Miriam Margolyes
Miriam Margolyes | |
---|---|
Margolyes in 2008 | |
Born | Oxford, Oxfordshire, England | 18 May 1941
Nationality | English |
Citizenship | British (1941–present), Australian (2013–present) |
Occupation | Actress |
Years active | 1965–present |
Miriam Margolyes OBE (/ˈmɑːrɡəliːz/; born 18 May 1941)[1] is an English-Australian character actress and voice artist. Her earliest roles were in theatre and after several supporting roles in film and television she won a BAFTA Award for her role in The Age of Innocence (1993) and went on to play the role of Professor Sprout in the Harry Potter film series. For many years, she has divided her time between Britain and Australia, and she has starred in a number of critically acclaimed shows, including I'll Eat You Last.
Early life
Margolyes was born in Oxford, England, the only child of Ruth (née Walters; 1905–1974), a property investor and developer, and Joseph Margolyes (1899–1996), a physician from Glasgow.[1][2] She grew up in a Jewish family;[3][4][5] her ancestors migrated to the UK from Poland and Belarus. Her great-grandfather, Symeon Sandmann, was born in the town of Margonin in central-western Poland, which Miriam Margolyes visited in 2013.
She attended Oxford High School[1] from 1945 until 1959, and later Newnham College, Cambridge, where she read English.[6] There, she began acting in her twenties, and also appeared in productions of the comedy troupe the Cambridge Footlights.[7]
Acting career
With her distinctive voice, Margolyes first gained recognition for her work as a voice artist. She recorded a soft-porn audio called Sexy Sonia: Leaves from my Schoolgirl Notebook.[8] She performed most of the supporting female characters in the dubbed Japanese action TV series Monkey. She also worked with the theatre company Gay Sweatshop and provided voiceovers in the Japanese TV series The Water Margin (credited as Mirium Margolyes).
Margolyes' first major role in a film was as Elephant Ethel in Stand Up, Virgin Soldiers (1977). In the 1980s, she made appearances in Blackadder opposite Rowan Atkinson: these roles include the Spanish Infanta in The Black Adder, Lady Whiteadder in Blackadder II and Queen Victoria in Blackadder's Christmas Carol. In 1986 she played a major supporting role in the BBC drama The Life and Loves of a She-Devil. She won the 1989 LA Critics Circle Award for Best Supporting Actress for her portrayal of Flora Finching in the 1988 film Little Dorrit. On American television, she headlined the short-lived 1992 CBS sitcom Frannie's Turn. In 1994 she won the BAFTA Award for Best Supporting Actress for her role as Mrs Mingott in Martin Scorsese's The Age of Innocence (1993).
Margolyes came to the notice of younger audiences when she starred as Aunt Sponge in James and the Giant Peach (1996); she also provided the voice of the Glowworm in the same film. During the same time she played the Nurse in Baz Luhrmann's Romeo + Juliet (1996). Around this time, she voiced the rabbit character in the animated commercials for Cadbury's Caramel bars[9] and provided the voice of Fly the dog in the Australian family film Babe (1995).[10]
She played Professor Sprout in Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets in 2002.
She was one of the original cast of the London production of the musical Wicked in 2006, playing Madame Morrible opposite Idina Menzel, a role she also played on Broadway in 2008.[11]
In 2009, she appeared in a new production of Endgame by Samuel Beckett at the Duchess Theatre in London's West End.[12]
Margolyes reprised her role as Professor Sprout in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2 in 2011.
In 2014 she voiced Nana in the Disney Junior animated series for preschoolers Nina Needs to Go![13]
Other work
Margolyes is a supporter of Sense (the National Deafblind and Rubella Association) and was the host at the first Sense Creative Writing Awards, held at the Charles Dickens Museum in London in December 2006, where she read a number of works written by talented deafblind people.[1][14]
In 2011, Margolyes recorded a narrative for the album The Devil's Brides by klezmer musician-ethnographer Yale Strom.[15]
It was announced in January 2014 that Margolyes was to record the narration for "Magic in the Skies" – the summer season of firework displays held at Land's End.
Personal life
Margolyes is a lesbian. For more than 40 years[1] she has been with her partner Heather Sutherland,[10][16] a retired Australian Professor of Indonesian Studies[17] formerly based in Amsterdam.[18][19] She mentioned her relationships with women on several occasions when she appeared on BBC Radio 4's Desert Island Discs in September 2008.[20] On becoming an Australian citizen,[21] on Australia Day 2013, Margolyes referred to herself as a "dyke" live on national television and in front of the then prime minister, Julia Gillard.
