Brenda Blethyn Biography (1946-)

Original name, Brenda Anne Bottle; born February 20, 1946, in Ramsgate, Kent,England; daughter of William Charles (a mechanical engineer) and Louisa Kathleen (a homemaker) Bottle; married Alan James Blethyn (a graphic designer), 1966 (divorced, 1976); companion of Michael Mayhew (a theatrical art director). Addresses: Agent: International Creative Management, 76 Oxford St.,London W1D 1BS, England.; Manager: Hofflund/Polone, 9465 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 890, Beverly Hills, CA 90212.

Nationality
British
Gender
Female
Occupation
Actress
Birth Details
February 20, 1946
Ramsgate, Kent, United Kingdom

Famous Works

  • CREDITS
  • Film Appearances
  • Mrs. Jenkins, The Witches, Warner Bros., 1990
  • Mrs. Maclean, A River Runs through It, Columbia, 1992
  • Cynthia Rose Purley, Secrets & Lies (also known as Secretset mensonges), October Films, 1996
  • Dawn Wilkinson, Girls' Night, Granada Films, 1997
  • Shirley, Remember Me?, Manuel Salvador, 1997
  • Alice Mooney, Night Train, Alternative Cinema Company/Subotica Productions, 1998
  • Grace Swan, Music from Another Room, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer/Orion, 1998
  • Ida Stubbs, In the Winter Dark, R. B. Films, 1998
  • Mari Hoff, Little Voice (also known as The Rise and Fall of Little Voice), Miramax, 1998
  • Herself, Road to Sundance (documentary), Kleparski and Bee Productions, 2000
  • Grace Trevethyn, Saving Grace, Fine Line Features, 2000
  • Mrs. Louise Tutwiler, Yellow Bird, Yellowbird Productions, 2000
  • Julia Montgomery, Daddy and Them, Miramax, 2001
  • Mrs. Delaney, On the Nose, Capitol Films, 2001
  • Fish lady, Yes You Can (short film), 2001
  • Betty Rhys-Jones, Plots with a View (also known as Plotz with aView, Undertaking Betty, Grabgefluester, Grabgefluester--Liebe kann Saerge versetzen, and Grabgefluester--Liebe versetzt Saerge), Vine International Pictures/Great British Films/Spice Factory, 2002
  • Jane Marks, Lovely & Amazing, Lions Gate Films, 2002
  • Jewel Phillips, Sonny, Samuel Goldwyn, 2002
  • Judy Romanoff, Pumpkin, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer/United Artists, 2002
  • Voice of Mrs. Fairgood, The Wild Thornberrys Movie (animated), Paramount, 2002
  • Aggie, The Sleeping Dictionary, Fine Line Features, 2003
  • Annette, A Way of Life, Portman Film, 2003
  • Aunt Millie, Blizzard, Premiere Group, 2003
  • Polly Cassotto, Beyond the Sea, Lions Gate Films, 2004
  • Piccadilly Jim, United International Pictures, 2004
  • Joan, On a Clear Day, Focus Features, 2005
  • Mrs. Bennet, Pride & Prejudice, Focus Features, 2005
  • Voice of Mama Heffalump, Pooh's Heffalump Movie (animated; also known as The Heffalump Movie), Buena Vista, 2005
  • Clubland, Palace Films, 2005
  • Pushers Needed, Arclight Films, 2005
  • No One Gets Off in This Town, Dan Films, 2006
  • Television Appearances
  • Series
  • Alison Little, Chance in a Million, Channel 4 (England) and ThamesTelevision, 1984-86
  • Sylvia, Sunday Premiere: Claws, BBC, beginning 1987
  • Erica Rogers, The Labours of Erica, Independent Television, 1987-90
  • Miriam Dervish, Outside Edge, Central Independent Television and Carlton Television, 1994-95
  • Miniseries
  • Mrs. Lewis, That Uncertain Feeling, BBC, 1985
  • Ticki Tocquet, Poor Little Rich Girl: The Barbara Hutton Story (also known as The Barbara Hutton Story), NBC, 1987
  • Margaret Amir, The Buddha of Suburbia, BBC-2, 1993
  • Narrator, Fire, Plague, War and Treason, Channel 4 (England), 2001
  • Hazel Delany, Between the Sheets, Independent Television, 2003
  • Movies
  • Louella Parsons, RKO 281 (also known as RKO 281: The Battle over Citizen Kane), HBO, 1999
  • Auguste Rottgen-van Pels, Anne Frank: The Whole Story (also knownas Anne Frank), ABC, 2001
  • Jess Copplestone, Belonging, Independent Television, 2004
  • Specials
  • Gloria, "Grown-Ups," BBC-2 Playhouse, BBC-2, 1980
  • Mary, "The Imitation Game," Play for Today, BBC, 1980
  • Joan, "Henry VI, Part One" (also known as "The First Part of King Henry VI"), BBC Television Shakespeare (also known as The Complete Dramatic Works of William Shakespeare), BBC-2, 1981
  • Cordelia, "King Lear," BBC Television Shakespeare (also known as The Complete Dramatic Works of William Shakespeare), BBC-2, 1983
