Streatham boasts a rich history as the home or birthplace of several renowned UK actors. Many of the buildings once inhabited by these celebrated artists still stand, although few people recognise the significance of their former residents.
Thanks to Streatham's proximity to central London and the iconic Streatham Hill Theatre, the area became an attractive destination for performers, leading many to settle here over the years. This legacy remains woven into the fabric of Streatham, even as its famous connections often go unnoticed by those passing through today.
Lynda (Lilian) Baron - 11 Telford Avenue. Famous for her roles as Nurse Gladys Emmanuel in "Open All Hours", and as Lily-Bless-Her in "Last of the Summer Wine" the actress Linda Baron lived in Telford Avenue. Other TV successes have been her roles as "aunties", first as Auntie Pat in "The Upper Hand" and then as Auntie Mabel in the children's series "Come Outside".
Patricia Hayes - 209 (formerly 128a) Sternhold avenue and Pathfield Road.
It was at 128a Sternhold Avenue that the gifted actress Patricia Hayes was born in 1909. Those seeking the house today must be confused a s there is no No. 128, the even numbers ending at No. 124. The reason for this is that the road has been renumbered on several occasions in the past and what was No. 128 is now No. 209. It is a house divided into flats, with individual front doors, but whether this was so at the time of Patricias birth is unclear.
Christopher Beeny - 75 Heybridge, 28 Streatham Common North and Stanthorpe Road. Upstairs Downstairs. Last of the Summer Wine and In Loving memory.
Hywel Bennett - 118 Valley Road. The actor Hywel Bennett born in Garnant, South Wales and as a child lived at 118 Valley Road and attended nearby Sunnyhill Road School where he made his first appearance on the stage as "Doc" in the school's production of "Snow White and the Seven Dwarves". In 1970 he married Cathy McGowan, a popular TV personality, at St. Bartholomew's Church in Ellison Road. Cathy lived in Streatham Vale and made her name as a presenter for the "Ready, Steady, Go" pop music programme. She later pursued a successful career in the fashion industry. Sadly their marriage did not last and ended in divorce.
Simon Callow - 2 Rutford Road and 4 Pinfold Road. The actor Simon Callow was born on June 15 1949 at 2 Rutford Road. As a young boy he would entertain his fellow pupils in the school playground and probably inherited his love of the theatre from his grandmother who was an actress.
Peter Davison. Born and lived at 5 Canmore Gardens. Peter Davison born as Peter Malcolm Gordon Moffett. He appeared in many credits in television dramas and sitcoms starting in 1975 and became famous in 1978 for his part as Tristan Farnon in the BBC's television adaptation of James Herriot's All Creatures Great and Small stories. In 1980, Peter Davison signed a contract to play the Doctor in Doctor Who for three years, succeeding Tom Baker (the Fourth Doctor) and, at age 29, was at the time the youngest actor to have played the lead role.
Lennie James. Born in Nottingham he was raised in a Children's home in West Drive, Streatham and went to school in Tooting at Ernest Bevin. He is a Barnado's Ambassador. An actor, screenwriter, and playwright. He is best known for playing Tony Gates in Line of Duty, Morgan Jones in The Walking Dead and Fear the Walking Dead, and has appeared in many films including Snatch (2000) and Blade Runner 2049 (2017).
Jill Gascoine - 245 Valley Road. At the junction of Hillhouse Road stands No. 245 Valley Road, which for some years was the Streatham home of the actress, Jill Gascoine. Jill was born and brought up in Streatham and attended Tiffin Girls' School in South London, taking classes in dancing, acting and singing at the Italia Conti School.
Eunice Gayson, 177 Woodmasterne Road. Eunice was born in Streatham and was actor, dancer and singer. She played alongside Sean Connery as a Bond girl.
Sonnie & Binnie Hale - 53 Drewstead Road. The house is situated on the western corner of De Montfort Road, was the home of the Hale family. Here Sonnie and his sister, Binnie, lived with their parents, Robert and Belle Hale. Both Sonnie and Binnie were prominent in musical comedy as their father had been. The house is a fine gabled property with a long garden.
David Harewood (address not disclosed) Born in Birmingham. Attended Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA) and has served as president since February 2024. He is known for his television roles as David Estes in Homeland (2011–2012), J'onn J'onzz / Martian Manhunter and Hank Henshaw / Cyborg Superman in Supergirl (2015–2021).
Hy Hazell - 14 Valley Road. The house was at one time the home of Hy Hazell. Her real name was Hyacinth O'Higgins. Her father was Esso O’Higgins who named all his children after flowers, her two sisters being christened Violet and Iris.
