Mollie Sugden: Died at eighty six

Mollie Sugden: Died at eighty six

Mollie Sugden, who earned fame as Mrs Slocombe in the television comedy series "Are You Being Served?," passed away on Wednesday. She was eighty six.

Joan Reddin, her agent, told the reporters that Sugden died after suffering a long illness. He said, "She was a lovely, lovely person. She was a great professional,"
 
The British actress, with her hair highly coiffed and referring frequently to her "pussy," played the bossy Mrs Slocombe throughout the run of the BBC's innuendo-laden "Are You Being Served?" between 1972 and 1985.

Re-runs of the show in America in the 1990s gained her a new audience overseas.

Frank Thornton played the role of Captain Peacock opposite Sugden in the series. He said, "She was great fun, a very good actress, very versatile. She could play serious stuff and comedy." Thornton also added, "It was a very happy show to work on -- you can't play comedy with people you dislike."
 
Head of BBC comedy Mark Freeland complimented her as one of television's iconic funny women.

Sugden had also found success in the BBC TV comedy series "The Liver Birds" and played an occasional role as pub landlady Nellie Harvey in the long-running ITV soap opera "Coronation Street."