Patricia Hodge

Patricia Ann Hodge, OBE (born 29 September 1946) is an English actress. She is known on-screen for playing Phyllida Erskine-Brown in Rumpole of the Bailey (1978–1992), Jemima Shore in Jemima Shore Investigates (1983), Penny in Miranda (2009–2015) and Mrs Pumphrey in All Creatures Great and Small (2021–present).

Patricia Hodge

Born (1946-09-29) 29 September 1946
OccupationActress
Years active1971–present
Spouse
Peter Douglas Owen
(m. 1976; died 2016)
Children2

Hodge made her West End debut in 1972, and the next year, starred in the West End production of Pippin directed by Bob Fosse. Hodge has received two nominations for the Olivier Award for Best Actress in a Musical, and in 2000, she won the Olivier Award for Best Supporting Actress for her role in the play Money.

Her other screen credits include the 1983 film Betrayal, the 1986 TV adaptation of The Life and Loves of a She-Devil, and the TV film Hotel du Lac (1986). For her role in Hotel du Lac, Hodge received a nomination for the BAFTA TV Award for Best Actress.

Early life

Hodge was born in Cleethorpes, Lincolnshire.[1] The daughter of Eric and his wife Marion (née Phillips), the manager and manageress of the Royal Hotel in Grimsby,[2] Hodge attended Wintringham Girls' Grammar School in Weelsby Avenue in Grimsby and then St Helen's School, Northwood, Middlesex, before attending Maria Grey College in Twickenham (later becoming part of Brunel University London), to train as a teacher.[3] She taught English and drama at Russell County Primary School in Chorleywood, Hertfordshire, while also applying to the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art.[4] She started at LAMDA when she was 22, and was awarded the Eveline Evans Award for Best Actress on graduation.[5]

Career

Hodge made her professional stage debut in the Howard Barker play No-One Was Saved at the Traverse Theatre, Edinburgh in 1971. She made her West End debut in Rookery Nook in 1972, and worked with Bob Fosse in 1973 on Pippin. However, when applying for television work she found she had become classed as a theatre actress. Having made the breakthrough in the role of Phyllida (Trant) Erskine-Brown in Rumpole of the Bailey, she found when trying to make the occasional return to theatre work that she had been classed as a television actress.

She has appeared in roles as diverse as in The Naked Civil Servant opposite John Hurt, shortly after she featured in the BBC's 1975 Christmas production Great Big Groovy Horse, a rock opera based on the story of the Trojan Horse shown on BBC2 starring Julie Covington, Bernard Cribbins and Paul Jones.[6] It was later repeated on BBC1 in 1977.[7] She featured as Myra Arundel in the 1984 BBC version of Noël Coward's Hay Fever, as Margaret Thatcher in The Falklands Play, and in 2007 as Betty, the wife of tycoon Robert Maxwell, in the BBC TV drama Maxwell opposite David Suchet.[8] She took the female lead in the 1983 film, Betrayal (based on Harold Pinter's play Betrayal), a roman à clef derived from the playwright's affair with broadcaster Joan Bakewell.

She was nominated for a BAFTA for her role in a television adaptation of Anita Brookner's Hotel du Lac in 1987, and was awarded the Laurence Olivier Theatre Award in 2000 for Best Supporting Actress for her performance in the production of Money at the National Theatre.[9]

She bought the rights of the book Portrait of a Marriage and is credited with developing a TV series of the same name in association with the BBC in 1990[10][11] adapted by writer Penelope Mortimer.

She co-starred with Dame Judi Dench in the 1995 London revival of Stephen Sondheim's A Little Night Music, at the National Theatre, as Countess Charlotte Malcom. In 2003, Hodge featured in His Dark Materials, one of Nicholas Hytner's early productions as its Artistic Director, her third role on the Olivier Theatre stage.

Hodge is an Honorary Graduate (DLitt) of Brunel University and one of the founder members of the Brunel Club.[12] From 2009 to 2015, she played a comedy role in the BBC sitcom Miranda, as the mother of the eponymous main character. Hodge reprised the role alongside the rest of the cast for the 2017 Royal Variety Performance. In 2012 she toured in Christopher Luscombe's revival of Dandy Dick, starring alongside Nicholas Le Provost. She is Joint President of Grimsby's Caxton Theatre and a Trustee of LAMDA, her alma mater.

In 2008, she guest starred in an episode of Hustle within the 4th series, playing the character of Veronica Powell. After the BBC commissioned the show for a 5th series in February 2008, it was planned Hodge would make an additional appearance, however due to on-set filming issues the episode her character would have appeared in was never finished, and subsequently never aired. The release of the 5th series was delayed as a result.

