Known For
Acting
Born
Apr 08, 1937
Died
Apr 29, 2026
Place of Birth
Scotland, UK
Credits
35 titles
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.
Known For
Filmography
Rikki
Self
The Very Best of Scotch And Wry
A Is for Acid
Amy McSwan
The Jury
Eleanor Colchester
Monarch of the Glen
Edith Rankin
The Crow Road
Aunt Antonia
Pie in the Sky
Anita Block
I, Lovett
Mrs. Lovett
Rikki Fulton - Prince of Pochlers in Scotch & Wry 4
Various
Taking the Floor
Mrs. Tranter
Triple Scotch & Wry
Various
Double Scotch & Wry
Various
Scotch & Wry
Taggart
Degree of Uncertainty
Diana
Scotch and Wry
Clay, Smeddum and Greenden
Ellen Simpson
Fawlty Towers
Mrs. Hamilton
The Crazy Kill
Hilary
Thriller
Hilary
Whatever Happened to the Likely Lads?
Miss Dixon
Crown Court
Terry Greene
Late Night Theatre
Helen
The Scobie Man
Judy
Kidnapped
Barbara Grant
Upstairs, Downstairs
Ellen Bouverie
Justice
Mary Lurcock
Orkney
Ingi
The Revenue Men
The Wild Affair
Perfume Saleslady
The Wednesday Play
Alison Grant
Backfire!
Valentina Chenko
Ghost Squad
The Kitchen
Waitress
No Hiding Place