Pamela Isabel Cundell was an English character actress, best known for her role as Mrs. Fox in the long-running British television come "Dad's Army." Born on January 15, 1920 into a show business family, Cundell was the daughter of Howard Cundell, a builder and producer of Gilbert and Sullivan operas, and Elsie Short-Cundell an opera singer. She was also a descendant of Henry Condell, one of the managers of the Lord Chamberlain's Men, the playing company of William Shakespeare, who helped put together the first folio of Shakespeare's works after his death. She trained at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, later gaining experience in rep and summer shows as a stand-up comic. She worked with many of the great comics of her time, including Frankie Howerd, Benny Hill and Bill Fraser, who became her husband in 1981. Twice divorced, she and Bill stayed together until his death in 1987.
First appearing on TV in 1957, Cundell starred in several popular television shows, including "The Bill," "On the Buses," "Are You Being Served?," "Casualty," "Z-Cars" and "Big Deal."
She also starred on one of the last shows for "The Benny Hill Show" on the BBC, later returning on February 23, 1972 in a Wild West quickie and the "Little Things Mean a Lot" sketch on March 22, 1972 for Thames Television. Keeping busy with theatre work and pantomime, she appeared in several feature films, such as "The Awakening of Emily," "She Loves Me and "The Wicked Lady." Her most notable credit was as Mrs. Fox on the television series "Dad's Army." She also starred on "The Borrowers" and "EastEnders." Other movies she starred in include "A Fantastic Fear of Everything," "Twenty Four Seven" and "Blackball."
Cundell passed away at the age of 95 on February 14, 2015. Since her death, actors Frank Williams and Ian Lavender are the last surviving major "Dad's Army" cast members. Her grandson is actor Daniel Fraser.
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