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Theatre, Film, and Television Biographies
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Patrick Renna to Christy Carlson Romano
Diana Rigg Biography (1938-)
Born July 20, 1938, in Doncaster, Yorkshire, England; daughter of Louis (an engineer) and Beryl (maiden name, Helliwell) Rigg; married Menachem Gueffen (an artist; divorced, 1976); married Archie Stirling (a businessman), 1982 (divorced, 1990); children: (second marriage) Rachel. Addresses: Agent: John Redway Ltd., 16 Berners St., London W1, England.; Office: c/o London Management, 235 Regent St., London W1A 2JT, England.; Agent: Larner, Lionel Ltd.,119 West 57th St., Suite 1412, New York, NY 10019.
- Nationality
- British
- Gender
- Female
- Occupation
- Actress
- Birth Details
- July 20, 1938
- Doncaster, United Kingdom
Famous Works
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CREDITS
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Stage Appearances
- (Stage debut) Natella Abashwili, The Caucasian Chalk Circle, RoyalAcademy of Dramatic Art, Theatre Royal, York Festival, 1957
- Andromache, Troilus and Cressida, Royal Shakespeare Company, 1960
- (London debut) Second Ondine/Violanta, Ondine, Aldwych Theatre, 1961
- Phillipe Trincante, The Devils, Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC), Aldwych Theatre, 1961
- Gwendolen, Becket, RSC, Aldwych Theatre, 1961
- Bianca, The Taming of the Shrew, RSC, Aldwych Theatre, 1961
- Madame de Tourvel, The Art of Seduction, RSC, Aldwych Theatre, 1962
- Helena, A Midsummer Night's Dream, RSC, Stratford-on-Avon, 1962
- Bianca, The Taming of the Shrew, RSC, Stratford-on-Avon, 1962
- Lady Macduff, Macbeth, RSC, Stratford-on-Avon, 1962
- Adriana, The Comedy of Errors, RSC, Stratford-on-Avon, 1962
- Cordelia, King Lear, RSC, Stratford-on-Avon, 1962
- Monica Stettler, The Physicists, Aldwych Theatre, 1963
- Helena, A Midsummer Night's Dream, Aldwych Theatre, 1963
- Cordelia, King Lear, Aldwych Theatre, then State Theatre, New YorkCity, 1964
- Adriana, The Comedy of Errors, State Theatre, 1964
- Viola, Twelfth Night, Stratford-on-Avon, 1966
- Heloise, Abelard and Heloise, Wyndham's Theatre, London, 1970; then Brooks Atkinson Theatre, NY, 1971
- Dottie Moore, Jumpers, National Theatre, London, 1972
- Lady Macbeth, Macbeth, National Theatre, 1972
- Hippolita, 'Tis Pity She's a Whore, National Theatre, 1972
- Celimene, The Misanthrope, Old Vic Theatre, London, then Washington, DC, later on Broadway, 1973-75
- Eliza Doolittle, Pygmalion, Albery Theatre, London, 1974
- Governor's Wife, Phaedra Britannica, Old Vic Theatre, 1975
- Ruth Carson, Night and Day, Phoenix Theatre, London, 1978
- Ilona, The Guardsman, National Theatre, 1978
- Hesione Hushabye, Heartbreak House, London, 1983
- Cleopatra, Antony and Cleopatra, Chichester Festival, England, 1985
- Rita, Little Eyolf, Lyric Theatre, Hammersmith, London, 1985
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Wildfire, London, 1986
- Phyllis, Follies, 1987
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Love Letters, San Francisco, 1990
- Cleopatra, All for Love, London, 1991
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Berlin Bertie, 1991
- Title role, Medea, Wyndham's Theatre, 1993-94
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No Turn Unstoned, Booth Theatre, New York City, 1994
- Appeared in repertory in Chesterfield and York, England, 1957-58.
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Major Tours
- Helena, A Midsummer Night's Dream, English provinces, 1963
- Adriana, The Comedy of Errors, and Cordelia, King Lear, British Council tour of Europe, U.S.S.R., and the United States, 1964-65
- Also appeared as title role in Colette, which closed while on tour.