She is a campaigner for a respite care charity, Crossroads.[21]
She appeared on the British television quiz University Challenge in 1963, whilst at Cambridge University. As part of a BBC documentary, University Challenge: The Story so Far, she claimed that during her appearance she swore after getting a question wrong, although the actual word was bleeped out of the recording.[22][23]
Margolyes is a lifelong admirer of the works of Charles Dickens and has performed all over the world a one-woman show, Dickens' Women, in which she plays 23 characters from Dickens' novels.[24]
Margolyes is a Palestinian human rights activist, having been a member of the British-based ENOUGH! coalition that seeks to end the "Israeli occupation of the Gaza Strip and West Bank."[25] She is also a signatory of Jews for Justice for Palestinians.[26]
Margolyes divides her time between homes in London, Tuscany and Robertson, New South Wales.[27]
Author and comedian David Walliams says he used Margoyles as a model for the title character in his children's book Awful Auntie after a rude exchange with the actress during a stage production. He stresses however that he has nothing against Margoyles and is a fan of her work.[28]
Filmography
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
1965 | Theatre 625 | Rita | 1 episode |
1967 | Boy Meets Girl | Maria | 1 episode |
1968 | Jackanory | Storyteller | 5 episodes |
1968 | Dixon of Dock Green | Anna | 1 episode |
1973 | Doctor in Charge | Doris | 1 episode |
1974 | World of Laughter | Various parts | TV series |
1974 | Fall of Eagles | Anna Vyrubova | TV miniseries |
1975 | Rime of the Ancient Mariner | Dorothy Wordsworth | |
1975 | The Girls of Slender Means | Jane Wright | TV |
1976 | Christmas Box | TV | |
1976 | Angels | June Morris | 2 episodes |
1976 | Kizzy | Mrs. Doe | 2 episodes |
1976 | The Glittering Prizes | Olive Wise | TV miniseries |
1976 | The Battle of Billy's Pond | Tour Guide | |
1976–1982 | Crown Court | Marilyn Munro / ... | 2 episodes |
1977 | Play for Today | Veronica | 1 episode |
1977 | Spasms | Rose Finn | TV |
1977 | Stand Up, Virgin Soldiers | Elephant Ethel | Notes |
1978 | Saiyûki | TV series | |
1978 | On a Paving Stone Mounted | Notes | |
1980 | The Apple | Landlady | |
1980 | The Lost Tribe | Queenie | TV miniseries |
1980 | The Awakening | Dr. Kadira | |
1980 | Tales of the Unexpected | Mary Burge | 1 episode |
1981 | Reds | Woman writing in notebook | uncredited |
1981 | Take a Letter Mr. Jones | Maria | 6 episodes |
1981 | A Kick Up the Eighties | Various roles | TV series |
1981 | The History Man | Melissa Tordoroff | TV |
1982 | Crystal Gazing | Newsreader | |
1983 | Yentl | Sarah | Notes |
1983 | The Black Adder | Infanta Maria Escalosa of Spain | 1 episode |
1983 | Scrubbers | Jones | |
1984 | Freud | Baroness | TV mini-series |
1984 | Electric Dreams | Ticket Girl | |
1985 | The Good Father | Jane Powell | |
1985 | Oliver Twist | Mrs. Corney | TV miniseries |
1985 | Morons from Outer Space | Doctor Wallace | |
1986 | Little Shop of Horrors | Dental Nurse | |
1986 | The Life and Loves of a She-Devil | Nurse Hopkins | 1 episode |
1986 | Blackadder II | Lady Whiteadder | 1 episode |
1986 | A Little Princess | Miss Amelia | TV |
1986 | Scotch & Wry | Various | TV |
1987 | Poor Little Rich Girl: The Barbara Hutton Story | Elsa Maxwell | TV |
1987 | Body Contact | Tony's Mother | |
1988 | Little Dorrit | Flora Finching | |
1988 | Blackadder's Christmas Carol | Queen Victoria | TV |
1988 | Mr Majeika | Wilhelmina Worlock | TV series, Seasons 1 and 2 |
1989 | Murderers Among Us: The Simon Wiesenthal Story | Mrs. Rajzman | TV |
1990 | Pacific Heights | Realtor | |
1990 | Orpheus Descending | Vee Talbot | TV |
1990 | The Finding | Poll | TV |
1990 | I Love You to Death | Joey's Mother | Notes |
1990 | Old Flames | Nellie | TV |
