Carmen Silvera

Carmen Blanche Silvera (2 June 1922 - 3 August 2002) was a Canadian-born British comic actress of Spanish-Jewish descent who moved to Coventry with her family when she was a child. Silvera was possibly best known for her starring role in the British television programme, 'Allo 'Allo! as Edith Artois. During World War II, Silvera was evacuated to Montreal and narrowly escaped death when, at the last minute, her name was taken off the passenger list of a troopship that was sunk by the enemy shortly afterwards, drowning 350 children. In Canada, she took classes with the Ballet Russes and appeared in three of its productions. On her return to Britain, she felt called to acting and trained at the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art,...