What a true star she was! It's really sad that only a handful of people attended her funeral. I can't understand it... The same thing happened at Wilfrid Brambell's funeral. And yet, now, how much we give to have even a 5 minute chat with them! Rest in peace, Hylda. Dawn xxx
I've just watched Nearest And Dearest and I'm currently watching Not On Your Nellie. She was a brilliant actress and I loved her phrases. There'll never be anyone like her. RIP Hylda x
I loved Hilda! My old mum was a carbon copy of her always gettting her worms mixed up and that. LOL. She was real gem and such a great actress. Bless you my darling and thanks for the laughs and the memories. RIP XXXX
I love Hylda baker, I used to watch her with my mam, I used to say be soon I said, be soon because I loved when she said that, I'm saving them up on RU-vid absolutely legend she is love her
Many thanks for posting this, a very talented lady, I also wondered what on earth had become of her?,..she was one of my favourites from Tv in my childhood,.....God bless her!
Ms Baker was one of our comic geniuses, Fantastic time for british comedy....We will never see their like again the whole comedy scene has changed so much...People don't seem to laugh at the type of humour that was around in that era ..
"Eamon Andrews said 'This is your life' and I was almost prostitute on the floor!" LOL. what a great trooper. Love the way she presents the award to the guy with the bird at the start too.
Jean Fergusson (Marina, Last of the Summer Wine) did an absolutely brilliant one-woman show in which she played Hylda Baker telling her life story, Well worth a listen if you can find it.
I've just seen you posted this 14 Yr ago, I used to watch nearest and dearest with my mam as a kid and I only remembered her saying be soon I said be soon and have you been and many others. Thanks for this, she was so so funny, I just got the box set for nearest and dearest and I'm laughing so much lol, one of a kind that lady. Awful for her to get alzheimers bless her
This is what is so great about You Tube. Until now I'd never heard of Hylda Baker (and I love Amer. Vaudville And Eng. Music Hall). She really takes charge when in front of an audience. Is there any film of the young Hylda Baker?
@macvoutie You have missed some gems. Hylda was in Saturday night and Sunday morning, She played an abortionist in something else (not sure if that was the film Poor Cow) and she played the undertaker's wife opposite Leonard Rossiter in the musical "Oliver" which also starred Ron Moody as Fagin. Not to mention all the TV things. She was a good looking woman in her earlier years - weren't we all.
Im able and shes bodied lol, wonderful humour, poor old mrs jacksons washing, oh i do miss her and her humour, wish they would show more of her again on tv in nearest and dearest, just soooo funny.....xx
@atlast1948 Quite a few of her relatives emigrated to US and Canada. I would have loved to have met Hylda She was not just a comedienne as she explains in the interview. Her father had serious accident in the theatre, hardly worked after this. Hylda was the mainstay of the family but eventually married - I don't think these marriages lasted. Hylda was born in Farnworth but her father Harold Baker was born in Rochdale.
Hylda had sad personal life. She suffered ectoptic pregnancy and numerous miscarriages - in later life she gave her love to her pet monkeys. Try get hold of the book written by Jean Ferguson (actress in Last of the Summer Wine. My great aunt told me Hylda was my cousin but she was actually second cousin of my second cousin who coincidentally died 2 weeks ago. Hylda's Aunt Florence married man called Dawber, this man's sister Jane married Henry Bullough who was my second cousin's Gdad.
I remember the story how she would carry a tape measure and measure her name on the bill to make sure it was the biggest. Especially if appearing with Jimmy Jewel.
Seen her in some serious films, but here not certain whether to laugh at her, or laugh with her, she was unusual in Nearest & Dearest, she sometimes forgot her lines, no one knew or understood her dementia illness, that why Jimmy Jewell couldn’t get with her on set, as he had to push her to remember her lines, they would argue behind the studio sets at Granada, all history now loosing Hilda and Jimmy.
+Francis Artanis Having watched a few vintage clips of the late Russell Harty I'm gobsmacked at how awful, inept and unfunny he was. He had an amazing knack for putting his guests ill at ease, really quite charmless.
Hylda Baker was born 3 years before my father & 5 years before my mother, BUT, as a red-blooded male who will be 82 next month,I REALLY fancy her!Whether it's her sense of humour or what,it's indefinable,& I would not be put off if she was wearing 'passionkillers'!(Probably make it more interesting!)
bernard gibson That's a great age Bernard, My father-in-law will be 85 in November, He is on about 20 tablets a day has only one lung but has he slowed down, has he hell.Keep chasing the ladies Bernard.
hi hilda baker was a star . anyone thought of turning her life story into a tv drama . this would be brilliant, storys you here about hilda , ie not getting on with her brother ellie and her wild partys in blackpool. this would make a cracking drama. think patrica roulidge would play the part .
Hi I aggree, there should be a tv Drama, Jean Fergusson ( Marina in Last of the summer wine)has already written a play and screenplay. Why not vist the Hylda Baker Fan Club, and see what the lates news is?
Hi everyone, I have set up a Hylda Baker Fanclub. With the help of Shaun and Ian..and more recently Robert.... Hylda Baker...She Knows Y'Know please be soon and visit us!
Northern woman are right so and so's they stand for no messing, good on her. I hear if fans turned up at her door she would invite them in for tea and a chin wag every now and then. Don't believe every thing you read.
Now boys, whats all this bickering about? Hylda knew a lot gay people, in fact some of her best friends were homosapians, so stop squabbling you big girls blouse and get gone, get pickling!
