---
name: "Thelma Ruby"
canonical: "https://film.one/person/thelma-ruby"
fi1m_id: "thelma-ruby"
imdb_id: "nm0748456"
tmdb_id: 1177736
wikidata_id: "Q114418729"
roles: ["Actor"]
born: "23 March 1925"
reviewed_on_fi1m: 2
average_fi1m_score: 65
average_as: "actor"
average_over: 2
updated: "2026-09-20T03:32:59.200246+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."
---

# Thelma Ruby

## Identity

Thelma Ruby

- **Canonical:** https://film.one/person/thelma-ruby
- **Type:** Person
- **Fi1m ID:** thelma-ruby
- **IMDb ID:** nm0748456
- **TMDB ID:** 1177736
- **Wikidata ID:** Q114418729
- **Same entity:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thelma_Ruby, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q114418729, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0748456/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/1177736

Actor. Born 23 March 1925 in Leeds.

## Details

- **Work:** Actor
- **Born:** 23 March 1925, Leeds
- **Active:** 1958–present
- **Average Fi1m score:** 65, as actor, over 2 titles
- **Fi1m score by decade:** 1950s 82 (1), 2020s 48 (1)
- **Elsewhere:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thelma_Ruby, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q114418729, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0748456/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/1177736

## Biography

Thelma Ruby is a British actress. Born Thelma Wigoder on 23 March 1925 in Chapel Allerton, Leeds, she grew up in an Orthodox Jewish family. Her mother, Paula Ruby, was a singer and actress; her father, Louis Wigoder, was a dentist originally from Lithuania. Evacuated with her mother to the United States during the Second World War, she trained at Finch College in New York and later worked with ENSA entertaining servicemen.

Ruby has had a long career in theatre, radio, television and film. She is known for stage roles including Shakespearean parts, Golde in *Fiddler on the Roof* and appearances alongside Judi Dench in *Cabaret*, as well as co-adapting and performing the one-woman show *Momma Golda* about Golda Meir. Her screen credits include Miss Breith in *Room at the Top* (1958), roles in series such as *Coronation Street*, *EastEnders*, *Dad's Army* and *Bad Move*, and Great Auntie Renee in the 2024 film *Back to Black*.

She was married to actor and director Peter Frye from 1971 until his death in 1991.

*Sources: en.wikipedia.org, imdb.com, thelmaruby.com.*

## On Fi1m (2)

- *Back to Black* (2024), Fi1m 48, as Great Auntie Renee — [page](https://film.one/film/back-to-black.md)
- *Room at the Top* (1958), Fi1m 82, as Miss Breith — [page](https://film.one/film/room-at-the-top.md)

## Complete filmography (13)

Every credit, newest first. Titles without a page can be requested for review on the HTML page.

- *Back to Black* (2024), as Great Auntie Renee — Fi1m 48, [page](https://film.one/film/back-to-black.md)
- *Documentary Now!* (2015), series, Actor
- *Way to Go* (2013), series, as Phyllis
- *The Last of the Blonde Bombshells* (2000), as Vera
- *Wall of Silence* (1993), as Mrs. Danziger
- *Dempsey and Makepeace* (1985), series, as Mrs. Lupin — Fi1m 76, [page](https://film.one/tv/dempsey-and-makepeace.md)
- *Minder* (1979), series, as Dave's Neighbour — Fi1m 78, [page](https://film.one/tv/minder.md)
- *Nicholas Nickleby* (1968), series, as Madame Mantalini
- *A Home of Your Own* (1964), as Mayor's wife
- *Theatre 625* (1964), series, as Ivette
- *Room at the Top* (1958), as Miss Breith — Fi1m 82, [page](https://film.one/film/room-at-the-top.md)
- *Johnny, You're Wanted* (1956), as PCW / Smuggler
- *Where There's a Will* (1955), as Amy Slater

---
© 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/thelma-ruby