Gretchen Franklin, English actress and dancer (born 1911)

Gretchen Franklin was an English actress and dancer with a career in show business spanning over 70 years. She played Ethel Skinner in the long-running BBC 1 soap opera EastEnders on a regular basis from 1985 until 1988. Following this, she made intermittent returns to the show, with her appearances becoming increasingly infrequent and brief. Her final appearance was in 2000, marking the demise of her character.