Jill Summers

Infobox actor
name = Jill Summers

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caption = Jill Summers as Phyllis Pearce in "Coronation Street"
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birthdate = December 8, 1910
location = flagicon|ENG Eccles, Lancashire
deathdate = January 12, 1997
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notable role = Phyllis Pearce
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Honour Margaret Rosell Santoi Fuller, better known as Jill Summers (December 8, 1910 - January 12, 1997), was a British music hall performer and comedienne born in Eccles, Lancashire. In later life she achieved stardom as Phyllis Pearce, in Granada Television's long running soap opera, Coronation Street.cite web
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title =Jill Summers
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publisher =Corrie.net
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url =http://www.corrie.net/profiles/actors/summers_jill.html
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accessdate =2007-12-23 ] cite web
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title =Jill Summers
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publisher =Derby Dead Pool
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url =http://www.derbydeadpool.co.uk/deadpool1997/obits/summers.html
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accessdate =2007-12-23 ]

She first appeared in the soap 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. She starred in the series until her death in 1997.

Her career in entertainment lasted eighty years. 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 hairdressers and newsagents with her first husband (who was more than 20 years older than her). He died only a few years into their marriage.

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, who she stayed married too till his death in 1986. She became a comedian when she tripped up on stage and swore, which the audience lapped up.

Other appearances by Summers include "Agatha" (alongside Dustin Hoffman and Vanessa Redgrave), "Play For Today", "Sez Lez" (with "Les Dawson") 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".cite web
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title =Filmography - Summers. Jill
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publisher =BFI
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url =http://ftvdb.bfi.org.uk/sift/individual/284231?view=credit
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accessdate =2007-12-23 ]

References

External links

*imdb|0838728|Jill Summers
* [http://www.corrie.net/profiles/actors/summers_jill.html Jill Summers at corrie.net]
* [http://www.derbydeadpool.co.uk/deadpool1997/obits/summers.html Short biography of Jill Summers]