Maggie Smith
Dame Margaret Natalie Smith, DBE (born 28 December 1934), better known as Maggie Smith, is a British film, stage, and television actress who made her stage debut in 1952 and is still performing after 56 years. She has been acclaimed throughout her career and has won numerous awards for acting, including five BAFTA Awards, two Oscars, two Golden Globes, an Emmy Award and a Tony Award.
Contents |
Biography
Early life
Smith was born in Ilford, then Essex, the daughter of Margaret (née Hutton), a Glasgow-born secretary, and Nathaniel Smith, a Newcastle upon Tyne-born public health pathologist who worked at Oxford University.[1][2][3][4][5] She has older twin brothers, Alistair and Ian. Smith studied at Oxford High School, although she has been quoted as not having enjoyed her school experience.[citation needed]
Career
Smith has had an extensive career both on screen and in live theatre, and is known as one of Britain's pre-eminent actresses. She began her career at the Oxford Playhouse with Frank Shelley and made her first film in 1956. She became a fixture at the Royal National Theatre in the 1960s, most notably for playing Desdemona in Othello opposite Laurence Olivier and winning her first Oscar nomination for her performance in the 1965 film version. In 1969 she won the Academy Award for Best Actress for her performance as an unorthodox Scottish schoolteacher in The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie, a role originally created on stage by Vanessa Redgrave in 1966. She was also awarded the 1978 Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for her role as the brittle actress Diana Barrie in California Suite, acting opposite Michael Caine. Afterwards, on hearing that Michael Palin was about to embark on a film (The Missionary) with Smith, Caine is supposed to have humorously telephoned Palin, warning him that she would steal the film. She also starred with Palin in the dark but hilarious film A Private Function in 1984.
Smith appeared in Sister Act in 1992 and had a major role in the 1999 film Tea With Mussolini, where she appeared as the formidable Lady Hester. Indeed, many of her more mature roles have centred on what Smith refers to as her "gallery of grotesques", playing waspish, sarcastic or plain rude characters. Recent examples of this would include the judgemental sister in Ladies in Lavender and the cantankerous snob Constance Trentham in Gosford Park, for which she received another Oscar nomination.
Other notable roles include the querulous Charlotte Bartlett in the Merchant-Ivory production of A Room with a View, a vivid supporting turn as the aged Duchess of York in Ian McKellen's film of Richard III, and a little known but powerful performance as Lila Fisher in the 1973 film Love and Pain and the Whole Damn Thing opposite Timothy Bottoms. Due to the international success of the Harry Potter movies, she is now widely known for playing the role of Professor Minerva McGonagall. She also plays an older Wendy in the Peter Pan movie, Hook.
She appeared in numerous productions at the Stratford Shakespeare Festival in Stratford, Ontario, to extraordinary acclaim from 1976 through 1980.
On stage, her many roles include the title character in the stage production of Alan Bennett's The Lady in the Van and starring as Amanda in a revival of Noel Coward's Private Lives. She won a Tony Award in 1990 for Best Actress in a Play for Lettice and Lovage, in which she starred as an eccentric tour guide in an English stately home. She was awarded Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in 1970, and was raised to Dame Commander (DBE) in 1990.
Personal life
Smith has been married twice. She married Robert Stephens on 29 June 1967 at the Greenwich Registry office and had two sons with him: actors Chris Larkin (born in 1967) and Toby Stephens (born in 1969).[4] They divorced on 6 May 1974.[4] Smith is a grandmother via both her sons.[6][7]
She married playwright Beverley Cross on 23 August 1975 at the Guildford Registry Office, and the marriage ended with his death on 20 March 1998.
