast members were booked on an
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741:"The real story behind Noele Gordon and why she was sacked from Crossroads"
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award for portraying the "most compulsive character" on eight occasions.
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278:-based service. Her first television appearance for ATV in the Midlands,
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Gordon stayed with the programme until she was sacked in 1981, when
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As well as being a producer, Gordon became a presenter for the new
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after Billie Adams had played the role in the London season at the
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and her sacking from the show. It first aired in
February 2023.
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stage. From June 1943 to July 1944, she appeared in the musical
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was in the process of being re-constituted into a new company,
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As noted by Jane
Rossington and Paul Henry on the documentary
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in London, where she presented their first-ever programme,
255:. Her stage career came to a halt in 1955, when she joined
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Gordon was born on 25 December 1919, at 139 Clements Road,
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First in 1969, and over the following decade, she won the
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362:. Central was obliged to continue ATV's commitment to
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English stage, film, television actress (1919–1985)
647:"Biography – Noele Gordon Archive – Nolly Online"
130:from 1964 to 1981, with a brief return in 1983.
969:, the 21st Anniversary documentary for the soap.
902:interview with Noele Gordon in November 1981.
837:(Unforgettables! ed.). 1988. p. 22.
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444:, touring the Midlands. It then moved to the
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687:"It all began with green stripes on my face"
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1117:Alumni of the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art
675:As noted in BBC One's TV Heros series, 1991
251:learning American television production at
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1107:Actors from the London Borough of Newham
420:contract, Gordon starred in the musical
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862:Crossroads – The Drama of a Soap Opera
174:'s colour transmission tests in 1938.
1102:Deaths from stomach cancer in England
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476:because of her theatre commitments.
605:Osborn, Michael (17 January 2008).
232:She appeared in two British films,
1092:English people of Scottish descent
1002:Troup, Janice (23 November 2021).
607:"The great British soap matriarch"
343:Gordon was the only member of the
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942:"Ross-on-Wye : Noele Gordon"
912:Young, Graham (4 February 2023).
876:"Crossroads Appreciation Society"
739:Young, Graham (3 February 2023).
383:in August 1983 for two episodes.
336:also turned Noele Gordon into a
480:Personal life, illness and death
247:In 1954, Gordon spent a year in
1021:Duke, Simon (2 February 2023).
771:Detailed in her autobiography,
1112:20th-century English actresses
979:Lewis, Tim (29 January 2023).
386:In 1985, Matheson's successor
366:; however, Head of Programmes
360:Central Independent Television
295:, an early daytime programme.
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416:After the termination of her
271:launch ATV Midlands in 1956.
1097:English soap opera actresses
1087:English television actresses
791:. 18 April 1985. p. 15.
518:, who played Adam Chance in
510:, where she died in 1985 of
469:In an interview she gave to
150:). Her father, who was from
785:"Noele Gordon (obituary)".
550:playing Gordon, written by
434:, followed by a revival of
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1122:New York University alumni
809:. London. 25 November 2015
666:broadcast on 14 April 1985
562:. It depicts her time in
154:, was an engineer in the
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880:Crossroads Fan Club 2021
584:"ATV Icon: Noele Gordon"
215:for 685 performances at
148:London Borough of Newham
1082:English stage actresses
820:(subscription required)
685:Gordon, AUTHOR: Noele.
446:Victoria Palace Theatre
305:In the summer of 1964,
244:(1946) in minor parts.
965:As spoken by Adams on
89:St Mary's Churchyard,
773:My Life at Crossroads
528:, although Nolly was
280:Tea With Noele Gordon
257:Associated Television
217:Her Majesty's Theatre
1132:People from East Ham
1127:Actresses from Essex
1057:Noele Gordon webpage
967:Crossroads Revisited
849:Crossroads Revisited
548:Helena Bonham Carter
540:A televised drama,
253:New York University
635:. 2 February 2023.
491:at Weir End, near
193:repertory theatres
720:. 2 February 2023
432:Haymarket Theatre
207:London Hippodrome
122:Joan Noele Gordon
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112:Years active
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202:The Lisbon Story
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1048:Noele Gordon
1027:. Retrieved
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68:(1985-04-14)
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1077:1985 deaths
1072:1919 births
951:29 December
813:28 November
696:10 December
586:. ATV Today
560:ITV Studios
493:Ross-on-Wye
489:manor house
438:'s musical
269:Ned Sherrin
238:(1945) and
91:Ross-on-Wye
1066:Categories
1029:4 February
987:31 January
885:3 February
752:4 February
724:4 February
664:Crossroads
613:30 January
609:. BBC News
570:References
564:Crossroads
556:Peter Hoar
530:Crossroads
526:Crossroads
521:Crossroads
516:Tony Adams
508:Birmingham
418:Crossroads
392:Crossroads
388:Ted Childs
381:Crossroads
377:Crossroads
373:Crossroads
364:Crossroads
345:Crossroads
334:Crossroads
312:Crossroads
300:Crossroads
276:Birmingham
265:Reg Watson
134:Early life
127:Crossroads
102:Occupation
74:Birmingham
807:The Times
788:The Stage
428:Leicester
406:Sue Lloyd
317:Lew Grade
212:Brigadoon
115:1945–1984
97:, England
80:, England
57:, England
900:TV Times
834:TV Times
501:Monmouth
497:A40 road
486:Georgian
472:TV Times
460:Plymouth
450:West End
390:ordered
338:gay icon
329:TV Times
307:Lunchbox
293:Lunchbox
227:Coliseum
197:West End
195:and the
152:Scotland
140:East Ham
51:East Ham
864:. 1982.
851:in 1985
546:, with
448:in the
351:basis.
286:, when
205:at the
106:Actress
775:, 1974
590:28 May
536:Legacy
349:ad hoc
178:Career
164:Ilford
543:Nolly
423:Gypsy
144:Essex
55:Essex
1052:IMDb
1031:2023
989:2023
953:2023
925:2023
887:2023
815:2015
754:2023
726:2023
698:2023
615:2024
592:2012
404:and
267:and
189:RADA
63:Died
40:Born
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532:."
499:to
462:'s
458:at
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321:ATV
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