The front cover of Betty Driver's autobiography

Betty Mary Driver, MBE (born May 20, 1920^{[citation needed]} in Leicester) is an English singer, actress and author, most famous for her role as Betty Williams on the British soap Coronation Street. Betty Drivers autobiography. ... Betty Drivers autobiography. ... The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is a British order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by King George V. The Order includes five classes in civil and military divisions; in decreasing order of seniority, these are Knight Grand Cross or Dame Grand Cross (GBE) Knight Commander... May 20 is the 140th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (141st in leap years). ... Year 1920 (MCMXX) was a leap year starting on Thursday. ... Leicester city centre, looking towards the Clock Tower Leicester (pronounced ) is the largest city and unitary authority in the English East Midlands region of the UK. The city is the traditional county town of Leicestershire. ... Motto (French) God and my right Anthem God Save the King (Queen) England() – on the European continent() – in the United Kingdom() Capital (and largest city) London (de facto) Official languages English (de facto) Government Constitutional monarchy  -  Queen Queen Elizabeth II  -  Prime Minister Tony Blair MP Unification  -  by Athelstan 967  Area... Ercole de Roberti: Concert, c. ... Actors in period costume sharing a joke while waiting between takes during location filming An actor or actress is a person who acts, or plays a role, in a dramatic production. ... Cosette Dwyer is an amazing author. ... Elizabeth Betty Williams (née Preston, previously Turpin) is one of the longest-standing characters in the UK soap opera, Coronation Street. ... For Philippine soap opera, see Teleserye. ... Coronation Street is Britains longest-running television soap opera, first broadcast on Friday December 9, 1960, in the Granada region of ITV. The programme is consistently the highest-rated programme on British television. ...

Career

In the 1930s and 1940s, she became famous as a singer in big bands. She appeared for many years on the radio show Henry Hall's Guest Night and on her own radio show, A Date with Betty. She recorded many popular tunes in the 1940s and became an established singer during this time. The 1930s (years from 1930–1939) were described as an abrupt shift to more radical and conservative lifestyles, as countries were struggling to find a solution to the Great Depression, also known in Europe as the World Depression. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... A big band is a type of musical ensemble associated with playing jazz music and which became popular during the Swing Era from 1935 until the late 1940s. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ...

She then moved into acting on the stage in the West End. In 1964, she auditioned for the role of Hilda Ogden on the television series Coronation Street (the role went to actress Jean Alexander as the casting directors wanted someone who did not weigh as much). She was cast later in the series Pardon the Expression, a spinoff of Coronation Street. After a much-publicized injury (she damaged her back after the script called for throwing series regular Arthur Lowe), she retired and started running a pub with her family in Cheshire. // West End theatre is a popular term for mainstream professional theatre in London, or sometimes more specifically for shows staged in the large theatres of Londons Theatreland . Along with New Yorks Broadway Theatre, West End theatre is usually considered to represent the highest level of theatre in the... 1964 (MCMLXIV) was a leap year starting on Wednesday (the link is to a full 1964 calendar). ... Alexander in character as Hilda Ogden, in a still from an episode first aired in the early 1970s. ... Coronation Street is Britains longest-running television soap opera, first broadcast on Friday December 9, 1960, in the Granada region of ITV. The programme is consistently the highest-rated programme on British television. ... Jean Alexander, in a still from an interview done in 2000. ... Pardon The Expression! was an ITV sitcom that ran from 2 June 1965 to 27 June 1966. ... Arthur Lowe (September 22, 1915—April 15, 1982) was a British actor. ... The Cheshire Plain - photo taken adjacent to Beeston Castle The Cheshire Plain - photo taken towards Merseyside The Cheshire Plain panorama - photo taken from Mid-Cheshire Ridge Cattle farming in the county Black-and-white timbered buildings on Nantwich High Street Cheshire (or, archaically, the County of Chester)[1] is a...

In 1969, she was persuaded to come out of retirement to play police officer's wife 'Betty Turpin' on Coronation Street, a role she has played ever since. She is the longest serving barmaid in the history of the Rover's Return and Betty's Hot Pot (served at lunchtime in the Rovers) is an iconic dish, which has also been offered as a ready meal in UK supermarkets. For the Stargate SG-1 episode, see 1969 (Stargate SG-1). ... Betty Turpin - Wikipedia /**/ @import /skins-1. ... This article needs to be cleaned up to conform to a higher standard of quality. ... A ready meal is a meal that requires very little preparation and contains all the elements of the course in one package. ...

Driver has written a memoir on her years in radio and television, called Betty.

In an interview on the Parkinson show on November 11, 2006, Sir Ian McKellen revealed that Driver still drives herself into work at 07:30 each morning, despite being aged 86. Parkinson is a chat show presented by Michael Parkinson. ... November 11 is the 315th day of the year (316th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar, with 50 days remaining. ... For the Manfred Mann album, see 2006 (album). ... Sir Ian McKellen takes a day out at Universal Studios, Hollywood, April 2000. ...

She was named a Member of the Order of the British Empire (M.B.E.) by 'Queen Elizabeth II' on the Millenium New Year's Honours List on December 31, 1999

External links

• Betty Driver at the Internet Movie Database