Before the days of Horne & Corden and Little Britain, there was a time when British comedies didn't rely on bodily functions and fat people for gags. Classic sitcoms such as The Good Life, To The Manor Born, Moving and No Job For A Lady relied on witty scripts, gentle humour and, most importantly, talented stars. Gluing all the above shows together with her inimitable dim, posho act was Penelope Anne Constance Keith CBE.

Keith may not be one of comedy's greatest radicals, her shows are always fluffy and life-affirming rather than gritty or realistic, but she has mastered the art of playing a two-dimensional snob. She may have been typecast, but to hell, she didn't care! Whether it was as stuck-up Margo or well-to-do Audrey fforbes-Hamilton, she always nailed that same role. Away from sitcoms, Keith took over in 1988 from the later Eamon Andrews on quiz What's My Line? and provided voiceovers on kids' TV nonsense Teletubbies in the '90s. Sadly, her only prominent appearance in the public eye during recent years has been over her unfortunate battle with locals to build a café in a Highland village.

DS pays tribute to typecast comedy hero Penelope Keith with our very own gallery.