Honour Margaret Rosell Santoi Fuller, better known as Jill Summers (8
December 1910 â€" 11 January 1997), was an English music hall
performer and comedian. Her career in entertainment lasted eighty
years and in 1982 she achieved stardom as Phyllis Pearce, in Granada
Television's long-running soap opera Coronation Street. She left the
programme in 1996, and died in January 1997 from kidney
failure.Summers was born in Eccles, Lancashire. She first performed on
stage aged six, in a comedy double act with her brother Tom. When her
mother died when she was only 13, she went to work in a cotton mill.
Later she ran a combined hairdresser's and newsagent's with her first
husband (who was more than 20 years older than she was). He died only
a few years into their marriage. Her Stage Name was derived from the
weather when asked by an agent, her reply was "Jill Summers, the jill
of a Summer's Day."During World War II, she entertained troops as part
of ENSA, and was known as Lancashire Comedienne Jill Summers, the
Pin-Up Girl of British Railways. Most of her variety material was
written by her second husband, Dr Clifford Simpson-Smith, with whom
she stayed married until his death in 1986. She became a comedian when
she tripped up on stage and swore, which the audience lapped
up.Summers first appeared in Coronation Street (very briefly) in 1972,
playing Bessie Proctor, a cleaner with Hilda Ogden. In 1982, she
reappeared as Phyllis Pearce, a blue rinsed pensioner, forever lusting
after pompous ex-serviceman Percy Sugden. She starred in the series
until 1996, shortly before her death in 1997.
December 1910 â€" 11 January 1997), was an English music hall
performer and comedian. Her career in entertainment lasted eighty
years and in 1982 she achieved stardom as Phyllis Pearce, in Granada
Television's long-running soap opera Coronation Street. She left the
programme in 1996, and died in January 1997 from kidney
failure.Summers was born in Eccles, Lancashire. She first performed on
stage aged six, in a comedy double act with her brother Tom. When her
mother died when she was only 13, she went to work in a cotton mill.
Later she ran a combined hairdresser's and newsagent's with her first
husband (who was more than 20 years older than she was). He died only
a few years into their marriage. Her Stage Name was derived from the
weather when asked by an agent, her reply was "Jill Summers, the jill
of a Summer's Day."During World War II, she entertained troops as part
of ENSA, and was known as Lancashire Comedienne Jill Summers, the
Pin-Up Girl of British Railways. Most of her variety material was
written by her second husband, Dr Clifford Simpson-Smith, with whom
she stayed married until his death in 1986. She became a comedian when
she tripped up on stage and swore, which the audience lapped
up.Summers first appeared in Coronation Street (very briefly) in 1972,
playing Bessie Proctor, a cleaner with Hilda Ogden. In 1982, she
reappeared as Phyllis Pearce, a blue rinsed pensioner, forever lusting
after pompous ex-serviceman Percy Sugden. She starred in the series
until 1996, shortly before her death in 1997.
Share this
SUBSCRIBE OUR NEWSLETTER
SUBSCRIBE OUR NEWSLETTER
Join us for free and get valuable content delivered right through your inbox.