In the novel Elephants Can Remember, Mrs Rosentelle is a hair stylist and former wig-maker in Cheltenham. Previously she had the salon Eugene & Rosentelle, first in London's Bond Street, and later Sloane Street. The salon provided the wigs for Margaret Ravenscroft. She later left the firm and moved to Cheltenham where she opened The Rose Green Hairdressing Saloons. Mrs Rosentelle is one of the titular “elephants”.
Mrs Rosentelle is described as having "a nice, intelligent face with well arranged brown hair, with somewhat interesting grey streaks in it here and there". Her exact age is not given, but Ariadne Oliver thinks that she is "roughly her own age or possibly a good many years older".
Mrs Rosentelle is fond of Mrs Oliver's books, and says that she has read a lot of them. As such, she thinks that it is very nice when Mrs Oliver comes to visit her.
Mrs Rosentelle tells Mrs Oliver that she is quite thankful to give the work to her employees, and she does not do the work herself these days, although she still advises people. She says that they do not do much in the wig line now, but her husband does advise and get wigs for men who are bald.
Mrs Rosentelle tells Mrs Oliver that most people had at least two wigs, and that Lady Ravenscroft had ordered an extra two wigs. Lady Ravenscroft had been ill or in hospital or something, and a young French lady came to order the two extra wigs. This happened about a month before Lady Ravenscroft died.
When Mrs Oliver asks if she might find a wig useful, Mrs Rosentelle says that she would not advise it. She says that Mrs Oliver has "a splendid crop of hair", which is very thick. She also imagines that Mrs Oliver enjoys doing things with her hair, which Mrs Oliver says is true.
Portrayals[]
- In the 2006 BBC Radio 4 adaptation, she was played by Jill Balcon.
- In the 2013 TV adaptation, she was played by Ruth Sheen.