Phyllida Law Biography (1932-)

Full name, Phyllida Ann Law; born May 8, 1932, in Glasgow, Scotland; daughterof William and Megsie Law; married Eric Norman Thompson (an actor and director), May, 1957 (died, December 1, 1982); children: Emma (an actress), Sophie(an actress).

Gender: Female
Occupation: Actress
Birth Details: May 8, 1932; Glasgow, United Kingdom

Famous Works

CREDITS
Film Appearances
Jean, Otley, Columbia, 1968
Fraulein Manzialy, Hitler: The Last Ten Days (also known as Gliultimi 10 giorni di Hitler), Paramount, 1973
Julia, Tree of Hands (also known as Innocent Victim), Castle Hill Productions, 1989
Vera, Peter's Friends, Samuel Goldwyn, 1992
Ursula, Much Ado about Nothing, Samuel Goldwyn, 1993
Anne's mother, Before the Rain (also known as Pred dozhdot), Gramercy Pictures, 1994
(Uncredited) Dr. Talbot, Junior, Universal, 1994
Mrs. Bates, Emma, Miramax, 1996
Elspeth, The Winter Guest, Fine Line Features, 1997
Vronskaya, Anna Karenina (also known as Leo Tolstoy's "Anna Karenina" and Anne Karenine), Warner Bros., 1997
First woman at hairdresser's shop, I Want You (also known as Beloved), USA Films, 1998
The grandmother, L'amante perduto (also known as Lost Lover), 1999
Lady Drake, Mad Cows, Entertainment Film Distributors, 1999
Veronica, Milk, Arrow Releasing, 1999
Margaret Sutton, Saving Grace, Fine Line Features, 2000
Mrs. Watchett, The Time Machine, Warner Bros./DreamWorks, 2002
Mrs. Williams, I'll Be There, Warner Bros., 2003
Bella Black, Blinded, Guerilla Films, 2004
Faith, Two Men Went to a War, Indican Pictures, 2004
Mrs. Claus, Tooth, Redbus Film Distribution, 2004
Distinguished lady, Danny the Dog (also known as Unleashed), Rogue Pictures, 2005
Mrs. Coogan, Mee-Shee: The Water Giant (also known as Ogopogo and The Water Giant), ContentFilm, 2005
Esperanza di Mendoza, Day of Wrath, American World Pictures/ScreenMedia Ventures, 2006
Headmistress, A Little Trip to Heaven, A-Film Distribution, 2006
Mother Canisius, Copying Beethoven, Myriad Pictures, 2006
Sarah, Mia Sarah, Filmax International, 2006
Viscountess Cumbermere, Nanny McPhee, Universal, 2006
Some sources cite an appearance in Opium Royale.
Television Appearances
Series
Presenter, Play School, BBC-2, beginning c. 1964
Mrs. Beauchamp, A Picture of Katherine Mansfield, BBC, 1973
Aunt Gwen, Come Back, Lucy, Associated Television, 1978
Mrs. Blandy, A Question of Guilt, BBC, beginning 1980
Aunt Lizzie, Fame Is the Spur, BBC, 1982
Mrs. Vesey Stanhope, The Barchester Chronicles, BBC, 1982, broadcast on Masterpiece Theatre (also known as ExxonMobil Masterpiece Theatre and Mobil Masterpiece Theatre), PBS, 1984, and on Arts and Entertainment
Edith Makepeace, Hell's Bells, BBC, 1986
Lady Broughton, Ffizz, Independent Television (England), 1987-89
Multiple roles, Thompson, BBC, 1988, PBS, 1989
Babs, That's Love, Television South, 1988-92
Olivia Esholt, Chelworth, BBC, 1989
Edith Duglass, The House of Eliott, BBC and Arts and Entertainment, 1991-94
Margot, Degrees of Error, BBC, beginning 1995
Eve, Wonderful You, Independent Television, 1999
Marjorie Tollworth, Stig of the Dump (also known as Stig),BBC, 2002
Miniseries
Mademoiselle Vatnaz, Sentimental Education, BBC, 1970

