Bolton, Lancashire, United Kingdom
Born in Bolton, Lancashire, Dawson spent part of her childhood in Tanganyika, where her father worked. She attended the Elmhurst Ballet School and after training at the Central School of Speech and Drama she learned her craft by playing in repertory theatre companies. Dawson went on to star in several West End musicals. She featured in episodes of Dixon of Dock Green during the 1960s, The Benny Hill Show during the 1980s, and played Hyacinth Bucket's sister Violet ("the one with the Mercedes, sauna and room for a pony") in the final series of the sitcom Keeping Up Appearances, though her character was only featured on screen briefly in four episodes. Dawson is married to former Black and White Minstrel Show soloist John Boulter.


as Self
1979

as Violet
1990

1969

1978
as Jill Simpson
1978

1980

as Store Manageress
1975
as Enid Vance
1985

as Becky
1973

as Nurse
1984
as Daphne / Weightlifter's Assistant
1975

as Betty
1973
as Nurse
1984

as Carla
2004
as Various/Archive footage
1994

as Self/Various Roles
1991

as Nurse
1984

as Wicked Witch
1984

as Wife
1983

as Courting Woman
1981

as Glam
1977

as Store Manageress
1975

as Betty
1973

as Becky
1973

as Boutique Assistant (uncredited)
1971
58 ep.

as Self
5 episodes

as Violet
3 episodes

58 episodes

4 episodes
as Jill Simpson
4 episodes

78 episodes
as Enid Vance
6 episodes
as Daphne / Weightlifter's Assistant
1 episodes
6 episodes