The entertainment world is mourning the loss of Sandra Caron, the beloved British actress best known for her roles in the Carry On films and as the fortune-teller Mumsie on The Crystal Maze. Her family has confirmed she passed away at the age of 89.
A Life in the Spotlight
Sandra Caron died from natural causes on September 1st, 2025, at Cedars Sinai Medical Centre in Los Angeles. According to a statement from her stepson, Marc, she had been in hospital for approximately six weeks prior to her death, suffering from issues related to extreme weight loss and several falls.
Born in 1936, Sandra was immersed in showbusiness from a young age. She grew up with her glamorous older sister, Alma Cogan, one of Britain's most celebrated stars of the 1950s and 60s. The sisters lived with their mother in a famous Kensington flat that became a legendary celebrity haunt, frequented by icons from Noel Coward and Cary Grant to The Beatles. It was in this very flat that Paul McCartney first drafted the song Yesterday.
A Versatile and Enduring Career
After training at the Aida Foster Theatre School and adopting the stage name 'Caron' in homage to French film star Leslie Caron, she embarked on a prolific career. Sandra became a household name for her cheeky performance in Carry On Camping alongside her close friend Barbara Windsor.
To a new generation, she was the enigmatic Mumsie on the cult Channel 4 show The Crystal Maze, hosted by Richard O'Brien. She appeared in this role from 1990 to 1993, later making a return as 'Auntie Sabrina' when producers joked that Mumsie was 'away'.
Her screen credits were vast and varied, encompassing:
- Television shows like Z Cars, Dixon of Dock Green, and Charlie's Angels.
- Films including The Belles of St Trinian's, Dracula, and Digby: The Biggest Dog in the World.
Her final screen role was in the 1995 production Agony Again, starring her longtime friend Maureen Lipman.
Personal Life and Legacy
Sandra had lived in the United States since 2015 with her husband, American actor Brian Greene, whom she married in 1985. The couple had no children together. Her stepson Marc shared that Brian, now 99, has been moved to an assisted living facility.
Sandra was cremated, and her ashes are currently with her husband. The family plans for their ashes to be interred together at Mount Sinai, though plans are not yet finalised.
Beyond acting, Sandra was a devoted chronicler of her sister's legacy, authoring the well-received 1991 biography Alma Cogan: The Girl With the Laugh in Her Voice. Sandra Caron is remembered as a talented performer and a cherished figure in British entertainment history.
