{{Short description|English actress (1924–2000)}} {{Infobox person | name = Thelma Rogers | birth_name = Thelma Rogers | birth_date = 24 June 1924 | birth_place = Coventry, England | death_date = {{death date and age|2000|01|13|1924|06|24|df=y}} | death_place = London, England | nationality = | alma_mater = | occupation = Actress | years_active = 1953–1990 | known_for = ''The Archers'' | television = | father = Edwin Moody Rogers }} '''Thelma Rogers''' (24 June 1924 – 13 January 2000) was an English actress. She was best known as the voice of Peggy Archer on the BBC Radio 4 radio soap opera ''The Archers'' between 1953 and 1962.
== Early life == Thelma Rogers was born and raised in Coventry. Her father, Edwin Moody Rogers, was the Lord Mayor of Coventry from 1966 to 1967.<ref name=":1">{{Cite news|last=Painting|first=Norman|date=21 January 2000|title=Thelma Rogers|language=en-GB|work=The Guardian|url=https://www.theguardian.com/news/2000/jan/21/guardianobituaries|access-date=14 October 2023|issn=0261-3077}}</ref>
Rogers studied for two years in Cambridge to become a teacher. She later dropped her teaching studies and joined the Leicester Repertory Company, studying acting, for four years.<ref name=":1" />
== Career == Rogers began her career in April 1953,<ref name=":1" /> when she joined the cast of the BBC Radio 4 radio soap opera ''The Archers'', taking over the role of Margaret "Peggy" Archer from June Spencer.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Singh|first=Anita|date=6 February 2018|title=I've been on The Archers for 60 years – but nobody knows my name|language=en-GB|work=The Telegraph|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2018/02/06/archers-60-years-nobody-knows-name/|access-date=14 October 2023|issn=0307-1235}}</ref> She was spotted in the early 1950s by Tony Shryane, the first producer. She left the serial in 1962 and Spencer returned to her former position as Peggy. Rogers made her debut as the voice of Elsie Catcher, a schoolteacher.<ref name=":1" />
Rogers worked the stage after her departure from ''The Archers''. She later joined the Perth Repertory Company.<ref name=":1" /> She took a prominent role while in Scotland, Lily Taylor in the ITV soap opera ''Take the High Road''. Rogers other television credits include ''Crossroads'' and ''Coronation Street''.<ref name=":1" />
== Personal life == Rogers hated the name Thelma until someone pointed out that it was an anagram of ''Hamlet''.<ref name=":1" />
=== Death === Rogers died in London, England on 13 January 2000. She was 75.<ref name=":1" />
== Filmography ==
=== Radio === {| class="wikitable sortable" !Year !Title !Role !Notes !Ref. |- |1953–1962 |''The Archers'' |Peggy Archer |Series regular; 438+ episodes | rowspan="19" |<ref name=":2">{{Cite web|title=BBC Programme Index|url=https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/search/0/20?order=first&filt=is_radio&q=Thelma+Rogers&after=1950-01-01T00:00:00.000Z#top|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231015000543/https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/search/0/20?order=first&filt=is_radio&q=Thelma+Rogers&after=1950-01-01T00:00:00.000Z#top|url-status=dead|archive-date=October 15, 2023|access-date=14 October 2023|website=BBC}}</ref> |- |1954–1962 |''Guilty Party'' |Various |19 episodes |- |1956–1961 |''Children's Hour'' |Various |28 episodes |- | rowspan="3" |1956 |''Tickets, Please'' |Rosa |1 episode |- |''Fresh as Paint'' |Valerie Gibbs |1 episode |- |''The Claverdon Road Job'' |Woman |1 episode |- | rowspan="4" |1958 |''Tollworth in the Evening'' |Betty Manton |1 episode |- |''A Blessing in Disguise'' |Maisie Edge |1 episode |- |''Mind Your Own Business'' |Jill |1 episode |- |''Appeal: Cleeve Prior Church'' |Herself |1 episode |- | rowspan="3" |1959 |''The Voyage of the Wanti Se'' |Hilda Chapman |1 episode |- |''A Member of the Family'' |Kath |1 episode |- |''The Boys of Summer'' |Pam Willis |2 episodes |- | rowspan="2" |1960 |''Prelude to Finale'' |Caroline Unger |1 episode |- |''Brief is the Hour'' |Mrs. Rostrevor |1 episode |- | rowspan="2" |1963 |''The Mystery of the Man Next Door'' |Mary Schofield |4 episodes |- |''The Bed-Makers'' |Con |1 episode |- |1969 |''The Mayor of Casterbridge'' | |1 episode |- |1987 |''News and Vintage Archers'' |Peggy Archer |1 episode |}
== References == {{reflist}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Rogers, Thelma}} Category:1924 births Category:2000 deaths Category:Actresses from Coventry Category:English radio actresses Category:English film actresses Category:English stage actresses Category:English television actresses