'Royle Family' actress Liz Smith dies

[dutchman]

Actress Liz Smith, who played "Nana" in the Royle Family and Mrs Cropley in the Vicar of Dibley, has died aged 95.



A family spokeswoman confirmed the death on Boxing Day.

Born as Betty Gleadle in Scunthorpe, Lincolnshire, in 1921, she later gave herself the stage name of Smith.

She also had roles in 2point4 Children and Lark Rise to Candleford, and was the voice of Mrs Mulch in Wallace and Gromit's The Curse of the Were-Rabbit.

She was awarded an MBE in 2009.

The death comes less than six months after her co-star and co-writer of The Royle Family, Caroline Aherne, died aged 52.