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'''Alexandra Ratcliff''' (2 October 1948 – 7 April 2019) was an English actress, model and counsellor. She made an impression as a model and film actress in the 1970s, but she became known for being one of the original cast members of the [[BBC One|BBC]] soap opera ''[[EastEnders]]'' in the 1980s. She portrayed the role of [[Sue Osman]]<ref name="EEHandbook">{{cite book |last= Kingsley|first= Hilary|title= The EastEnders Handbook |year=1990|publisher=BBC books|isbn=978-0-685-52957-7 |title-link= EastEnders spin-offs#Non-fiction books}}</ref> but left the role in 1989. In 2010, she revealed that she had retired from acting to train as a counsellor.
'''Alexandra Ratcliff''' (2 October 1948 – 7 April 2019) was an English actress, model and counsellor. She made an impression as a model and film actress in the 1970s, but she became known for being one of the original cast members of the [[BBC One|BBC]] soap opera ''[[EastEnders]]'' in the 1980s. She portrayed the role of [[Sue Osman]]<ref name="EEHandbook">{{cite book |last= Kingsley|first= Hilary|title= The EastEnders Handbook |year=1990|publisher=BBC books|isbn=978-0-685-52957-7 |title-link= EastEnders spin-offs#Non-fiction books}}</ref> but left the role in 1989. In 2010, she revealed that she had retired from acting to train as a counsellor.

==Early life==
Ratcliff, the daughter of an insurance salesman, had a turbulent youth. When aged 12, she was expelled from her grammar school.{{citation needed|date=May 2018}} Within two years she was heavily smoking [[cannabis (drug)|cannabis]], and she later went on to serve time in [[prison]] for selling it.<ref name=mirror>{{cite web | url = https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/topstories/tm_objectid=15199115&method=full&siteid=94762-name_page.html| title= The Fall and Fall of an Eastenders Star | publisher = [[Daily Mirror]] | author = Tony Bonnici | date = 2005-02-17 }}</ref>{{Failed verification|date=May 2018}}<ref name="soap-stars">{{cite web | url=https://www.mirror.co.uk/3am/celebrity-news/eastenders-track-down-soap-stars-200056 | title=EastEnders: We track down the soap stars who left Walford | work=mirror.co.uk | date=8 Feb 2010 | accessdate=13 May 2018 | author=Myall, Steve | quote=Actress Sandy Ratcliff's life after leaving her role as Sue in 1989 reads like an Albert Square plotline. After struggling with heroin addiction, she played a starring role at the 1991 Old Bailey trial of her ex Michael Shorey, claiming they were making love at the time he was accused of killing two young women. He was jailed for life for murder. She now ekes out a living doing part time jobs and lives in a run-down ground floor flat on a busy road in North London with her partner.}}</ref> She had numerous jobs before she took up acting, including waitressing, disc-jockeying and performing as a guitarist in the rock groups Tropical Appetite and Escalator.


