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 ]
Read on for news about DK's 'The Very Hungry Caterpillar' encyclopedia, Random House's picture book with Ellen DeGeneres, new Harry Potter publishing from Insight Editions, lucha libre books from Future House and Masked Republic, a Spawn trade publishing program, and more. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2022-04-07 04:00:00 UTC ]
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Hogwarts Legacy will arrive on PC, PlayStation 4, PS5, Xbox One and Xbox Series consoles in holiday 2022. Hogwarts Legacy was announced in late 2020 and it was originally due to come out in 2021, but was later delayed to 2022. The "holiday" timeframe is one step closer to an actual release... Continue reading at Engadget
[ Engadget | 2022-03-17 21:18:58 UTC ]
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With help from machine learning software, computer scientists may have unmasked the identity of Q, the founder of the QAnon movement. In a sprawling report published on Saturday, The New York Times shared the findings of two independent teams of forensic linguists who claim they’ve identified... Continue reading at Engadget
[ Engadget | 2022-02-19 20:56:18 UTC ]
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A narrator can make or break the listening experience. Over several related novels, they can become friend (or foe). Continue reading at The Washington Post
[ The Washington Post | 2022-01-16 13:00:49 UTC ]
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Filippo Bernardini is accused of stealing manuscripts. For money or just a good read?The theft of books occupies a complex place in our moral judgment, depending on motive. In Markus Zusak’s 2005 novel The Book Thief, the actions of the title character are heroic – she steals books to save them... Continue reading at The Guardian
[ The Guardian | 2022-01-09 09:30:16 UTC ]
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It was a chance to finally get around to Tolstoy or Proust, but the charts tell a different story. Which books did we actually turn to in the lockdowns? • Let us know in the comments what you were reading Back in spring 2020, when it became clear that coronavirus wasn’t going away, book lovers... Continue reading at The Guardian
[ The Guardian | 2021-12-11 09:00:06 UTC ]
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Apparently, J.K. Rowling’s bruised reputation has not lowered the value of her books. Yesterday, a rare first edition of J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone sold at auction for $471,000, which Heritage Auctions says is “the highest price ever paid for the boy wizard’s debut... Continue reading at Literrary Hub
[ Literrary Hub | 2021-12-10 18:27:50 UTC ]
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Greenpeace ambassador and former Harry Potter star Bonnie Wright's guide to changing habits and living more sustainably has been signed by Quercus imprint Greenfinch. Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2021-11-19 15:44:54 UTC ]
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Harry Potter stars Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson and Rupert Grint are reuniting with other cast members from the blockbuster film franchise for a special 20th anniversary TV retrospective, movie studio Warner Bros. said on Tuesday. Continue reading at CBC
[ CBC | 2021-11-16 22:10:32 UTC ]
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Spotify could soon be home to a lot more audiobooks. The streaming service has acquired audiobook platform Findaway, the companies announced. Terms of the deal were not disclosed, but the acquisition suggests Spotify is looking to build out its own library of audiobook titles.Findaway is an... Continue reading at Engadget
[ Engadget | 2021-11-11 21:00:04 UTC ]
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Twenty years after the release of the first Harry Potter film, does he continue to charm children and adults alike? Continue reading at The Conversation
[ The Conversation | 2021-11-09 16:16:49 UTC ]
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Titles such as Tom Kerridge’s latest cookbook prove popular for Bloomsbury during Covid pandemicCoronavirus – latest updatesSee all our coronavirus coverageBloomsbury, the Harry Potter publisher, has unveiled record sales and profits on the back of the popularity of titles including Tom... Continue reading at The Guardian
[ The Guardian | 2021-10-27 10:02:41 UTC ]
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The powerhouse children’s publisher, known for Harry Potter, had been passed from father to son until Iole Lucchese, a top executive, was given control. Continue reading at The New York Times
[ The New York Times | 2021-10-18 18:41:08 UTC ]
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A Squid Game manicure, Harry Potter wand classes, a fountain covered in nails, and the latest waxwork of the Queen. Continue reading at BBC News
[ BBC News | 2021-10-17 12:08:52 UTC ]
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From Grange Hill to the West End, via Eurovision and the Brit awards, the star has built multiple careers. She talks about stage-school pressure, TV diversity and playing Hermione in Harry Potter and the Cursed ChildMichelle Gayle was 10 months into her role as Hermione Granger in Harry Potter... Continue reading at The Guardian
[ The Guardian | 2021-10-13 08:41:05 UTC ]
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The installation marks the 20th anniversary of the film Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone. Continue reading at Media Week
[ Media Week | 2021-10-07 15:35:52 UTC ]
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Traveling with young children is like trying to turn a cruise ship: It’s cumbersome, takes a significant amount of planning and requires a team effort. Because I apparently lack any amount of common sense, I recently took a 3,000-mile RV trip with my partner and two toddlers. Traveling with... Continue reading at Engadget
[ Engadget | 2021-09-01 12:30:02 UTC ]
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Many shops plan to open early for the arrival of Sally Rooney’s latest novel, Beautiful World, Where Are You next monthWhen they were children they lined the streets in their witch hats and capes, keen to pick up the latest Harry Potter title as bookshops opened their doors at midnight. Now they... Continue reading at The Guardian
[ The Guardian | 2021-08-28 15:00:00 UTC ]
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Bloomsbury has announced plans for a year-long campaign celebrating the 25th anniversary of Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone by J K Rowling in 2022. Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2021-08-12 04:16:37 UTC ]
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Book subscription box OwlCrate has reversed their decision to no longer carry Harry Potter merchandise due to JK Rowling's transphobia. Continue reading at Book Riot
[ Book Riot | 2021-08-11 17:30:59 UTC ]
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