Judy Parfitt

Judy Parfitt
Born Judy Catherine Claire Parfitt
(1935-11-07) 7 November 1935[1]
Sheffield, West Riding of Yorkshire, England
Alma mater Royal Academy of Dramatic Art
Occupation Actress
Spouse(s) Tony Steedman (m. 1963; his death 2001)
Children 1

Judy Catherine Claire Parfitt (born 7 November 1935)[2] is an English theatre, film and television actress. She made her film debut in a minor supporting part in Information Received (1961), followed by supporting role in the BBC television serial David Copperfield (1966). She also appeared as Queen Gertrude in Tony Richardson's 1969 film adaptation of Hamlet.

Later credits include as Vera Donovan in the Stephen King film adaptation of Dolores Claiborne (1995), and in Girl with a Pearl Earring (2003), the latter for which she earned a BAFTA nomination for Best Supporting Actress. Beginning in 2012, Parfitt has starred on the drama series Call the Midwife as Sister Monica Joan.

Early life

Parfitt was born in Sheffield, West Riding of Yorkshire in 1935[1] to Catherine Josephine (née Caulton) and Lawrence Hamilton Parfitt.[3] As a teenager, she attended Notre Dame High School for Girls and later trained at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, graduating in 1953 with a degree in acting.[4]

Career

Parfitt began her career in theatre in 1954, appearing in a production of Fools Rush In at the Amersham Repertory Company.[5]

In 1971, she appeared in the Hammer television film Journey to Murder, opposite Joseph Cotten and hosted by Joan Crawford.[6] In 1978, Parfitt appeared opposite Laurence Olivier, Joan Plowright and Frank Finlay in the episode "Saturday, Sunday, Monday" of Laurence Olivier Presents. In 1981 she created the role of Eleanor in the Royal Shakespeare Company's production of Peter Nichols' Passion Play. In 1984 she played Deidre in Jack Rosenthal's The Chain. In 1987, she appeared in Maurice. Two of her most notable past roles are Mildred Layton in The Jewel in the Crown (1984; for which she received her first BAFTA nomination) and Lady Catherine de Bourgh in the 1980 TV serial version of Pride and Prejudice. In 1995, she portrayed Kathy Bates' former, domineering employer in Dolores Claiborne, who is dying in present-time, but is seen as a vibrant, glowing woman in flashback sequences.

She has appeared in some American television shows, beginning with her regular role as Snow White's Stepmother, Evil Queen Lillian "Lily" White in the series The Charmings. Parfitt's real-life husband Tony Steedman guest-starred as Santa Claus in The Charmings' second season Christmas special. She appeared on an episode of Murder, She Wrote in 1989, and as the mother of Dr Elizabeth Corday (played by Alex Kingston) on several episodes of ER in 2002.[7]

Parfitt played Lady Mount-Temple in the biopic film Wilde, alongside Stephen Fry, Vanessa Redgrave and Gemma Jones in 1997. In 2003, she played Maria Thins in Girl with a Pearl Earring. The role earned her a BAFTA nomination for Best Actress in a Supporting Role.[7]

She played the domineering American dowager, Mrs van Schuyler, opposite David Suchet, James Fox, Frances de la Tour and David Soul in a feature-length episode of Agatha Christie's Poirot in the 2004 edition of Death on the Nile. In 2008, she appeared as the primary villainess in Little Dorrit, as the cruel Mrs Clennam, alongside Alun Armstrong, Sue Johnston and Matthew Macfadyen. At Christmas 2011, she appeared in a small role similar to that which she portrayed in Little Dorrit as Aunt Chastity along with Una Stubbs and Phyllida Law in The Bleak Old Shop of Stuff.[8]

In 2012, she began appearing in the BBC TV series Call the Midwife as Sister Monica Joan, an elderly nun who is suffering from the early stages of dementia.[9] The character has a strong educational background, particularly in classical literature, and her apparently random quotes are often used in the programme as a way of reflecting on the unfolding drama.[7][10] She has also recently appeared in BBC’s spy tale, The Game; a film, Hello Carter; and a Radio 4 show, Hang Ups, and is currently appearing in another series of Jessica Hynes’s suffragette sitcom Up the Women.[7]

Personal life

In 1963 Parfitt and actor Tony Steedman married in Harrow, Middlesex. He died in 2001. The couple had one child, a son, David.[7]