1990 | The Fool | Mrs. Bowring | Notes |
1991 | Tonight at 8.30 | Mrs. Wadhurst | 2 episodes |
1991 | The Butcher's Wife | Gina | Notes |
1991 | Dead Again | Lady | Uncredited |
1992 | Stalin | Krupskaya | TV |
1992 | As You Like It | Audrey | |
1992 | Frannie's Turn | Frannie Escobar | TV series |
1993 | The Age of Innocence | Mrs. Mingott | |
1993 | The Comic Strip Presents... | Mother | 1 episode |
1993 | Ed and His Dead Mother | Mabel Chilton | |
1994 | Just William | Miss Polliter | 1 episode |
1994 | Immortal Beloved | Nanette Streicherová | Notes |
1994 | Moonacre | Old Elspeth | TV series |
1995 | Balto | Grandma Rosy/Extra Voices | |
1995 | Babe | Fly the Female Sheepdog | Voice |
1995 | Cold Comfort Farm | Mrs. Beetle | TV |
1996 | Different for Girls | Pamela | |
1996 | Romeo + Juliet | The Nurse | |
1996 | James and the Giant Peach | Aunt Sponge/The Glowworm | Voice |
1997 | The IMAX Nutcracker | Sugar Plum | |
1997 | Castle Ghosts of Wales | Hag ghost | |
1997 | The Phoenix and the Carpet | Cook | TV miniseries |
1997 | The Place of Lions | Miss Cole | TV |
1998 | Babe: Pig in the City | Fly the Female Sheepdog | voice |
1998 | Vanity Fair | Miss Crawley | TV miniseries |
1998 | Rugrats | Shirley Finster | 1 episode |
1998 | Mulan | The Matchmaker | voice |
1998 | Left Luggage | Mrs. Goldman | |
1998 | The First Snow of Winter | Sean Seamus Aloysius Dermot Duck | |
1998 | Candy | Gisella | |
1998 | Supply & Demand | Edna | TV miniseries |
1999 | Magnolia | Faye Barringer | uncredited |
1999 | End of Days | Mabel | |
1999 | Dreaming of Joseph Lees | Signora Caldoni | |
1999 | Sunshine | Rose Sonnenschein | |
2000 | Dharma & Greg | Chloe | 1 episode |
2000 | House! | Beth | |
2001 | Cats & Dogs | Sophie the Castle Maid | |
2001 | Not Afraid, Not Afraid | ||
2002 | Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets | Professor Pomona Sprout | |
2002 | Plots with a View | Thelma & Selma | |
2002 | Alone | Caseworker | |
2004 | Agatha Christie's Marple: The Murder at the Vicarage | Mrs. Price-Ridley | TV |
2004 | Being Julia | Dolly de Vries | |
2004 | Ladies in Lavender | Dorcas | |
2004 | The Life and Death of Peter Sellers | Peg Sellers | |
2004 | Modigliani | Gertrude Stein | |
2004 | End of the Line | Bag Lady | |
2004 | Chasing Liberty | Maria | |
2005 | Wallis and Edward | Aunt Bessie | TV |
2005 | Inconceivable | Malva | 1 episode |
2006 | Jam & Jerusalem | Mrs. Midge | 1 episode |
2006 | Happy Feet | Mrs. Astrakhan | Voice |
2006 | Flushed Away | Rita's Grandma | Voice |
2006 | Sir Billi the Vet | Baroness Chantal McToff | Voice |
2007 | The Dukes | Aunt Vee | |
2008 | How To Lose Friends and Alienate People | Mrs. Kowalski | Film |
2008 | Kingdom | Henny | 1 episode |
2009 | The Sarah Jane Adventures | Leef Blathereen | 2 episodes: The Gift parts 1 and 2, Voice only |
2010 | Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga'Hoole | Mrs. Plithiver | Voice only |
2010 | Tinga Tinga Tales | Giraffe and Squirrel | Voice only |
2010 | Merlin[29] | Grunhilda | in episode "The Changeling" |
2011 | Doc Martin | Shirley | Guest appearance |
2011 | Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2 | Professor Pomona Sprout | |
2012 | The Wedding Video | Patricia | |
2012 | The Guilt Trip | Anita | |
2012–present | Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries | Aunt Prudence | |
2013 | Hebburn | Millie | Christmas special |
2014 | Maya the Bee | The Queen | Voice |
2014 | The Legend of Longwood | Lady Thyrza | |
2014 | Nina Needs to Go! | Nana Sheila | Voice |
2014 | Trollied | Rose | Series 4 |
2016 | Plebs | TBC | |
2016 | Rake | TBC |
Notes
- The Thief and the Cobbler (1993) – the voice of the Maiden from Mombasa (original version only; the character was never heard at all in the re-edited versions and another actor was never available in all the re-edited versions).
