Glenda Wood – Granadaland

Glenda Wood describes the skills needed by a make-up artist and the difference that colour television made to the role

There were always about 10 or 11 of us, and we used to bring a freelance in if we needed more. Did you ever go into the make-up room? We had these kitchen cupboard things down the middle, and we had to have more make-up space in there, so they put… you know those people…

Glenda Wood on her encounter with Margaret Thatcher

Did you ever make up politicians, like Mrs Thatcher? Oh, God! Yes. Do you know, we never, ever got tips. Which is the nature of the game, isn’t it? But I went to Blackpool, and it was the year after the Brighton bombing – you wouldn’t believe the security to get in there! I was…

Glenda Wood recalls the day-to-day work on a drama

So I presume there was a team of make-up artists. There was the person who was the principal, and then you would have all your assistants, and you’d worked it out, how many assistants you’d need. Generally it was only two, but when you had a big crowd of extras. I used to work it…

Glenda Wood remembers the good times at Granada

What was Granada like to work for? From the word go they were smashing, absolutely smashing. I remember my boss was Michael… big tall fella, very handsome. Mike Scott. When I first started he was there. But yes, everybody was really nice. And I really do think that everybody enjoyed it so much – that’s…

Glenda Wood’s memories of working on Coronation Street

What about some of the Coronation Street people? Pat Phoenix? Oh! Yes. I did her a few times. It’s funny, because the make-up she had was left over from the 50s. I don’t mean the pots that we had, but the way she had it was left over from the 50s. Is that what she…

Glenda Wood talks about her work on ‘Stars in Your Eyes’ for which she won a BAFTA

So what programmes do you particularly remember? Well, I loved Stars in Their Eyes, it was a make-up artist’s dream to do that. I did that for the whole lot, I forget how much that… I got a BAFTA for that. Why did you enjoy that so much? Because it was perfect. If you were…

Glenda Wood’s impressions of Sidney Bernstein and Denis Forman

Did you ever have any contact with Denis Forman or the Bernsteins? Yes. yes. I remember one night… we used to do What the Papers Say live at about 11pm, and I was sitting in the make-up room, waiting for whoever was doing What the Papers Say, and Bernstein came in. And he used to…