==Career==
==Career==
Ratcliff's professional career began at 23, when she made an impression as a model and was cast as "The face of the '70s" by photographer [[Lord Snowdon]]. Her first acting role was in the [[Ken Loach]] [[British Academy of Film and Television Arts|BAFTA]]-nominated film ''[[Family Life (1971 British film)|Family Life]]'' (1971), in which she played a [[schizophrenia|schizophrenic]] teenage girl. This was followed by roles in films including ''[[The Final Programme (film)|The Final Programme]]'' (1973), ''[[Yesterday's Hero]]'' (1979) and ''[[Hussy]]'' (1980). She also appeared in [[Chris Petit]]'s British [[road movie]] ''[[Radio On]]'' (1979). Ratcliff subsequently acted in several television productions including ''[[Minder (TV series)|Minder]]'', ''Couples'', ''[[Play for Today]]'', ''[[Target (UK TV series)|Target]]'', ''[[The Sweeney]]'', ''[[Shoestring]]'' and ''[[Shelley (TV series)|Shelley]]'', and on stage in 1981 in the [[Ray Davies]]/[[Kinks]] musical, ''[[Chorus Girls (musical)|Chorus Girls]]''.
Ratcliff's career changed direction at 23, when she made a big impression as a [[Model (person)|model]] and was cast as "The face of the '70s" by royal photographer [[Lord Snowdon]]. This later facilitated a move into film. Her first major role was in the [[Ken Loach]] [[British Academy of Film and Television Arts|BAFTA]]-nominated film ''[[Family Life (1971 British film)|Family Life]]'' (1971), in which she played a [[schizophrenia|schizophrenic]] teenage girl. This was followed by roles in slightly less well-received films including ''[[The Final Programme (film)|The Final Programme]]'' (1973), ''[[Yesterday's Hero]]'' (1979) and ''[[Hussy]]'' (1980) with [[Helen Mirren]]. She also appeared in [[Chris Petit]]'s British [[road movie]] ''[[Radio On]]'' (1979). Ratcliff subsequently acted in several television productions including ''[[Minder (TV series)|Minder]]'', ''Couples'', ''[[Play for Today]]'', ''[[Target (UK TV series)|Target]]'', ''[[The Sweeney]]'', ''[[Shoestring]]'' and ''[[Shelley (TV series)|Shelley]]'', and on stage in 1981 in the [[Ray Davies]]/[[Kinks]] musical, ''[[Chorus Girls (musical)|Chorus Girls]]''.


In 1985, Ratcliff began portraying the role of [[Sue Osman]] in the [[BBC One|BBC]] soap opera ''[[EastEnders]]''. She played the wife of [[Ali Osman]] ([[Nejdet Salih]]), and during her four years in the series, her character contended with [[cot death]], infidelity and [[insanity]]. Due to off-screen drug misuse, she was written out of the series in 1989.<ref name="mirror">{{cite web|url=https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/topstories/tm_objectid=15199115&method=full&siteid=94762-name_page.html|title=The Fall and Fall of an Eastenders Star|author=Tony Bonnici|date=2005-02-17|publisher=[[Daily Mirror]]}}</ref> Her television appearances after ''EastEnders'' were in 1992's ''[[Maigret]]'' opposite [[Michael Gambon]], and in the [[BBC Two|BBC2]] productions ''A Box Of Swan'' (1990) and ''Men Of The Month'' (1994).
She became a household name in 1985, as [[Sue Osman]] in the BBC serial ''[[EastEnders]]''. She played the long-suffering wife of highly-strung cafe owner and mini-cab boss [[Ali Osman]] ([[Nejdet Salih]]). During her four years in the series, her character contended with [[cot death]], infidelity and finally [[insanity]]. Off-screen Ratcliff was struggling with a publicised [[heroin]] addiction, and she was written out of the show in 1989.<ref name=mirror/>


Her television appearances after ''EastEnders'' were in 1992's ''[[Maigret]]'' opposite [[Michael Gambon]], and in the [[BBC Two|BBC2]] productions ''A Box Of Swan'' (1990) and ''Men Of The Month'' (1994).
In 2010, Ratcliff revealed in an interview with ''[[The Sun (United Kingdom)|The Sun]]'' that she had trained as a [[Mental health counselor|counsellor]], before retiring. She added that "if you had asked me last year if I wanted to go back to acting, I would have said no. I was working too hard then and I felt tired. Now, I would say yes. If anyone needs someone to play a bag lady, I could do that."<ref name="counselor">{{cite web | url = http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/showbiz/tv/soaps/2845150/Square-are-they-now-EastEnders-celebrates-25-years.html#ixzz0iCLBNwG0| title= Square are they | work = [[The Sun (United Kingdom)|The Sun]] | author = Emma Cox | date = 2010-02-09 }}</ref>

