Rosemary Leach

Rosemary Leach
Born Rosemary Anne Leach[1]
(1935-12-18) 18 December 1935
Much Wenlock, Shropshire, England
Occupation Actress
Spouse(s) Colin Starkey (1981-)

Rosemary Leach (born 18 December 1935) is an English stage, television and film actress. She won the 1982 Olivier Award for Best Actress in a New Play for 84, Charing Cross Road and was nominated for the BAFTA Award for Best Actress in a Supporting Role for her roles in the films That'll Be the Day (1973) and A Room with a View (1986).

She appeared in several TV mini-series' including Germinal (1970), The Jewel in the Crown (1984), The Charmer (1987), The Buccaneers (1995) and Berkeley Square (1998) and had a recurring role on the sitcom My Family (2003-07).

Early life

Leach was born at Much Wenlock, Shropshire. Her parents were teachers related to Edmund Leach. She attended grammar school and RADA. After appearing in repertory theatres and the Old Vic she became well known to UK TV viewers between 1965-69 for playing Susan Wheldon, the mistress of building tycoon John Wilder (Patrick Wymark) in the TV boardroom drama The Power Game.

Career

In 1973, she played Aldonza/Dulcinea in the BBC production of Don Quixote (retitled The Adventures of Don Quixote), starring Rex Harrison and Frank Finlay. In 1978 she played Queen Victoria in the 4-part TV edition of 'Disraeli'. In 1981 she played Emilia opposite Bob Hoskins's Iago in the BBC Shakespeare's production of Othello.[2]

In 1982 she played Aunt Fenny in The Jewel in the Crown and 1986 in a Jack Rosenthal British television Christmas play Day To Remember. She also played a leading role as smitten Joan Plumleigh-Bruce in the six-part ITV 1987 production of The Charmer which starred Nigel Havers.[2]

Her film roles included David Essex's mother in That'll Be the Day (1973), Ghost in the Noonday Sun (1973), the TV remake of Brief Encounter (1974), S.O.S. Titanic (1979), and a voice role in the animated film of The Plague Dogs (1982).[2]

In 1987, she was nominated for BAFTA's Best Supporting Actress for A Room with a View (1985). In 1992, Leach starred in An Ungentlemanly Act, a BBC television film about the first days of the invasion of the Falkland Islands in 1982, portraying the real-life Lady Mavis Hunt, wife of the islands' then governor, Sir Rex Hunt. In 1995, Leach participated in the popular BBC miniseries The Buccaneers a five-part television adaptation of Edith Wharton's unfinished novel. Leach appeared as Selina Marable, Marchioness of Brightlingsea.[2]

Leach plays the part of Anna in BBC Radio 4's No Commitments, and Susan Harper's mother Grace in My Family. She made a guest appearance as 'Bessie' on Waterloo Road (the TV series), in Series 3 Spring Term. Since 1994, she has made occasional appearances in The Archers as Ellen Rogers, the ex-pat aunt of Nigel Pargetter.[2]

In 2001, she played a leading role in Destroying Angel, an episode of Midsomer Murders.[3]

She played Queen Elizabeth II three times: in the 2002 television movie Prince William; in a 2006 updated edition of The Afternoon Play, entitled Tea with Betty; and in 2009's Margaret.[2] She played "Miss Plum" in an episode of Heartbeat called "Strangers meet on a train" in 2004.[2]

Filmography

Film

Year Title Role Notes
1973 That'll Be the Day Mrs. MacLaine
1973 Ghost in the Noonday Sun Kate
1979 A Question of Faith
1981 Turtle Diary Mrs. Charlie Inchcliff
1982 The Plague Dogs Vera Voice
1985 A Room with a View Mrs. Honeychurch
1985 Ha-Kala Esther Also known as The 17th Bride
1990 The Children Miss Scope
1993 The Mystery of Edwin Drood Mrs. Tope
1993 The Hawk Mrs. Marsh
1998 Bloodlines: Legacy of a Lord Lady Osborne
1999 Whatever Happened to Harold Smith? Harold's Mother
2000 Breathtaking Mrs. Henshaw
2002 The Baroness and the Pig Margaret
2010 Mission London Miss Cunningham
2011 The Great Ghost Rescue The Queen
2012 May I Kill U? Mags

Television

Year Title Role Notes
1962-63 Z Cars Mrs Outram / Ann Brown 2 episodes
1970 Germinal Maheude TV mini-series, 5 episodes
1970 The Roads to Freedom Marcelle 8 episdoes
1972 Cider with Rosie Mother TV film
1973 BBC Play of the Month Episode: The Adventures of Don Quixote
1974 Brief Encounter Mrs Gaines TV film
1984 The Jewel in the Crown Aunt Fenny TV mini-series, 7 episodes
1987 The Charmer Joan Plumleigh-Bruce TV mini-series, 6 episodes
1995 The Buccaneers Lady Brightlingsea 5 episodes
The Tomorrow People Gladys Toms 5 episodes
2000-05 Doctors Josephine Barker / Meg Carpenter 2 episodes
2001 Midsomer Murders Evelyn Pope Episode: Destroying Angel
2003-07 My Family Grace 6 episodes
2004 Holby City Barbara Rush Episode: One More Chance
2004-05 Heartbeat Dorothy Plum 2 episodes
2006 The Afternoon Play HM the Queen Episode: Tea with Betty
2007 Casualty Miranda Watts Episode: Strangers When We Meet
2009 Margaret Queen Elizabeth II TV film

Awards and nominations

Year Award Category Work Result Ref
1971 BAFTA TV Award Best Actress Germinal / The Roads to Freedom Nominated [4]
1972 BAFTA TV Award Best Actress ITV Playhouse / Cider with Rosie Nominated
1974 BAFTA TV Award Best Actress The Adventures of Don Quixote Nominated
1974 BAFTA Film Award Best Supporting Actress That'll Be the Day Nominated [5]
1977 Olivier Award Best Actress in a New Play Just Between Ourselves Nominated
1982 Olivier Award Best Actress in a New Play 84 Charing Cross Road Won
1987 BAFTA Film Award Best Supporting Actress A Room with a View Nominated

References

  1. ↑ "Index entry". FreeBMD. ONS. Retrieved 23 April 2011.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Rosemary Leach at the Internet Movie Database
  3. ↑ "Midsomer Murders (a guide)". Epguides.com. Retrieved 30 January 2016.
  4. ↑ "Explore the Awards". Bafta.org. Retrieved 30 January 2016.
  5. ↑ "Explore the Awards". Bafta.org. Retrieved 30 January 2016.
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