Maggie Smith: the magisterial star of Harry Potter and Downton had the courage and talent to do absolutely everything

The real-life dame and on-screen dowager countess, who has died aged 89, earned fame in her 70s and 80s for blockbuster roles. But her early work at the National Theatre marked her out as a talent for the agesDame Maggie Smith’s trophy cabinet reflected her extraordinary achievements across theatre, film and television – and in the biggest arenas of British and US culture, from the BBC to Hollywood, the West End to Broadway. A measure of her versatility and durability is that, in the 1960s, she played nine major roles in the formative years of the National Theatre, but also, from the start of the 2000s, appeared in five series of Downton Abbey, the ITV Sunday night series that became one of the biggest popular hits of the new millennium.Her role in that show was Violet Crawley, Dowager Countess of Grantham, who lived in such a bubble of exclusive comfort that, in trademark one-liners, she would drawl in mystification, for example: “What is a ‘weekend’?” That acerbic superiority was a signature throughout Smith’s career, including the part that brought her first Academy award in 1970, against a shortlist also featuring Liza Minnelli and Jane Fonda, for the title role in The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie, adapted from Muriel Spark’s novel about a maverick, arrogant schoolteacher in Edinburgh. Continue reading... Continue reading at 'The Guardian'

[ The Guardian | 2024-09-27 13:37:47 UTC ]
News tagged with: #extraordinary achievements #biggest arenas #west end #major roles #formative years #violet crawley #dowager countess #exclusive comfort #trademark one-liners #acerbic superiority #academy award #jane fonda #muriel spark #arrogant schoolteacher #harry potter

Other Publishing stories related to: 'Maggie Smith: the magisterial star of Harry Potter and Downton had the courage and talent to do absolutely everything'


Maggie Smith: the magisterial star of Harry Potter and Downton had the courage and talent to do absolutely everything

The real-life dame and on-screen dowager countess, who has died aged 89, earned fame in her 70s and 80s for blockbuster roles. But her early work at the National Theatre marked her out as a talent for the agesDame Maggie Smith’s trophy cabinet reflected her extraordinary achievements across... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2024-09-27 13:37:47 UTC ]
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Maggie Smith, Oscar-winning star of stage and screen, dies aged 89

In a career that began in the 1950s, her roles ranged from Desdemona to Miss Jean Brodie, Virginia Woolf and Minerva McGonagall• Mark Lawson: Maggie Smith was a magisterial star with the courage and talent to do absolutely everythingMaggie Smith, the prolific, multi-award-winning actor whose... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2024-09-27 13:17:05 UTC ]
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Michael Gambon, star of Harry Potter and The Singing Detective, dies aged 82

The Olivier award-winning actor, whose major film roles included Albus Dumbledore in the Harry Potter series, has died• ‘An actor who let his heart and soul crack open’: David Jays on Michael Gambon• A life in pictures – gallerySir Michael Gambon, whose extraordinary acting career took him from... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2023-09-28 11:39:05 UTC ]
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Robbie Coltrane: a totally singular talent from Cracker to Harry Potter – cerebral, physical and unforgettable

From early comedy in Tutti Frutti to damaged psychologist Fitz, via Hagrid, Falstaff, Blackadder and finally National Treasure’s complex, hard-to-hate lead, Coltrane – who has died aged 72 – was a one-off“You’re a wizard, Harry!”For an entire generation all over the world, this was the key... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2022-10-14 17:08:39 UTC ]
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Helen McCrory, star of Peaky Blinders and Harry Potter, dies aged 52

Actor was also known for her roles in the films The Queen and The Special RelationshipA life in pictures‘How should a woman live her life?’ | Helen McCroryEngaging, enthralling, always magnetically watchableThe actor Helen McCrory has died at the age of 52. McCrory was best known for her roles... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2021-04-16 17:01:51 UTC ]
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Wicked! Daniel Radcliffe kicks off a star-studded reading of the first Harry Potter book

David Beckham, Dakota Fanning, Eddie Redmayne and "Harry Potter" himself, Daniel Radcliffe, have all signed on to read chapters of "The Sorcerer's Stone." Continue reading at Los Angeles Times

[ Los Angeles Times | 2020-05-05 18:07:58 UTC ]
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Daniel Radcliffe Leads All-Star Harry Potter Read-Along

Daniel Radcliffe will lead an all-star read-along of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone. Continue reading at Book Riot