In 2010, Ratcliff revealed in an interview with ''[[The Sun (United Kingdom)|The Sun]]'' that she retrained as a [[Mental health counselor|counsellor]], before retiring. She added that "If you had asked me last year if I wanted to go back to acting I would have said no. I was working too hard then and I felt tired. Now, I would say yes. If anyone needs someone to play a bag lady, I could do that."<ref name=counselor>{{cite web | url = http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/showbiz/tv/soaps/2845150/Square-are-they-now-EastEnders-celebrates-25-years.html#ixzz0iCLBNwG0| title= Square are they | work = [[The Sun (United Kingdom)|The Sun]] | author = Emma Cox | date = 2010-02-09 }}</ref>


==Personal life==
==Personal life==
Ratcliff married photographer Peter Wright in [[Kensington]], [[London]] in 1968. They broke up and by 1973 she had her only son, William, by theatre director Terence Palmer.
In 1991, her then boyfriend Michael Shorey stood trial at the [[Old Bailey]] after he was accused of killing two women. Despite Ratcliff giving him an alibi, she claimed in the witness box that they were making love at the time, he was found guilty and is now serving two life sentences for murder.<ref name="evening">{{cite web | url = http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4153/is_20060227/ai_n16196530/pg_2 | title= How did they all eastend up? | publisher = [[The Evening Standard]] | author = Alistair Foster | date = 2006-02-27 }}</ref>

In 1991, her then boyfriend Michael Shorey stood trial at the [[Old Bailey]] after he was accused of killing two women. Despite Ratcliff giving him an alibi, she claimed in the witness box that they were making love at the time, he was found guilty and is now serving two life sentences for murder.<ref name=evening>{{cite web | url = http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4153/is_20060227/ai_n16196530/pg_2 | title= How did they all eastend up? | publisher = [[The Evening Standard]] | author = Alistair Foster | date = 2006-02-27 }}</ref> His court case was to be her last public appearance.<ref name=mirror2>{{cite web | url = https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/topstories/tm_objectid=15199115&method=full&siteid=94762-name_page.html | title= Square Are They Now? | publisher = [[Daily Mirror]] | author = Tony Bonnici | date = 2005-02-12 }}</ref>


