1. After a stellar career in film, television, and the stage, Glenda Jackson retired from acting in 1992 and ran for a seat in the British Parliament as a Labor Party candidate. She won the election and is still serving as a Member of Parliament. Click here to visit her official website for constituents.2. She played Queen Elizabeth in a TV series and a theatrical motion picture in the same year. In 1971, she won an Emmy for her performance in the title role of the critically-acclaimed BBC miniseries Elizabeth R. Later that year, she portrayed Elizabeth again opposite Vanessa Redgrave in Mary, Queen of Scots.
3. Actually, 1971 was a pretty impressive year for Glenda Jackson. She also won the Academy Award for Best Actress for Ken Russell's adaptation of D.H. Lawrence's Women in Love. Ms. Jackson won a second Oscar in 1974 for the romantic comedy A Touch of Class. She also received two Best Actress nominations, for Sunday Bloody Sunday in 1972 and Hedda in 1976.4. In 1989's The Rainbow, Glenda Jackson played the mother of the character she portrayed in Women in Love. Like the latter film, The Rainbow was an adaptation of a D.H. Lawrence novel by filmmaker Ken Russell.
5. She has portrayed numerous famous people in addition to Queen Elizabeth, to include: actress Sarah Bernhardt in The Incredible Sarah (1976); English poet and novelist Stevie Smith in Stevie (1978); and film actress Patricia Neal for the made-for-TV biography The Patricia Neal Story (1981).
6. Glenda Jackson was nominated for four Tony Awards for her stage performances, once in 1966 and three times in the 1980s. However, she never won! One of those nominations was for Lady Macbeth in a 1988 Broadway production starring Christopher Plummer in the title role.
7. Her only marriage was to theatre director Roy Hodges and it lasted from 1958 to 1976. Her only child, Dan Hodges, is a former Labor Party official and currently a political columnist for The Telegraph.
This post of part of the 31 Days of Oscar Blogathon. This week, Kellee from Outspoken and Freckled hosts a tribute the The Actors. Click here to view the full schedule of posts.
How did I not know she was a British member of Parliament?! What an extraordinary woman! Great post, Rick! Thanks again for participating!
ReplyDeleteWhat an interesting post! I also did not know about Ms. Jackson's work in Parliament.
ReplyDeleteMs. Jackson is a woman who truly knows how to fill her life with major moments.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad she found fulfillment in public service, but I miss her screen presence. I remember watching Judy Davis recently and thinking, "a young(er) Glenda Jackson."
ReplyDeleteThanks for reminding me about a wonderful actress. Your post makes me want to dig out A Touch of Class and rewatch.
I never thought of it before, but I also see a resemblance between Glenda and Judy. I'm certainly a fan of both.
DeleteAn extraordinarily talented woman. It's great that she followed her heart into a political life but what a loss to cinema. Her performance in the Elizabeth R miniseries was a titanic undertaking and I can't imagine anyone equaling it.
ReplyDeleteOne of my favorite of her performances is in the under-appreciated The Return of the Soldier with Alan Bates, Julie Christie and Ann-Margret. Actually they're all amazing in it.
I saw her on stage in that production of Macbeth and all I can say is WOW she and Plummer were astonishing.
Would have loved to have seen Glenda Jackson on the stage! I just watched ELIZABETH R last summer and agree she was excellent. Have never seen RETURN OF THE SOLDIER, but it's on my wanna-see list now.
ReplyDeleteFun fact: when I was at secondary school in the early 90s we had to write a letter to an MP. I chose Glenda Jackson and was so excited when she (or perhaps her secretary!) wrote a personal reply. It's biased my view of her ever since, but she is a wonderful actress!
ReplyDeleteThat's a delightful story!
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