Rosemary Leach
Encyclopedia
Rosemary Leach is a British
stage, television and film actress.
She 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.
Subsequently she became a familiar face on British television. 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 1981 she played Emilia opposite Bob Hoskins
's Iago in the BBC Shakespeare's production of Othello
. In 1982 she played Aunt Fenny in The Jewel in the Crown.
Rosemary played a leading role as smitten Joan Plumleigh-Bruce in the six part ITV 1987 production of The Charmer (TV series)
which starred Nigel Havers
.
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
.
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.
Rosemary Leach also narrates the BBC Audiobook version of Agatha Christie's "Sleeping Murder". Her talents as an actress make this an especially well read mystery.
In 2001 Leach played a leading role as a charming murderess in Destroying Angel, an episode of Midsomer Murders
.,
Recently she has 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.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
stage, television and film actress.
She was born at Much Wenlock
Much Wenlock
Much Wenlock, earlier known as Wenlock, is a small town in central Shropshire, England. It is situated on the A458 road between Shrewsbury and Bridgnorth. Nearby, to the northeast, is the Ironbridge Gorge, and the new town of Telford...
, Shropshire
Shropshire
Shropshire is a county in the West Midlands region of England. For Eurostat purposes, the county is a NUTS 3 region and is one of four counties or unitary districts that comprise the "Shropshire and Staffordshire" NUTS 2 region. It borders Wales to the west...
. Her parents were teachers related to Edmund Leach
Edmund Leach
Sir Edmund Ronald Leach was a British social anthropologist of whom it has been said:"It is no exaggeration to say that in sheer versatility, originality, and range of writing he was and still is difficult to match among the anthropologists of the English speaking world".-Personal and academic...
. She attended grammar school and RADA
Rada
Rada is the term for "council" or "assembly"borrowed by Polish from the Low Franconian "Rad" and later passed into the Czech, Ukrainian, and Belarusian languages....
. After appearing in repertory
Repertory
Repertory or rep, also called stock in the United States, is a term used in Western theatre and opera.A repertory theatre can be a theatre in which a resident company presents works from a specified repertoire, usually in alternation or rotation...
theatres and the Old Vic
Old Vic
The Old Vic is a theatre located just south-east of Waterloo Station in London on the corner of The Cut and Waterloo Road. Established in 1818 as the Royal Coburg Theatre, it was taken over by Emma Cons in 1880 when it was known formally as the Royal Victoria Hall. In 1898, a niece of Cons, Lilian...
she became well known to UK TV viewers between 1965-69 for playing Susan Wheldon, the mistress of building tycoon John Wilder (Patrick Wymark
Patrick Wymark
Patrick Wymark , was a British, stage, film and television actor.-Early life:Born Patrick Carl Cheeseman in Cleethorpes, Lincolnshire, England...
) in the TV boardroom drama The Power Game.
Subsequently she became a familiar face on British television. In 1973, she played Aldonza/Dulcinea in the BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
production of Don Quixote (retitled The Adventures of Don Quixote), starring Rex Harrison
Rex Harrison
Sir Reginald Carey “Rex” Harrison was an English actor of stage and screen. Harrison won an Academy Award and two Tony Awards.-Youth and stage career:...
and Frank Finlay
Frank Finlay
Francis Finlay, CBE is an English stage, film and television actor.-Personal life:Finlay was born in Farnworth, Lancashire, the son of Margaret and Josiah Finlay, a butcher. A devout Catholic, he belongs to the British Catholic Stage Guild. He was educated at St...
. In 1981 she played Emilia opposite Bob Hoskins
Bob Hoskins
Robert William "Bob" Hoskins, Jr. is an English actor known for playing Cockney rough diamonds, psychopaths and gangsters, in films such as The Long Good Friday , and Mona Lisa , and lighter roles in family films such as Who Framed Roger Rabbit and Hook .- Early life :Hoskins was born in Bury St...
's Iago in the BBC Shakespeare's production of Othello
Othello
The Tragedy of Othello, the Moor of Venice is a tragedy by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written in approximately 1603, and based on the Italian short story "Un Capitano Moro" by Cinthio, a disciple of Boccaccio, first published in 1565...
. In 1982 she played Aunt Fenny in The Jewel in the Crown.
