# Thelma Ruby > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Thelma_Ruby > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Thelma_Ruby.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thelma_Ruby > Source revision: 1342196603 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) {{Short description|British actress (born 1925)}} {{Use British English|date=October 2022}} {{Use dmy dates|date=October 2022}} {{Infobox person | name = Thelma Ruby | image = | caption = Thelma Ruby with Kenneth Williams in The Buccaneer in 1955 | birth_name = Thelma Wigoder | birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1925|3|23|df=y}} | birth_place = [Chapel Allerton](/source/Chapel_Allerton), [Leeds](/source/Leeds), [West Riding of Yorkshire](/source/West_Riding_of_Yorkshire), England | occupation = Actress | spouse = {{marriage|[Peter Frye](/source/Peter_Frye)|1971|1991|reason=died}} | children = }} '''Thelma Ruby''' (born '''Thelma Wigoder''', 23 March 1925) is a British actress, best known for her long stage career, she has also appeared in radio, television and film. Ruby is best known for her theatre roles including Shakespearean roles, ''[Fiddler on the Roof](/source/Fiddler_on_the_Roof)'' and ''[Cabaret](/source/Cabaret_(play))'' with [Judi Dench](/source/Judi_Dench), as well as known for co-adapting and starring in the one-woman show ''Momma Golda'', about Israeli Prime Minister [Golda Meir](/source/Golda_Meir).{{Cite web |title=Julie Tomlin’s theatre news: Inga; Voila! Europe; Enter the Dragons; Moma Golda; Dear Chocolate Soldier |url=https://www.westminsterextra.co.uk/article/julie-tomlins-theatre-news-inga-voila-europe-enter-the-dragons-moma-golda-dear-chocolate-soldier |access-date=2025-06-03 |website=[Camden New Journal](/source/Camden_New_Journal) |language=en-gb}} She has had stints in television soap operas and serials like ''[Coronation Street](/source/Coronation_Street)'' and ''[EastEnders](/source/EastEnders)'' and the sitcom ''[Dad's Army](/source/Dad's_Army)'' ==Early life and education== Ruby was born Thelma Wigoder at [Chapel Allerton](/source/Chapel_Allerton) in Leeds on 23 March 1925.{{Cite web |title=That's Entertainment as Thelma looks back on her career |url=https://gsal.org.uk/thats-entertainment-as-thelma-looks-back-on-her-career/ |date= 16 January 2014|access-date=25 March 2023 |website=[The Grammar School at Leeds](/source/Leeds_Grammar_School)}}{{Cite web |date=2025-03-21 |title=Happy 100th Birthday Thelma Ruby! – Danielle Mitzman |url=https://www.dmitzman.com/2025/03/21/happy-100th-birthday-thelma-ruby/ |access-date=2025-03-26 |language=en-US}} She grew up in an [Orthodox Jewish](/source/Orthodox_Jewish) family in [Leeds](/source/Leeds). Her mother, Paula Ruby, was a singer and also an actress; whilst her father, Louis, from Lithuania, was a dentist. She was educated at [Leeds Girls' High School](/source/Leeds_Girls'_High_School){{Cite news |date=15 September 2017 |title=The Leeds-born actress who is making a comeback on ITV – at the age of 92 |work=[Yorkshire Evening Post](/source/Yorkshire_Evening_Post) |url=https://www.yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk/news/leeds-born-actress-who-making-comeback-itv-age-92-599395 |access-date=5 October 2022}} and, after evacuation with her mother to the United States during the [Second World War](/source/Second_World_War), at [Finch College](/source/Finch_College) in [New York City](/source/New_York_City). Returning to Britain in 1944, Ruby joined the [Entertainments National Service Association](/source/Entertainments_National_Service_Association) and performed to British troops. ==Early stage and film career== In 1958 she acted in [Bernard Kops](/source/Bernard_Kops)' play, ''The Hamlet of Stepney Green'', at the [Lyric Theatre, Hammersmith](/source/Lyric_Theatre%2C_Hammersmith) in London, with [Harold Lang](/source/Harold_Lang_(British_actor)), [John Fraser](/source/John_Fraser_(actor)), [John Barrard](/source/John_Barrard) and [George Selway](/source/George_Selway) also in the cast.