- Personal Appearances
Topics:
- Soap Stars
June Brown
June Brown is an English actress and director, Brown served in the Wrens (Royal Navy), and was classically trained at The Old Vic Drama School. She has had a long television career, but is best known as Dot Branning in the BBC soap opera EastEnders.
Dot Branning the Much Loved Face of Albert Square
Brown was recommended to producers for the role of Dot by another one of its original cast members, Leslie Grantham, who played the show's villain, Den Watts. Dot is one of the longest-running characters in EastEnders; Brown played the role from 1985 to 1993, and then again from 1997 onwards.
Initially a highly unsympathetic character in EastEnders - a sanctimonious, judgemental and two-faced busybody - Dot was initially brought on for a short-term story arc to complement the storyline of her screen son, Nick Cotton, being accused of murder. Dot became a popular character, and has matured into the best loved character in the programme, a 'mother earth' figure who anyone can go to in times of need.
Brown has also been active in British theatre, directing Pin Money (by Malcolm Needs) in London, and Double D in London and Edinburgh. She played Mrs Danvers in a production of Rebecca. Other plays include An Inspector Calls, The Lion in Winter, A View from the Bridge, and numerous pantomimes including The Witches, in which her sister also performed.
Brown's Accolades
Brown received a Lifetime Achievement award at the 2005 British Soap Awards, presented by her close friend Anna Wing, formerly EastEnders' Lou Beale.
In 2006, Brown appeared as Aunt Spiker at the Children's Party At The Palace, an all-star event to celebrate the Queen's 80th birthday.
