---
name: "Anna Karen"
canonical: "https://film.one/person/anna-karen"
roles: ["Actor"]
born: "19 September 1936"
died: "22 February 2022"
reviewed_on_fi1m: 1
updated: "2026-09-16T21:16:56.324085+00:00"
licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL."
---

# Anna Karen

Actor. Born 19 September 1936 in South Africa. Died 22 February 2022.

## Details

- **Work:** Actor
- **Born:** 19 September 1936, South Africa
- **Died:** 22 February 2022

## Biography

Anna Karen (born Ann Harrison McCall) was a British actress. She was born on 19 September 1936 in Durban, South Africa, and died on 22 February 2022 in Ilford, London.

She was best known for playing Olive Rudge in the ITV sitcom *On the Buses* (1969–1973) and its film spin-offs, a role she reprised in *The Rag Trade* (1977–1978). Other credits include appearances in *Carry On Camping* (1969) and *Carry On Loving* (1970), as well as the recurring role of Aunt Sal in the BBC soap *EastEnders* (1996–2017). In 1996 she played Marlene in the film *Beautiful Thing*.

*Sources: en.wikipedia.org, imdb.com, bbc.co.uk.*

## On Fi1m (1)

- *Beautiful Thing* (1996), Fi1m 80, as Marlene — [page](https://film.one/film/beautiful-thing.md)

## Also known for

- *EastEnders* (1985), Sal Martin, Aunt Sal
- *Carry On Camping* (1969), Hefty Girl
- *Holiday on the Buses* (1973), Olive Rudge
- *Mutiny on the Buses* (1972), Olive Rudge
- *Poor Cow* (1967), Neighbour
- *Goodnight Sweetheart* (1993), Mrs Hardcore
- *Carry On Loving* (1970), Wife
- *The Bill* (1984)

---
© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/person/anna-karen