The Liver Birds and Series 1 starred Pauline Collins as Dawn and Polly James as Beryl Hennessey. In Series 2, Nerys Hughes debuted as Sandra Hutchinson, replacing Dawn for the rest of the programme's run. The Beryl-and-Sandra pairing is generally regarded as the programme's best period. Beryl was the more 'common' one, while Sandra was soft-spoken and more refined, due to the influence of her snobbish, overbearing mother (Mollie Sugden). Carla Lane drew on her own mother for the character – "Mrs Hutchinson, I think she was my mother. I'm sure she was my mother". Beryl's 'common' mother (the Hennesseys live in Bootle,
Polly Walker Polly Walker Polly Alexandra Walker (born 19 May 1966) is an English actress. She has starred in the films "Enchanted April" (1992), "Patriot Games" (1992), "Sliver" (1993), "Restoration" (1995), "The Gambler" (1997) and "Savage Messiah" (2002). In 2006, she received a Golden Globe Award nomination for her role in the drama series "Rome" (2005–07). Walker was born in Warrington, Cheshire. She attended Padgate Church of England Primary School in Warrington and Silverdale Preparatory School, West Acton, London. At 16, Walker graduated from Ballet Rambert School in Twickenham and began her career as a dancer but had to abandon dancing after