In 2018, Hodge played Ursula, the mother of Liberal MP and party leader Jeremy Thorpe (played by Hugh Grant) in BBC Television's A Very English Scandal.

In April 2021, it was announced that Hodge would play the role of Mrs. Pumphrey in the television series All Creatures Great and Small taking over from Diana Rigg who had died the previous year.[13]

Delayed for a year from autumn 2020 due to the Covid-19 pandemic, Hodge was invited by Nigel Havers to star opposite him in Noël Coward's Private Lives, the inaugural production of the Nigel Havers Theatre Company, directed by one of her previous collaborators Christopher Luscombe.

Personal life

Hodge married music publisher Peter Douglas Owen on 31 July 1976 in Tonbridge. The couple had two sons. Douglas died in May 2016, according to Hodge, from heart complications.

Hodge was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the 2017 Birthday Honours for services to drama.[14]

Filmography

Film

YearTitleRoleNotes
1977The DisappearanceYoung Wife
1978Rosie Dixon - Night NurseSister Belter
Jacob Two-Two Meets the Hooded FangCourtroom Choir Singer
1980The Elephant ManScreaming Mum
1981CharlotteTeacher
Riding HighMiss Hemmings
1983BetrayalEmma
1986HudEdward's Wife
1988SunsetChristina Alperin
Just Ask for DiamondBetty Charlady/Brenda von Falkenberg
1996The Leading ManDelevene
1998Jilting JoeGwennie
Prague DuetOlivia Walton
2002Before You GoViolet Mary Heaney
2018Surviving Christmas with the RelativesAunt Peggy
2021The LaureateAmy Graves

Television

YearTitleRoleNotes
1973MenaceCharmianEpisode: "Valentine"
1975The Girls of Slender MeansAnne BabertonAll 3 episodes
QuillerKateEpisode: "Night of the Father"
The Naked Civil ServantBallet TeacherTV film
Great Big Groovy HorseTV film
1976Softly, Softly: Task ForceChris StroudEpisode: "A Shot in the Dark"
1977Jackanory PlayhouseTisiphoneEpisode: "The Apple of Discord"
1978TargetLaura BentleyEpisode: "Figures of Importance"
DisraeliRosina Bulwer Lytton2 episodes
Edward & Mrs. SimpsonLady Diana Cooper3 episodes
The One and Only Phyllis DixeyMaisieTV film
1978–1992Rumpole of the BaileyPhyllida Erskine-Brown17 episodes
1979Lieutenant KijePrincess SashaVoice; TV film
1980The ProfessionalsAnn HollyEpisode: "Involvement"
1980–1981The Other 'ArfSybilla Howarth6 episodes
1980–1982Holding the FortPenny MilburnAll 20 episodes
1981Winston Churchill: The Wilderness YearsLady LondonderryEpisode: "His Own Funeral"
1981–1982NannyDorinda Sackville4 episodes
1983Jemima Shore InvestigatesJemima ShoreAll 12 episodes
1984Hay FeverMyra ArundelTV film
1985Time for MurderMargaret TuttingEpisode: "Dust to Dust"
Behind Enemy LinesElizabeth BeaumontTV film
1986The Life and Loves of a She-DevilMary FisherAll 4 episodes
The Return of Sherlock HolmesLady Hilda Trelawney HopeEpisode: "The Second Stain"
Robin of SherwoodQueen HadwisaEpisode: "The Pretender"
Screen TwoMonicaEpisode: "Hotel du Lac"
1987The Death of the HeartAnna QuayneTV film
First SightEstelleEpisode: "Exclusive Yarns"
1988Thieves in the NightLady JoyceTV film
1989Inspector MorseLady HanburyEpisode: "Ghost in the Machine"
The Shell SeekersOliviaTV film
Victoria WoodMoiraEpisode: "Staying In"
Spymaker: The Secret Life of Ian FlemingLady EvelynTV film
1990Heat of the DayStellaTV film
1991Rich Tea and SympathyJulia MerrygroveAll 6 episodes
1992The Cloning of Joanna MayJoanna MayBoth 2 episodes
1996The Legacy of Reginald PerrinGeraldine HackstrawAll 7 episodes
The MoonstoneLady Julia VerinderTV film
1999The People's PassionProcula PilateTV film
2002The Falklands PlayRt Hon Margaret Thatcher MPTV film
Waking the DeadLady Alice BeattyEpisode: "Special Relationship"
2003Sweet MedicineGeorgina SweetAll 10 episodes
2006Agatha Christie's MarpleMrs. Evadne WillettEpisode: "The Sittaford Mystery"
2007HustleVeronica PowellEpisode: "Getting Even"
MaxwellBetty MaxwellTV film
2009–2015MirandaPennyAll 20 episodes
2012In Love With...ClareEpisode: "In Love with Coward"
2013Agatha Christie's PoirotMadame OlivierEpisode: "The Big Four"
2015Downton AbbeyMrs. Miranda PelhamEpisode: "The Finale"
2018A Very English ScandalUrsula Thorpe3 episodes
2019Four Weddings and a FuneralMrs. Thorpe-BloodEpisode: "The Winner Takes It All"
2020RoadkillLady Roche2 episodes
2021–All Creatures Great and SmallMrs. PumphreySeries 2 onwards
2022Murder in ProvenceFlorence BonnetRecurring
2023For the Love of Paul O'GradyNarratorTV Special

