Margaret Tyzack was born on September 9, 1931 in Plaistow, London, England as Margaret Maud Tyzack. She was an actress, known for 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968), A Clockwork Orange (1971) and Match Point (2005). She was married to Alan R. Stephenson. She died on June 25, 2011 in Blackheath, London.
If you watch TV or listen to the radio for a week, you would get the impression that everyone over the age of 60 has no control over their faculties. I don't want us to be treated with kid gloves, but a fraction of respect would come in handy.
2
There are some actors of my generation who will perform when the fridge light comes on, but not me. I envy them their passion, but I don't have it and I never had. As far as I'm concerned, acting is a job. Oh, it's a lovely, lovely job - but it's a job, and one I drifted into.
3
On her early days in repertory theatre: I was in more plays in a single year than some actors will perform in their entire careers. It was my education. We weren't spoiled or indulged. It was very hard work, and the paying customer came first. It was expected that they would hear every word, even if they were sitting far from the stage. If you were warned for inaudibility on Wednesday and still couldn't be heard on Thursday, you'd be sacked on Friday. You had to learn quickly.
4
... I do feel strongly that it is deeply insulting the way older women are portrayed. If you watch TV or listen to the radio for a week, you would get the impression that everyone over the age of 60 has no control over their faculties. If it was any other group of people being portrayed like that, people would be up in arms. But because it is older women, nobody ever says anything. "TV is the worst. In the past, all ages were represented. Now even silver-haired old judges have jailbait on their arms. But I can't complain. I've had a lovely career, and as an actor all you can do is hope that people keep on offering the roles. I'll totter on as long as they keep coming. Actually I better not say totter - it makes me sound like an old crone.
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Fact
1
Played Oenone to Helen Mirren's Phedre at the National Theatre on London's South Bank. This production of Phedre also toured to Epidaurus, Greece on 10 & 11 July, 2009 and was in Washington DC, USA, 17 - 26 September 2009.
2
Appeared as Mrs St Maugham in the Chalk Garden at the Donmar Warehouse theatre in London, alongside Penelope Wilton and Felicity Jones.
3
Although she played Antonia Minor, the niece of the first Roman Emperor Augustus who was 27 years her senior, in I, Claudius (1976), she was more than six years older than Brian Blessed, who played Augustus.
4
Grew up in Greater London (formerly West Ham) and attended the all-girls St Angela's Ursuline School in Newham.
5
Was the daughter of Doris (née Moseley) and Thomas Edward Tyzack.
6
Maggie Smith refused to appear on Broadway in "Lettice and Lovage" unless Tyzack was also allowed to join the cast.
7
Her husband Alan Stephenson was a mathematics professor.
8
Began her professional career in the early 1950s at a repertory company in central England, where for two years she performed in a play a week, for almost 50 weeks a year.
9
Mother of son, Matthew Stephenson (born in 1964).
10
She was awarded the CBE (Commander of the Order of the British Empire) in the 2010 Queen's New Year Honours List for her services to drama.
11
Joining the Royal Shakespeare Company in 1962, Margaret was known for her regal stance and added a gallery of queens to her credits over the years, including Queen Anne, Queen Mary and Queen Elizabeth II.
12
Was Emmy-nominated for Best Dramatic Actress (Limited Episodes) in 1972 for her title performance in "Cousin Bette" on Masterpiece Theatre. She lost out to Susan Hampshire for her portrayal of Becky Sharp in "Vanity Fair."
13
She was awarded the OBE (Officer of the Order of the British Empire) in the 1970 Queen's Birthday Honours List for her services to drama.
14
Won Broadway's 1990 Tony Award as Best Actress (Featured Role - Play) for "Lettice and Lovage." She had previously been nominated for a Tony in the same category in 1983 for Shakespeare's "All's Well That Ends Well."
15
She was awarded a Laurence Oliver Theatre Award in 1982 (1981 season) for Best Actress in a Revival, Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?
16
Educated in RADA after attending Angela's Ursuline convent in England, UK. Is now an associate member at RADA.
