Avril Elgar Williams (1 April 1932 – 17 September 2021) was an English stage, radio and television actress.^[1]

Early life and career

Avril Elgar Williams was born on 1 April 1932 at barracks in Halifax, West Riding of Yorkshire, England to John and Annie (née Rose) Williams. The family moved to Catterick, North Yorkshire and Royal Arsenal before Elgar's father was posted to India. They returned to Britain in 1945, where they settled in Penzance. She trained at the Old Vic Theatre School in London.^[2]

At the National Theatre, she appeared in productions of Victoria Benedictsson's The Enchantment, Pam Gems' Stanley, and Julian Mitchell's Half Life.^[3] She appeared in drama and comedy roles and in many series on British television including Dixon of Dock Green, Midsomer Murders and Tales of the Unexpected. She played Ethel Pumphrey, the sister of Mildred Roper in George and Mildred.^[4]

Her last stage appearance was as Maria in Andrew Hilton's revival of Uncle Vanya at the Bristol Old Vic in 2009.^[2]

Personal life

She was married to the American actor-director James Maxwell, from 1952 until his death in 1995. Together they had two sons. Maxwell directed her in a production of The Corn is Green at Manchester's Royal Exchange Theatre.^[5] Elgar died in Bristol on 17 September 2021, at the age of 89.^[2]

Filmography

Film

• Room at the Top (1959)
• Ladies Who Do (1963)
• Spring and Port Wine (1970)
• The Medusa Touch (1978)
• Betrayal (1983)
• Thirteen at Dinner (1985)
• Wilde (1997)

Television

Theatre

Her roles in the theatre include :- ^{[6] [7]}

• Young Macduff and second witch, Macbeth at the Royal Court Theatre, London (1958)
• Norah, Epitaph for George Dillon by John Osborne and Anthony Creighton. Directed by William Gaskill at the Royal Court Theatre, London (1958)
• Lucille, Danton's Death by George Buchner Directed by Casper Wrede for the 59 Theatre Company at the Lyric Theatre (Hammersmith) (1959)
• Asta, Little Eyolf by Henrik Ibsen. Directed by Casper Wrede for the 59 Theatre Company at the Lyric Theatre (Hammersmith) (1960)
• The Blood of the Bambergs by John Osborne. Directed by John Dexter at the Royal Court Theatre, London (1962)
• Under Plain Covers by John Osborne. Directed by Jonathan Miller at the Royal Court Theatre, London (1962)
• Alice Maitland, The Voysey Inheritance by Harley Granville-Barker at the Royal Court Theatre, London (1966)
• Olga, The Three Sisters by Anton Chekov at the Royal Court Theatre, London (1967)
• Aase, Peer Gynt by Henrik Ibsen. Directed by Michael Elliott for 69 Theatre at the University Theatre, Manchester (1970)
• Agatha, The Family Reunion by T S Eliot. Directed by Michael Elliott for 69 Theatre at the Royal Exchange (1973)
• Agatha, The Family Reunion by T S Eliot. Directed by Michael Elliott at the Royal Exchange, Manchester (1979)
• Miss Moffatt, The Corn is Green by Emlyn Williams. Directed by James Maxwell at the Royal Exchange, Manchester (1981)
• Hope Against Hope adapted and directed by Casper Wrede at the Royal Exchange, Manchester (1983)
• The Queen, Cymbeline at the Royal Exchange, Manchester (1984)
• Miss Havisham, Great Expectations adapted by James Maxwell at the Royal Exchange, Manchester (1985)
• Mrs Perkins, The Admirable Crichton by J M Barrie at the Royal Exchange, Manchester (1985)
• Linda, Death of a Salesman by Arthur Miller. Directed by Greg Hersov at the Royal Exchange, Manchester (1985)
• Aglae, Court in the Act by Maurice Hennequin. British premiere directed by Braham Murray at the Royal Exchange, Manchester (1986)
• Wendy, Among Barbarians by Michael Wall. World premiere directed by James Maxwell at the Royal Exchange, Manchester (1989)
• Amanda Wingfield, The Glass Menagerie by Tennessee Williams. Directed by Ian Hastings at the Royal Exchange, Manchester (1989)
• Mrs Bennett, Pride and Prejudice. World premiere adapted and directed by James Maxwell at the Royal Exchange, Manchester (1991)
• The Innocents by William Archibald. Directed by Robert Delamere at the Greenwich Theatre, London. (1991)
• Lady Bracknell, The Importance of Being Earnest by Oscar Wilde. Directed by James Maxwell at the Royal Exchange, Manchester (1994)
• Hedda Gabler by Henrik Ibsen. Directed by Braham Murray at the Royal Exchange, Manchester (2001)
• Les Blancs by Lorraine Hansberry. Directed by Greg Hersov and Marianne Elliott at the Royal Exchange, Manchester (2001)
• Richard III. Directed by Michael Grandage at the Crucible Theatre, Sheffield (2002)
• Mrs Wilberforce, The Ladykillers adapted by Giles Croft. Directed by Ben Crocker at the Northcott Theatre, Exeter (2005)
• The Concierge, The Enchantment by Victoria Benedictsson. Directed by Paul Miller at the Royal National Theatre, London (2007)
• Maria, Uncle Vanya by Anton Chekhov. Directed by Andrew Hilton for Shakespeare at the Tobacco Factory, Bristol Old Vic (2009)