Anna Karen, Olive In On the Buses, Has Died

[Angela Channing]

The former On the Buses and EastEnders actor Anna Karen has died in a fire at her east London home. Karen, 85, was best known for playing Olive in the 1970s sitcom On the Buses, as well as her role as Aunt Sal, the sister of Peggy Mitchell, played by Barbara Windsor, in EastEnders.

Anna Karen: On the Buses and EastEnders actress dies in fire at 85

She was best known as Olive in On the Buses and Peggy Mitchell's sister Aunt Sal in EastEnders.

www.bbc.co.uk

 

[Ome]

Oh, that’s so sad. I’ve been enjoying ON THE BUSES, this past few months. I missed her in EASTENDERS.

 

[Angela Channing]

Oh, that’s so sad. I’ve been enjoying ON THE BUSES, this past few months. I missed her in EASTENDERS.

I think she was the last member of the main cast of On The Buses to die.

 

[Barbara Fan]

Sad to hear that she died in ahouse fire, a very sad ending
RIP Anna Karen

I dont think I have ever seen On the buses

 

[Pamela_E]

Such sad news.

I googled her and saw the character of Olive was in a show called The Rag Trade. Was that a spin off?

 

[Mel O'Drama]

as well as her role as Aunt Sal, the sister of Peggy Mitchell, played by Barbara Windsor, in EastEnders.

They were apparently really good friends and had worked together in Carry On Camping as well. If I remember correctly it was Anna that Babs was scrapping with in her first scene.

I’ve been enjoying ON THE BUSES, this past few months.

It's on my viewing bucket list. I think I'd love it but have never got round to watching.

I googled her and saw the character of Olive was in a show called The Rag Trade. Was that a spin off?

It had the same creators.

Not having seen either I'm not sure if it's explicitly a spin-off, but if it is it's a bit of a weird one because the original version of The Rag Trade was on BBC some years before On The Buses began. But Olive only appeared when it was revived many years later and moved to LWT (the same network that did On The Buses).

 

[Angela Channing]

Sad to hear that she died in ahouse fire, a very sad ending
RIP Anna Karen

I dont think I have ever seen On the buses

The series was a bit before my time but it is often repeated, including quite recently on ITV2 (or was it ITV3?). There are also 2 films which are also very funny, especially the first one which I think is one of the best sitcom to big screen transfers.

I googled her and saw the character of Olive was in a show called The Rag Trade. Was that a spin off?

I didn't know this until I read your comment. I have a vague memory of watching the revival series of The Rag Trade but I don't remember the character Olive being in it but I was very young at the time. I don't know if it was the same character in both shows or they just used the same name for both of them. Interestingly, Reg Varney who starred in On The Buses was also in the original series of The Rag Trade.

It's on my viewing bucket list. I think I'd love it but have never got round to watching.

Having read quite a lot of your Great British Sitcom thread, I think you would enjoy On The Buses.

 

[Mel O'Drama]

Having read quite a lot of your Great British Sitcom thread, I think you would enjoy On The Buses.

Oh great. I was thinking the same thing, but it's good to have it confirmed by someone who's watched the series. I've only seen bits and bobs when it used to be repeated on Saturday lunchtimes in the Eighties.

There are also 2 films which are also very funny, especially the first one which I think is one of the best sitcom to big screen transfers.

I've read good things about them. Again, there are flashes of these that have somehow got into my consciousness despite never watching them. I vividly remember watching a bit from one of them where a big cat (a lion, probably) wandered onto the bus during a safari park trip. It probably aired late at night during the Christmas holidays.

 

[Angela Channing]

I've read good things about them. Again, there are flashes of these that have somehow got into my consciousness despite never watching them. I vividly remember watching a bit from one of them where a big cat (a lion, probably) wandered onto the bus during a safari park trip. It probably aired late at night during the Christmas holidays.

The film you're describing is Holiday on the Buses which I forgot about. There are in fact 3 On The Buses films. I think they were all good but as is often the case, they got successively weaker with each sequel.

Olive wasn't a main character but she was so iconic that most people would think of her when they recall the show.

 

[Pamela_E]

The series was a bit before my time but it is often repeated, including quite recently on ITV2 (or was it ITV3?). There are also 2 films which are also very funny, especially the first one which I think is one of the best sitcom to big screen transfers.


I didn't know this until I read your comment. I have a vague memory of watching the revival series of The Rag Trade but I don't remember the character Olive being in it but I was very young at the time. I don't know if it was the same character in both shows or they just used the same name for both of them. Interestingly, Reg Varney who starred in On The Buses was also in the original series of The Rag Trade.


Having read quite a lot of your Great British Sitcom thread, I think you would enjoy On The Buses.

After posting I watched some of the unseen pilot of the Rag Trade on YouTube, no Olive but really interesting to see. Especially as Jamila Massey was part of the small female workers. I guess it was early 70's? But from what I saw it felt quite progressive.

Sorry to spin off on another topic, but Jamila is such a recognisable face from TV who deserves more recognition. I hope there is an interview with her somewhere discussing her career. Off to look.

 

[Pamela_E]

They were apparently really good friends and had worked together in Carry On Camping as well. If I remember correctly it was Anna that Babs was scrapping with in her first scene.





It's on my viewing bucket list. I think I'd love it but have never got round to watching.





It had the same creators.

Not having seen either I'm not sure if it's explicitly a spin-off, but if it is it's a bit of a weird one because the original version of The Rag Trade was on BBC some years before On The Buses began. But Olive only appeared when it was revived many years later and moved to LWT (the same network that did On The Buses).

I always though the Rag Trade was a show with Stephanie Beecham. Is that something completely different?

 

[Mel O'Drama]

I always though the Rag Trade was a show with Stephanie Beecham. Is that something completely different?

Are you thinking of Connie? Because it was set in the fashion industry (and perhaps because it was shown on ITV), the phrase "rag trade" was used in promoting it.

 

[Pamela_E]

Are you thinking of Connie? Because it was set in the fashion industry (and perhaps because it was shown on ITV), the phrase "rag trade" was used in promoting it.

now looking at it I don't think Olive would be in that programme.

 

[Mel O'Drama]

now looking at it I don't think Olive would be in that programme.

No, but now I find myself wishing she had been.

 

[Englishboy]

Apparently she nodded off whilst smoking and this is what caused the fire.

I too infinitely preferred the " On the Buses" feature length movies that were released over the tv series and the character of Olive was a big part of what made them popular.

I was only watching "Holiday on the buses" on itv3 a few weeks ago.

RIP