Actress
Title
Year
Status
Character
Mother's Milk
2011
Eleanor Melrose
EastEnders
2011
TV Series
Lydia Simmonds
Midsomer Murders
2000-2009
TV Series
Harriet Compton / Naomi Inkpen
Phèdre
2009
TV Movie
Oenone
Scoop
2006
Sid's Co-Passengers
Rosemary & Thyme
2006
TV Series
Audrey Pargeter
The Thief Lord
2006
Head Nun (uncredited)
Wallis & Edward
2005
TV Movie
Queen Mary
Doc Martin
2005
TV Series
Muriel Steel
Match Point
2005
Mrs. Eastby
Bright Young Things
2003
Lady Thobbing
Heartbeat
2003
TV Series
Edna Barton
Until Death
2002
Dorothy Sutton
The Adventures of Young Indiana Jones: Passion for Life
2000
TV Movie
Miss Helen Seymour
The Adventures of Young Indiana Jones: My First Adventure
2000
TV Movie
Miss Helen Seymour
Our Mutual Friend
1998
TV Mini-Series
Lady Tippins
Dalziel and Pascoe
1998
TV Series
Ella Keech
Mrs Dalloway
1997
Lady Bruton
Family Money
1997
TV Series
Delia
The Adventures of Young Indiana Jones: Travels with Father
1996
TV Movie
Helen Seymour
The Adventures of Young Indiana Jones: Treasure of the Peacock's Eye
1995
TV Movie
Miss Helen Seymour (voice, uncredited)
Alleyn Mysteries
1994
TV Series
Emily Pride
Young Indiana Jones
1992-1993
TV Series
Miss Seymour
Thacker
1992
TV Movie
Marjorie Thacker
The King's Whore
1990
La Comtesse douairière
Prick Up Your Ears
1987
Madame Lambert
Miss Marple: Nemesis
1987
TV Movie
Clothilde Bradbury-Scott
The Corsican Brothers
1985
TV Movie
Madame de Guidice
Mr. Love
1985
Pink Lady
The Wars
1983
Lady Emmeline
Charles & Diana: A Royal Love Story
1982
TV Movie
Queen Elizabeth II
An Inspector Calls
1982
TV Mini-Series
Sybil Birling
Chronicle
1982
TV Series documentary
Amelia Edwards
For the Love of Egypt
1982
TV Movie
Amelia Edwards
BBC2 Playhouse
1981-1982
TV Series
Daphne / Madame Fyokla
Lady Killers
1981
TV Series
Mrs. Lillian Bywaters
Plays for Pleasure
1981
TV Series
Miss Ball
The Winter's Tale
1981
TV Movie
Paulina
Premiere
1980
TV Mini-Series
Billie
Quatermass
1979
TV Mini-Series
Annie Morgan
The Quatermass Conclusion
1979
Annie Morgan
The Legacy
1978
Nurse Adams
I, Claudius
1976
TV Mini-Series
Antonia
Affairs of the Heart
1975
TV Series
Miss Tita
BBC Play of the Month
1974
TV Series
Mrs. Linden
A Clockwork Orange
1971
Conspirator
Cousin Bette
1971
TV Mini-Series
Cousin Bette
Masterpiece Classic
1971
TV Series
Princess Anne
Jackanory
1969-1970
TV Series
Storyteller
Solo
1970
TV Series
Mrs. Beeton
The First Churchills
1969
TV Mini-Series
Princess Anne
Queen Anne
W. Somerset Maugham
1969
TV Series
Mrs. Hamlyn
Thank You All Very Much
1969
Sister Bennett
ITV Playhouse
1968
TV Series
Gladys King
2001: A Space Odyssey
1968
Elena
The Whisperers
1967
Hospital Almoner
The Forsyte Saga
1967
TV Mini-Series
Winifred Dartie
Thirty-Minute Theatre
1965
TV Series
Esther
The Wednesday Thriller
1965
TV Series
Grace
ITV Play of the Week
1963-1965
TV Series
Pamela Wood / Helen
Thursday Theatre
1965
TV Series
Isobel Cherry
The Indian Tales of Rudyard Kipling
1964
TV Series
Mrs. Bronckhurst
Ring of Treason
1964
Elizabeth Gee
Maigret
1963
TV Series
Anna
ITV Television Playhouse
1960-1963
TV Series
Lily / Elizabeth
The Ginger Man
1962
TV Movie
Miss Frost
Highway to Battle
1961
Hilda
BBC Sunday-Night Play
1960-1961
TV Mini-Series
Molly / Jean Barron / Fenny
Theatre 70
1961
TV Series
The Professor's Love Story
1960
TV Movie
Miss Agnes Goodwillie
Let's Get Married
1960
Staff Nurse
The Four Just Men
1960
TV Series
Wife
BBC Sunday-Night Theatre
1956-1959
TV Series
Evelyn Daly / Caroline / Felicia Peterson / ...
World Theatre
1959
TV Mini-Series
Mrs. Jones
Saturday Playhouse
1958-1959
TV Series
Clare Cousins / Nadine Arne
The Infamous John Friend
1959
TV Mini-Series
Mrs. Friend
Room 43
1958
June, Heath's secretary
Behind the Mask
1958
Night Sister
Armchair Theatre
1958
TV Series
Elizabeth Farrow
Angel Pavement
1957-1958
TV Series
Miss Matfield
A Woman of Property
1957
TV Movie
Sarah Richmond
Kenilworth
1957
TV Series
Janet
The Crimson Ramblers
1956
TV Series
Vera Lee
The End Begins
1956
TV Movie
Valerie Hollis
The Adventures of Annabel
1955-1956
TV Series
Nyassa Gordon
Self
Title
Year
Status
Character
Drama Connections
2005
TV Series documentary
Herself
I Claudius: A Television Epic
2002
Video documentary
Herself
This Is Your Life
1992
TV Series documentary
Herself
Working in the Theatre
1990
TV Series documentary
Herself
The 44th Annual Tony Awards
1990
TV Special
Herself - Performer & Winner: Best Featured Actress in a Play
The 37th Annual Tony Awards
1983
TV Special
Herself - Nominee: Best Featured Actress in a Play
Behind the Scenes
1971
TV Series documentary
Herself - Actress, 'Cousin Bette'
The British Screen Awards
1971
TV Special
Herself
Frost on Sunday
1970
TV Series
Herself - Best Television Actress Winner
Late Night Line-Up
1967
TV Series
Herself
Archive Footage
Title
Year
Status
Character
The Adventures of Young Indiana Jones: The Perils of Cupid
2000
TV Movie
Miss Helen Seymour
The Adventures of Young Indiana Jones: Love's Sweet Song
2000
Video
Miss Helen Seymour (uncredited)
The Adventures of Young Indiana Jones: Journey of Radiance
1999
Video
Miss Helen Seymour
Won Awards
Year
Award
Ceremony
Nomination
Movie
1970
BAFTA TV Award
BAFTA Awards
Best Actress
The First Churchills (1969)
Nominated Awards
Year
Award
Ceremony
Nomination
Movie
1973
Primetime Emmy
Primetime Emmy Awards
Outstanding Continued Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role (Drama/Comedy - Limited Episodes)