- The Life and Death of Peter Sellers (2004) – Peg Sellers – note this film was shown in cinemas in the UK and Australia – it aired on cable television on the HBO network in the US.
Theatre
- The Importance of Being Miriam – Australian Tour (2015)
- I'll Eat You Last (Sue Mengers) – Melbourne Theatre Company (2014)
- Neighbourhood Watch (Ana) – Adelaide State Theatre (2014)
- Dickens' Women – World Tour (Australia/New Zealand/UK/USA/Canada) (2012)
- A Day in the Death of Joe Egg (Grace) – Citizens' Theatre, Glasgow (2011)
- Me and My Girl (The Duchess) – Crucible Theatre, Sheffield (2010)
- Endgame (Nell) – Duchess Theatre, London (2009)
- Realism – Melbourne Theatre Company (2009)
- Wicked (Madame Morrible) – George Gershwin Theater, New York (2008)
- Wicked (Madame Morrible) – Apollo Victoria Theatre, London (2006)
- The Importance of Being Earnest (Miss Prism) – Ahmanson Theater, Los Angeles/Harvey Theater (Brooklyn Academy of Music), New York (2006)
- Blithe Spirit (Madame Arcati) – Melbourne Theatre Company (2004)
- The Way of the World (Lady Wishfort) – Sydney Theatre Company (2003)
- The Vagina Monologues – Arts Theatre, London (2001)
- Romeo and Juliet (Nurse) – Ahmanson Theater, Los Angeles (2001)
- The Cherry Orchard (Madame Ranevskaya) – Theatre Royal, York (1999)
- The Killing of Sister George (June Buckridge) – Ambassadors' Theatre, London (1995)
- She Stoops to Conquer (Mrs Hardcastle) – Queen's Theatre, London (1993)
- Dickens' Women – Edinburgh Festival (1989)/Hampstead Theatre and Duke of York's Theatre, London (1991)
- Orpheus Descending (Vee Talbot) – Haymarket Theatre, London (1988)
- Man Equals Man (Widow Begbick) – Almeida Theatre, London (1987)
- Gertrude Stein and a Companion (Gertrude Stein) – International Tour (1986)
- 84 Charing Cross Road (Helen Hanff) – Colchester (1984)
- Flaming Bodies (Psychiatrist) – ICA – (1979)
- Cloud Nine – Royal Court/Joint Stock Tour (1978)
- The White Devil – Old Vic Theatre, London (1976)
- Kennedy's Children – Arts Theatre, London (1975)
- Canterbury Tales (Wife of Bath) – Bristol Old Vic (1974)
- Threepenny Opera – Piccadilly Theatre, London (1972)
- Fiddler on the Roof (Matchmaker) – UK Tour (1970)
Documentary
- Dickens in America – writer/presenter
Awards and nominations
- Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) for Services to Drama, 2002[30]
- Winner: Theatregoer's Choice Awards 2007 Best Supporting Actress in a Musical for Madam Morrible in Wicked
- Winner: Audiofile's Earphones Award 2001 for A Christmas Carol
- Winner: Prix Jeunesse Best Children's Programme (0–6 fiction) 2000 for The First Snow of Winter
- Winner: The Talkies Performer Of The Year 1997 for Oliver Twist
- Winner: Sony Radio Awards Best Actress On Radio 1993 for The Queen and I
- Winner: BAFTA Best Supporting Actress 1993 for The Age of Innocence
- Nominated: Olivier Award for Best Entertainment 1991 for Dickens' Women
- Winner: LA Critics Circle 1989 Best Supporting Actress for Little Dorrit (shared with Geneviève Bujold)
References
- ^ a b c d e Tozer, James (28 September 2008). "My lesbian confession led to mother's stroke says Harry Potter star Miriam Margolyes". Daily Mail. London.
- ^ Miriam Margolyes Biography (1941–). Filmreference.com. Retrieved 26 August 2011.
- ^ "Harry Potter actress Miriam Margolyes on her Gorbals roots, women in comedy and how Monty Python stars shunned her". The Daily Record. 2 November 2011. Retrieved 21 December 2011.
- ^ Farndale, Nigel (11 October 2009). "Miriam Margolyes: 'I'm still a naughty schoolgirl at heart'". The Daily Telegraph. London.
