Law, Phyllida 1932–

PERSONAL

Full name, Phyllida Ann Law; born May 8, 1932, in Glasgow, Scotland; daughter of William and Megsie Law; married Eric Norman Thompson (an actor and director), May, 1957 (died, December 1, 1982); children: Emma (an actress), Sophie (an actress).

Career: Actress. Arena Stage, Washington, DC, member of company, 1966–67.

CREDITS

Film Appearances:

Jean, Otley, Columbia, 1968.

Fraulein Manzialy, Hitler: The Last Ten Days (also known as Gli ultimi 10 giorni di Hitler), Paramount, 1973.

Julia, Tree of Hands (also known as Innocent Victim), Castle Hill Productions, 1989.

Vera, Peter's Friends, Samuel Goldwyn, 1992.

Ursula, Much Ado about Nothing, Samuel Goldwyn, 1993.

Anne's mother, Before the Rain (also known as Pred dozhdot), Gramercy Pictures, 1994.

(Uncredited) Dr. Talbot, Junior, Universal, 1994.

Mrs. Bates, Emma, Miramax, 1996.

Elspeth, The Winter Guest, Fine Line Features, 1997.

Vronskaya, Anna Karenina (also known as Leo Tolstoy's "Anna Karenina" and Anne Karenine), Warner Bros., 1997.

First woman at hairdresser's shop, I Want You (also known as Beloved), USA Films, 1998.

The grandmother, L'amante perduto (also known as Lost Lover), 1999.

Lady Drake, Mad Cows, Entertainment Film Distributors, 1999.

Veronica, Milk, Arrow Releasing, 1999.

Margaret Sutton, Saving Grace, Fine Line Features, 2000.

Mrs. Watchett, The Time Machine, Warner Bros./DreamWorks, 2002.

Mrs. Williams, I'll Be There, Warner Bros., 2003.

Bella Black, Blinded, Guerilla Films, 2004.

Faith, Two Men Went to a War, Indican Pictures, 2004.

Mrs. Claus, Tooth, Redbus Film Distribution, 2004.

Distinguished lady, Danny the Dog (also known as Unleashed), Rogue Pictures, 2005.

Mrs. Coogan, Mee-Shee: The Water Giant (also known as Ogopogo and The Water Giant), ContentFilm, 2005.

Esperanza di Mendoza, Day of Wrath, American World Pictures/Screen Media Ventures, 2006.

Headmistress, A Little Trip to Heaven, A-Film Distribution, 2006.

Mother Canisius, Copying Beethoven, Myriad Pictures, 2006.

Sarah, Mia Sarah, Filmax International, 2006.

Viscountess Cumbermere, Nanny McPhee, Universal, 2006.

Some sources cite an appearance in Opium Royale.

Television Appearances; Series:

Presenter, Play School, BBC-2, beginning c. 1964.

Mrs. Beauchamp, A Picture of Katherine Mansfield, BBC, 1973.

Aunt Gwen, Come Back, Lucy, Associated Television, 1978.

Mrs. Blandy, A Question of Guilt, BBC, beginning 1980.

Aunt Lizzie, Fame Is the Spur, BBC, 1982.

Mrs. Vesey Stanhope, The Barchester Chronicles, BBC, 1982, broadcast on Masterpiece Theatre (also known as ExxonMobil Masterpiece Theatre and Mobil Masterpiece Theatre), PBS, 1984, and on Arts and Entertainment.

Edith Makepeace, Hell's Bells, BBC, 1986.

Lady Broughton, Ffizz, Independent Television (England), 1987–89.

Multiple roles, Thompson, BBC, 1988, PBS, 1989.

Babs, That's Love, Television South, 1988–92.

Olivia Esholt, Chelworth, BBC, 1989.

Edith Duglass, The House of Eliott, BBC and Arts and Entertainment, 1991–94.

Margot, Degrees of Error, BBC, beginning 1995.

Eve, Wonderful You, Independent Television, 1999.

Marjorie Tollworth, Stig of the Dump (also known as Stig), BBC, 2002.

Television Appearances; Miniseries:

Mademoiselle Vatnaz, Sentimental Education, BBC, 1970.

Marjorie Phelps, "The Unpleasantness at the Bellona Club," Lord Peter Wimsey (also known as Lord Peter Wimsey: Unpleasantness at the Bellona Club), BBC and PBS, 1973.

Madame Annette de Lancel, Till We Meet Again (also known as Judith Krantz's "Till We Meet Again"), CBS, 1989.

Lady Margaret, The Magical Legend of the Leprechauns (also known as Leprechauns and Kampf der Kobolde), NBC, 1999.

Rose Trenchard, The Swap, Independent Television (England), 2002.

Television Appearances; Movies:

The Poisoned Earth, Associated Television, 1961.

Mrs. Timpson, All or Nothing at All, London Weekend Television, 1993.

Maria, Brush with Fate, CBS, 2003.

Lady Lucia Pinochet, Pinochet in Suburbia, BBC-2 and HBO, 2006.

Television Appearances; Specials:

The wife, "Evelyn," Play for Today (also known as Play for Today: Evelyn), BBC, 1971.

"Buffet," Play for Today (also known as Play for Today: Buffet), BBC, 1976.

Lady Faulconbridge, The Life and Death of King John (also known as The BBC Television Shakespeare, The Complete Dramatic Works of William Shakespeare: The Life and Death of King John, and King John), BBC-2, 1984.