Stage

  • No-One Was Saved, 1971
  • Rookery Nook, 1972
  • Popkiss, 1972
  • Two Gentlemen of Verona, 1973
  • Pippin, 1973
  • Hair, 1974
  • The Beggar's Opera, 1975
  • Pal Joey, 1976
  • Look Back in Anger, 1976
  • Then and Now, 1979
  • The Mitford Girls, 1981
  • As You Like It, 1983
  • Benefactors, 1984
  • Lady in the Dark, 1988
  • Noël and Gertie, 1989–90
  • Shades, 1992
  • Separate Tables, 1993
  • The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie, 1994
  • A Little Night Music, 1995
  • Money, 1999–2000
  • Summerfolk, 1999–2000
  • Noises Off, 2000–01
  • His Dark Materials, 2003–04
  • Dream Me a Winter, 2006 (part of the Old Vic's '24 Hour Plays')
  • Boeing Boeing, 2007
  • The Country Wife, 2007–08
  • The Clean House, 2008
  • Calendar Girls, 2008–09
  • The Breath of Life, 2011
  • Dandy Dick, 2012
  • Relative Values, 2013–14
  • Travels with My Aunt, 2016[15]
  • Copenhagen, 2018
  • A Day in the Death of Joe Egg, 2019
  • Private Lives, 2021–22
  • Watch on the Rhine, 2022–23
  • Private Lives, 2023

Awards and nominations

Year Award Work Result
1981 Olivier Award for Best Actress in a Musical The Mitford Girls Nominated
1987 BAFTA TV Award for Best Actress Hotel du Lac Nominated
1990 Olivier Award for Best Actress in a Musical Noel and Gertie Nominated
2000 Olivier Award for Best Supporting Actress Money Won

References

  1. "Miranda actress Patricia Hodge speaks at Everyman Club meeting". Grimsby Telegraph. 12 September 2013. Archived from the original on 11 September 2014. Retrieved 11 September 2014.
  2. "Patricia Hodge Biography (1946–)". Retrieved 21 April 2017.
  3. Lacey, Hester (9 May 2014). "The Inventory: Patricia Hodge". Financial Times. Retrieved 11 September 2014.
  4. "Events – LAMDA". Archived from the original on 21 September 2012. Retrieved 21 April 2017.
  5. "The Big Interview: Patricia Hodge". OfficialLondonTheatre.com. 2 May 2007. Archived from the original on 16 May 2007. Retrieved 31 October 2017.
  6. "Great Big Groovy Horse – BBC Two England – 25 December 1975 – BBC Genome". 25 December 1975. Retrieved 21 April 2017.
  7. "Great Big Groovy Horse – BBC One London – 21 December 1977 – BBC Genome". 21 December 1977. Retrieved 21 April 2017.
  8. Dessau, B (29 September 2007). "A taste of plummy". The Times. Archived from the original on 17 May 2011. Retrieved 14 October 2017.
  9. O'Toole honoured at Oliviers BBC News – 18 February 2000
  10. Credit as creator on imdb
  11. Wolf, Matt (19 July 1992). "Love, Infidelity and Commitment in Bloomsbury". The New York Times. Retrieved 26 August 2013.
  12. Southbank Sinfonia and Patricia Hodge Archived 29 December 2007 at the Wayback Machine Brunel University – 2004
  13. Hirons, Paul (8 April 2021). "All Creatures Great And Small: Patricia Hodge to replace late Diana Rigg as Mrs Pumphrey". Entertainment Daily.
  14. "No. 61962". The London Gazette (Supplement). 17 June 2017. p. B12.
  15. "Travels with My Aunt review". The Guardian. 27 April 2016. Retrieved 27 September 2016.
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