Jean Margaret Hodgkinson, better known by her stage name Jean Alexander, was a renowned British television actress. She is widely recognized for her iconic roles in the popular soap opera Coronation Street and the long-running sitcom Last of the Summer Wine.
Born in 1926 at 18 Rhiwlas Street, Toxteth, Liverpool, to Nell and Archie Hodgkinson, Jean's early life was marked by modest beginnings. Her father worked as an electrician, and the family resided in a terraced house without an indoor lavatory. She had an elder brother, Kenneth, and was inspired to pursue a career in acting from a young age, drawn to variety acts at the Pavilion theatre in her hometown.
Jean attended St Edmund's College for Girls in Princes Park, Toxteth, and later joined an amateur theatre group, taking elocution lessons as a teenager. After completing her education, she spent five years working as a library assistant in Liverpool before embarking on her acting career in 1949 at the Adelphi Guild Theatre in Macclesfield.
Jean's early acting career was marked by minor roles in various productions, including rep in Oldham, Stockport, and York. She also worked as a wardrobe mistress and stage manager, honing her skills and gaining valuable experience. Her television debut is credited to either the police series Z-Cars or Deadline Midnight, depending on the source.
Jean's breakthrough role came in 1962 when she first appeared in Coronation Street as a landlady. Two years later, she reprised her role as Hilda Ogden, a character that would become synonymous with her name. She began playing the role on July 8, 1964, and remained with the show until December 25, 1987, when she left the series.
During her time on Coronation Street, Jean's portrayal of Hilda Ogden earned her widespread acclaim and recognition. She won the 1985 Royal Television Society Award for Best Performance and received a 1988 BAFTA TV Award nomination for Best Actress. The British League for Hilda Ogden was established in 1979, and fans sent her condolence cards in 1984 after the death of her on-screen husband Stan Ogden.
In 1985, Jean received the Royal Television Society Award for her performance on Coronation Street. When she decided to leave the show in 1987, fans launched "Save Hilda!" campaigns, although many were unaware that she had made the decision to depart. Her final scenes in the programme aired on December 25, 1987, attracting nearly 27 million viewers, the highest number in the show's history.
Jean continued to act throughout her career, appearing in Last of the Summer Wine from 1988 to 2010 as Auntie Wainwright. In 2005, the UK TV Times poll voted her as the "Greatest Soap Opera Star of All Time," a testament to her enduring popularity and legacy in the world of British television.