  • Janice, "Floating Off," Play for Today, BBC, 1983
  • Gwen, "The Bullion Boys," Screen One (also known as The ScreenOne: The Bullion Boys), BBC, 1993
  • Awards Presentations
  • Blockbuster Entertainment Awards, UPN, 1997
  • The 69th Annual Academy Awards, ABC, 1997
  • Presenter, The 55th Annual Golden Globe Awards, NBC, 1998
  • The 71st Annual Academy Awards, ABC, 1999
  • Episodic
  • "Variations in Two Flats," Can We Get On Now, Please?, IndependentTelevision, 1980
  • Joan Littler, "The Greasy Pole," Yes, Minister, BBC-2, 1981
  • Carol Hutchins, "Hit and Run," Tales of the Unexpected, Anglia Television and syndicated, 1983
  • Pauline, "Rumpole and the Genuine Article," Rumpole of the Bailey(also known as Rumpole's Return: Series Three), Thames Television andPBS, 1983
  • Angela Foley, Death of an Expert Witness (also known as Dalgliesh: Death of an Expert Witness), Anglia Television, 1983, broadcast on Mystery!, PBS, c. 1985
  • Who Dares Wins, Channel 4 (England), multiple episodes, 1984
  • Alas Smith and Jones, BBC-2, multiple episodes in 1984 and 1990
  • Storyteller's wife, "A Story Short," The Storyteller, Channel 4 (England) and Television South, 1988, broadcast as "A Short Story," The JimHenson Hour (also known as Jim Henson Presents), NBC, 1989
  • Rose, "Maigret and the Night Club Dancer," Maigret, Granada Television and NBC, 1993
  • Television Guest Appearances
  • Episodic
  • The Rosie O'Donnell Show, syndicated, 1997, 1999
  • So Graham Norton, Channel 4 (England), 1999
  • Film '00, BBC, 2000
  • Richard & Judy, Channel 4, 2002
  • V Graham Norton, Channel 4, 2002
  • This Morning (also known as This Morning with Richard and Judy), Independent Television, 2004, 2005
  • (In archive footage) Cinema mil, Televisio de Catalunya, 2005
  • GMTV, Independent Television, 2005
  • Appeared in Independent View, PBS.
  • Television Appearances
  • Pilots
  • Carol Potter, Carol Potter Gets a Life, ABC, 2005
  • Appeared as Pamela, Seven Roses, CBS.
  • Other
  • Mona, First Signs of Madness, 1993
  • Sleeping with Mickey, BBC, 1993
  • Voice of Dr. Florence Montfitchett, Bob the Builder: The Knights of Can-a-Lot (animated; also known as Bob the Builder: The Knights of Fix-a-Lot), [Great Britain], 2003
  • Stage Appearances
  • Troilus and Cressida, Royal National Theatre, Young Vic Theatre, The Cut, London, 1976
  • Mysteries, Royal National Theatre, London, 1979
  • Steaming, Comedy Theatre, London, 1981
  • The Double Dealer, Royal National Theatre, 1982
  • Benefactors, Vaudeville Theatre, London, 1984
  • Dalliance, Royal National Theatre, 1987
  • A Doll's House, Royal Exchange Theatre, Manchester, England, 1987
  • Born Yesterday, Royal Exchange Theatre, 1988
  • The Beaux' Stratagem, Royal National Theatre, 1989
  • Diana, Absent Friends, Manhattan Theatre Club Stage I, New York City, 1991
  • An Ideal Husband, Royal Exchange Theatre, 1992
  • Wildest Dreams, Royal Shakespeare Company, Stratford-upon-Avon, England, 1993
  • The Bed before Yesterday, Almeida Theatre, London, 1994
  • Habeas Corpus, Donmar Warehouse Theatre, London, 1996
  • Mrs. Warren, Mrs. Warren's Profession, Strand Theatre, London, 2002
  • Thelma Cates, 'Night, Mother, Bernard B. Jacobs Theatre (formerlythe Royale Theatre), New York City, 2004-2005
  • Voice, Blizzard, Leonard Nimoy Thalia Theatre, New York City, 2005
  • Appeared in Bedroom Farce, Fruits of Enlightenment, TheGuardsman, Madras House, A Midsummer Night's Dream, TheMysteries, The Passion, The Provok'd Wife, Strife, Tales from the Vienna Woods, and Tamburlaine, all Royal NationalTheatre; in Crimes of the Heart, Bush Theatre; and in The DramaticAttitudes of Miss Fanny Kemble, Southampton, England.
  • RECORDINGS
  • Videos
  • Herself, The Best of So Graham Norton, United Film and TelevisionProductions, 2000
  • Herself, Film-Fest DVD: Issue 4--Hawaii, 2000

Further Reference

OTHER SOURCES

    Periodicals
    • Entertainment Weekly, March 1, 1999, p. 53; February 11, 2000, p.22
    • Evening Standard Hot Tickets, June 18, 1998, pp. 2-3
    • Guardian (London), May 29, 1996, p. T10
    • People Weekly, March 17, 1997, p. 22
    • Playbill, October 7, 2004
    • Radio Times, January 21, 1995, p. 130
    • USA Today, January 28, 1997