Ursula O'Leary

Ursula O'Leary (10 March 1926 – 17 May 1993) was an English stage, radio and television actress[1] best known for the role of Mary the anxious wife of manager, Gerry Barford (David Lodge), in the BBC soap opera, United!.[2][3]

Born in Birmingham, O'Leary graduated from the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts (RADA) in 1948[4] That year, while still a student, she starred as Viola/Cesario in Twelfth Night directed by Robert Atkins, sharing the stage with Robert Shaw, Peter Sallis and Patricia Neal, Scenes were adapted for BBC Television by Michael Barry and broadcast on 21 March 1948 as Scenes from Twelfth Night and Macbeth.[5][6][7][8]

In January 1950, O'Leary was appearing as Kate in André van Gyseghem's The Taming of the Shrew at Nottingham Playhouse. Extracts were broadcast on BBC Radio on 2 February 1950.[9] She played Thea Elvsted in Nottingham that same year in Ibsen's Hedda Gabler.[10]

By 1955 O'Leary was at Gate Theatre, Dublin, performing as Frida in Luigi Pirandello's The Masquerade of Henry IV[11] She performed pantomime as the fairy Godmother at Alexandra Theatre in January 1956[12] reprising the role for the Wolverhampton Grand 1956/57 production of Cinderella.[13] Around this time she appeared in the BBC's Story Conference beside TV debutant, Leonard Rossiter.[14][15]

When the BBC broadcast Poet Laureate, John Masefield's play in verse, Good Friday, O'Leary performed Procula, wife of Pontius Pilate (William Devlin).[16]

In 1970 she played Janet Onslow in Death in the Family for the Midweek Theatre slot on BBC Radio 4.[17] Other appearances included the BBC Radio Four adaption of Arnold Bennett's Buried Alive on 11 March 1972.[18]

O'Leary married doctor Donal O'Donovan. They had three children Kate, Rosaleen and Daniel. Ursula O'Leary died unexpectedly on 17 May 1993 and her ashes were interned at Brandwood End Cemetery.[1]