Linda was a fantastic and highly respected Production Accountant. At the time of her passing in April 2018, she was one of the most experienced accountants in the UK.
Her first roles as Production Accountant were in the 1970s and her career included a wide variety of successful film and TV projects.
To name a few, she worked on: Watership Down, An American Werewolf in London, Me and Orson Welles, Never Let Me Go, The Girl with All the Gifts, Vera, and Philomena.
You can see a full list of Linda's career credits here: IMDb | IMDb Pro
Memories of Linda
On this page, we will share your stories of the good times spent with Linda. We'd love for all members to contribute to the page who would like to. To do that, please send your memories of Linda to Gareth, [javascript protected email address] who will then post them here for everyone to see.
Ben Rimmer, Line Producer
Linda was irresistible and unforgettable: a lady of high self esteem with an infectious down to earth humour. She was intelligent, nobody’s fool, with a mind quicker than light - especially when looking at numbers and observing people’s characters. She was thus a great inspiration to me throughout my career.
We worked together most recently in 2015 when I was Line Producer on The Girl With All The Gifts. I persuaded her to forego the charms of South West London and come on board for a child-zombie film in the West Midlands. To my delight and amazement, she agreed. It was somewhat of a mystery how she kept finding spare money out of that highly ambitious budget, but she did throughout the film. Ten years earlier in 2005 I worked with her as a Location Manager on Breakfast on Pluto with Neil Jordan, and in 2001 as a young Location Scout on a film called Blow Dry with Alan Rickman and Natasha Richardson.
She is remembered here with immense fondness and gratitude for all she taught me over the years, as a Location Manager then as a Line Producer, but most of all for always having my back. I’ll never know what I did to deserve that level of trust from her but she inspired me to reciprocate that for others. She couldn’t allow the truth to remain unspoken for long and there was nothing that could be hidden or escape her watchful gaze. She knew Production inside out as well as everyone’s jobs on a crew, so very quickly saw anything going awry before it was too late. She really had an amazing foresight.
Above all, Linda stood for principle, which she often despatched directly but with great humour (or sometimes not, depending on how deserving the recipient was!). Her words and actions raised others to her own high standards. She took a great pride in herself and expected others to find the best in themselves too. When they couldn’t, Linda was never short of advice to get them back on track!
Her warmth, honesty and brilliance of mind will forever remain as her legacy to those of us who were fortunate enough to work with her. Dear Linda, you will be deeply missed.
Guy Tannahill, Producer
"I have worked with Linda a few times but some years have passed since we were last in sync. She was always one of the first I would call to check availability but unsurprisingly she was always in demand and busy. However I was able to spend some time with Linda at the end of last year. We met at her home in order to work on a high end TV budget together and as usual she was welcoming and very knowledgeable. She, as usual, made sure that I did not entertain any unwise ideas and kept me in line and well informed.
It is a great shame that she has gone; I will miss her and although she had mostly retired she will be a loss to the industry and to those who are coming up into the accounts department. She had plenty still to offer and a warm and kind personality. My thoughts are with her family."
John Trehy, Financial Controller / Producer
"It was with disbelief and sadness that I read in your newsletter of Linda’s death. That young, alert, lively Linda should suddenly be no more is hard to believe.
It is unjust that she should die so young.
Linda and I started our freelance careers together on a Paramount film called Negatives. It was our big break in the industry and it was vital that it went off well. We had both worked previously for Hammer Films where there was a supervising set up that gave assistance to their production accountants. Linda joined me at Shepperton Studios and she was a marvellous help to me in those early days when the UK industry was growing and I can honestly say we were learning as we went along. She was smart, saw through phony things and brought a good sense of humour to the scene. Later we worked together on Barry Lyndon which although a difficult project Linda was always cheerful and hard working.
Linda was ambitious but not ever in an aggressive way. Her achievements came from her attitude that she was as good anybody and anything they could do, so could she. Linda loved and admired her sister Jo and was inspired by Jo’s position as a top production accountant.
Linda always cared about others on the crew and was interested in and supportive of all.
She was a good colleague and friend and I will miss seeing her.
My sincere condolences to her family."
Carolyn Hall, Production Accountant
"I have known Linda since the sixties at MGM. We only worked together on Barry Lyndon when we were both assistants and she was a warm and caring friend. I will never forget when her au pair put her Jean Muir designer dress into the washing machine - a great tragedy!
We kept in touch over many years. I worked with her first husband before he went to America and remember how she picked herself up after their split. We shared opinions on staff and producers over the years. We both cared that the job was done properly. I remember her taking some time out to have her beloved sons but it was always obvious that she would come back to the job she loved.
We were planning to meet up again this spring. I am sad that it is not to be but I count myself lucky to have known her."
Wendy Ellerker, Financial Controller
"We had become friends over the past few years through work.
Linda was warm and funny and immensely likeable.