Filmography
| Year | Film | Role | Other notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1958 | Nowhere to Go | Bridget Howard | Nominated - BAFTA Award |
| 1962 | Go to Blazes | Chantal | |
| 1963 | The V.I.P.s | Miss Mead | Nominated - Golden Globe |
| 1964 | The Pumpkin Eater | Philpot | |
| 1965 | Othello | Desdemona | Nominated - Academy Award for Best Actress in a Supporting Role; Nominated - Golden Globe |
| Young Cassidy | Nora | Nominated - BAFTA Award | |
| 1967 | The Honey Pot | Sarah Watkins | |
| 1968 | Hot Millions | Patty Terwilliger Smith | |
| 1969 | The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie | Jean Brodie | Academy Award for Best Actress; BAFTA Award; Nominated - Golden Globe |
| Oh! What a Lovely War | Music Hall Star | ||
| 1972 | Travels with My Aunt | Aunt Augusta | Nominated - Academy Award for Best Actress; Nominated - Golden Globe |
| 1973 | Love and Pain and the Whole Damn Thing | Lila Fisher | |
| 1976 | Murder by Death | Dora Charleston | |
| 1978 | Death on the Nile | Miss Bowers | Nominated - BAFTA Award |
| California Suite | Diana Barrie | Academy Award for Best Actress in a Supporting Role; Golden Globe; Nominated - BAFTA Award |
|
| 1981 | Quartet | Lois Heidler | Nominated - BAFTA Award |
| Clash of the Titans | Thetis | Saturn Award | |
| 1982 | Evil Under the Sun | Daphne Castle | |
| The Missionary | Lady Isabel Ames | ||
| Better Late Than Never | Miss Anderson | ||
| 1984 | A Private Function | Joyce Chilvers | BAFTA Award |
| Lily in Love | Lily Wynn | ||
| 1985 | A Room with a View | Charlotte Bartlett | BAFTA Award; Golden Globe; Nominated - Academy Award for Best Actress in a Supporting Role |
| 1987 | The Lonely Passion of Judith Hearne | Judith Hearne | Nominated - BAFTA Award |
| Talking Heads | Susan | ||
| 1991 | Hook | Wendy Darling | |
| 1992 | Sister Act | Mother Superior | |
| 1993 | Sister Act 2: Back in the Habit | ||
| The Secret Garden | Mrs. Medlock | Nominated - BAFTA Award | |
| 1995 | Richard III | Duchess of York | |
| 1996 | The First Wives Club | Gunilla Garson Goldberg | |
| 1997 | Washington Square | Aunt Lavinia Penniman | |
| 1999 | The Last September | Lady Myra Naylor | |
| Tea With Mussolini | Lady Hester Random | BAFTA Award | |
| Curtain Call | Lily Gale | ||
| David Copperfield | Betsey Trotwood | Nominated - BAFTA TV Award; Nominated Emmy Award | |
| 2001 | Gosford Park | Constance, Countess of Trentham | Nominated - Academy Award for Best Actress in a Supporting Role; Nominated - BAFTA Award; Nominated - Golden Globe |
| Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone | Minerva McGonagall | Nominated - Saturn Award | |
| 2002 | Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets | ||
| Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood | Caro Eliza Bennett | ||
| 2003 | My House in Umbria | Emily Delahunty | Emmy Award; Nominated - Golden Globe |
| Skin | Mother | ||
| 2004 | Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban | Minerva McGonagall | |
| Ladies in Lavender | Janet Widdington | ||
| 2005 | Keeping Mum | Grace Hawkins | |
| Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire | Minerva McGonagall | ||
| 2007 | Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix | ||
| Becoming Jane | Lady Gresham | ||
| 2009 | From Time to Time | pre-production | |
| Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince | Minerva McGonagall | post-production | |
| 2010 | Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part I | pre-production | |
| 2011 | Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part II | pre-production |
Theatre
- Twelfth Night, Oxford Playhouse, 1952
- He Who Gets Slapped, Clarendon Press Institute, 1952
- Cinderella, Oxford Playhouse, 1952
- Rookery Nook, Oxford Playhouse, 1953
- The Housemaster, Oxford Playhouse, 1953
- Cakes and Ale (revue), Edinburgh Festival, 1953