[ Book Riot | 2020-05-05 17:46:56 UTC ]
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Your Fave Harry Potter Stars Are Making a TALES OF BEEDLE THE BARD Audiobook

Beloved stars of the Harry Potter and Fantastic Beasts films will voice the first ever audiobook edition of J.K. Rowling's THE TALES OF BEEDLE THE BARD, with proceeds to benefit the Lumos foundation. Continue reading at Book Riot

[ Book Riot | 2020-02-27 16:09:37 UTC ]
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Harry Potter stars to narrate Beedle the Bard audiobook

J K Rowling’s The Tales of Beedle the Bard is being released as an audiobook read by Harry Potter stars. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2020-02-26 23:45:48 UTC ]
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Harry Potter star Evanna Lynch narrates Sam Blake's feminist thriller for Bolinda

Harry Potter actress Evanna Lynch will narrate Irish author Sam Blake's feminist thriller, Keep Your Eyes on Me (Bolinda), billed as "Strangers on a Train” meets “Dial M For Murder”. The deal for world English language audio rights was agreed between Ellis Moore, senior rights and content... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2020-01-07 12:05:13 UTC ]
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Harry Potter star Bonnie Wright joins kids' plastic toy push

Actress Bonnie Wright, who played Ginny Weasley, meets children who are upcycling their toys. Continue reading at BBC News

[ BBC News | 2019-06-14 00:00:33 UTC ]
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Trophy Wife Star Albert Tsai Spends His Free Time Reading Harry Potter Books

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You're a legend Harry! The Harry Potter books turn 20

We dug into the archives to find the first Kiwi review of Harry Potter, but the earliest seems to be from 1999.  Continue reading at Stuff

[ Stuff | 2017-06-26 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Harry Potter and Beatrix Potter up for Waterstones book of the year

A Harry Potter script and a Beatrix Potter story are among the titles up for Waterstones Book of the Year 2016. Continue reading at BBC News

[ BBC News | 2016-11-08 00:00:00 UTC ]
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First look at the Potter family from upcoming play 'Harry Potter and the Cursed Child'

It’s been 19 years since the events of “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows” and boy does it show. The first images of upcoming West End stage play “Harry Potter and the Cursed Child” written by English playwright Jack Thorne and based on a story from Thorne and “Potter” scribe J.K. Rowling,... Continue reading at Los Angeles Times

[ Los Angeles Times | 2016-05-31 00:00:00 UTC ]
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'Harry Potter and the Cursed Child': Here's how the play fits into the 'Potter' universe

'Potter' fans now know what the upcoming play will be about and it involves more of the characters from the book series than they may have thought. The show is set to open in London in the summer of 2016. Continue reading at The Christian Science Monitor

[ The Christian Science Monitor | 2015-10-24 00:00:00 UTC ]
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J.K. Rowling pens a new 'Harry Potter' story and 'Potter' theme park opens (+video)

J.K. Rowling recently released a short story about the futures of such characters as Harry Potter, Ron Weasley, and Hermione Granger, while the new section of Universal Studios titled The Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Diagon Alley just opened to the public. J.K. Rowling also recently... Continue reading at The Christian Science Monitor

[ The Christian Science Monitor | 2014-07-09 00:00:00 UTC ]
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J.K. Rowling pens a new 'Harry Potter' story and a new 'Potter' theme park opens

J.K. Rowling recently released a short story about the futures of such characters as Harry Potter, Ron Weasley, and Hermione Granger, while the new section of Universal Studios titled The Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Diagon Alley just opened to the public. J.K. Rowling also recently... Continue reading at The Christian Science Monitor

[ The Christian Science Monitor | 2014-07-09 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Happy birthday, Harry Potter! A look back at Harry's special days

The birthday of Harry Potter falls on July 31 (which also happens to be the birthday of J.K Rowling). In the Potter universe, the days are usually eventful ones. Continue reading at The Christian Science Monitor

[ The Christian Science Monitor | 2013-08-01 00:00:00 UTC ]
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HBO posts casting call for next-generation Harry Potter TV series

Studio advertises for British and Irish children aged 9-11 to play Hogwarts heroes in ‘decade-long’ TV adaptationsHBO has kicked off its search for the next Harry Potter, Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger, with the studio posting an open casting call for its forthcoming TV adaptation.The casting... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2024-09-10 22:39:27 UTC ]
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