It’s difficult to write anything original because the same sentiments are echoed in other people’s memories of her.
She was always beautifully dressed and coiffed and as others have said, the most elegant lady.
And super proud of her family of whom she spoke with warmth and love.
I am so happy that we were friends albeit for too short a time."
Danielle Brandon, Line Producer and Head of Production, Archery Pictures
"Dearest Linda. She was one in a million. I had the great pleasure of working with her on Mr Turner. She was smart, funny, bold and underneath it all, delightfully sweet and kind. So meticulous in every way; especially in her attention to detail at work, and in her appearance, such an elegant and beautiful lady. The first time I met her, she was smart, thoughtful, no nonsense. She ‘interviewed’ us as much as we ‘interviewed’ her, and rightly so – thankfully, we passed. She had a real zest for life and endless energy – you had to admire Linda, and I did, enormously. I will really miss her, and I’m so sad to think that I won’t see her again.
My thoughts are with her family."
Trevor Puckle, 2nd Assistant Director
"Absolutely shocked to hear of Linda’s passing.
First worked with Linda on 'Yentl' in 1982 on which I was the Unit Runner. Linda then and ever since has always treated me with kindness respect & encouragement which goes a long way early on in one’s career. Had come across Linda many times since, last time we worked together was in 2007 on Babylon AD. Always the same and a pleasure to be around.
Very saddened to think that I won’t be seeing or working with Linda again. My thoughts are with her immediate family, particularly those whom I have met, Sister Jo and her two sons (who won’t remember me as they were very young when I met them in 1982).
Memories of Linda are all fond and indelible.
“The soul takes flight to the world that is invisible but there arriving she is sure of bliss and forever dwells in Paradise” Plato"
Donna Casey, Assistant Accountant
"Since I heard the shocking news about Linda I haven’t been able to stop thinking about her. I have had the absolute pleasure of working with her numerous times over the past 13 years.
She was incredibly dear to me and a person I loved and respected very much. She knew the ins and outs of my life, having known her for so long, and was somebody I would always turn to for advice-as I knew I would always get a truly honest opinion from her!!
I have so many wonderful memories and stories about Linda that I will treasure, such as her taking over the petty cash from me at the end of a job and her making money – so she purchased a goat for an African village with it, or randomly, when I was eating breakfast in a small hotel in Tarifa, Spain I suddenly heard the unmistakable voice of Linda walking in behind me, neither of us knowing the other was going to be there, so we took the ferry together and went on a day trip to Morocco.
She was a real character, I loved that she would start a conversation with you before she had even entered the room and would continue talking to you once she had walked out. She was, in her own words ‘the working class girl turned good’ – constantly correcting me for dropping my ‘t’s – and don’t even think about making a spelling mistake on a purchase order! She had an uncanny instinct, which made her incredible at her job, a job that she adored, and the last time I saw her, which was only a couple of weeks before she died, she affirmed that she wasn’t ready to retire yet.
She was so involved in life, always going to the cinema, visiting the theatre, travelling – and she was never one to shy away from a conversation about politics or current affairs either. She had a true heart of gold and cared incredibly deeply for her friends and family. But particularly all of her grandchildren. Linda, being wonderfully old-school, was never without a little wallet of photos in her bag of her growing family. Which makes her passing even more sad.
I feel honoured to have spent so much time with her and to be able to consider her not as a boss, but as a true friend, and I will miss her terribly."
Jane Soans, Location Manager
“I worked with Linda on many films and TV shows and she was very patient and supportive of a Location Manager who did her best with a budget, but rarely remembered all the lines that were needed. She always managed to cover my shortcomings.
Linda was so proud of her grandchildren and showed me pictures every time we bumped into each other.
I am sad that we won't be bumping into each other again.
My very best wishes to all her family"
Paul Cadiou, Production Accountant
"I had the privilege of meeting Linda too many years ago now to give a date. This was through my working association with her sister Jo.
The one thing that I always think of when Linda's name is mentioned was her speed rate of dialogue and she always managed it without taking a breath!!
What a girl- she was very forthright and outspoken and had a heart of gold which she would give you if needed.
It has now been a number of years since I last saw Linda- in a main admin corridor at Pinewood in 2012-, but I shall never forget her.
God bless"
Matthew Lawson, Production Accountant
"I worked with Linda on Horrid Henry towards the end of 2010. She took me on knowing I had no experience in payroll and was very willing to teach me. I will forever be grateful for that opportunity as it allowed me to move onto other shows where that payroll experience was invaluable. Thank you Linda."
Zoe Burke, Production Co-ordinator / Production Manager
"So very sad to hear of Linda’s passing. We worked together on Black Mirror a few years ago and she was a lovely woman to work with. She cared so much for her family and adored her grandchildren who she was so proud of. I am sending my thoughts and love to her family at this very sad time."
