Sandra Dickinson

Training: Sandra studied theatre at the Universities of Wisconsin and Boston and came to London in 1969. She was ‘discovered’ at the telephone switchboard of an advertising company by the then producer Julia Lisney, who cast her as a Gangster’s Moll in an ad for Birds Eye Beef Burgers. The commercial, directed by Alan Parker, ran for three years, won a gold award, and Sandra spent the next 35 years haunted by the role. Sandra then studied at the Central School of Speech and Drama and appeared in many more commercials and television series. Her unique vocal style brought her work in voiceovers and animated films and she played three characters in the animated movie Balto including the two dogs Sylvie and Dixie who conversed together. Sandra co-wrote and sang the theme tune to Button Moon and recorded three singles, one of which made it big in Japan.

Theatre includes: Eunice Hubbel and Blanche Dubois in A Streetcar Named Desire directed by Sir Peter Hall, Trevor Nunn’s production of Not About Nightingales (NT, Alley Theatre, Houston, and Circle in the Square, Broadway) and Beulah Binnings in Orpheus Descending directed by Nicholas Hytner (Donmar Warehouse). Sandra had the pleasure of performing The Baroness to Victor Spinetti’s Baron in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang for a year (London Palladium). She is also no stranger to farce having starred in two Ray Cooney productions in the West End. Other theatre includes Mrs Miller in Daisy Miller (UK tour), Lady Hunstanton in A Woman of No Importance (Salisbury), Harriet Telligan in A Touch of Danger (UK tour) and Mrs Dinsmore/Dora in Singin’ in the Rain (Chichester Festival Theatre). She has just completed a UK tour in Murdered to Death.

Film and television include: The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, Two Point Four Children, The Two Ronnies, Cover, Stagknight, If the Oil Runs Out... and Mist the Sheep Pup. In the USA, Tales from the Crypt, Eisenhower and Lutz and Tennessee PI. More recently, Tormented, New Tricks, The White Van Man and Holby City.

Radio includes: Two series for BBC Radio 4, an adaptation of Tom Sharpe’s The Great Pursuit and the last of The Hitchhiker’s radio series.

Other work includes: With her husband, actor Mark Osmond, Sandra runs Close Up Theatre School in Shepperton and Ealing.