- The Love of Four Colonels, Oxford Playhouse, 1953
- The Ortolan, Maxton Hall, 1954
- Don’t Listen Ladies, Oxford Playhouse, 1954
- The Government Inspector, Oxford Playhouse, 1954
- The Letter, Oxford Playhouse, 1954
- A Man About The House, Oxford Playhouse, 1954
- On the Mile (revue), Edinburgh Festival, 1954
- Oxford Accents, New Watergate Theatre, London, 1954
- Theatre 1900, Oxford Playhouse, 1954
- Listen to the Wind, Oxford Playhouse, 1954
- The Magistrate, Oxford Playhouse, 1955
- The School For Scandal, Oxford Playhouse, 1955
- New Faces (revue), Ethel Barrymore Theatre, New York, 1956
- Share My Lettuce (revue), Lyric Hammersmith and Comedy Theatre, 1957 - 1958
- The Stepmother, St. Martin's Theatre, 1958
- The Double Dealer, Old Vic, 1959
- As You Like It, Old Vic, 1959
- Richard II, Old Vic, 1959
- The Merry Wives of Windsor, Old Vic, 1959
- What Every Woman Knows, Old Vic, 1960
- Rhinoceros, Strand Theatre, 1960
- Strip the Willow, UK Tour, 1960
- The Rehearsal, Bristol Old Vic/ London, 1961
- The Private Ear and The Public Eye, Globe Theatre, 1962
- Mary, Mary, Queen's Theatre, 1963
- The Recruiting Officer, National Theatre - Old Vic, 1963
- Othello, National Theatre - Old Vic, 1964
- The Master Builder, National Theatre - Old Vic, 1964
- Hay Fever, National Theatre - Old Vic, 1964
- Much Ado About Nothing, National Theatre - Old Vic, 1965
- Black Comedy, National Theatre - Chichester and Old Vic, 1965
- Miss Julie, National Theatre - Chichester and Old Vic, 1965 - 1966
- Trelawney of the Wells, National Theatre - Old Vic, 1966
- A Bond Honoured, National Theatre - Old Vic, 1966
- The Country Wife, National Theatre - Chichester and Old Vic, 1969
- The Beaux Stratagem, National Theatre - Old Vic/ Ahmanson Theatre, Los Angeles, 1970
- Hedda Gabler, National Theatre - Cambridge Theatre, 1970
- Design For Living, Ahmanson Theatre, Los Angeles, 1971
- Private Lives, Queen's Theatre, 1972 - 1973
- Peter Pan, London Coliseum, 1973
- Snap, Vaudeville Theatre, 1974
- Private Lives, Los Angeles, 1974/ 46th Street Theatre, New York, 1975
- The Way of the World, Stratford, Canada, 1976
- Cleopatra, Stratford, Canada, 1976
- Three Sisters, Stratford, Canada, 1976
- The Guardsman, Stratford, Canada/ Ahmanson Theatre, Los Angeles, 1976
- A Midsummer Night's Dream, Stratford, Canada/ Ahmanson Theatre, Los Angeles, 1977
- Richard III, Stratford, Canada, 1977
- As You Like It, Stratford, Canada, 1977
- Hay Fever, Stratford, Canada, 1977
- Macbeth, Stratford, Canada, 1978
- Private Lives, Stratford, Canada, 1978
- Night and Day, Phoenix Theatre/ Washington D.C./ ANTA Playhouse, New York, 1979 - 1980
- Much Ado About Nothing, Stratford, Canada, 1980
- The Seagull, Stratford, Canada, 1980
- Virginia, Theatre Royal, Haymarket, 1981
- The Way of the World, Theatre Royal, Haymarket, 1984
- The Interpreters, Queen's Theatre, 1985
- The Infernal Machine, Lyric Hammersmith Theatre, 1986
- Coming Into Land, National Theatre - Lyttelton Theatre, 1987
- Lettice and Lovage, Globe Theatre, 1987 - 1988
- Lettice and Lovage, Ethel Barrymore Theatre, New York, 1990
- The Importance of Being Earnest, Aldwych Theatre, 1993
- Three Tall Women, Wyndham's Theatre, 1994 - 1995
- Talking Heads, Chichester and Comedy Theatre, 1996
- A Delicate Balance, Theatre Royal, Haymarket, 1997 - 1998
- The Lady in the Van, Queen's Theatre, 1999 - 2000
- The Breath of Life, Theatre Royal, Haymarket, 2002 - 2003
- Talking Heads, Tour of Australia, 2004
- The Lady From Dubuque, Theatre Royal, Haymarket, 2007
Awards
-
Main article: List of Maggie Smith awards and nominations
BAFTA/Academy Awards
Besides the acting awards Smith has won, she has received two other BAFTA Award honors. In 1993, she received a BAFTA Special Lifetime Achievement Award, and in 1996, she received an Academy Fellowship. She has also won two Academy Awards.
