Penelope Keith
Biography
Penelope Keith was an English actress. Born in Sutton, Surrey, in 1940, she died in 2026. She joined the Royal Shakespeare Company in 1963 and won a 1976 Olivier Award for the play Donkeys' Years. She became known for British sitcoms, playing Margo Leadbetter in The Good Life and Audrey fforbes-Hamilton in To the Manor Born, and won BAFTA awards in 1977 and 1978. Her other sitcoms included Executive Stress, No Job for a Lady and Next of Kin. On film, she appeared in Every Home Should Have One (1970) and Penny Gold (1973). Later stage roles included Madame Arcati in Blithe Spirit in 2004 and Lady Bracknell in The Importance of Being Earnest in 2007. From 2014 she presented documentary series about English villages, and in 2014 she was appointed a dame.
86years old at death
- Born Sutton
- Died Milford
- Star sign: AriesThe sign runs March 21 to April 19
- Penelope Anne Constance Hatfield (birth name)Also credited as Penelope Anne Constance Keith, Penelope Hatfield and Dame Penelope Anne Constance Keith
Movie Career
- Films
- 4
- Career span
- 13 years1968 to 1981
Every film, newest first
- 1981Priest of LoveIMDb rating 6.0
- 1973Penny GoldIMDb rating 5.4
- 1970Every Home Should Have OneIMDb rating 5.0
- 1968Secret CeremonyIMDb rating 6.2
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Early training
At 5 ft, Keith was turned down by the Central School of Speech and Drama for being too tall. She was accepted at the Webber Douglas Academy of Dramatic Art instead, spending two years there while working evenings at the Hyde Park Hotel.
First role
Keith's first appearance as Margo Leadbetter in The Good Life was only as a voice, since she was heard and not seen in the opening episode.
A role that slipped away
In 1967, Keith took a small role in the film Carry On Doctor, but her scene ended up being cut from the final version.
A first
On 2 April 2002, which was her 62nd birthday, Keith started a one-year stint as High Sheriff of Surrey. She was the third woman to hold that post.
Penelope Keith movies on Netflix
Worked with
Penelope Keith made one film with each of them. Pick a number on the chart or a name in the list to see the films they share.
Films together
John Rhys-Davies's page
Robert Mitchum's page
Joss Ackland's page
Ian McKellen's page
John Gielgud's page
Elizabeth Taylor's page
Joseph LoseyDirector, 1 film, 1968
All films by Joseph Losey
Christopher MilesDirector, 1 film, 1981
All films by Christopher Miles
Jim ClarkDirector, 1 film, 1970
All films by Jim Clark
Awards
Two awards and honors.
| Year | Award | Film | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| Other honors | |||
| 2014 | Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire | Won | |
| Laurence Olivier Awards | Won | ||
Online
Official profiles and reference pages.