Susan Skipper

{{Short description|British actress}} {{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}} {{Infobox person | name = | image = | alt = | caption = | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1951|1|27|df=yes}} | birth_name = Susan Cook | birth_place = London, England | death_date = | death_place = | death_cause = | other_names = | known_for = | occupation = Actress | alma_mater = Royal Central School of Speech and Drama | years_active = | spouse = {{plainlist| * {{marriage|Anthony Valentine|1982|2015}} * {{marriage|John Skipper|1973||end=divorced}} }} }}

'''Susan Valentine''' (born 27 January 1951 in London), known until 2015 as '''Susan Skipper''', is a British television, film and stage actress. She is best known for playing the parts of Victoria Bourne in ''The Cedar Tree'', Tina in ''West End Tales'' and Madeleine in ''Don't Wait Up'', all on British television. She is the widow of Anthony Valentine, to whom she was married for 33 years.

After attending the Central School of Speech and Drama in London she made her television debut in a 1974 two-part episode of the Thames TV drama anthology Rooms entitled "Jo and Anne" before appearing in the Carry On Laughing sitcom series in 1975.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.aveleyman.com/ActorCredit.aspx?ActorID=22673|title=Susan Skipper|website=www.aveleyman.com}}</ref> She went on to appear in series like ''The Cedar Tree'', ''West End Tales'', ''Don't Wait Up'' (beside Nigel Havers), ''The Sweeney'' and ''Doctor Who''.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0804365/|title=Susan Valentine|website=IMDb}}</ref> In 1982 she was seen as Elizabeth Sarah Lavinia Spencer, Lady Diana's oldest sister, in the television drama ''Charles & Diana: A Royal Love Story'' by James Goldstone.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bfi.org.uk/films-tv-people/4ce2b6fedf70c|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190324132938/https://www.bfi.org.uk/films-tv-people/4ce2b6fedf70c|url-status=dead|archive-date=24 March 2019|title=Charles & Diana A Royal Love Story (1982)|website=BFI}}</ref> In 1983, she played a nurse in an episode of the acclaimed Reilly, Ace of Spies.<ref>{{Citation |title=Reilly: Ace of Spies (TV Mini Series 1983) - IMDb |url=http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0085077/fullcredits |access-date=2024-02-25}}</ref> In 1987 she had a short appearance in a flashback sequence as Emily Lloyd's mother in David Leland's film ''Wish You Were Here'' (1987).<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bfi.org.uk/films-tv-people/4ce2ba0853368|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190324132938/https://www.bfi.org.uk/films-tv-people/4ce2ba0853368|url-status=dead|archive-date=24 March 2019|title=Susan Skipper|website=BFI}}</ref> She had also an engagement as a stage actress at the Mill Theatre Sonning where she played e.g. the role of Pat Cooper in the Terence Rattigan play ''Separate Tables''.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.thestage.co.uk/reviews/2005/separate-tables-review-at-the-mill-at-sonning/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190324132938/https://www.thestage.co.uk/reviews/2005/separate-tables-review-at-the-mill-at-sonning/|url-status=dead|archive-date=24 March 2019|title=Separate Tables review at The Mill at Sonning - Review - Theatre|first=Sheila|last=Tracy|publisher=}}</ref>

She was the first female voice of Sat-nav.<ref>{{cite web|date=7 July 2009|publisher=BBC|url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/magazine/8133890.stm|title=Paradise lost}}</ref>

In 1982, Skipper married the British actor Anthony Valentine, with whom she appeared in the first episode of Raffles (TV series) in 1977; Valentine starred as Raffles. He died on 2 December 2015.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Hayward |first1=Anthony |title=Anthony Valentine: Actor who made his name playing a hitman in Callan and a Luftwaffe officer in Colditz |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/obituaries/anthony-valentine-actor-who-made-his-name-playing-a-hitman-in-callan-and-a-luftwaffe-officer-in-a6759706.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220525/https://www.independent.co.uk/news/obituaries/anthony-valentine-actor-who-made-his-name-playing-a-hitman-in-callan-and-a-luftwaffe-officer-in-a6759706.html |archive-date=25 May 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live |accessdate=13 December 2015 |work=The Independent |date=3 December 2015}}</ref>

==References== {{reflist}}

==External links== * [https://archive.today/20070929124244/http://aimagents.com/actresses/susk.htm Short biography and filmography at Associated International Management] * {{IMDb name|id=0804365|name=Susan Skipper}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Skipper, Susan}} Category:1951 births Category:Alumni of the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama Category:English television actresses Category:Living people Category:English stage actresses Category:English film actresses Category:English voice actresses Category:Actresses from London