Stage awards
- 1984: London Evening Standard Award for Best Actress, for The Way of the World
- 1990: Tony Award for Leading Actress in a Play, for Lettice and Lovage
References
- ^ Mackenzie, Suzie (2004-11-20). "You have to laugh", Guardian Unlimited. Retrieved on 10 December 2007.
- ^ Maggie Smith Biography (1934-)
- ^ Maggies Smith at Yahoo Movies.
- ^ a b c Maggie Smith biography. Tiscali.film & TV.
- ^ Maggie Smith. Film Reference.com.
- ^ Michael Coveney, "I'm Very Scared of Being Back on Stage", thisislondon.co.uk, 3 February 2007 [1]
- ^ Mark Lawson, "Prodigal Son", The Guardian, 31 May 2007 [2]
See also
External links
- Maggie Smith at the Internet Movie Database
- You have to laugh - The Guardian, 20 November 2004, in-depth interview and profile.
| Awards | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Katharine Hepburn for The Lion in Winter; Guess Who's Coming to Dinner |
BAFTA Award for Best Actress in a Leading Role 1969 for The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie |
Succeeded by Katharine Ross for Tell Them Willie Boy Is Here ; Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid |
| Preceded by Diane Keaton for Annie Hall Marsha Mason for The Goodbye Girl |
Golden Globe Award for Best Actress - Motion Picture Musical or Comedy 1979 for California Suite with Ellen Burstyn for Same Time, Next Year |
Succeeded by Bette Midler for The Rose |
| Preceded by Julie Walters for Educating Rita |
BAFTA Award for Best Actress in a Leading Role 1984 for A Private Function |
Succeeded by Peggy Ashcroft for A Passage to India |
| Preceded by Peggy Ashcroft for A Passage to India |
BAFTA Award for Best Actress in a Leading Role 1986 for A Room with a View |
Succeeded by Anne Bancroft for 84 Charing Cross Road |
| Preceded by Meg Tilly for Agnes of God |
Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress - Motion Picture 1987 for A Room with a View |
Succeeded by Olympia Dukakis for Moonstruck |
| Preceded by Anne Bancroft for 84 Charing Cross Road |
BAFTA Award for Best Actress in a Leading Role 1988 for The Lonely Passion of Judith Hearne |
Succeeded by Pauline Collins for Shirley Valentine |
| Preceded by Judi Dench for Shakespeare in Love |
BAFTA Award for Best Actress in a Supporting Role 1999 for Tea with Mussolini |
Succeeded by Julie Walters for Billy Elliot |
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| Persondata | |
|---|---|
| NAME | Smith, Margaret Natalie |
| ALTERNATIVE NAMES | |
| SHORT DESCRIPTION | English actress |
| DATE OF BIRTH | 28 December 1934 |
| PLACE OF BIRTH | Ilford, Essex, England |
| DATE OF DEATH | |
| PLACE OF DEATH | |
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