Elizabeth Spender (born 1950) is a film and television actress known for her role in Brazil.
Elizabeth Spender | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1950 (age 73–74) |
| Occupation | Actress |
| Spouse | |
| Parent(s) | Stephen Spender Natasha Spender |
| Relatives | Matthew Spender (brother) |
Early life and education
editSpender is the daughter of concert pianist Natasha Spender (née Litvin) and the poet, novelist and essayist Stephen Spender.[1][2] She studied drama at the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School and Drama Centre London.[3] She also attended an Arvon Foundation television play-writing course which was taught by Jack Rosenthal.[3]
Career
editAmong numerous television and film credits, she appeared in Terry Gilliam's 1985 cult film Brazil.[4]
She has written two BBC TV dramas: Hedgehog Wedding (1987) produced by Innes Lloyd,[5][3] and These Foolish Things (1989)[6][7] which starred Lindsay Duncan.[8] In the 1990s she wrote a series of Pastability cookbooks.[9][3] In 2005 she published a memoir of her childhood, The Wild Horse Diaries (ISBN 9780733619755).[10][7][11][12]
Personal life
editFrom 1990 until his death in 2023, she was married to the Australian actor and satirist Barry Humphries.[13] They had met at a Groucho Club party in 1988.[7]
Filmography
editFilm
edit| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1981 | Priest of Love | Elsa Weekley | |
| 1985 | Brazil | Alison / 'Barbara' Lint | |
| 1987 | The Felons | Florence | |
| 1996 | The Leading Man | Anne |
Television
edit| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1973 | Frankenstein: The True Story | Ballroom Guest | Television film |
| 1979 | Feet First | Fay Faith | Episode #1.3 |
| 1979 | Premiere | Trudi | Episode: "Over There" |
| 1979 | Testament of Youth | Christina | Episode: "1918" |
| 1980 | The Professionals | Helen Tippett | Episode: "Blood Sports" |
| 1980 | BBC2 Playhouse | Constance | Episode: "The Happy Autumn Fields" |
| 1981 | Something in Disguise | Annabel | Episode: "A New Life" |
| 1982 | Nancy Astor | Henrietta | Episode: "Scandals" |
| 1984 | Oxbridge Blues | Girl at party | Episode: "The Muse" |
| 1984 | The Secret Servant | Melinda Fay | 2 episodes |
| 1984 | Talk to Me | Kate | Television film |
| 1986 | ScreenPlay | Magdalena Hofdemel | Episode: "The Mozart Inquest" |
| 1988 | Sherlock Holmes | Laura Lyons | Episode: "The Hound of the Baskervilles" |
| 1991 | Selling Hitler | Valkyrie / Marlene | 4 episodes |
| 1998–1999 | Fast Tracks | Judy Brumfield | 3 episodes |
| 2023 | Barry Humphries: A Tribute | — | Television special |
References
edit- ^ Hornery, Andrew (April 21, 2023). "Humphries' family gathers from around the globe". The Sydney Morning Herald.
- ^ "Unbridled Passion". House & Garden. August 2015. pp. 53–57.
- ^ a b c d "Rolling the credits for a Spender". Evening Standard. 24 March 1987. p. 31. Retrieved 29 April 2023 – via newspapers.com.
- ^ "Elizabeth Spender". BFI. Archived from the original on May 17, 2021. Retrieved 2023-05-06.
- ^ "Hedgehog Wedding (1987)". BFI. Archived from the original on April 11, 2019. Retrieved 2023-04-29.
- ^ "These Foolish Things (1989)". BFI. Archived from the original on November 26, 2020. Retrieved 2023-04-29.
- ^ a b c "The kindness of famous friends". Sunday Independent (Ireland) – Living Section. 25 September 2005. p. 5. Retrieved 29 April 2023 – via British Newspaper Archive.
- ^ "Fooling Around With Love". Daily Mirror. 28 February 1989. p. 19. Retrieved 29 April 2023 – via British Newspaper Archive.
- ^ Dowe, Michael (15 Oct 1991). "Italian Treats for Non-Italians". The Sydney Morning Herald. p. 43.
- ^ Spender, Stephen (3 July 2012). New Selected Journals, 1939-1995. Faber and Faber. p. 542. ISBN 978-0-571-29411-4.
- ^ "The horse was my baby". The Sunday Telegraph. 28 August 2005. p. 38. Retrieved 29 April 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "The pony-mad child inside". www.telegraph.co.uk. 11 September 2005. Retrieved 29 April 2023.
- ^ "Barry Humphries facts: Dame Edna comedian's age, career, wife, children and more revealed". Smooth.