Filmography

Film

Year Title Role Notes
1956 A Likely Tale Ursula Bludgeon Television film
1962 Information Received June Clifford
1964 Hide and Seek Chauffer
1966 David Copperfield Rosa Dartle
1967 Angel Pavement Lilian Matfield Television film
1967Escape in Time Vesta
1969 Hamlet Queen Gertrude
1970The Mind of Mr. Soames Jenny Bannerman
1971 Journey to Murder (Do Me a Favor and Kill Me) Faith Wheeler Television film
1972 The Edwardians E. Nesbit Television film
1974 Alice Through the Looking Glass Red Queen
1974 Galileo Angelica Sarti
1979 Secret Orchards Muriel Perry Television film
1980 Death of a Princess Elsa Gruber
1983 Office Romances Pam Ivygale Television film
1983 Champions Dr. Merrow
1984The Chain Deirdre
1985 Covenant Renata Beck Television film
1987 Maurice Mrs. Durham
1989 Diamond Skulls Lady Crewne Also known as Dark Obsession
1989 Getting It Right Lady Stella Munday
1991 King Ralph Queen Katherine
1993 The Return of the Borrowers Mrs. Platter Television film
1995 Dolores Claiborne Vera Donovan
1995 Heavy Weather Lady Constance Keeble
1996 Element of Doubt Genevieve
1996 Goodbye My Love Ruth
1996 September Verena Television film
1997 Wilde Lady Mount-Temple
1998 Ever After Queen Marie
2000 Falling Through Ambassador
2003 Girl with a Pearl Earring Maria Thins
2003 Hearts of Gold Isobel John Television film
2004 The Aryan Couple Rachel Krauzenberg
2005 Asylum Brenda Raphael
2008 Dean Spanley Mrs. Brimley
2008 My Talks with Dean Spanley Mrs. Brimley
2009 Jonathan Creek: The Grinning Man Constance Gessler
2011 The Bleak Old Shop of Stuff Aunt Chastity Television film
2011 W.E. Queen Mary
2012 The Moth Diaries Mrs. Rood
2013 Hello Carter Aunt Miriam

Television

Year Title Role Notes
1963 The Odd Man Lisa Kapp 1 episode
1963 The Sentimental Agent Sally Clare 1 episode
1965 Public Eye Marion Hordern 1 episode
1965 Out of the Unknown Marie 1 episode
1965 The Wednesday Play Dorothy Gorbet 1 episode
1965 Z-Cars Christina Haines 1 episode
1967 The Saint Anne Liskard 1 episode
1967 Adam Adamant Lives! Ireyna 1 episode
1967 Les Misérables Mme. Thenardier Miniseries
1967 Angel Pavement Lilian Matfield 4 episodes
1968 Dixon of Dock Green Mary Dewar 1 episode
1968 The Avengers Loris 1 episode
1969 Journey to the Unknown Faith Wheeler 1 episode
1973 Play for Today 1 episode
1973 The Protectors Lena Hayden 1 episode
1974 Shoulder to Shoulder Lady Constance Lytton Miniseries
1975–82 Crown Court Pauline Fanshawe / Mrs Gillian Forrest Q.C. 17 episodes
1978 Rumpole of the Bailey Anna Aspen 1 episode
1978 Laurence Olivier Presents 1 episode
1979 Malice Aforethought Julia Bickleigh Serial
1980 Pride and Prejudice Lady Catherine de Bourgh Serial
1980 A Tale of Two Cities Madame Defarge Serial
1981 Yes Minister Betty Oldham 1 episode
1984 The Jewel in the Crown Mildred Layton 9 episodes
1986 Mr Pye Miss Dredger Miniseries
1987–88 The Charmings Queen Lillian White 21 episodes
1989 Murder, She Wrote Peggy Brooks 1 episode
1993 The Alleyn Mysteries Lady O'Callaghan 1 episode
1997 Holding the Baby Margaret 1 episode
1998 Berkeley Square Lady Harmonsworth 1 episode
1999–2008 Midsomer Murders Caroline Halsey / Angela Wentworth 2 episodes
2001 Murder in Mind Margaret Collins 1 episode
2002 ER Isabelle Corday 7 episodes
2004 Agatha Christie's Poirot: Death on the Nile Miss Van Schuyler 1 episode
2004 The Long Firm Lady Ruth Thursby 1 episode
2005 Funland Mercy Woolf 11 episodes
2008 Heartbeat Lady Veronique 1 episode
2008 Little Dorrit Mrs. Clennam 12 episodes
2012–16Call the Midwife Sister Monica Joan 41 episodes
2012 The Syndicate Maureen 1 episode
2012 Vera Maggie 1 episode
2015 The Game Hester Waterhouse 5 episodes

Awards and nominations

BAFTA Film Awards

BAFTA TV Awards
Other awards

References

  1. 1 2 Year of birth: 1935, findmypast.co.uk; accessed 28 June 2014.
  2. ↑ "England and Wales Birth Registration Index, 1837-2008," database, FamilySearch (1 October 2014), Judy C C Parfitt, 1935; from "England & Wales Births, 1837-2006," database, findmypast (http://www.findmypast.com : 2012); citing Birth Registration, Sheffield, Yorkshire, England, citing General Register Office, Southport, England.
  3. ↑ Judy Parfitt profile, Film Reference.com; accessed 28 June 2014.
  4. ↑ "Judy Parfitt". RADA. Retrieved 12 November 2016.
  5. ↑ "Judy Parfitt Biography (1935–)". Film Reference. Retrieved 13 November 2016.
  6. ↑ Cotter 2013, p. 145.
  7. 1 2 3 4 5 Judy Parfitt at the Internet Movie Database
  8. ↑ "The Bleak Old Shop of Stuff". BBC. Retrieved 9 November 2016.
  9. ↑ Wilson, Benji (19 January 2014). "Call the Midwife's Judy Parfitt: "All the old tarts gainfully employed"". The Telegraph.
  10. ↑ "Daily Telegraph". Retrieved 18 February 2015.

Bibliography

External links

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