Yvonne Gilan

Yvonne Janette Gilan (12 October 1931 – 14 June 2018) was a Scottish actress who is best known for her portrayal of Mme. Peignoir in Fawlty Towers (episode "The Wedding Party") and minor roles in both EastEnders and French Fields. She was married to the television director Michael Gill, and was the mother of the late journalist, Adrian, known as A. A. Gill. Early work In 1964, Gilan wrote a short fantasy film, The Peaches, starring Juliet Harmer, with a small cameo role for her son Adrian as a bespectacled chess player. The film became the British choice for the Cannes Film Festival, and won several international awards. Her comic skills were displayed earlier in Alan Bennett's comedy series On the Margin (1966). Gilan's acting career on television also included roles as Vera Cowley in Z-Cars (1967), Dixon of Dock Green (1969), Crossroads (1976) as Eileen Blythe, several roles in Dr. Finlay's Casebook (1963–69) and as Ruth Bannister The House of Eliott. Her film credits included Mrs Braithwaite Agatha (1979), Mrs Liddell in Chariots of Fire (1981), and Mrs Lockwood in Empire of the Sun (1987). Fawlty Towers (1975) Gilan's appearance in Fawlty Towers episode "The Wedding Party", first transmitted on BBC2 on 3 October 1975, was as a French antiques dealer who seemed to have a soft spot for hotel owner Basil Fawlty. He, in turn, indulged her a little, while fending off her hints at a nocturnal encounter while she was under the influence of alcohol ('a little tipsy', as she put it). Her character had an unusual take on his character: 'Are you a romantic, Mr. Fawlty..? Well, I think you are. I think beneath that English exterior throbs a passion that would make Lord Byron look like a tobacconist.' After announcing that, due to the summer heat, she would sleep "au naturel tonight", subsequently she teased Fawlty that he had left his cassette player in her room as an excuse to gain entry, during the night.