Marie's mother, The Blue Boy, BBC, 1994, broadcast on Masterpiece Theatre (also known as ExxonMobil Masterpiece Theatre and Mobil Masterpiece Theatre), PBS, 1994.

How Proust Can Change Your Life, [Great Britain], 2000.

Herself, The 100 Greatest Kids TV Shows, Channel 4 (England), 2001.

Television Appearances; Episodic:

Rosie McCallion, "Green Wedding," Dixon of Dock Green, BBC, 1963.

Sergeant Ruth Beckett, "Within the Law," Dixon of Dock Green, BBC, 1965.

Mary Fielding, "Women and Business Never Did Mix," The Troubleshooters (also known as Mogul), BBC, 1967.

Miss Cummins, "The Princess," The Jazz Age, BBC, 1968.

Laura Rankin, "The Singing Sands," Detective, BBC, 1969.

Mrs. Tetley, "Good Morning, Yesterday!," Menace, BBC, 1970.

Winifred Holland, "Golden Island," Fraud Squad, Associated Television, 1970.

Louise Maitland-Douglas, "The Condemned," Sutherland's Law, BBC, 1974.

Lady Constance Weir, "The Hero's Farewell," Upstairs, Downstairs, London Weekend Television, 1974, broadcast on Masterpiece Theatre (also known as ExxonMobil Masterpiece Theatre and Mobil Masterpiece Theatre), PBS, 1976.

Ann Kingsley, "First Impressions," Angels, BBC, 1978.

Ann Kingsley, "Fraternity," Angels, BBC, 1978.

Mrs. Thripp, "Rumpole and the Married Lady," Rumpole of the Bailey (also. known as Rumpole of the Bailey, Series I), Independent Television (England), broadcast on Mystery!, PBS, c. 1980.

Mrs. Lucas, "Holy Wars," Agony, London Weekend Television, 1981.

Maggie Patton, "A Sad Loss," Tales of the Unexpected (also known as Roald Dahl's "Tales of the Unexpected"), Anglia Television and syndicated, 1983.

Jessica Truscott, "Fingers," C.A.T.S. Eyes, Independent Television, 1985.

Honoria Bird, "Rumpole and the Blind Tasting," Rumpole of the Bailey (also known as Rumpole of the Bailey, Series IV), Independent Television, 1987, broadcast on Mystery!, PBS, c. 1988.

Lady Ann, "Gracie," About Face, Independent Television, 1989.

Lady Carrington, "Incredible Theft," Poirot (also known as Agatha Christie's "Poirot" and Poirot, Series One), Independent Television, 1989, broadcast on Mystery!, PBS, c. 1990, and on Arts and Entertainment.

Joan Mathieson, "Forbidden Fruit," Taggart, Independent Television, 1994.

Magistrate, "Bring Me the Head of Arthur Daley," Minder, Independent Television, 1994.

Nancy Bellow, "Witch Hunt," Heartbeat, Independent Television, 1994.

Vicky Jeffreys, "A Pillar of the Community," Hamish Macbeth, BBC, 1995.

Herself, A Bit of Fry and Laurie, BBC, 1995.

Mrs. Ferris, "Impasse," Paul Merton in Galton and Simpson's …, Independent Television, 1996.

Guest, The Rosie O'Donnell Show, syndicated, 1997.

Elaine Porter, "Angel," Dangerfield, BBC, 1998.

Felicity Dinsdale, "Blood Will Out," Midsomer Murders, Independent Television and Arts and Entertainment, 1999.

Isobel Marchmont, "Laurels Are Poison," The Mrs. Bradley Mysteries, BBC and BBC America, 2000.

Professor Isobel Hogg, Monarch of the Glen, BBC Scotland, 2000, BBC America, 2001.

Jean, "Preserves," Table 12, BBC, 2001.

May Beauchamp, "Orpheus in the Undergrowth," Rosemary & Thyme, Independent Television, 2004.

Mrs. Carstairs, "The Hardest Word," Waking the Dead, BBC, 2004.

(In archive footage) Herself, This Morning (also known as This Morning with Richard and Judy), Independent Television, 2004.

Irene Moser, "The 7:59 Club," Afterlife, Independent Television, 2005.

Stage Appearances:

Major Barbara, Bristol Old Vic Company, 1956.

Red Roses for Me, 1962.

A Voyage 'round My Father, Haymarket Theatre, London, 1971.

Habeus Corpus, Haymarket Theatre, 1973.

Dotty, Noises Off, Savoy Theatre, London, c. 1983.

La Cage aux Folles (musical), London Palladium, c. 1986.

Elspeth, The Winter Guest, 1995.

The Tuesday Group, King's College, London (University of London), Franklin-Wilkins Building, c. 2003.

Appeared in The Merry Wives of Windsor, London production. Appeared in other productions, including performances at the Old Vic, London.

Stage Work:

Director, The Duchess of Malfi, National Theatre, King's Theatre, Edinburgh, Scotland, 2003.

RECORDINGS

Audiobooks:

Virginia Woolf, Mrs. Dalloway, Chivers, 2001.

Virginia Woolf, To the Lighthouse, Chivers, 2001.

WRITINGS

Nonfiction:

(Illustrator) Kenneth Branagh, Beginning, Chatto & Windus, 1989, American edition, St. Martin's Press, 1991.

OTHER SOURCES

Periodicals:

Guardian, January 5, 1998.

Independent, January 9, 1998.