Bradford actress Mary Tamm, who is best known for her role as Doctor Who assistant Romana, returned to the city to sign copies of her autobiography and met an old school friend for the first time in nearly 50 years.
Mary, who went to what was then Bradford Girls’ Grammar School, grew up in the city’s Estonian community.
Her parents were Estonian refugees who arrived in Bradford after the Second World War.
Mary’s book, First Generations, chronicles her life from her childhood in Manningham and drama lessons at Bradford Playhouse to her film, TV and stage career. She played Romana for one series in 1979.
“I joined the Bradford Civic aged 11, it was a fantastic, semi-professional theatre,” she told the T&A.
“I was there the day Kennedy was assassinated, we stopped rehearsals when we heard the news.”
Helen Porter, 59, of Wrose, was one of the people who queued up to meet Mary at the book-signing.
She said: “I went to school with her at Lilycroft Primary and her dad worked at Lister’s Mill when my dad worked there. I have not seen her since we were 11, but I have followed her career.
“I have brought a school photo for her to look at. I remember she could draw anything, but horses were her real passion. she used to draw them all the time.”
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