Claire Nielson
Biography
Claire Nielson (née Isbister) was a Scottish actress primarily known for her television roles. On television, she played the wife of the belligerent American guest, Mr. Hamilton, in the "Waldorf Salad" episode of Fawlty Towers, appeared as Jean 'Porridge' Carter, Geoffrey Stock's secretary, in the popular 1960s crime series Ghost Squad and played the wife of Rikki Fulton's character in many sketches of the Scottish Hogmanay show Scotch and Wry from 1978 until 1993. Other TV credits include Warship, Sutherland's Law, Upstairs, Downstairs, Monarch of the Glen, The Brothers, The Two Ronnies, Take The High Road, Z-Cars, Special Branch, Thriller and Taggart. She also appeared as Barbara Grant in the 1971 film version of Kidnapped, opposite Michael Caine and Trevor Howard.and an episode of Whatever Happened to the Likely Lads.
Movie Appearances
Double Scotch & Wry
as Various
1987
The Wild Affair
as Perfume Saleslady
1965
Backfire!
as Valentina Chenko
1962
Kidnapped
as Barbara Grant
1971
Rikki Fulton - Prince of Pochlers in Scotch & Wry 4
as Various
1992
A Is for Acid
as Amy McSwan
2002
Triple Scotch & Wry
as Various
1990
Clay, Smeddum and Greenden
as Ellen Simpson
1976
Scotch & Wry
1986
Degree of Uncertainty
as Diana
1979
The Kitchen
as Waitress
1961
The Crazy Kill
as Hilary
1975
Orkney
as Ingi
1971
Rikki
as Self
2024
TV Appearances
Thriller
as Hilary
1973
Fawlty Towers
as Mrs. Hamilton
1975
Monarch of the Glen
as Edith Rankin
2000
Taggart
1983
Crown Court
as Terry Greene
1972
Ghost Squad
1961
The Revenue Men
1967
Upstairs, Downstairs
as Ellen Bouverie
1971
No Hiding Place
1959
The Revenue Men
as Luke Frazer
1967
Justice
as Mary Lurcock
1971
Whatever Happened to the Likely Lads?
as Miss Dixon
1973