In 2005, it was reported that Ratcliff no longer used heroin and lived on a £70 a week disability allowance.<ref name=mirror/> In a 2010 interview, she commented on the press intrusion following her departure from ''EastEnders'', saying: "I had a hard time when I left the show. There were stories about my drug addiction, and I was quite an innocent, even in my thirties. Some of the things written about me hurt me and made me quite ill. But I recovered and moved on to other things."<ref name=counselor/>
In 2005, it was reported that Ratcliff no longer used heroin and lived on a £70 a week disability allowance.<ref name=mirror/> In a 2010 interview, she commented on the press intrusion following her departure from ''EastEnders'', saying: "I had a hard time when I left the show. There were stories about my drug addiction, and I was quite an innocent, even in my thirties. Some of the things written about me hurt me and made me quite ill. But I recovered and moved on to other things."<ref name=counselor/>
Line 39: Line 46:
! Year !! Title !! Role !! Notes
! Year !! Title !! Role !! Notes
|-
|-
| 1971 || ''[[Family Life (1971 British film)|Family Life]]'' || Janice Baildon ||Film
| 1971 || ''[[Family Life (1971 British film)|Family Life]]'' || Janice Baildon ||
|-
|-
| 1973 || ''[[The Final Programme (film)|The Final Programme]]'' || Jenny || Film
| 1973 || ''[[The Final Programme (film)|The Final Programme]]'' || Jenny || as Sandy Ratcliffe
|-
|-
| 1979 || ''[[Yesterday's Hero]]'' || Rita || as Sandy Ratcliffe
|1973
|''Centre Play''
|Girl
|1 episode
|-
|-
| 1979 || ''[[Radio On]]'' || Kathy ||
|1974
|''[[Crossroads (UK TV series)|Crossroads]]''
|Barbara Wells
|7 episodes
|-
|-
| 1980 || ''[[Hussy]]'' || Olympia ||
|1974
|''[[Marked Personal]]''
|Paula Barry
|2 episodes
|-
|-
| 1982 || ''Doll's Eye'' || Maggie ||
|1975
|''Whodunnit?''
|Rikki Howard
|1 episode
|-
|-
| 1983 || ''The Balance of Nature'' || Julie || TV film
|1975
|''[[The Sweeney]]''
|Liz Jenner
|1 episode
|-
|1976
|''Couples''
|Sally Knott
|9 episodes
|-
|1976
|''[[BBC2 Playhouse]]''
|Mimi
|1 episode
|-
|1977
|''[[ITV Playhouse]]''
|Lana Cork
|1 episode
|-
|1977
|''Target''
|Angie Dawson
|1 episode
|-
|1978
|''[[Hazell (TV series)|Hazell]]''
|Mrs O'Rourke
|1 episode
|-
|1978
|''[[Play for Today]]''
|Mum
|1 episode
|-
|1978
|''Touch and Go''
|Charmaine
|Main role
|-
|1979
|''[[Radio On]]''
|Kathy
|Film
|-
|1979
|''[[Danger UXB]]''
|Rosalyn
|1 episode
|-
|1979
|''Kids''
|Carmen Fox
|1 episode
|-
|1979
|''[[Shoestring (TV series)|Shoestring]]''
|Mel Shepherd
|1 episode
|-
| 1979 ||''[[Yesterday's Hero]]''|| Rita || Film
|-
|1979
|''[[Premiere (TV program)|Premiere]]''
|Muriel
|1 episode
|-
| 1980 ||''[[Hussy]]''|| Olympia ||Film
|-
|1980
|''[[The Gentle Touch]]''
|Ruby
|1 episode
|-
|1982
|''[[Minder (TV series)|Minder]]''
|Barbara
|1 episode
|-
| 1982 ||''Doll's Eye''|| Maggie ||Film
|-
|1982
|[[Shelley (TV series)|Shelley]]
|Sandra
|1 episode
|-
|1982
|''BBC2 Playhouse''
|Alice
|1 episode
|-
| 1983 ||''The Balance of Nature''|| Julie || Television film
|-
|1985–1989
|''[[EastEnders]]''
|[[Sue Osman]]
|Series regular; 271 episodes
|-
|1990
|''Debut on Two''
|Patricia
|1 episode
|-
|1992
|''[[Maigret (1992 TV series)|Maigret]]''
|Ernestine Jussiaume
|1 episode
|-
|1994
|''[[Screen Two]]''
|Meg
|1 episode
|-
|-
|}
|}



== References ==
==References==
<references/>
<references/>


Revision as of 21:53, 9 May 2019

Sandy Ratcliff
Born
Alexandra Ratcliff

(1948-10-02)2 October 1948
Islington, England
Died7 April 2019(2019-04-07) (aged 70)
London, England
Occupations
  • Actress
  • model
  • counsellor
Years active1970–1994

Alexandra Ratcliff (2 October 1948 – 7 April 2019) was an English actress, model and counsellor. She made an impression as a model and film actress in the 1970s, but she became known for being one of the original cast members of the BBC soap opera EastEnders in the 1980s. She portrayed the role of Sue Osman[1] but left the role in 1989. In 2010, she revealed that she had retired from acting to train as a counsellor.

Early life

Ratcliff, the daughter of an insurance salesman, had a turbulent youth. When aged 12, she was expelled from her grammar school.[citation needed] Within two years she was heavily smoking cannabis, and she later went on to serve time in prison for selling it.[2][failed verification][3] She had numerous jobs before she took up acting, including waitressing, disc-jockeying and performing as a guitarist in the rock groups Tropical Appetite and Escalator.

