Marlene Sidaway

Acting

Marlene Sidaway

Born March 12, 1937 · Thornaby-on-Tees, Stockton-on-Tees, North Yorkshire, England, UK (age 89)

Marlene Sidaway is an accomplished British character actress with a career spanning over six decades across television, film, and theatre. She is perhaps most widely recognized for her role as the domineering Brenda Taylor in the ITV soap opera Coronation Street (1990–1992) and as Maureen in the BBC sitcom Mum (2016–2019).

Known For

BlackballBlackball · 2003
Blackball
5.22003
MovieComedy
Blackball follows the fortunes of Cliff Starkey, a working-class fine of lawn bowls with an exceptional talent. Wanting to take on the Aussies he manages to become regional champion, only to get banned. Sports agent Rich Schwartz picks him up and makes him so popular the Bowls Committee deem to lift the ban. Now the question is whether he can regain his form and his friends to beat the Aussies.
Me and Orson WellesMe and Orson Welles · 2008
Me and Orson Welles
6.42008
MovieDramaHistory
New York, 1937. A teenager hired to star in Orson Welles' production of Julius Caesar becomes attracted to a career-driven production assistant.
The KeyThe Key · 1995
The Key
1995
MovieDrama
"The Key" is a 1995 British short film written and directed by Stephen Lowenstein, with a cast including James Cosmo, Liam Cunningham, Emer McCourt, and Andrew Rashleigh. It was the filmmaker’s first short and later received a London release as a supporting film.
SinkSink · 2018
Sink
2018
MovieDrama
Shot mainly in South East London, it’s about Micky Mason, a skilled manual worker who, since the Crash, can find nothing but menial zero hours jobs. He takes a course of action that is completely out of character, but it’s the only way he can see of keeping his family together. It is about surviving, but it’s not all anguish and despair - it’s also warm and tender, and funny. It's about people finding their way through. It’s about Micky Mason; a man out there, right now, doing his best.
Beautiful ThingBeautiful Thing · 1996
Beautiful Thing
7.21996
MovieComedyDrama
During a long, hot summer on the Thamesmead Estate in Southeast London, three teenagers edge towards adulthood.
I Want CandyI Want Candy · 2007
I Want Candy
5.12007
MovieDramaComedy
Two hopeful lads from Leatherhead trying to break into the movies stumble upon the opportunity of a lifetime. Frustrated by their arty film teacher, wannabe producer Joe and his talented but neurotic director friend Baggy head to London to sell what they know is a script made of gold.
PigsPigs · 2024
Pigs
2024
Movie
A young woman arrives home for dinner, only to discover that she's been banned from having a glass of wine.
BelovedBeloved · 1976
Beloved
1976
Movie
When Henry James Prince is dismissed from his post as a curate, he decides to found his own religion, called the Abode of Love.