Vanessa Lee (born Winnifred Ruby Moule) Actress born in Streatham. Best known for her appearances in Ivor Novello’s musicals in the immediate post-war years as well as appearing occasionally on television.
Roger Moore - Wavertree Court & Buckleigh Road. At the junction of Wavertree Road and Streatham Hill stands Wavertree Court, one time home of the international film star Roger Moore. Roger was the son of a Stockwell policeman, George Moore, who was a talented amateur actor. Roger attended Battersea Grammar School briefly but at the time the school was evacuated from Streatham. Roger started his acting career as an extra on the film "Caesar and Cleopatra" after which he attended RADA, where he met Lucy Woodward, the 16 year old daughter of a Streatham taxi driver. They married in 1946 and lived with Lucy's parents in Buckleigh Road before moving to Wavertree Court. Lucy, a professional skater and actress, changed her name to Doorn Van Steyn.
Nanette Newman - Pullman Court. Nanette comes from a theatrical family, her mother was on the stage and her father was part of a magic act called "The Courtneys" which appeared in two Royal Command Performances. As a child Nanette attended Sternhold College for Girls in Sternhold Avenue. She was a child actress and at the age of 10 appeared in a Rank children's film called "Here We Come Gathering". She studied at the Italia Conti School and RADA and in 1953, after a number of TV and radio appearances and gained her first adult film role in "The Days Mischief" staring Glynis Johns and Gene Tierney. As a young actress, Nanette lived in Pullman Court. In 1958 she married Brian Forbes. In his autobiography he recounts that when he first met Nanette, "I drove her back to darkest Streatham". perhaps more a comment on the hour of their return than the status of the suburb.
Jonathan Newth. 52 Baldry Gardens. He was born on March 6, 1939 in Edmonton. He is an actor, known for The Day of the Triffids (1981), Pretenders 1972) and Doctor Who (1963). He has been married to Gay Wilde since 1979. They have four children. He was previously married to Joanna Brookes, their son Ben was a pupil at Immanuel School (extracts IMdB)
Neil Pearson - 12 Montrell Road. Described as "the sexiest man on television". Neil's mother, Maureen Luckhurst, was a member of the Streatham Society and was very amused to hear her son described in such a flattering way - and what mother wouldn't be. Neil obtained his sexy image playing Dave in "Drop the Dead Donkey" and Tony Clark in "Between the Lines"
Alan Rolfe was born - 10 Wyatt Park Road, Streatham Hill. Alan moved to the house in 1912 as a young boy and lived there for over 90 years
Alan Rolfe is known for Jesus of Nazareth (1956), Stand by to Shoot (1953), The World of Tim Frazer (1960), and The Avengers (1961)
Catherine Russell (address not disclosed). Born Catherine Smith she trained at the Central School of Speech and Drama. Catherine’s father was the actor Nicholas Smith, best known for his part in Are you Being Served as Mr Rumbold. Catherine has appeared in numerous TV and Theatre productions. She is best known on TV for her role as Serena Campbell the Consultant Surgeon in Holby City.
Patricia Plunkett - 11/13 Leigham, Avenue. Patricia was born at the Streatham Manor Nursing Home. She trained at RADA and appeared in 12 films including Landfall and For Then that Trespass
June Whitfield - 44 (The Haven) Mount Ephraim Road & 5 Palace Road. June was one of Britain's most popular comedy actresses, was born at 44 Mount Ephraim Lane. June's parents, John and Bertha Whitfield, were leading lights of the Comedy Club which used to be based at Streatham. Her father was a Streatham member on Wandsworth Council and was appointed managing director of Dictograph Telephones Ltd in 1927. The family later moved to Calderwood (formerly The Limes), No. 5 Palace Road, which at one time was Christchurch vicarage.As a child June attended the local Robinson School of Dancing and appeared in the Pageant of Streatham staged in the 1930s. After appearing in provincial theatres her big break came in the early 1950s when she played the role of Eth Glum in the hit radio show "Take It From Here".
Over the decades she has starred in a never-ending string of successful radio and television comedy productions, including the long-running Terry and June series which were screened from 1979-1987. In the 1990s she won a new audience of young fans for her roll as Jennifer Saunders' mother in the BBC TV show "Absolutely Fabulous". On radio she has recently appeared as Miss Marple in a number of Agatha Christie plays as well as continuing to star in Radio 2's "The News Huddlines" with fellow Streatham resident comedian Roy Hudd.