Rosemary played a leading role as smitten Joan Plumleigh-Bruce in the six part ITV 1987 production of The Charmer (TV series)
The Charmer (TV series)
The Charmer was a 1987 British television serial set in the 1930s, and starring Nigel Havers as Ralph Ernest Gorse, a seducing conman and murderer, Rosemary Leach as Joan Plumleigh-Bruce, the smitten victim widow and Bernard Hepton as Donald Stimpson, Plumleigh-Bruce's would-be beau, who vengefully...
which starred Nigel Havers
Nigel Havers
Nigel Allan Havers is an English actor. He is probably best known for his BAFTA-nominated role as Lord Andrew Lindsay in the 1981 British film Chariots of Fire, and for his role as Dr. Tom Latimer in the British TV comedy series Don't Wait Up...
.
In 1987, she was nominated for BAFTA's Best Supporting Actress for A Room with a View
A Room with a View (film)
A Room with a View is a 1985 British drama film directed by James Ivory and produced by Ismail Merchant. The film is a close adaptation of E. M...
(1985). In 1992, Leach starred in An Ungentlemanly Act
An Ungentlemanly Act
An Ungentlemanly Act is a 1992 BBC television film about the first days of the invasion of the Falkland Islands in 1982.-Production:The film was written and directed by Stuart Urban, and commissioned to mark the tenth anniversary of the Falklands War...
, a BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
television film about the first days of the invasion of the Falkland Islands
Falkland Islands
The Falkland Islands are an archipelago in the South Atlantic Ocean, located about from the coast of mainland South America. The archipelago consists of East Falkland, West Falkland and 776 lesser islands. The capital, Stanley, is on East Falkland...
in 1982, portraying the real-life Lady Mavis Hunt, wife of the islands' then governor, Sir Rex Hunt
Rex Hunt
Rex James Hunt is an Australian television and radio personality, and a former Australian rules football player. He is an Australian rules football commentator, currently on the 1116 SEN radio station with son in law Lee Raynor conducting a program called Off The Hook. He is better known around...
.
Leach plays the part of Anna in BBC Radio 4
BBC Radio 4
BBC Radio 4 is a British domestic radio station, operated and owned by the BBC, that broadcasts a wide variety of spoken-word programmes, including news, drama, comedy, science and history. It replaced the BBC Home Service in 1967. The station controller is currently Gwyneth Williams, and the...
's No Commitments
No Commitments
No Commitments is a comedy radio drama written by Simon Brett,broadcast on BBC Radio 4. It portrays the day-to-daylives of three very different sisters.-Main characters:...
, and Susan Harper's mother Grace in My Family. She made a guest appearance as 'Bessie' on Waterloo Road
Waterloo Road (TV series)
Waterloo Road is an award-winning British television drama series, first broadcast in the United Kingdom on BBC One on 9 March 2006. Set in a troubled comprehensive school in Rochdale, Greater Manchester, the series focuses on the lives of the school's teacher and students, and confronts social...
(the TV series), in Series 3 Spring Term. Since 1994, she has made occasional appearances in The Archers
The Archers
The Archers is a long-running British soap opera broadcast on the BBC's main spoken-word channel, Radio 4. It was originally billed as "an everyday story of country folk", but is now described on its Radio 4 web site as "contemporary drama in a rural setting"...
as Ellen Rogers, the ex-pat aunt of Nigel Pargetter.
Rosemary Leach also narrates the BBC Audiobook version of Agatha Christie's "Sleeping Murder". Her talents as an actress make this an especially well read mystery.
In 2001 Leach played a leading role as a charming murderess in Destroying Angel, an episode of Midsomer Murders
Midsomer Murders
Midsomer Murders is a British television detective drama that has aired on ITV since 1997. The show is based on the books by Caroline Graham, as originally adapted by Anthony Horowitz. The lead character is DCI Tom Barnaby who works for Causton CID. When Nettles left the show in 2011 he was...
.,
Recently she has played Queen Elizabeth II three times: in the 2002 television movie Prince William;
in a 2006 updated edition of The Afternoon Play
The Afternoon Play
The Afternoon Play is a series of individual plays which sometimes appear on BBC One during weekday afternoons. The first series began on 27 January 2003, and as of 2008 there have been five series...
,
entitled Tea with Betty; and in 2009's Margaret.