Movies

BlackballBlackball · 2003
Blackball
5.22003
MovieComedy
Blackball follows the fortunes of Cliff Starkey, a working-class fine of lawn bowls with an exceptional talent. Wanting to take on the Aussies he manages to become regional champion, only to get banned. Sports agent Rich Schwartz picks him up and makes him so popular the Bowls Committee deem to lift the ban. Now the question is whether he can regain his form and his friends to beat the Aussies.
Me and Orson WellesMe and Orson Welles · 2008
Me and Orson Welles
6.42008
MovieDramaHistory
New York, 1937. A teenager hired to star in Orson Welles' production of Julius Caesar becomes attracted to a career-driven production assistant.
The KeyThe Key · 1995
The Key
1995
MovieDrama
"The Key" is a 1995 British short film written and directed by Stephen Lowenstein, with a cast including James Cosmo, Liam Cunningham, Emer McCourt, and Andrew Rashleigh. It was the filmmaker’s first short and later received a London release as a supporting film.
SinkSink · 2018
Sink
2018
MovieDrama
Shot mainly in South East London, it’s about Micky Mason, a skilled manual worker who, since the Crash, can find nothing but menial zero hours jobs. He takes a course of action that is completely out of character, but it’s the only way he can see of keeping his family together. It is about surviving, but it’s not all anguish and despair - it’s also warm and tender, and funny. It's about people finding their way through. It’s about Micky Mason; a man out there, right now, doing his best.
Beautiful ThingBeautiful Thing · 1996
Beautiful Thing
7.21996
MovieComedyDrama
During a long, hot summer on the Thamesmead Estate in Southeast London, three teenagers edge towards adulthood.
I Want CandyI Want Candy · 2007
I Want Candy
5.12007
MovieDramaComedy
Two hopeful lads from Leatherhead trying to break into the movies stumble upon the opportunity of a lifetime. Frustrated by their arty film teacher, wannabe producer Joe and his talented but neurotic director friend Baggy head to London to sell what they know is a script made of gold.
PigsPigs · 2024
Pigs
2024
Movie
A young woman arrives home for dinner, only to discover that she's been banned from having a glass of wine.
BelovedBeloved · 1976
Beloved
1976
Movie
When Henry James Prince is dismissed from his post as a curate, he decides to found his own religion, called the Abode of Love.
VenusVenus · 2006
Venus
6.62006
MovieComedyDrama
Maurice is an aging veteran actor who becomes taken with Jessie, the grandniece of his closest friend. When Maurice tries to soften the petulant and provincial young girl with the benefit of his wisdom and London culture, their give-and-take surprises both Maurice and Jessie as they discover what they don't know about themselves.
Tom's Midnight GardenTom's Midnight Garden · 1999
Tom's Midnight Garden
6.11999
MovieFamilyMystery
When Tom's brother Peter gets measles, he is sent to stay with his Uncle Alan and Aunt Gwen in a flat with no garden and an elderly landlady, Mrs Bartholomew, living upstairs. Because he may be infectious, he is not allowed to play outside and feels lonely. Without exercise he is less sleepy at night and when he hears the communal grandfather clock strangely strike 13, he investigates and finds the small back yard is now a large sunlit garden.
AllelujahAllelujah · 2023
Allelujah
5.22023
MovieDrama
When news of the closure of a small hospital's geriatric ward begins to reach the community, the hospital invites a local news crew to document their planning of a concert in honor of the hospital's most celebrated nurse. But there might be something more threatening to the hospital itself, more deadly than the politicians ready to shut down the place at a moment's notice.
The Kiss of DeathThe Kiss of Death · 1977
The Kiss of Death
6.51977
MovieDramaRomance
Trevor is an extremely shy undertaker's assistant. He always tags along with his good friend Ronnie, when he goes to the pub with his girlfriend Sandra. Sandra introduces Trevor to her more forward friend Linda. Linda has a difficult time getting Trevor to go out with her, but she finally gets him to go to a disco; he won't dance, so Linda dances with Ronnie.
Whistling WallyWhistling Wally · 1982
Whistling Wally
1982
MovieDramaTV Movie
17 year old Kevin discovers that his sick father, Whistling Wally, is dying.
The Dark RoomThe Dark Room · 1999
The Dark Room
5.81999
MovieMysteryDrama
In hospital, photographer Jinx Kingsley wakes from a coma after a car crash - a failed suicide attempt, prompted by her fiance Leo jilting her to elope with Jinx's lifelong best friend, Meg. The discovery of Leo and Meg's bodies - brutally murdered in the same manner as Jinx's first husband - makes Jinx the prime suspect. Then, with the help of eminent neuroscientist Dr.Alan Protheroe, some memories begin to surface. Memories of desperation and paralysing terror.
Hunting VenusHunting Venus · 1999
Hunting Venus
7.41999
MovieComedyTV Movie
Former pop-star turned con artist Simon Delancey is kidnapped by two fans of his eighties band the Venus Hunters, and blackmailed to re-form the band for one final show.
Ready When You Are, Mr McGillReady When You Are, Mr McGill · 2004
Ready When You Are, Mr McGill
7.32004
MovieTV MovieDrama
Remake of the 1976 TV drama by Jack Rosenthal. An extra in a TV drama is finally given a line to say. He goes on to cause mounting chaos
Testimony of a ChildTestimony of a Child · 1989
Testimony of a Child
9.01989
MovieDramaTV Movie
Being accused of child abuse is a nightmare every family dreads. The Taylors are an ordinary happy family, but Paul and Jill are worried about their 11-year-old son Mark, who is not eating. The family GP has diagnosed 'failure to thrive', and Mark is sent to the hospital for a check-up.
Bad Night for the BluesBad Night for the Blues · 2010
Bad Night for the Blues
6.32010
MovieComedy
Blues rinses, portraits of the queen and stand up bingo. Chris Shepherd delves into his past and recalls the world of his Aunty Glad and her local Conservative Club. The hues of blue that make up the Tory heartland are more than just a party - they are a state of mind.

