Biography
Elspet Gray was a Scottish actress. She appeared in numerous stage productions, particularly the Whitehall farces managed by her husband, the actor and producer Brian Rix, at the Whitehall Theatre and later the Garrick Theatre. She made her professional stage debut in 1947 and her first film appearance in 1948.
Gray was known for television roles including Lady Collingford in Catweazle (1970), Mrs Abbott in Fawlty Towers (1979), Mrs Palmer in Solo (1981–82), Chancellor Thalia in Doctor Who (1983), and Mrs Bartlett in Inspector Morse (1987). She played The Queen (Gertrude of Flanders) in the first series of Blackadder (1983). Her film credits include Goodbye, Mr. Chips (1969) and Four Weddings and a Funeral (1994).
With Rix, whom she married in 1949, she campaigned for people with learning disabilities. She continued working in television into the 1990s, with a final appearance in dinnerladies (1998).
