- Passing of Acclaimed Actress Anita Carey
- Memorable Roles in Coronation Street and Doctors
- Tributes Pour In for the Talented Performer
Anita Carey, who appeared in Whatever Happened to the Likely Lads? She was termed a “talented actress” after her death for her parts in serial operas, The Spoils of War, and First Among Equals.
Her representative reported that Coronation Street and Doctors star Anita Carey died at 75.
Carey established herself as a comedic actress on television with What Happened to the Likely Lads? before being offered a role on Coronation Street in 1978.
In four episodes, she portrayed Brenda Summers, a victim of domestic violence, before returning 18 years later to the fictional Greater Manchester town of Weatherfield to portray the indebted Joyce Smedley from 1996 to 1997.
Joyce met her untimely demise when she was run over while chasing her dog, Scamper. Brian Park, the show’s new producer, had a series of dramatic goodbyes as part of a “cast cull”.
Doctors X (previously Twitter) called her a “talented actress who brought the beloved character to life.” in their tribute.
Katie Threlfall, Carey’s agent, verified her passing, but no further details were provided. According to reports, the actress had been diagnosed with breast cancer in 2010.
Former Doctors director Steve Hughes, who worked on the series from 2005 to 2010, was among those paying tribute to Carey, tweeting, “Saddened to hear that Anita Carey has passed away. I relished working with her on Doctors many years ago.”
In the meantime, Doctors author Roland Moore tweeted, “Depressed to learn about Anita Carey. Writing for her as Vivien on Doctors was fun, and meeting her at the serial awards was too.”
Carey’s breakthrough role was Susan Chambers in 1973’s Whatever Happened To The Likely Lads?, the same year she met her future husband, actor Mark Wing-Davey while performing in the touring production of Butley as Miss Heasman.
The following year, the couple appeared in The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde at the Crucible Theatre, followed by Carey’s performance in Hobson’s Choice at the West End.
Other programs included the sketch show One-Upmanship, based on Stephen Potter’s parody self-help books. And the comedy-drama Beryl’s Lot, in which she portrayed one of actress Carmel McSharry’s on-screen offspring.
She portrayed Martha Blaze in John Finch’s drama The Spoils Of War before portraying Joyce Gould, the devoted wife of a Labour MP, in the ITV adaptation of Jeffrey Archer’s novel First Among Equals, which aired in 1986.
Carey moved to New York in 2008 after Wing-Davey, whom she married in 2002, became NYU’s graduate acting programme director.