- ^ Chitra Ramaswamy (6 August 2012). "As Miriam Margolyes prepares to perform her one-woman show, dedicated to the women in the victorian novelist's fiction, she reflects on her own fascinating life story". The Scotsman.
- ^ Famous alumnae. Newn.cam.ac.uk. Retrieved 3 January 2016.
- ^ Footlights Alumni. Footlights.org. Retrieved 25 August 2011.
- ^ "Enough Rope". 1 October 2007.
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suggested) (help) - ^ "Margolyes: Voice of a movie star" 31 December 2001, BBC News
- ^ a b Leah O'Brien (11 May 2010). "At home with Harry Potter star, Miriam Margolyes – Local News – News – Entertainment". Southern Highland News. Retrieved 21 December 2011.
- ^ Margolyes to Join Broadway's Wicked Jan. 22. Playbill.com. Retrieved 11 June 2012.
- ^ Brief Encounter With … Miriam Margolyes – Endgame at Duchess Theatre – London – Interviews. Whatsonstage.com. Retrieved 11 June 2012.
- ^ Jennifer Wolfe (13 December 2013). "Disney Junior Greenlights 'Nina Needs to Go'". Animation World Network.
- ^ Celebrity supporters | Miriam Margolyes. Sense. Retrieved 25 August 2011.
- ^ Michael Church (15 January 2012). "Album: Yale Strom and Hot Pstromi, The Devil's Brides: Yiddish and Klezmer Song (Arc Music) – Reviews – Music". The Independent. Retrieved 26 January 2012.
- ^ Property Observer, "Andrew Denton and Jennifer Byrne blaze a trail to Southern Highlands retreat". Retrieved 7 December 2015
- ^ 'Sharon Verghis, "Miriam Margolyes: The ultimate character acress for Dickens", 'The Australian, 4 February 2012. Retrieved 7 December 2015
- ^ Gabriella Coslovich, "Lunch with Miriam Margolyes", Canberra Times, 7 April 2012. Retrieved 7 December 2015
- ^ Jane Cadzow, "Miss Margolyes Mysteries"
- ^ Desert Island Discs – 28 September2008 – Miriam Margolyes. BBC. (28 September 2008). Retrieved 25 August 2011.
- ^ a b Late Night Live – 10September2007 – Miriam Margolyes and Dickens' Women. Abc.net.au (10 September 2007). Retrieved 25 August 2011.
- ^ Hellicar, Michael (25 December 2008). "Fingers on Buzzers: As BBC2 devotes a night of homage to University Challenge, why is this eccentric quiz so addictive?". Daily Mail. UK. Retrieved 22 May 2009.
- ^ Walker, Tim (26 September 2008). "Why Britain's comedy 'brain drain' is no joke for Ronnie Corbett". The Daily Telegraph. UK. Retrieved 22 May 2009.
- ^ Miriam Margolyes | Dickens' Women. Dickenswomen.com. Retrieved 11 June 2012.
- ^ "Emma Thompson bids for Palestinian Rights Enough!" 27 January 2007, Electronic Intifada
- ^ "JFJFP Signatories" Jews for Justice for Palestinians Signatory List 11 August 2012
- ^ "At home with Harry Potter star Miriam Margolyes" 11 May 2010, Southern Highland News
- ^ Tim Walker, David Walliams: Miriam Margolyes is the real-life Awful Auntie, The Telegraph, 2 October 2014.
- ^ Truitt, Brian (23 June 2010). "'Merlin' star Colin Morgan talks dragons and guest stars". USA Weekend. Retrieved 24 June 2010.
- ^ "No. 56430". The London Gazette (invalid
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(help)). 31 December 2001.
External links
- 1941 births
- Living people
- Alumni of Newnham College, Cambridge
- Australian Officers of the Order of the British Empire
- Australian people of Belarusian-Jewish descent
- Australian people of Polish-Jewish descent
- Best Supporting Actress BAFTA Award winners
- English film actresses
- English voice actresses
- English television actresses
- English stage actresses
- English radio actresses
- Shakespearean actresses
- Audio book narrators
- Jewish English actresses
- Jewish Australian actresses
- Naturalised citizens of Australia
- 20th-century English actresses
- 21st-century English actresses
- Lesbian actresses
- People from Oxford
- LGBT Jews
- People educated at Oxford High School (Oxford)
- English people of Scottish descent
- English people of Belarusian-Jewish descent
- English people of Polish-Jewish descent
- LGBT entertainers from England
- English emigrants to Australia
- LGBT entertainers from Australia