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Geraldine McEwan
09.05.1932 - 30.01.2015
As far as I am concerned, however much I've enjoyed the new re-imagining of 'Mapp and Lucia', Geraldine McEwan will always be my 'Lucia'
From the Daily Mail - 2nd February 2015
'The perfect combination of funny and beautiful': Tributes pour in for Miss Marple's Geraldine McEwan who has died aged 82
- Geraldine McEwan died yesterday aged 82, her children have confirmed
- The actress was best known for playing Agatha Christie's Miss Marple
- Ms McEwan played Miss Marple for 12 TV films - with her last one in 2009
- She had a long and successful career, winning a Bafta award in 1991
- Stars and fans this evening paid tribute to the 'beautiful and funny' actress
By Ollie Gillman for MailOnline |
Tributes have poured in for actress Geraldine McEwan, best known for playing Agatha Christie's Miss Marple, who has died aged 82. Ms McEwan starred in the role of the spinster consultant detective Jane Marple in 12 television films aired on ITV. Her death was confirmed this evening in a joint statement from her children. Her son Greg and daughter Claudia said: 'Following a stroke at the end of October and a period in hospital, Geraldine McEwan passed away peacefully on January 30. 'Her family would like to thank the staff at Charing Cross Hospital who cared for her incredibly well.'
Stars and fans took to Twitter to pay tribute to the actress, who retired from the role of Miss Marple in 2008.
Actor John Challis, who played Boycie in Only Fools and Horses and starred alongside the late actress on stage, tweeted: 'Dear Geraldine McEwan - a highlight of my career working with you at the NT [National Theatre] in The Rivals. Generous and kind to all of us. God bless you.'
Charlie Lawson, who plays Jim McDonald in Coronation Street, said: 'The sad death of another fine actress, Geraldine McEwan, today. Check out The Prime Of Miss Jean Brodie. Great performance.'
'Geraldine McEwan was a neighbour in Barnes, a lovely, funny & wise lady - and a great comic actress, with a unique voice, charm & style. Funny & beautiful: a perfect combination.'
Actress Sally Thomsett, who starred in The Railway Children in the 1970s, said: 'How sad, but what a wonderful actress & a lovely lady RIP Geraldine McEwan. X'
Fans also paid tribute to the actress, with Emma Foster tweeting: 'Sad to hear about Geraldine McEwan. Loved her as a twinkly Miss Marple.'
Zeb Soanes said: 'Sad to hear death of Geraldine McEwan - the best Judith Bliss in Hayfever I've ever seen, rolling over a sofa without spilling her whisky!'
Christine Symington tweeted: 'Really sad to hear of the death of Geraldine McEwan. Wonderful Lucia and Miss Marple.'
Ms McEwan announced she was retiring from the role of Miss Marple in 2008. She said at the time: 'Of course, it is terribly disappointing to have to pass the baton on, but it has been a marvellous experience to inhabit this role for the last few years, and I am sure that my successor, whomever she may be, will thoroughly enjoy her time with the production team - and with the extraordinarily talented group of writers and actors that they come up with for each series. 'It's been an absolute pleasure to work on Miss Marple since 2003, and I leave with fond memories.'
Born Geraldine McKeown in Old Windsor, Berkshire, she attended Windsor County Girls' School before moving to a private school on a scholarship. She made her first appearance on stage in 1946 at the Theatre Royal in Windsor in A Midsummer Night's Dream.
In 1953, Ms McEwan married former principal of the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts Hugh Crutwell, who she met while working at the Theatre Royal in Windsor
In 1953, Ms McEwan married former principal of the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts Hugh Cruttwell, who she met while working at the Theatre Royal. The couple had son Greg and daughter Claudia together and she did not re-marry after Cruttwell's death in 2002. Asked how they combined successful careers with a family life, Mr Cruttwell was quoted saying: 'I really don't know how we did it. Geraldine took care of it all.'
The award-winning actress had a long and successful career in theatre, television and films which saw her work with the likes of Laurence Olivier - most notably in Dance of Death for the National Theatre at the Old Vic - and Kenneth Williams.
Geraldine McEwan as 'Mortianna' with the 'bah humbugged' Sheriff of Nottingham brilliantly portrayed by Alan Rickman
Ms McEwan had roles in films such as box office hit Robin Hood: Prince Of Thieves in 1991, which saw her play evil witch Mortianna alongside Kevin Costner. She also won gongs for her theatre work, collecting two Evening Standard Best Actress Awards in 1983 for The Rivals and 1995 for The Way Of The World.
Ms McEwan was also well-known for her role as Emmeline 'Lucia' Lucas in Mapp And Lucia, a television series based on three 1930s comedy of manners novels by E. F. Benson.
Stars pay tribute to actress McEwan
By Press Association - | - Daily Mail
Tributes have been paid to a ctress Geraldine McEwan, known for playing Agatha Christie sleuth Miss Marple on television, after she died "peacefully" at 82.
McEwan starred as the spinster consultant detective Jane Marple in 12 TV films on ITV. The Bafta award winner had a long and successful career in theatre, television and films which saw her work alongside the likes of Sir Laurence Olivier and Kenneth Williams.
Actor John Challis, known for playing Boycie in Only Fools And Horses, tweeted: "Dear Geraldine McEwan - a highlight of my career working with you at the NT (National Theatre) in The Rivals. Generous and kind to all of us. God bless you."
Charlie Lawson, who plays Jim McDonald in Coronation Street, said: "The sad death of another fine actress, Geraldine McEwan, today. Check out The Prime Of Miss Jean Brodie. Great performance."
And the official Olivier Awards account tweeted: "Sorry to hear that actress Geraldine McEwan had died, aged 82. Our thoughts are with her friends and family. RIP."
In 1953 McEwan married Hugh Cruttwell, a former principal of the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts whom she first met while working at the Theatre Royal, Windsor. They had two children, G reg and Claudia, and she did not remarry after Cruttwell's death in 2002.
Her children said in a statement: "Following a stroke at the end of October and a period in hospital, Geraldine McEwan passed away peacefully on January 30.
"Her family would like to thank the staff at Charing Cross Hospital who cared for her incredibly well."
Born Geraldine McKeown in Old Windsor, Berkshire, McEwan announced she was retiring from the role of Miss Marple in 2008. She said at the time: "Of course, it is terribly disappointing to have to pass the baton on, but it has been a marvellous experience to inhabit this role for the last few years, and I am sure that my successor, whomever she may be, will thoroughly enjoy her time with the production team - and with the extraordinarily talented group of writers and actors that they come up with for each series. She inherited the role after it had previously been inhabited by Margaret Rutherford, Angela Lansbury and Joan Hickson.
McEwan won a Bafta TV Award for best actress in 1991 for her role in Oranges Are Not The Only Fruit a nd collected two Evening Standard Best Actress Awards for her theatre work - in 1983 for The Rivals and 1995 for The Way Of The World.
Her notable film roles included box office hit Robin Hood: Prince Of Thieves in 1991, which saw her play evil witch Mortianna alongside Kevin Costner. The grandmother of seven also played Emmeline "Lucia" Lucas in cult television series Mapp And Lucia, based on three 1930s comedy of manners novels by EF Benson.
She was rumoured to have turned down both the OBE and a damehood, but never confirmed this.
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