Rita Gemma Craven (born Rita Gemma Gabriel; 1 June 1950) is an Irish
actress. She is best known for her role as Joan Parker, the frigid
wife of Arthur (Bob Hoskins), in the BBC TV drama Pennies From Heaven
(1978).Gemma Craven's family moved from Dublin to Britain in 1960, and
she attended the same school as Helen Mirren, St Bernard's Convent
High School for Girls in Westcliff-on-Sea in Essex.She appeared as
Cinderella in the film The Slipper and the Rose (1976) opposite
Richard Chamberlain. She was cast as an unknown, having been spotted
by one of the producers while performing at the Bristol Old Vic in a
production of The Threepenny Opera. The local press touted the event
as her own "Cinderella" story.In London's West End, she starred
opposite Tom Conti in the musical They're Playing Our Song for which
she won a Laurence Olivier Award for her performance, the lead role in
South Pacific, and in Noël Coward's Private Lives opposite Marc
Sinden, Tony Anholt and Anholt's wife Tracey Childs which toured
throughout 1991 and into 1992. She also played Josie in Boy George's
Taboo and features on the OCR singing "Independent Woman".
actress. She is best known for her role as Joan Parker, the frigid
wife of Arthur (Bob Hoskins), in the BBC TV drama Pennies From Heaven
(1978).Gemma Craven's family moved from Dublin to Britain in 1960, and
she attended the same school as Helen Mirren, St Bernard's Convent
High School for Girls in Westcliff-on-Sea in Essex.She appeared as
Cinderella in the film The Slipper and the Rose (1976) opposite
Richard Chamberlain. She was cast as an unknown, having been spotted
by one of the producers while performing at the Bristol Old Vic in a
production of The Threepenny Opera. The local press touted the event
as her own "Cinderella" story.In London's West End, she starred
opposite Tom Conti in the musical They're Playing Our Song for which
she won a Laurence Olivier Award for her performance, the lead role in
South Pacific, and in Noël Coward's Private Lives opposite Marc
Sinden, Tony Anholt and Anholt's wife Tracey Childs which toured
throughout 1991 and into 1992. She also played Josie in Boy George's
Taboo and features on the OCR singing "Independent Woman".
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