Coronation Street and The Krays actor dies, aged 85
Coronation Street and The Krays actor dies, aged 85
Barbara has been remembered for her film, TV and stage roles
English actress Barbara Ferris, as Mrs Lawson in a scene from 'The Krays', directed by Peter Medak, 1990. (Photo by)
An actor who quit her Coronation Street career after failing to master the accent and went on to numerous film roles - including in The Krays in 1990, has died aged 85. Barbara Ferris played a barmaid in Coronation Street in 1961, and enjoyed a long career in film, TV and on stage.
After a stint on Coronation Street as Nona Willis, actress Barbara stepped away from the show after just 10 episodes, saying she found the accent too difficult to follow.
She went on to play Dinah, the love interest who runs away with Dave Clark in the 1965 movie Catch Us If You Can. Her final screen appearance came in 1990's The Krays, directed by Peter Medak.
Ferris left acting behind to focus on raising her children and accompanying her husband on international work trips, with the couple settling in homes across Ireland, Zurich, and London. Born in London to Dorothy and Roy Ferris, she was the youngest of two children. As a student at the Italia Conti stage school, she took on pantomimes and commercials to support her family.
English actor Barbara Ferris attends a party at the Spindletop restaurant, New York, New York, November 1, 1967. (Photo by Ron Galella/Ron Galella Collection via Getty Images)
Fans have shared tributes online to honour her memory. One wrote: 'Absolutely gutted to hear about Barbara Ferris. She had such a quiet grace on screen — Catch Us If You Can was a core memory from my childhood. Rest easy, Dinah."
Another said: 'RIP to Barbara Ferris - unforgettable in The Krays. That voice, that presence. We were lucky to have her, even if briefly.' And another wrote: "Barbara was one of the kindest, most generous actors I ever worked with. Her laughter lit up every set we shared. It was an honour just to be around her."
Ferris, who died on May 23, 2025, was also sister to Liz, who became a diving champion and took home bronze at the 1960 Rome Olympics. The same year, Ferris married film producer John Quested.
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Ferris is survived by her husband and their three children: Nicholas, Christopher, and Catherine.
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