<P> Bryan made her stage debut as a child in a pantomime in Manchester and, encouraged by her mother, joined the Oldham Repertory while still a teenager . After spending six years honing her craft there, she moved to London to develop her stage career, becoming a regular performer in the West End . Cast in a production of Noël Coward's Private Lives, the actress was encouraged to adopt a stage name by Coward himself . She opted for Dora Bryant, which she often said was inspired by a box of Bryant and May matches which were lying on the table, but a typographical error left off the last letter on the theatre hoarding and she became Dora Bryan . </P> <P> Instantly recognisable from her voice, which became a trademark of her performances, she followed many of her theatre contemporaries into film acting, generally playing supporting roles . She often played women of easy virtue--for example in The Fallen Idol (1948), one of her earliest films, and Ealing's The Blue Lamp (1950). She appeared in similarly stereotypical female roles in other films, for example Gift Horse (1952), The Cockleshell Heroes (1955), The Green Man (1956) and Carry On Sergeant (1958). </P> <P> She appeared in a cameo role on the BBC radio series Hancock's Half Hour, in an episode commonly known as "Cinderella Hancock" (1955). She appeared in the film A Taste of Honey (1961) which won four BAFTA awards including Best Actress for Bryan and Best British Film . In 1963 she recorded the Christmas song "All I want for Christmas is a Beatle". She played the Headmistress in The Great St Trinian's Train Robbery (1966), and she starred in her own television series for the BBC, According to Dora (1968--69). </P> <P> In 1955 Bryan received theatrical recognition when, after the first night of a production of A.P. Herbert's The Water Gypsies, the billing outside was changed to "Dora Bryan in A.P. Herbert's The Water Gipsies". It was Bryan's first venture into West End musical comedy, in which she played Lily Bell, and was a personal triumph . The show's hit songs, sung by Bryan, included "Why Did You Call Me Lily?", "You Never Know With Men", and "It Would Cramp My Style". </P>

Who sang all i want for christmas is a beatle
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