Patricia Brake
A versatile actress who brought warmth and wit to British television, most memorably as the long-suffering daughter of a convict in the classic sitcom Porridge.
1942–2022 (age 80)·English actress·Birthday: June 25·The Silent Generation
Biography
Patricia Brake carved out a distinctive place in the British cultural landscape with a career that spanned over four decades. Born Patricia Ann Kennedy in Bath, she trained at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art before making her screen debut. While she appeared in everything from period dramas like 'Nicholas Nickleby' to soap operas like 'Emmerdale,' her defining role came in 1974 as Ingrid Fletcher, the sensible daughter of Ronnie Barker's scheming inmate in 'Porridge.' Her grounded, empathetic performance provided the crucial emotional anchor to the show's prison humor. Brake possessed a remarkable ability to shift between comedy and drama, later starring in the short-lived but fondly remembered BBC soap 'Eldorado' and making late-career appearances in 'EastEnders' and 'Coronation Street.' Her work is remembered for its naturalism and quiet strength, a testament to a character actress who could steal a scene with a look.
The Silent Generation
1928–1945
Born between the Depression and the end of WWII. Too young to fight, old enough to remember. They became the conformist middle managers of the 1950s — and the civil rights leaders who quietly dismantled Jim Crow.
Patricia was born in 1942, placing them squarely in The Silent Generation. The events that shaped this generation — world wars, depression, and rapid industrialization — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Patricia Was Born
The biggest hits of 1942
#1 Movie
Bambi
Best Picture
Mrs. Miniver
Patricia's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1942Born
Battle of Midway turns the tide in the Pacific
Gas: $0.20/galHome: $3,175Min wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"White Christmas" — Bing CrosbyBest Picture: Mrs. Miniver
1947Started school
India gains independence; the Dead Sea Scrolls found
Gas: $0.23/galHome: $6,600Min wage: $0.40/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Near You" — Francis CraigBest Picture: Gentleman's Agreement
1955Became a teenager
Rosa Parks refuses to give up her bus seat
Gas: $0.29/galHome: $9,550Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Rock Around the Clock" — Bill Haley & His CometsBest Picture: Marty
1958Could drive
NASA founded
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $11,050Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Volare" — Domenico ModugnoBest Picture: Gigi
1960Could vote
Kennedy-Nixon debates become first televised presidential debates
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $11,900Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Theme from A Summer Place" — Percy FaithBest Picture: The Apartment
1963Turned 21
JFK assassinated in Dallas; Martin Luther King's 'I Have a Dream' speech
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $13,100Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"Sugar Shack" — Jimmy Gilmer & The FireballsBest Picture: Tom Jones
1972Turned 30
Watergate break-in; last Apollo Moon mission
Gas: $0.36/galHome: $19,550Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face" — Roberta FlackBest Picture: The Godfather
1982Turned 40
Michael Jackson releases Thriller
Gas: $1.22/galHome: $55,200Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Physical" — Olivia Newton-JohnBest Picture: Gandhi
1992Turned 50
LA riots after Rodney King verdict
Gas: $1.13/galHome: $84,300Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"End of the Road" — Boyz II MenBest Picture: Unforgiven
2002Turned 60
Euro currency enters circulation
Gas: $1.36/galHome: $137,800Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"How You Remind Me" — NickelbackBest Picture: Chicago
2012Turned 70
Curiosity rover lands on Mars; Sandy Hook shooting
Gas: $3.64/galHome: $143,200Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Somebody That I Used to Know" — GotyeBest Picture: Argo
2022Turned 80
Russia invades Ukraine; Queen Elizabeth II dies
Gas: $3.97/galHome: $348,700Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Joe Biden"As It Was" — Harry StylesBest Picture: Everything Everywhere All at Once
Key Achievements
- Played the pivotal role of Ingrid Fletcher across the entire run of the seminal BBC sitcom 'Porridge' and its sequel 'Going Straight.'
- Starred as Gwen Lockhead in 128 episodes of the BBC's ambitious primetime soap opera 'Eldorado.'
- Appeared in the acclaimed 1973 British film 'The Optimists of Nine Elms' alongside Peter Sellers.
- Had a long and varied television career, performing in major series from the 1960s through the 2000s.
Did You Know?
She was originally cast in 'Porridge' for just one episode, but her performance was so well-received her role was expanded.
She performed alongside her real-life husband, actor David Calder, in several stage productions.
Before acting, she worked as a librarian in Bath.
Her stage name 'Brake' was reportedly chosen from a telephone directory.
“Comedy is about truth, even the most ridiculous character must have a truth.”
