Vivienne Martin (actress)

Vivienne Ann Martin (28 December 1930 – 22 January 2023) was a New Zealand-born character actress. She had a career in British television, radio, stage and film which spanned over 40 years. She was best known for her portrayal of Mrs Lillian Rudd in the radio sitcom King Street Junior, of which she starred for the entire series from 1985 to 1998. She also starred in the radio sitcom It Sticks Out Half a Mile as Miss Perkins, and in eleven episodes of The Dick Emery Show from 1974 to 1980. From 1994 to 1999, she appeared in five episodes of the sitcom As Time Goes By, in which she played secretary Gwen Flack.

Early life and career
Martin was born in Kaitaia, New Zealand on 28 December 1930. In the early 1950s, after receiving a bursary from the New Zealand Government, Martin moved to England in order to take up acting. In 1967, after starring in a number of unsuccessful musical comedy stage productions, Martin decided to focus her acting career on television roles.

Martin's first on-screen appearance was in the 1954 film The Belles of St Trinian's, in which she played Arabella. She landed her first television role in 1957 with The Benny Hill Show, but her first regular role was in the 1958 television adaptation of Pride and Prejudice, in which she played Lydia Bennet.

Martin appeared in many sitcoms throughout her career. Her first regular sitcom role was in the 1961 musical sitcom Moody In..., followed by the 1971 six-episode television series Keep It in the Family. She appeared in the second series of the ITV sitcom Up the Workers in 1976, and had a starring role as Miss Perkins in It Sticks Out Half a Mile, the radio sequel to Dad's Army. She again played the same character, now called Miss Baxter, in the television adaptations of the series: Walking the Planks in 1985 and High & Dry in 1987.

Martin was best known in her role as Mrs Rudd in the radio sitcom King Street Junior. She appeared throughout the sitcom's entire run, from 1985 to 1998.

From 1994 to 1995, Martin appeared in three episodes of the British television sitcom As Time Goes By, in which she played secretary Gwen Flack.

Personal life and death
In June 1976, Martin married British actor John Burgess; she was his third wife. Their marriage lasted just six weeks.

Martin died on 22 January 2023, at the age of 92. Her death was announced by the performing arts trade union Equity in their Spring/Summer 2023 magazine.