Dawn French

@Comedians, Life Achievements and Personal Life

Dawn French is a Welsh comedian, writer and actress

Oct 11, 1957

BritishFilm & Theater PersonalitiesActressesComediansLibra Celebrities
Biography

Personal Details

  • Birthday: October 11, 1957
  • Nationality: British
  • Famous: Film & Theater Personalities, Actresses, Comedians
  • Spouses: Mark Bignell (m. 2013), Lenny Henry (m. 1984–2010)
  • Known as: Dawn Roma French
  • Childrens: Billie Henry
  • Universities:
    • Manchester University
    • Central School of Speech and Drama
    • London
    • England

Dawn French born at

Holyhead

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Birth Place

She married Lenny Henry in 1984. The couple adopted a daughter, Billie. They separated after 25 years of marriage in 2010.

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Personal Life

Currently she is married to Mark Bignell.

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Personal Life

She is the daughter of Denys Vernon French and Felicity O’Brien. She has one brother, Gary. Her father worked with the Royal Air Force.

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Childhood & Early Life

She first went to the St. Dundtan’s Abbey School before shifting to Caistor Grammar School. After winning a debating scholarship she got a chance to study at the Spence School in New York.

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Childhood & Early Life

Her father played an important role in instilling confidence and self-worth in his daughter. Though he himself suffered from depression he never let it affect his children. He always told Dawn how pretty and precious she was and it went a long way in making her the successful woman she is today.

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Childhood & Early Life

In 1977 she went to study at the Central School of Speech and Drama where she met Jennifer Saunders. The two girls had a shared history of growing up in the same locality, but had never met before. The initial emotion they felt towards each other was dislike, though this would change in the future.

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Childhood & Early Life

French and Saunders shared a flat while at college and had to do projects together. After getting to know each other, they became friends. After graduating, they formed a comedy act called the Menopause Sisters.

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Career

The duo began gaining in prominence during the 1980s as a part of the alternative comic scene, the Comic Strip. The ladies were very unabashed in their performance and highly innovative and energetic.

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Career

A television comedy series, called ‘The Comic Strip Presents…’ debuted in 1982. Along with French and Saunders, other prominent comedians who starred in the series were Nigel Planner, Peter Richardson, and Alexei Sayle.

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Career

French made her debut in an episode called ‘Five Go Mad in Dorset’ of ‘The Comic Strip Presents…’ series and went on to appear in 27 of its episodes; she also wrote two of them.

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Career

Comedy producer Martin Lewis recorded a Comic Strip comedy album which featured French and Saunders. The album was released in 1981 and brought her talents to a wider audience.

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Career

A popular comedian, her best known work is the creation of the television series, ‘French and Saunders’ which she created with Jennifer Saunders. The show was very famous during the 1980s for its hilarious spoofs. This series won her several awards and laurels.

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Major Works