{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=4bYlDwAAQBAJ&dq=the+hamlet+of+stepney+green+harold+lang&pg=PT119|title=Making a Noise: Getting It Right, Getting It Wrong in Life, Arts and Broadcasting|first=John|last=Tusa|author-link = John Tusa|date=22 February 2018|publisher=Orion|isbn=9781474607100|via=[Google Books](/source/Google_Books)}} She also had a role in the British film ''[Live Now, Pay Later](/source/Live_Now%2C_Pay_Later)'' in 1962.{{Cite magazine |date=1962 |title=Live Now---Pay Later – Full Cast & Crew |url=https://www.tvguide.com/movies/live-now-pay-later/cast/2000005323/ |magazine=[TV Guide](/source/TV_Guide_(magazine)) |access-date=25 March 2023}} Her [West End theatre](/source/West_End_theatre) roles included performing as Golde in ''[Fiddler on the Roof](/source/Fiddler_on_the_Roof)'' alongside [Topol](/source/Chaim_Topol) in 1984.{{Cite news |last=North |first=Nic |date=16 June 2022 |title=Stage star Thelma Ruby lowers the curtain on her sparkling 78-year career with a solo show |work=[The Jewish Chronicle](/source/The_Jewish_Chronicle) |url=https://www.thejc.com/news/news/stage-star-thelma-ruby-lowers-the-curtain-on-her-sparkling-78-year-career-with-a-solo-show-ZuYMO4vUenwmh3bhzV02R |access-date=18 October 2022}} ==Television and later theatre== In 1996 she appeared in [ITV](/source/ITV_(network))'s ''[Coronation Street](/source/Coronation_Street)'' as Lily Dempsey, a friend of [Phyllis Pearce](/source/Phyllis_Pearce). From 1980, she and her husband, [Peter Frye](/source/Peter_Frye), adapted and performed in the play ''Momma Golda'' about the life of [Golda Meir](/source/Golda_Meir), Israel's first and only woman [Prime Minister](/source/Prime_Ministers_of_Israel). In 2018, at the age of 93, she performed extracts from ''Momma Golda'' in a one-woman show at the [King's Head Theatre](/source/King's_Head_Theatre) in London.{{Cite news |last=Wild |first=Stephi |date=1 October 2018 |title=Thelma Ruby Returns To The Stage At 93 Years Old For A Limited Run Of MOMMA GOLDA |work=[Broadway World](/source/Broadway_World) |url=https://www.broadwayworld.com/uk-regional/article/Thelma-Ruby-Returns-To-The-Stage-At-93-Years-Old-For-A-Limited-Run-Of-MOMMA-GOLDA-20181001 |access-date=5 October 2022}} In 2017 she played Alice in the ITV sitcom ''[Bad Move](/source/Bad_Move)''.{{Cite web |date=2017 |title="That's Entertainment" with Thelma Ruby |url=https://www.spiroark.org/events/thats-entertainment-with-thelma-ruby/ |access-date=17 April 2023 |website=Spiro Ark}} In 2024, she appeared in the ''[Back to Black](/source/Back_to_Black_(film))'' film about [Amy Winehouse](/source/Amy_Winehouse).{{Cite web |title=Thelma scores a part in new Amy Winehouse biopic |url=https://gsal.org.uk/news/thelma-scores-a-part-in-new-amy-winehouse-biopic/ |date= 15 February 2024|access-date=16 March 2025 |website=[The Grammar School at Leeds](/source/The_Grammar_School_at_Leeds) |language=en}} ==Personal life== Ruby lives in [Wimbledon, London](/source/Wimbledon%2C_London){{Cite news |last=Brown |first=Mick |author-link = Mick Brown (journalist)|date=18 June 2022 |title=Wimbledon at war: Inside the bitter battle between furious locals and Big