Deborah Chazen (born 1 September 1971) is an English actress. She is best known for portraying Annie in the BBC comedy The Smoking Room, Big Claire in Mine All Mine, and various roles in the BBC sketch show Tittybangbang. Alongside these appearances, Chazen has had recurring roles on Trollied and Holby City.

Debbie Chazen
Born (1971-09-01) 1 September 1971 (age 52)
Hammersmith, London, England
Alma materLondon Academy of Music and Dramatic Art
Years active1997–present
PartnerMichael Korel

Early life edit

Chazen was born in Hammersmith, London. After graduating from Manchester University in 1992 with a degree in Russian Studies, she trained at LAMDA.

Career edit

Chazen has appeared in the Mike Leigh film Topsy Turvy, and other films, such as A Christmas Carol, and the 2001 version of The Life and Adventures of Nicholas Nickleby.

On television, she has acted in Gimme Gimme Gimme, Mile High, EastEnders and Lucy Sullivan Is Getting Married.

Her theatre work includes Mother Clap's Molly House at the National Theatre, Dick Whittington and His Cat at the Barbican Theatre, and Anton Chekhov's The Cherry Orchard in Sheffield. In 2006, she played Maribel in a new play called Crooked at the Bush Theatre, for which she received acclaim. An article in the International Herald Tribune compared the quality of her performance to the likes of Judi Dench and Maggie Smith. Another role that she played to great acclaim was Tessa in The Girlfriend Experience, which she performed at the Royal Court Theatre and the Young Vic.

Chazen appeared in two episodes of Midsomer Murders, one episode of Doc Martin, and in the 2007 Doctor Who episode "Voyage of the Damned". In November and December 2008, she played Milton's sister Susan in Another Case of Milton Jones on BBC Radio 4. Chazen starred as Ruth in the stage play Calendar Girls from November 2009 to January 2010 at the Noël Coward in Leicester Square, during which time she was diagnosed with breast cancer and had to withdraw halfway through the run in order to start treatment. She made a full recovery, and returned to Calendar Girls in the same role for a national tour at the end of 2010.

Chazen had a running story line in Doctors in 2010 as Sissy Juggins, who, along with her brother Ivor Juggins, kidnapped Dr. Jimmi Clay, and was nominated for a British Soap Award. Chazen has also appeared in an episode of EastEnders as Minty's blind date, and two episodes of Coronation Street as Miriam. She toured Calendar Girls from August to December 2011.[1] In 2013, she appeared in the Sky 1 comedy series Trollied. She played Ludmilla in the play The Duck House,[2][3] The show transferred to London's Vaudeville Theatre after a five-week tour.[2]

Chazen appeared on television as Ludmilla in Ambassadors. In 2014, she appeared in the Sherlock episode "The Sign of Three", and on 19 June 2014, it was announced that she would be joining the cast of Holby City. She subsequently appeared as Jessica in Agatha Raisin and the Walkers of Dembley.

In 2017, Chazen played Ruth in The Girls at the Phoenix Theatre in the West End.

Filmography edit

Film edit

Year Title Role Notes
1998 Tess of the D'Urbervilles Marian TV film
1999 Topsy-Turvy Miss Kingsley
A Christmas Carol Fred's Maid TV film
2001 Barnie's Minor Annoyances Jenny Original title: Barnie et ses petites contrariétés
The Life and Adventures of Nicholas Nickleby Fanny Squeers TV film
Beginner's Luck Charlotte
2004 Tooth Fat Fairy
Suzie Gold Miriam Jacobs
2005 Feeder Pam Short film
2009 I Am Ruthie Segal, Hear Me Roar Short film
2010 Anton Chekhov's the Duel Olga
2013 Gnomeland Suzanne Short film
2018 Ploey: You Never Fly Alone Cormorant/Swan Voice role, English version
Red Joan Karen
2021 Pops Suzie Jacobs Short film

Television edit

Year Title Role Notes
1997 The Lakes Delilah Recurring role, 3 episodes
1998 An Unsuitable Job for a Woman Joanna Episode: "A Last Embrace"
Killer Net Sandra TV Mini-series
The Ruth Rendell Mysteries Jackie Episode: "You Can't Be Too Careful"
The Bill Nuala Hill Episode: "Team Play"
1999 Midsomer Murders Anna Santarosa Episode: "Strangler's Wood"
1999–2000 Lucy Sullivan Is Getting Married Meredia Series regular, 16 episodes
2000 Casualty Danielle Adams Episode: "Blood Brothers"
2001 Gimme Gimme Gimme Art Teacher Episode: "Decoy"
2002 The Estate Agents Angie Episode: "Night Out"
Holby City Bernice Webster Episode: "Facing Facts"
2003 Grass Jenny Episode: "Series 1, Episode 7"
2004 Mine All Mine Big Claire Series regular, 6 episodes
2004–2005 The Smoking Room Annie Series regular, 17 episodes
2005 EastEnders Shivorne Episode: "5 May 2005"
The Bill Kathy Jones Episode: "Use of Protocol"
Murder in Suburbia Estelle Harcourt Episode: "Dogs"
Mile High Terri Episode: "Series 2, Episode 26"
Doctors Meriel Croston Episode: "Something to Hold Onto"
2005–2007 Tittybangbang Various roles Series regular, 8 episodes
2007 Doc Martin Alison Lane Episode: "The Apple Doesn't Fall"
Doctor Who Foon Van Hoff Episode: "Voyage of the Damned"
Comedy Showcase Garvey Episode: "The Eejits"
2008 Midsomer Murders Gemma Platt Episode: "Midsomer Life"
Uncle Max Bride Episode: "Uncle Max Goes to a Wedding"
2009 Psychoville Kelly Su Crabtree Recurring role, 4 episodes
We Are Klang Mayor Recurring role, 4 episodes
The Impressions Show with Culshaw and Stephenson Daggy Episode: "Series 1, Episode 6"
2010 Doctors Sissy Juggins Recurring role, 12 episodes
2010–2011 Coronation Street Miriam Recurring role, 5 episodes
2011 White Van Man Pauline Episode: "The Morning After"
2013 Holby City Colette Barnes Episode: "Only Human"
Great Night Out Shop Assistant Episode: "Series 1, Episode 6"
Trollied Sarah Recurring role, 3 episodes
Ambassadors Ludmilla TV Mini-series
The Spa Davina Series regular, 8 episodes
2014 Sherlock Vicky Episode: "The Sign of Three"
The Job Lot Joy Coleman Episode: "Series 2, Episode 4"
2014–2019 Holby City Fleur Fanshawe Recurring role, 13 episodes
2015 Asylum Mercedes Episode: "Public Relations"
You, Me and the Apocalypse Myrta Episode: "T Minus..."
2016 Agatha Raisin Jessica Tarnick Episode: "The Walkers of Dembley"
2018–2020 The Last Kingdom Sable Recurring role, 6 episodes
2019 Dead Pixels Cara Recurring role, 3 episodes
Sticks and Stones Natalie TV Mini-series
2020 Urban Myths Beatrice Molinsky Episode: "When Joan Kissed Barbra"

References edit

  1. ^ "Gallery". seecalendargirls.com. Archived from the original on 24 January 2012. Retrieved 23 January 2012.
  2. ^ a b "The Duck House: MPs' expenses satire heads for West End". BBC News. 16 September 2013. Retrieved 16 September 2013.
  3. ^ Andrew Gans (16 September 2013). "Political Comedy The Duck House Will Play London's Vaudeville; Cast Announced". Playbill. Retrieved 12 August 2022.

External links edit