Marjorie Phelps, "The Unpleasantness at the Bellona Club," Lord PeterWimsey (also known as Lord Peter Wimsey: Unpleasantness at the BellonaClub), BBC and PBS, 1973
Madame Annette de Lancel, Till We Meet Again (also known as Judith Krantz's "Till We Meet Again"), CBS, 1989
Lady Margaret, The Magical Legend of the Leprechauns (also known as Leprechauns and Kampf der Kobolde), NBC, 1999
Rose Trenchard, The Swap, Independent Television (England), 2002
Movies
The Poisoned Earth, Associated Television, 1961
Mrs. Timpson, All or Nothing at All, London Weekend Television, 1993
Maria, Brush with Fate, CBS, 2003
Lady Lucia Pinochet, Pinochet in Suburbia, BBC-2 and HBO, 2006
Specials
The wife, "Evelyn," Play for Today (also known as Play for Today: Evelyn), BBC, 1971
"Buffet," Play for Today (also known as Play for Today: Buffet), BBC, 1976
Lady Faulconbridge, The Life and Death of King John (also known asThe BBC Television Shakespeare, The Complete Dramatic Works of William Shakespeare: The Life and Death of King John, and King John),BBC-2, 1984
Marie's mother, The Blue Boy, BBC, 1994, broadcast on Masterpiece Theatre (also known as ExxonMobil Masterpiece Theatre and Mobil Masterpiece Theatre), PBS, 1994
How Proust Can Change Your Life, [Great Britain], 2000
Herself, The 100 Greatest Kids TV Shows, Channel 4 (England), 2001
Episodic
Rosie McCallion, "Green Wedding," Dixon of Dock Green, BBC, 1963
Sergeant Ruth Beckett, "Within the Law," Dixon of Dock Green, BBC,1965
Mary Fielding, "Women and Business Never Did Mix," The Troubleshooters (also known as Mogul), BBC, 1967
Miss Cummins, "The Princess," The Jazz Age, BBC, 1968
Laura Rankin, "The Singing Sands," Detective, BBC, 1969
Mrs. Tetley, "Good Morning, Yesterday!," Menace, BBC, 1970
Winifred Holland, "Golden Island," Fraud Squad, Associated Television, 1970
Louise Maitland-Douglas, "The Condemned," Sutherland's Law, BBC, 1974
Lady Constance Weir, "The Hero's Farewell," Upstairs, Downstairs,London Weekend Television, 1974, broadcast on Masterpiece Theatre (also known as ExxonMobil Masterpiece Theatre and Mobil Masterpiece Theatre), PBS, 1976
Ann Kingsley, "First Impressions," Angels, BBC, 1978
Ann Kingsley, "Fraternity," Angels, BBC, 1978
Mrs. Thripp, "Rumpole and the Married Lady," Rumpole of the Bailey(also
known as Rumpole of the Bailey, Series I), Independent Television(England), broadcast on Mystery!, PBS, c. 1980
Mrs. Lucas, "Holy Wars," Agony, London Weekend Television, 1981
Maggie Patton, "A Sad Loss," Tales of the Unexpected (also known as Roald Dahl's "Tales of the Unexpected"), Anglia Television and syndicated, 1983
Jessica Truscott, "Fingers," C.A.T.S. Eyes, Independent Television, 1985
Honoria Bird, "Rumpole and the Blind Tasting," Rumpole of the Bailey (also known as Rumpole of the Bailey, Series IV), Independent Television, 1987, broadcast on Mystery!, PBS, c. 1988
Lady Ann, "Gracie," About Face, Independent Television, 1989
Lady Carrington, "Incredible Theft," Poirot (also known as Agatha Christie's "Poirot" and Poirot, Series One), Independent Television, 1989, broadcast on Mystery!, PBS, c. 1990, and on Arts and Entertainment
Joan Mathieson, "Forbidden Fruit," Taggart, Independent Television, 1994
Magistrate, "Bring Me the Head of Arthur Daley," Minder, Independent Television, 1994
Nancy Bellow, "Witch Hunt," Heartbeat, Independent Television, 1994
Vicky Jeffreys, "A Pillar of the Community," Hamish Macbeth, BBC,1995
Herself, A Bit of Fry and Laurie, BBC, 1995
Mrs. Ferris, "Impasse," Paul Merton in Galton and Simpson's ... ,Independent Television, 1996
Guest, The Rosie O'Donnell Show, syndicated, 1997
Elaine Porter, "Angel," Dangerfield, BBC, 1998
Felicity Dinsdale, "Blood Will Out," Midsomer Murders, IndependentTelevision and Arts and Entertainment, 1999
Isobel Marchmont, "Laurels Are Poison," The Mrs. Bradley Mysteries, BBC and BBC America, 2000
Professor Isobel Hogg, Monarch of the Glen, BBC Scotland, 2000, BBC America, 2001
Jean, "Preserves," Table 12, BBC, 2001
May Beauchamp, "Orpheus in the Undergrowth," Rosemary & Thyme,Independent Television, 2004
Mrs. Carstairs, "The Hardest Word," Waking the Dead, BBC, 2004
(In archive footage) Herself, This Morning (also known as ThisMorning with Richard and Judy), Independent Television, 2004
Irene Moser, "The 7:59 Club," Afterlife, Independent Television, 2005
Stage Appearances
Major Barbara, Bristol Old Vic Company, 1956
Red Roses for Me, 1962
A Voyage 'round My Father, Haymarket Theatre, London, 1971
Habeus Corpus, Haymarket Theatre, 1973
Dotty, Noises Off, Savoy Theatre, London, c. 1983
La Cage aux Folles (musical), London Palladium, c. 1986
Elspeth, The Winter Guest, 1995
The Tuesday Group, King's College, London (University of London),Franklin-Wilkins Building, c. 2003
Appeared in The Merry Wives of Windsor, London production. Appeared in other productions, including performances at the Old Vic, London.
Stage Work
Director, The Duchess of Malfi, National Theatre, King's Theatre,Edinburgh, Scotland, 2003
RECORDINGS
Audiobooks
Virginia Woolf, Mrs. Dalloway, Chivers, 2001
Virginia Woolf, To the Lighthouse, Chivers, 2001
WRITINGS
Nonfiction
(Illustrator) Kenneth Branagh, Beginning, Chatto & Windus, 1989, American edition, St. Martin's Press, 1991

Further Reference

OTHER SOURCES

Periodicals

Guardian, January 5, 1998
Independent, January 9, 1998

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