Jill Summers

Honour Margaret Rosell Santoi Fuller, better known as Jill Summers (8 December 1910 – 11 January 1997), was an English music hall performer and comedian. Her career in entertainment lasted eighty years and in 1982 she achieved stardom as Phyllis Pearce, in Granada Television's long-running soap opera Coronation Street. She left the programme in 1996, before sadly passing away in January 1997 from kidney failure.[1][2]

Jill Summers
Jill Summers as Phyllis Pearce in Coronation Street
Born
Honour Margaret Rosell Santoi Fuller

(1910-12-08)8 December 1910
Eccles, Lancashire, England
Died11 January 1997(1997-01-11) (aged 86)
Salford, Greater Manchester, England
Years active1917–1996

Early life and career

Summers was born in Eccles, Lancashire. She first performed on stage aged six, in a comedy double act with her brother Tom. When her mother died when she was only 13, she went to work in a cotton mill. Later she ran a combined hairdresser's and newsagent's with her first husband (who was more than 20 years older than she was). He died only a few years into their marriage.[1] Her Stage Name was derived from the weather when asked by an agent, her reply was "Jill Summers, the jill of a Summer's Day."

During World War II, she entertained troops as part of ENSA, and was known as Lancashire Comedienne Jill Summers, the Pin-Up Girl of British Railways. Most of her variety material was written by her second husband, Dr Clifford Simpson-Smith, with whom she stayed married until his death in 1986.[2] She became a comedian when she tripped up on stage and swore, which the audience lapped up.[1]

Summers first appeared in Coronation Street (very briefly) in 1972, playing Bessie Proctor, a cleaner with Hilda Ogden. In 1982, she reappeared as Phyllis Pearce, a blue rinsed pensioner, forever lusting after pompous ex-serviceman Percy Sugden.[2] She starred in the series until 1996, shortly before her death in 1997.

Other appearances by Summers include Agatha (alongside Dustin Hoffman and Vanessa Redgrave), Play For Today, Sez Lez (with Les Dawson), Ready When You Are, Mr McGill, and performing a Victoria Wood scripted monologue in 1982's Wood and Walters, as well as appearing in her TV play Nearly A Happy Ending.

Death

Summers died of kidney failure in January 1997.[3] In their autobiographies, released in different years, former Coronation Street stars Jean Alexander, Bill Waddington, Lynne Perrie, Julie Goodyear and Amanda Barrie described Jill as a true professional actress who was witty, hilarious and outspokenly funny.[4]

Filmography
Year Title Role Notes
1945What Do We Do Now?Birdie Maudlin
1979AgathaNancy's Aunt

References
  1. "Jill Summers". Corrie.net. Retrieved 2007-12-23.
  2. "Jill Summers". Derby Dead Pool. Archived from the original on 2004-03-01. Retrieved 2007-12-23.
  3. BFI biodata
  4. "Filmography - Summers. Jill". BFI. Retrieved 2007-12-23.


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