TV Shows

Midsomer MurdersMidsomer Murders · 1997
Midsomer Murders
7.51997
SeriesCrimeDrama
The peacefulness of the Midsomer community is shattered by violent crimes, suspects are placed under suspicion, and it is up to a veteran DCI and his young sergeant to calmly and diligently eliminate the innocent and ruthlessly pursue the guilty.
Screen TwoScreen Two · 1985
Screen Two
7.11985
SeriesDrama
Series of single made-for-television dramas.
HeartbeatHeartbeat · 1992
Heartbeat
7.21992
SeriesCrimeDrama
Set during the 1960s in the fictional North Yorkshire village of Aidensfield, this enduringly popular series interweaves crime and medical storylines.
Peak PracticePeak Practice · 1993
Peak Practice
6.51993
SeriesDrama
Peak Practice is a British drama series about a GP surgery in Cardale — a small fictional town in the Derbyshire Peak District — and the doctors who worked there. It ran on ITV from 10 May 1993 to 30 January 2002 and was one of their most successful series at the time. It originally starred Kevin Whately as Dr Jack Kerruish, Amanda Burton as Dr Beth Glover and Simon Shepherd as Dr Will Preston, though the roster of doctors would change many times over the course of the series. Cardale was based on the Staffordshire village of Longnor for the final series, but was previously based in the Derbyshire village of Crich, although certain scenes were filmed at other nearby Derbyshire towns and villages, most notably Matlock, Belper and Ashover.
Foyle's WarFoyle's War · 2002
Foyle's War
7.92002
SeriesMysteryDrama
As WW2 rages around the world, DCS Foyle fights his own war on the home-front as he investigates crimes on the south coast of England. Foyle's War opens in southern England in the year 1940. Later series sees the retired detective working as an MI5 agent operating in the aftermath of the war.
HustleHustle · 2004
Hustle
7.72004
SeriesComedyCrime
A motley group of London con artists pull of a series of daring and intricate stings.
Bad GirlsBad Girls · 1999
Bad Girls
7.61999
SeriesDramaCrime
Bad Girls is a British television drama series that was broadcast on ITV from 1 June 1999 to 20 December 2006 and starred Simone Lahbib, Mandana Jones, Debra Stephenson, Linda Henry, Jack Ellis and many more throughout the eight-year run. The series was broadcast in 17 countries and was produced by Shed Productions, the company which later produced Footballers' Wives and Waterloo Road. It is set in the fictional women's prison of Larkhall, and features a mixture of serious and light storylines focusing on the prisoners and staff of G Wing. From 2010, the UK broadcast rights were bought by CBS Drama, and is repeated regularly – as of September 2012, the channel is re-running the series again in a late-night time slot.
All Creatures Great and SmallAll Creatures Great and Small · 1978
All Creatures Great and Small
7.81978
SeriesComedyDrama
The trials and misadventures of the staff at a country veterinary office in Yorkshire. James Herriot, a young animal surgeon, moves to a small Yorkshire town to begin his first job.
Pride and PrejudicePride and Prejudice · 1995
Pride and Prejudice
8.21995
SeriesDrama
Set in England in the early 19th century, Pride and Prejudice tells the story of Mr and Mrs Bennet's five unmarried daughters after the rich and eligible Mr Bingley and his status-conscious friend, Mr Darcy, have moved into their neighbourhood. While Bingley takes an immediate liking to the eldest Bennet daughter, Jane, Darcy has difficulty adapting to local society and repeatedly clashes with the second-eldest Bennet daughter, Elizabeth.
Trial & RetributionTrial & Retribution · 1997
Trial & Retribution
6.81997
SeriesCrimeDrama
Devised and written by Lynda La Plante as a follow-on from her successful television series Prime Suspect, this vast police procedural follows police detectives in England as they investigate crimes and the trials that come about as a result.
Jeeves and WoosterJeeves and Wooster · 1990
Jeeves and Wooster
8.11990
SeriesComedy
Jeeves and Wooster is a British comedy-drama series adapted by Clive Exton from P.G. Wodehouse's "Jeeves" stories. It aired on the ITV network from 1990 to 1993, starring Hugh Laurie as Bertie Wooster, a young gentleman with a "distinctive blend of airy nonchalance and refined gormlessness", and Stephen Fry as Jeeves, his improbably well-informed and talented valet. Wooster is a bachelor, a minor aristocrat and member of the idle rich. He and his friends, who are mainly members of The Drones Club, are extricated from all manner of societal misadventures by the indispensable valet, Jeeves. The stories are set in the United Kingdom and the United States in the 1930s.
Shakespeare & Hathaway - Private InvestigatorsShakespeare & Hathaway - Private Investigators · 2018
Shakespeare & Hathaway - Private Investigators
7.22018
SeriesComedyDrama
Frank Hathaway, a hardboiled private investigator, and his rookie sidekick Lu Shakespeare form the unlikeliest of partnerships as they investigate the secrets of rural Warwickshire's residents.
CadfaelCadfael · 1994
Cadfael
7.61994
SeriesDramaCrime
Brother Cadfael is a twelfth-century Anglo-Welsh monk. A retired crusader disappointed in love, and now a herbalist in charge of the gardens of Shrewsbury Abbey, Brother Cadfael is often called on to solve murders and other crimes in and around Shrewsbury, Shropshire, in the border country where England meets Wales.
