Vale: Maggie Smith
Legendary Dame Maggie Smith, whose career spanned seven decades on stage and screen, has died.
- Published by David Knox
- on
- Filed under News, Top Stories, Video
Legendary Dame Maggie Smith, whose career spanned seven decades on stage and screen, has died aged 89.
A statement from her sons Toby Stephens and Chris Larkin said: “It is with great sadness we have to announce the death of Dame Maggie Smith.
“She passed away peacefully in hospital early this morning, Friday 27th September. An intensely private person, she was with friends and family at the end. She leaves two sons and five loving grandchildren who are devastated by the loss of their extraordinary mother and grandmother.
“We would like to take this opportunity to thank the wonderful staff at the Chelsea and Westminster Hospital for their care and unstinting kindness during her final days.
“We thank you for all your kind messages and support and ask that you respect our privacy at this time.”
Her career began in theatre, as an assistant stage manager in 1952 before performances in Twelfth Night, Cinderella, Rookery Nook, Housemaster, W Somerset Maugham’s Cakes and Ale and The Letter and Nikolai Gogol’s The Government Inspector.
In 1956, she went to New York City to make her Broadway debut in the revue New Faces of ’56. Her real breakthrough was an invited by Laurence Olivier to join his company at the National Theatre where she would for eight years.
Film roles would follow in Nowhere to Go, Go to Blazes, The Pumpkin-Eater, The VIPs, Young Cassidy, The Honey Pot, Hot Millions, O What a Lovely War! and 1969’s The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie, delivering her an Academy Award for Best Actress.
Further films would include Hedda Gabbler, Travels with My Aunt, Love and Pain and the Whole Damn Thing, Murder By Death, California Suite (collecting her second Oscar), Death on the Nile, Evil Under the Sun, Clash of the Titans, n A Private Function, A Room with a View, The Lady in the Van, Tea with Mussolini, Ladies in Lavender, The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel, Sister Act, The First Wives Club, Gosford Park, and as Minerva McGonagal in the Harry Potter franchise.
On Television she was memorable as the Dowager Countess of Grantham in Downton Abbey given such famed quips as “what’s a weekend?” and collecting three Emmy Awards.
She also featured in the American broadcast of Tennessee Williams’s Suddenly, Last Summer, a BBC dramatisation of Charles Dickens’s David Copperfield and the TV films My House in Umbria and Capturing Mary.
Smith received eight BAFTA awards, was made a Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire (DBE) in 1990 and was named a Companion of Honour (CH) in 2014.
She once said, “I am deeply grateful for the work in Potter and indeed Downton, but it wasn’t what you’d call satisfying. I didn’t really feel I was acting in those things. I wanted to get back to the stage so much because theatre is basically my favourite medium, and I think I felt as though I’d left it all unfinished.”
Source: BBC, Independent
- Tagged with Downton Abbey
17 Responses
This evening the lights of the West End on Shaftesbury Avenue dimmed in memory of Maggie Smith. West End theatres switched off their outside lights for two minutes at 7pm in commemoration of the acting icon….Yes, my eyes are leaking
Did any of you watch the Harry Potter films in tribute to her yesterday, I’m sure no-one from cancel culture would have told you not to that day.
She was one of my absolute favourites. Fell off the Downton wagon after … I think it was season 4, but she made the show. First thing I saw her in was the OG ‘Clash of the Titans’ and the first time in the cinema was ‘Hook’. Slightly off topic, but I mentioned to a friend that Toby Stephens “has never looked more like his mother” than he did in whatever we were watching … but I think they said it best when they said “whenever she goes it’s going to be hard talking about her in the past tense.” I agreed then as I do now.
Maggie Smith was a great character actor of her era, perfect in her numerous period piece roles. Maggie will be missed but her films will be preserved in perpetuity.
What sad and shocking news.I really didn’t see this coming.Maggie was one of those people you think will go on forever,she just seemed immortal in so many ways.
What a loss this is for the acting world.She was truly one of the all time greats,and will be missed by generations of fans.
RIP Maggie Smith.
This has torn me up the most. A massive talent who will be missed. Vale Dame Maggie.
One of the very greats! The definition of ‘a one of a kind’. Magnificent talent.
What an illustrious career. You will be remembered for generations to come for your talent. RIP Maggie Smith.
A favourite of mine for many years especially loved her in Downton Abbey.
Very sad news. What a wonderfully varied career and what a talent.
Such a great loss, so many accomplishments and such an iconic actress. You will be greatly missed and fondly remembered.
RIP Maggie!
Been dreading this day for years… 😢
Absolutely loved her in everything I’ve seen her in. I was a bit miffed that they killed her off in the second Downton movie considering that they’ve filmed the third film this year, and she *possibly* could have been in it (it apparently wrapped in August), but I don’t blame Fellowes for being prudent given her age.
Will adore her always. Rest in peace.
The fact she was in two Downton movies was lucky in itself as Maggie was wanting to be killed off towards the end of the shows run.
What a loss! RIP Dame Maggie :( All time legend. Was sadly dreading this day, her or best pal (and same age) Dame Judi. I reckon Channel 7 have got to change tonight’s movie after the Grand Final to another cherished run of “Sister Act” (I fear the old Disney tape is almost worn out)… With some promotion might do a number, Robin Williams Mrs Doubtfire Ten-esque? Shoot them a quick email/call Knoxy! Aussie networks are usually good at this, perfect lead-in to celebrate her life.
Years ago when Gene Wilder passed away, Channel Nine did not air Willy Wonka in tribute… though I think David Knox got onto them because it was reported on here they didn’t because they didn’t have the rights anymore.
Yes good memory in 2016 and I believe it’s because Seven had got the rights (through their then fairly new Warners output) and aired it some months later and hilariously with the EPG add-on saying “Premiere” (despite it being 40 years old) albeit I think internally was listed as ‘First Time On 7’ or something. That deal lapsed a few years ago and Nine have since got it back I believe.
A great talent who will be missed. RIP Dame Maggie.
Weirdly, it’s exactly one year since the passing of Sir Michael Gambon, her co star from the Harry Potter films.