Claire Davenport

Claire Davenport (24 April 1933 – 25 February 2002) was an English actress well known for her bigform and who was often cast in character roles which highlighted her large physique.[1]

Life and career
She was born Claire Bernice Davenport on 24 April 1933 in Sale, Cheshire and began acting in 1961 with a theatre role in Caesar and Cleopatra at the Playhouse in Oxford.[2]

Her film work includes roles in Return of the Jedi (as Yarna d'al' Gargan, originally billed as "Fat Dancer"), The Return of the Pink Panther, Adventures of a Plumber's Mate, Carry On Emmannuelle, The Tempest, and The Elephant Man. On television she appeared in Remington Steele, Doctor Who, Minder, George and Mildred, Robin's Nest, Fawlty Towers and at least three episodes of On the Buses among others.[3] She also made a cameo appearance in an episode of Mind Your Language.[4] Among the last of her television appearances was a 1993 episode of The Smell of Reeves and Mortimer.[5]

Death
She suffered a series of strokes in the 1990s, which stopped her working. Claire Davenport died in London on 25 February 2002[3] (not 4 March as often stated), aged 68, from kidney failure.