Inside The Life Of Actress Felicity Kendal: From "The Good Life" To Her Current Projects

Mar 02, 2022

Felicity Kendal is an English actress best known for her work in television and theater. Her career expands over the past 70 years, and it's clear that Kendal has made her mark on the industry by starring in a plethora of stage and screen roles. One of her most legendary roles was portraying Barbara Good in the 1975 television series "The Good Life."

Kendal has a very fascinating life. She was born on Sept. 25, 1946, in Olton, Warwickshire, England. She is the youngest daughter of Laura Liddell and Geoffrey Kendal; the latter is also an actor as well as a manager. Kendal's older sister Jennifer was also an actress. It's easy to see why Kendal gravitated toward the stage and the small screen as she was heavily influenced by the talent in her immediate family.

Kendal and her family moved from Birmingham to India when she was just seven years old. The experience is something that she still holds near and dear to her heart. They stayed there for many years, performing in front of crowds of a wide variety of audiences.

In 1975, Kendal had her breakthrough moment with the sitcom "The Good Life." She appeared in every episode of the four series run – including two specials – from 1975 to 1978.

Today, Kendal is 75 years old and is enjoying her life as a partner, mother and grandmother. She is still receiving plenty of praise and recognition from her peers and critics, and is also still busy in the acting world. Read on to find out more about this legendary actress.

Growing up, Kendal enjoyed performing alongside her parents and enjoyed her life in India. "The family unit was my security as a child, as we were always on the move," Kendal told the Guardian in 2013. 

She also had a beautiful relationship with her sister Jennifer leading up to her death in 1984. Kendal said:

"My sister Jennifer's love for me was always maternal. There was a 13-year age gap, so sibling rivalry didn't exist. The real sadness of Jennifer's early death from cancer at 51 was her anguish at leaving her children behind. Now I'm the family matriarch."

Kendal also has children of her own. She was married to Drewe Henley from 1968 to 1979, and they have one son together. She was married to theater director Michael Rudman from 1983 to 1994 and the pair also have one son together. Although they separated in 1991 and later divorced, Kendal and Rudman reunited in 1998 and are still together to this day.

"Michael is the big love of my life," Kendal said. "We have a history together: going through a divorce is like going through a tragedy and if you come out the other side it really does bind you together." The actress is also a grandmother of 12: two biological grandchildren from her elder son, five from Rudman's first marriage, and five from Jennifer's children.

While Kendal has been in the industry for quite some time, it was her role as Barbara Good on the BBC sitcom "The Good Life" that brought her widespread fame and recognition. She starred on the show for several years, showing off her incredible talents as an actress. 

Looking back at her time on the famous TV series, Kendal said:

"I'm deeply proud of something which was so much fun to be a part of, and which created so much happiness. It didn't mean that much to me when I was doing it and we had no idea it was going to take off in the way it did. But I was a young divorced mother of a young son. I was deeply ambitious. I was just living the life, happy for the work."

As someone who's been in the public eye for more than seven decades, Kendal has gotten used to being photographed and judged based on her appearance. However, she's currently enjoying her 70s because of her fitness routine and regard to her overall health. 

Speaking with the Irish Mirror, Kendal said, "I work out three times a week, a mixture of stretching, yoga and weights. I've also mastered press-ups. I'm so pleased. Now, if I could only stand on my head…"

According to the Irish Mirror, the actress has no plans of retiring any time soon, and that's why she is so dedicated to her fitness regime. It's clear that Kendal is following through with her intentions to keep working. In 2021, she starred as Evangeline Harcourt in "Anything Goes" at the Barbican Theatre in London.

Kendal continued, "When you're younger the competition is much greater. That's quite stressful. When you get to my age there aren't so many people left, so there's less pressure." It's evident that Kendal has been able to handle plenty of life's challenges, and is continuing to thrive in her personal life and career.

What are your thoughts on Felicity Kendal's career and what her life looks like today? Let us know, and be sure to send this to your family and friends, too.