Rosemary Leach


Rosemary Anne Leach was a British stage, television and film actress. She won the 1982 Olivier Award for Best Actress in a New Play for 84, Charing Cross Road and was nominated for the BAFTA Award for Best Actress in a Supporting Role for her roles in the films That'll Be the Day and A Room with a View.
She appeared in several TV mini-series, including Germinal, The Jewel in the Crown, The Charmer, The Buccaneers and Berkeley Square, and had a recurring role on the sitcom My Family.

Early life

Leach was born at Much Wenlock, Shropshire. Her parents were teachers, related to the social anthropologist Edmund Leach; she attended Oswestry Girls High School in Shropshire. before studying acting at Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, graduating in 1955 with an Acting.

Career

After appearing in repertory theatres and the Old Vic, she became well known to UK TV viewers between 1965 and 1969 for playing Susan Wheldon, the mistress of building tycoon John Wilder in the TV boardroom drama The Power Game.
In 1970, she played the part of Marcelle in the BBC's The Roads to Freedom, their adaptation of the trilogy of novels with the same name by Jean-Paul Sartre. In 1971, she appeared as Laurie Lee's mother in a BBC adaptation of Cider with Rosie.
In 1973, she played Aldonza/Dulcinea in the BBC production of Don Quixote, starring Rex Harrison and Frank Finlay. In 1978, she played Queen Victoria in the four-part TV edition of Disraeli. In 1981, she played Emilia opposite Bob Hoskins's Iago in the BBC Shakespeare production of Othello.
In 1982, she played Aunt Fenny in The Jewel in the Crown and 1986 in a Jack Rosenthal British television Christmas play Day To Remember. She played a leading role as smitten Joan Plumleigh-Bruce in the six-part ITV 1987 production of The Charmer which starred Nigel Havers.
Her film roles included David Essex's mother in That'll Be the Day, Ghost in the Noonday Sun, the TV remake of Brief Encounter, S.O.S. Titanic, and a voice role in the animated film of The Plague Dogs.
In 1987, she was nominated for BAFTA's Best Supporting Actress for A Room with a View. 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. In 1995, Leach participated in the popular BBC miniseries The Buccaneers a five-part television adaptation of Edith Wharton's unfinished novel. Leach appeared as Selina Marable, Marchioness of Brightlingsea.
Leach played 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, in Series 3 Spring Term. From 1994, she made occasional appearances in The Archers as Ellen Rogers, the ex-pat aunt of Nigel Pargetter. She portrayed Miss Twitterton in the Radio 4 adaptation of the Lord Peter Wimsey story Busman's Honeymoon, first broadcast in 1983.
In 2001, she played a leading role in Destroying Angel, an episode of Midsomer Murders. She 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. She played "Miss Plum" in an episode of Heartbeat called "Every dog his day" in 2004.

Death

Leach died at Charing Cross Hospital, in London, aged 81, in 2017 following a short illness.

Filmography

Film

Television

YearTitleRoleNotes
1960Police SurgeonWPCEpisode: "Smash But No Grab"
1962–63Z-CarsMrs Outram/Ann Brown2 episodes
1963-68Armchair TheatreVarious5 episodes
1964Edgar Wallace MysteriesMary BellEpisode: "Face of a Stranger"
1964Gideon's WayMarion GroveEpisode: "The Lady-Killer"
1965Public EyeJudy ManningEpisode: "They Go Off in the End, Like Fruit"
1965Sherlock HolmesKitty WinterEpisode: "The Illustrious Client"
1965–66The Power GameSusan Weldon21 episodes
1967–70No – That's Me Over Here!Rosemary25 episodes
1967–70The Wednesday PlayVarious4 episodes
1968-75JackanoryStoryteller35 episodes
1969Strange ReportMary HansonEpisode: "REPORT 2475 Revenge 'When a man hates'"
1970The Roads to FreedomMarcelle8 episodes
1971-3Now Look HereLaura10 episodes
1971-1982Play of the MonthVarious3 episodes
1972Cider with RosieMotherTV film
1974The Prince of DenmarkLaura6 episodes
1974Brief EncounterMrs GainesTV film
1975Sadie, It's Cold OutsideSadie6 episodes
1976Play for TodayRitaEpisode: Tiptoe Through the Tulips
1978Rumpole of the BaileyMrs. Ida TempestEpisode: Rumpole and the Man of God
1978–80Life Begins at FortyKaty BuntingITV sitcom, 2 series 14 episodes
1984The Jewel in the CrownAunt FennyTV mini-series, 7 episodes
1984Swallows and Amazons Forever!Mrs Barrable8-part BBC adaptation of Coot Club and The Big Six
1987The CharmerJoan Plumleigh-BruceTV mini-series, 6 episodes
1989BoonMarigold SampsonEpisode: "Banbury Blue"
1989Theatre NightVioletEpisode: The Winslow Boy
1989Summer's LeaseNancy Leadbetter4 episodes
1992An Ungentlemanly ActMavis HuntBBC Film
1995The BuccaneersLady Brightlingsea5 episodes
1995The Tomorrow PeopleGladys TomsSerial: "The Living Stones"
1993The World of Peter Rabbit and FriendsTabitha Twitchit 2 episodes
1995ChillerMrs. LeslieEpisode: "Toby"
1996SpywatchAmy Hobbs10 episodes
1996-2000Brambly HedgeLady Daisy Woodmouse, Mrs Ivy Eyebright 8 episodes
1998Berkeley SquareNanny Collins10 episodes
2000–05DoctorsJosephine Barker/Meg Carpenter2 episodes
2000–2005Down to EarthIrene5 episodes
2001Midsomer MurdersEvelyn PopeEpisode: "Destroying Angel"
2003–07My FamilyGrace Riggs6 episodes
2004Holby CityBarbara RushEpisode: One More Chance
2004–05HeartbeatDorothy Plum2 episodes
2006The Afternoon PlayHM the QueenEpisode: Tea with Betty
2007CasualtyMiranda WattsEpisode: Strangers When We Meet
2008Waterloo RoadBessie1 episode
2009MargaretQueen Elizabeth IITV film

Radio plays

  • Shirley Gee: Moonshine
  • Penny in "Love's Executioner" in the series True Encounters with Henry Goodman and Ben Daniels directed by John Taylor, a Fiction Factory production for BBC Radio 4.

    Awards and nominations