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Vale: Frances Hargreaves

Former soapie actress, best known for Number 96 has died aged 62.

Former soapie actress Frances Hargreaves, best known for Number 96 has died aged 62.

Hargreaves was just 19 when she joined the iconic 0-TEN series playing Marilyn McDonald, the daughter of Edie and Reg, who was still calling the characters “mummy and daddy.”

“They were nuts, so the daughter had to be nuts as well,” she once said.

“I was absolutely green, but I learned so much from these people. It was just brilliant.”

South-African born Hargreaves scored the role at the last-minute when the original actor, Judy McBurney, had to withdraw. She appeared from January 1975 to June 1975 before returning in 1977.

She also appeared on The Young Doctors and Who Killed Baby Azaria?

4 Responses

  1. Its so sad when we hear about stars of yesteryear dying so young. I do remeber her character, she appealed to kids watching, even though No96 wasn’t for kids. Never knew about Judy McBurney though (future Tania Livingstone from The Young Doctors) wonder what happened there? RIP Frances.

    1. Judy had taped 6 episodes as Marilyn at the end of 1973 but just as production was due to resume early in 1974 she suffered an illness for which doctors ordered she take time off to recover. Hargreaves was brought in at a moment’s notice and had to re-record all the scenes that McBurney had already done.

  2. I remember her kooky character well. Too young to leave us though. I wish there were more quirky characters in our dramas and comedies. Originals.

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