- Born
- Died
- Birth nameElizabeth Joan Winch
- Height5′ 5½″ (1.66 m)
- Best known for playing the perpetually-ditzy blonde bimbo in several installments of the "Carry On" franchise, buxom Liz Fraser (born Elizabeth Joan Winch above a corner shop in south London) studied at RADA on a scholarship and first acted in repertory theatre and television before breaking into films. Her first role of note was Cynthia, the daughter of radical left-wing shop steward Fred Kite in The Boulting Brothers comedy I'm All Right Jack (1959) (the film which made Peter Sellers a star). In a second outing with Sellers, (Two Way Stretch (1960), she played his girlfriend Ethel; up next were eight guest appearances on Hancock's Half Hour (1956). By that time, her screen personae were firmly established as scatterbrained blondes or feisty gum-chewing working-class Cockneys. Though she often managed to rise above her material, the typecasting sadly continued through a series of dreadful low-brow '70s sex comedies in the 'Adventures' and 'Confessions' series, which represented a significant step-down from the "Carry Ons" and did nothing for her reputation.
Liz attempted to change her image by playing straight dramatic roles in The Family Way (1966) and Up the Junction (1968) (as the mother) and her later career prospered as a fine character actress with guest spots on The Professionals (1977), Minder (1979), Foyle's War (2002), and Midsomer Murders (1997), along with a string of successes on the West End stage. In her private life, she was known to be fond of animals, and she loved to play bridge and ladies' bowls at the exclusive Hurlingham club in Fulham. Her financial astuteness brought substantial gains at the stock market, which she in turn developed into a healthy property portfolio. She always spoke fondly of her co-stars, many of whom she regarded as her close 'mates' during the sixties, in particular Sidney James, Joan Sims, Tony Hancock and Tommy Cooper.- IMDb Mini Biography By: I.S.Mowis
- SpousesBill Hitchcock(January 7, 1965 - February 27, 1974) (his death)Peter Yonwin(1958 - ?) (divorced)
- Apart from acting, she made a living out of being a professional landlord.
- At an auction she bought a watch that had previously belonged to Princess Margaret.
- Favourite "Carry On" film was Carry on Regardless (1961).
- She was successfully treated for cancer three times.
- She died only five days before her Doctor in Love (1960) and Carry on Regardless (1961) co-star Fenella Fielding.
- [on the Carry-On films] "You could insinuate a sexual scene but there was nothing ever in it ... There was never anything crude or horrible."
- Talking of British film director John Boulting:... I thought John was wonderful. He was a great director. He was a perfectionist. The sock darning scene in I'm All Right Jack (1959) with Terry-Thomas and Peter Sellers took 72 takes.
- Talking about fellow 'Carry On...' actor Sidney James: He would always call me Lizzle - that was his nickname for me - we'd always have a cuddle. He never once tried anything obscene or nasty or intrusive. There was a play that was at the National several years ago where they made him out to be an absolute horrible lech. And I was very upset and so was his wife.
- When asked whether acting had taught her anything: "I've been robbed and attacked, I've been in accidents. My first husband was a thief, my second husband died young. Life teaches you about life, acting doesn't."
- Carry on Behind (1976) - £750
- Carry on Cabby (1967) - £1,800
- Carry on Cruising (1962) - £1,650
- Carry on Regardless (1963) - £1,100
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