Tennis |work=[The Daily Telegraph](/source/The_Daily_Telegraph) |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/tennis/2022/06/18/wimbledon-war-inside-bitter-battle-furious-locals-big-tennis/ |access-date=5 October 2022}} and is a member of [Wimbledon Synagogue](/source/Wimbledon_Synagogue). She was married to Jay Lewis,{{Cite journal |date=14 June 1969 |title=Jay Lewis |volume=624 |issue=3218 |pages=4 |id={{ProQuest|2600954000}} |magazine=[Kine Weekly](/source/Kine_Weekly)}} and subsequently to Canadian-born actor Peter Frye from 1970 until his death in 1991.{{Cite news |last=Miller |first=Sarah |date=29 September 2022 |title=At 97, Thelma Ruby is both a marvel and a rarity |work=[Jewish News](/source/Jewish_News) |url=https://www.jewishnews.co.uk/at-97-thelma-ruby-is-both-a-marvel-and-a-rarity/# |access-date=5 October 2022}} She has a step-daughter from Frye's first marriage. In 2024, Ruby publicly criticised the proposed felling of trees at, and the expansion of the site of, the [Wimbledon tennis championships](/source/Wimbledon_tennis), which she lives nearby to.{{Cite web |last=Grace |first=Liam |date=2024-10-16 |title=99-year-old vows to chain herself to a tree to stop £200m Wimbledon expansion |url=https://metro.co.uk/2024/10/16/99-year-old-vows-chain-a-tree-stop-200m-wimbledon-expansion-21808370/ |access-date=2024-10-17 |website=[Metro](/source/Metro_(British_newspaper)) |language=en}} She said she would chain herself to a tree in protest.{{Cite web |last=Smith |first=Kieran |date=2024-10-17 |title=99-year-old woman threatens protest against $250,000,000 Wimbledon expansion plans |url=https://www.thetennisgazette.com/news/99-year-old-woman-threatens-protest-against-250000000-wimbledon-expansion-plans/ |access-date=2024-10-17 |website=The Tennis Gazette |language=en-GB}} Ruby [turned 100](/source/centenarian) on 23 March 2025.{{cite news |last1=Brophy |first1=Joe |title=‘I might get arrested’ – 100-year-old would chain herself to tree over £200m Wimbledon plans |url=https://talksport.com/tennis/3315369/wimbledon-expansion-plans-costs-arrests-thelma-ruby/ |access-date=8 February 2026 |publisher=talkSPORT |date=30 June 2025}} ==Publications== Ruby-Frye, Thelma; Frye, Peter (1997) ''Double or Nothing: Two Lives in the Theatre. The Autobiography of Thelma Ruby and Peter Frye''. Janus Publishing Company, 336 pp. {{ISBN| 9781857562149}} ==References== {{reflist}} ==External links== * [https://www.thelmaruby.com/ Official website] * [https://www.podomatic.com/podcasts/thecroftperrypodcast/episodes/2021-12-27T06_45_29-08_00/ Thelma Ruby talking in December 2021 about her appearance in the TV series ''Dad's Army''], The Croft & Perry Podcast, 27 December 2021 {{Authority control}} {{DEFAULTSORT:Ruby, Thelma}} Category:1925 births Category:Living people Category:20th-century English actresses Category:20th-century English Jews Category:21st-century English actresses Category:21st-century English Jews Category:British women centenarians Category:Jewish centenarians Category:Actors from the London Borough of Merton Category:Actresses from Leeds Category:British Reform Jews Category:English people of Lithuanian-Jewish descent Category:Finch College alumni Category:Jewish English actresses Category:People educated at Leeds Girls' High School Category:People from Chapel Allerton Category:People from Wimbledon, London --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Thelma Ruby](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thelma_Ruby) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thelma_Ruby?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.