LovejoyLovejoy · 1986
Lovejoy
7.41986
SeriesComedyDrama
The adventures of the eponymous Lovejoy, a likeable but roguish antiques dealer based in East Anglia. Within the trade, he has a reputation as a “divvie”, a person with an almost supernatural powers for recognising exceptional items as well as distinguishing genuine antique from clever fakes or forgeries.
Man DownMan Down · 2013
Man Down
6.62013
SeriesComedy
Dan is a childish idiot trapped in an adult’s life, whose world is at near collapse. His girlfriend Naomi is fast running out of patience with his inability to navigate the simplest of life tasks. He has two uniquely dysfunctional friends and a listless teaching career that sees him begrudgingly teach a version of the same lesson every day, inexplicably popular with all but one of the pupils, with his only highlight coming in the form of Miss Lipsey, a head mistress who views Dan with a mixture of pity and despair. To make matters worse, he is tormented daily by his willfully insane father, whose driving motivation in life seems to be to ensure his son is humiliated at every turn.
StrangersStrangers · 1978
Strangers
7.31978
SeriesCrimeDrama
Strangers is a 1978–82 ITV police procedural created and principally written by Murray Smith, based on characters created by Kenneth Royce in his novel series and subsequent 1977–78 television adaptation The XYY Man. Don Henderson and Dennis Blanch reprise their roles, respectively, of Detective Sergeant (DS) George Bulman and Detective Constable (DC) Derek Willis. A group of police officers are brought together from across the country to the north of England. There, the fact that they're not well-known gives them the advantage to infiltrate where a more familiar local detective could not. Despite being based around a comparatively small team of detectives, a regular feature in its early years is that few episodes feature the entire team, with most using just two or three regulars in any major role.
Shine on Harvey MoonShine on Harvey Moon · 1982
Shine on Harvey Moon
7.71982
SeriesDrama
Shine on Harvey Moon! is a British comedy-drama series made by Central Television for ITV from 8 January 1982 to 23 August 1985 and briefly revived in 1995 by Meridian. This generally light-hearted series was created by comedy writers Laurence Marks and Maurice Gran. The series is set in the East End of London shortly after the Second World War. Upon being demobbed RAF serviceman Harvey Moon, played by Kenneth Cranham, returns home and finds his family involved in various troubles. His wife Rita, played by Maggie Steed, is not interested in resuming their relationship, and works in a seedy nightclub frequented by American servicemen. He becomes involved with the Labour Party and the union movement. The name of the series is a wordplay on the title of the popular 1908 song 'Shine On, Harvest Moon'. The first series was commissioned and recorded by ATV at their Elstree studios with the remaining series filmed at newly constructed facilities in Nottingham.
MumMum · 2016
Mum
7.32016
SeriesComedy
A comedy about a mother at a milestone in her life. We follow her and her family through a year of new beginnings as she rebuilds her life following the death of her husband. Mum is joined by her supportive life-long friend Michael. Through a year of new beginnings she rebuilds her life surrounded by her family: son Jason and his girlfriend Kelly; her brother Derek and his new partner, Pauline; and her in-laws.
Victorian ScandalsVictorian Scandals · 1976
Victorian Scandals
10.01976
Series
Featuring dramatised versions of true stories that shocked mainstream Victorian society.
A Very Peculiar PracticeA Very Peculiar Practice · 1986
A Very Peculiar Practice
8.21986
SeriesDramaComedy
A young and idealistic Doctor Stephen Daker arrives at Lowlands University to work at the Health Centre, but has to cope with an eccentric set of colleagues.
Super GranSuper Gran · 1985
Super Gran
6.41985
SeriesComedyFamily
Adapted from Forrest Wilson's books, the children's programme revolves around a grandmother with super powers and her arch nemesis, The Scunner Campbell.
Oliver TwistOliver Twist · 1999
Oliver Twist
6.31999
SeriesDrama
When 9-year-old orphan Oliver Twist dares to ask his cruel taskmaster, Mr. Bumble, for a second serving of gruel, he's hired out as an apprentice. Escaping that dismal fate, young Oliver falls in with the street urchin known as the Artful Dodger and his criminal mentor, Fagin. When kindly Mr. Brownlow takes Oliver in, Fagin's evil henchman Bill Sikes plots to kidnap the boy.
In Suspicious CircumstancesIn Suspicious Circumstances · 1991
In Suspicious Circumstances
6.51991
SeriesCrimeDrama
Introduced by renowned English actor Edward Woodward, In Suspicious Circumstances is an anthology of reenactments depicting real-life murder mysteries, some famous and some obscure, exploring cases with elements of miscarriage of justice, unsolved mysteries, and unusual circumstances, often spanning different historical periods.
CuffsCuffs · 2015
Cuffs
6.62015
SeriesDramaCrime
Explores the day-to-day work of police officers, from high-stakes situations like drug busts and kidnappings to mundane incidents like shoplifting and public disturbances, while also delving into their personal lives and internal conflicts.