Fanny Cradock
UK TV cooks #1: 1950′s thru 1970s
Fanny wore ball-gowns in the kitchen, she barked orders at her meek husband Jonny and sheepish assistant Sarah. In the same breath she would turn to the camera and smile as if butter wouldn’t melt in her mouth. Fanny’s fake eyelashes looked like they would support the nest of a small bird. Her lipstick and eye shadow were applied with the same firm dramatic hand. One website suggests that she looked, sounded and behaved more like a man in drag than a man in drag. Her comments often offended people.
As a child I remember that people either really appreciated Fanny or they couldn’t stand her. I was not interested in the art of cooking. I thought that she looked like a pantomime dame. Her offensive comments made me giggle. That made her programs worth watching. Several plays have been written about her. I’ve not been lucky enough to see any of them. If you know, or find, some interesting stories about Fanny let me know!
Meanwhile Wikipedia publishes Fanny’s story.
Wendy