Career

Ratcliff's career changed direction at 23, when she made a big impression as a model and was cast as "The face of the '70s" by royal photographer Lord Snowdon. This later facilitated a move into film. Her first major role was in the Ken Loach BAFTA-nominated film Family Life (1971), in which she played a schizophrenic teenage girl. This was followed by roles in slightly less well-received films including The Final Programme (1973), Yesterday's Hero (1979) and Hussy (1980) with Helen Mirren. She also appeared in Chris Petit's British road movie Radio On (1979). Ratcliff subsequently acted in several television productions including Minder, Couples, Play for Today, Target, The Sweeney, Shoestring and Shelley, and on stage in 1981 in the Ray Davies/Kinks musical, Chorus Girls.

She became a household name in 1985, as Sue Osman in the BBC serial EastEnders. She played the long-suffering wife of highly-strung cafe owner and mini-cab boss Ali Osman (Nejdet Salih). During her four years in the series, her character contended with cot death, infidelity and finally insanity. Off-screen Ratcliff was struggling with a publicised heroin addiction, and she was written out of the show in 1989.[2]

Her television appearances after EastEnders were in 1992's Maigret opposite Michael Gambon, and in the BBC2 productions A Box Of Swan (1990) and Men Of The Month (1994).

In 2010, Ratcliff revealed in an interview with The Sun that she retrained as a counsellor, before retiring. She added that "If you had asked me last year if I wanted to go back to acting I would have said no. I was working too hard then and I felt tired. Now, I would say yes. If anyone needs someone to play a bag lady, I could do that."[4]

Personal life

Ratcliff married photographer Peter Wright in Kensington, London in 1968. They broke up and by 1973 she had her only son, William, by theatre director Terence Palmer.

In 1991, her then boyfriend Michael Shorey stood trial at the Old Bailey after he was accused of killing two women. Despite Ratcliff giving him an alibi, she claimed in the witness box that they were making love at the time, he was found guilty and is now serving two life sentences for murder.[5] His court case was to be her last public appearance.[6]

In 2005, it was reported that Ratcliff no longer used heroin and lived on a £70 a week disability allowance.[2] In a 2010 interview, she commented on the press intrusion following her departure from EastEnders, saying: "I had a hard time when I left the show. There were stories about my drug addiction, and I was quite an innocent, even in my thirties. Some of the things written about me hurt me and made me quite ill. But I recovered and moved on to other things."[4]

Death

Ratcliff died in her sleep and her body was found on 7 April 2019. She was 70 years old.[7][8]

Filmography

Year Title Role Notes
1971 Family Life Janice Baildon
1973 The Final Programme Jenny as Sandy Ratcliffe
1979 Yesterday's Hero Rita as Sandy Ratcliffe
1979 Radio On Kathy
1980 Hussy Olympia
1982 Doll's Eye Maggie
1983 The Balance of Nature Julie TV film


References

  1. ^ Kingsley, Hilary (1990). The EastEnders Handbook. BBC books. ISBN 978-0-685-52957-7.
  2. ^ a b c Tony Bonnici (17 February 2005). "The Fall and Fall of an Eastenders Star". Daily Mirror.
  3. ^ Myall, Steve (8 February 2010). "EastEnders: We track down the soap stars who left Walford". mirror.co.uk. Retrieved 13 May 2018. Actress Sandy Ratcliff's life after leaving her role as Sue in 1989 reads like an Albert Square plotline. After struggling with heroin addiction, she played a starring role at the 1991 Old Bailey trial of her ex Michael Shorey, claiming they were making love at the time he was accused of killing two young women. He was jailed for life for murder. She now ekes out a living doing part time jobs and lives in a run-down ground floor flat on a busy road in North London with her partner.
  4. ^ a b Emma Cox (9 February 2010). "Square are they". The Sun.
  5. ^ Alistair Foster (27 February 2006). "How did they all eastend up?". The Evening Standard.
  6. ^ Tony Bonnici (12 February 2005). "Square Are They Now?". Daily Mirror.
  7. ^ Harp, Justin (8 April 2019). "EastEnders original cast member Sandy Ratcliff – who played Sue Osman – dies at age 70". Digital Spy.
  8. ^ "EastEnders actress Sandy Ratcliff dies aged 70". 9 April 2019 – via www.bbc.co.uk.
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