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Film Appearances
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The Assassination Bureau, Paramount, 1969
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On Her Majesty's Secret Service, United Artists, 1969
- Portia, Julius Caesar, American International Pictures, 1970
- Barbara Drummond, The Hospital, United Artists, 1971
- Edwina Lionheart, Theatre of Blood, United Artists, 1973
- Charlotte Mittelheim, A Little Night Music, 1978
- Lady Holiday, The Great Muppet Caper, Universal, 1981
- Arlena Marshall, Evil under the Sun, Universal, 1982
- Mean Queen, Snow White, Cannon, 1987
- Frieda von Stangel, Genghis Cohn, Arts and Entertainment Network,1993
- Chloe Fanshawe, A Good Man in Africa, Gramercy Pictures, 1994
- Judith, Running Delilah, Signet Video, 1994
- Lisa, Parting Shots, Scimitar Films, 1998
- Madame de Bellegarde, The American, BBC Worldwide, 1998
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Avenging the Avengers (video), 2000
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Television Appearances
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Movies
- Phillipa, In This House of Brede, CBS, 1975
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Three Piece Suite, 1977
- Christine Vole, Witness for the Prosecution, CBS, 1982
- Regan, King Lear, PBS, 1983
- Miss Hardbroom, The Worst Witch, HBO, 1986
- Harriet/Marchioness of Vulcan, A Hazard of Hearts, CBS, 1987
- Madame Colbert, Mrs. Harris Goes to Paris, CBS, 1992
- Judith, Running Delilah (also known as Robospy), 1994
- Mrs. Grose, The Haunting of Helen Walker (also known as The Turn of the Screw), 1995
- Mrs. Golightly, The Fortunes and Misfortunes of Moll Flanders, 1996
- Mrs. Adela Bradley, The Mrs. Bradley Mysteries: Speedy Death, BBC,1998
- (Uncredited) Tracy, The James Bond Story, 1999
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Series
- Emma Peel, The Avengers, ABC, 1966-68
- Diana Smythe, Diana, NBC, 1973-74
- Eloise, The Marquise, 1980
- Host, Mystery!, PBS, 1989-
- Lady Blackwell, Road to Avonlea, Disney Channel, 1990
- Mrs. Adela Bradley, The Mrs. Bradley Series, BBC, 1999
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Episodic
- Franey, "Very Desirable Plot," The Sentimental Agent, 1963
- Adriana, The Comedy of Errors, BBC, 1964
- "The Sentimental Agent," A Very Desirable Plot, ATV, 1965
- "The Comedy of Errors," N.E.T. Playhouse, National Educational Television (NET; now PBS), 1967
- "Women Beware Women," N.E.T. Playhouse, NET, 1968
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The Morecambe & Wise Show, 1968
- Liz Jardine, "Married Alive," Prudential's on Stage, NBC, 1970
- Emma Peel, "K Is for Kill," The New Avengers, CBS, 1979
- Playing herself, "Patrick Macnee," This Is Your Life, 1984
- Lady Dedlock, "Bleak House," Masterpiece Theatre, PBS, 1985
- Helena Vesey, "Mother Love," Mystery!, PBS, 1990
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Parkinson, 1999
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Miniseries
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Oresteia, 1979
- Lady Dedlock, Bleak House, 1985
- Evgenia, Zoya (also known as Danielle Steel's `Zoya'), NBC,1995
- Mara, Samsom and Delilah (also known as Sansone e Dalila),TNT, 1996
- Mature Rebeccah, In the Beginning, NBC, 2000
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Victoria & Albert, 2001
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Specials
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A Midsummer Night's Dream, CBS, 1969
- Narrator, Queen of Hearts: Eva Peron, syndicated, 1979
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Hedda Gabler, CBS, 1982
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Little Eyolf, syndicated, 1984
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Lawrence Olivier's King Lear, PBS, 1985
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Masterpiece Theatre: Fifteen Years, PBS, 1986
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Backstage at Masterpiece Theatre: A 20th Anniversary Special, PBS,1991
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The Alistair Cooke Salute, PBS, 1992
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A Birthday Tribute to Julia Child: Compliments to the Chef!, PBS,1993
- Host, Cleveland Plays the Proms, PBS, 1994
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The 48th Annual Tony Awards, CBS, 1994
- Mrs. Danvers, Rebecca, PBS, 1997
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WRITINGS
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Nonfiction
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No Turn Unstoned (memoir), 1982
Further Reference
OTHER SOURCES
Periodicals
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TV Guide, August 15, 1998, pp. 29-30
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