Vera Frances
British actress (1930–2026)
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Vera Frances Ward (née Still, 29 September 1930 – 7 January 2026) was a British actress who worked with Arthur Askey, Tommy Handley, George Formby, Dinah Sheridan, John Mills and Alastair Sim, amongst others.
29 September 1930
Vera Frances | |
|---|---|
| |
| Born | Vera Frances Still 29 September 1930 Dagenham, Essex, England |
| Died | 7 January 2026 (aged 95) |
| Occupation | Actress |
| Years active | 1942–1948 (In acting) |
| Spouse |
Dennis William Ward
(m. 1953; died 2000) |
Life and career
Frances was born in Dagenham, Essex, England on 29 September 1930. Her father was a props and special effects man for Gainsborough Pictures at Lime Grove Studios in Shepherd's Bush. She made her first film appearance in Back-Room Boy as the Cockney girl Jane. She then went on to make another six films.
In her late teens, Frances left film to follow her ambition to be a dance teacher. This proved to be very successful and resulted in a dance school. After marrying Dennis William Ward in 1953, Frances moved the school to March, Cambridgeshire. Dennis died in Cambridge in 2000, at the age of 73.[citation needed] In a February 2008 interview, Frances stated that she stopped making films because there were limited opportunities available for her when transitioning from a child actress.[1]
Frances died on 7 January 2026, at the age of 95.[2]
Filmography
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1942 | Back-Room Boy | Jane | First role |
| 1942 | Partners in Crime | Girl | Uncredited |
| 1942 | King Arthur Was a Gentleman | Vera | |
| 1943 | It's That Man Again | Daisy | |
| 1943 | Get Cracking | Irene | Uncredited |
| 1945 | Waterloo Road | Vera Colter | |
| 1948 | Good-Time Girl | Edie | Final role |