Janet Suzman
DBE | |
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Born | Johannesburg, South Africa | 9 February 1939
Education | Kingsmead College |
Alma mater | University of the Witwatersrand |
Occupation(s) | Actress, director |
Spouse | |
Children | 1 |
Relatives | Helen Suzman (aunt) |
Dame Janet Suzman,
Suzman later starred in a wide range of classical and modern drama as well as directing many productions in the UK and South Africa. Suzman appeared in A Dry White Season (1989), a film that examined apartheid.
Early life
Janet Suzman was born in Johannesburg, South Africa, to a Jewish family, the daughter of Betty (née Sonnenberg) and Saul Suzman, a wealthy tobacco importer.[2][3]
Her grandfather, Max Sonnenberg, was a member of the South African parliament, and her aunt was the civil rights and anti-apartheid campaigner Helen Suzman. Suzman was educated at the independent school Kingsmead College, Johannesburg, and at the University of the Witwatersrand.[4]
Stage career
After training for the stage at the
Films and television
She appeared in many British television drama productions in the 1960s and early 1970s, including
Suzman has made few films since, including Don Siegel's The Black Windmill (1974), Nijinsky (1980), Peter Greenaway's The Draughtsman's Contract (1982), Federico Fellini's E la Nave Va (And the Ship Sails On 1983), A Dry White Season (1989) with Marlon Brando and Nuns on the Run (1990; a rare comedic role). In 2020 Suzman appeared in the Netflix production of The Crown as the literary agent of Michael Shea, the queen's press secretary. The episode dealt with the rift between Buckingham Palace and Margaret Thatcher over the prime minister's refusal to back Commonwealth sanctions against South Africa. The episode also implied that Mrs Thatcher's stance might have been linked to her son Mark's business interests in South Africa.
Later activities
In her native South Africa she directed
In 2002, she returned to the RSC to perform in a new version of The Hollow Crown with
In 2014, Suzman was criticized for comments regarding arts participation in the theater. In response to a call by Meera Syal to engage in more diverse audiences, Suzman inaccurately referred to theater as "a white invention, a European invention."[5]
Personal life and honours
In 1969, she married director Trevor Nunn and together they had a son. The divorced in 1986.[4]
Suzman was appointed
Suzman holds
She is an Honorary Fellow of the Shakespeare Institute, and was awarded the Pragnell Award for lifetime services to Shakespeare in 2012.
She is a patron of the London International Festival of Theatre.[8]
Filmography
Year | Film | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
1964 | Festival (TV series) | Luciana | episode: The Comedy of Errors |
1965 | The Wars of the Roses (TV miniseries) | Lady Anne/Joan la Pucelle | chapter: Richard III chapter: Henry VI |
1966 | Lord Raingo (TV series) | Delphine | episode: Fear episode: Doubts episode Power episode: The Offer |
1966 | Theatre 625 (TV series) | Edith Swan-Neck/Mary | episode: The Family Reunion episode: Conquest: The Leopard and the Dragon episode: Conquest: The Encounter |
1970 | Solo (TV series) | Charlotte Brontë | episode: Janet Suzman as Charlotte Brontë |
1971 | Nicholas and Alexandra | Alexandra | Nominated— Golden Globe Award for New Star of the Year - Actress
|
1972 | A Day in the Death of Joe Egg | Sheila | Nominated—National Society of Film Critics Award for Best Actress (4th place) Nominated—New York Film Critics Circle Award for Best Actress (3rd place) |
1968–1972 | BBC Play of the Month (TV series) | Hedda Gabler Lady Macbeth Masha Joan of Arc |
Nominated—British Academy Television Award for Best Actress episode: Hedda Gabler episode: Macbeth episode: The Three Sisters episode: St. Joan |
1974 | The Black Windmill | Alex Tarrant | |
1974 | Antony and Cleopatra (TV film) | Cleopatra | Nominated—British Academy Television Award for Best Actress |
1976 | Clayhanger (TV series) | Hilda Lessways/Hilda Clayhanger | |
1976 | Voyage of the Damned | Leni Strauss | |
1979 | The House on Garibaldi Street (TV film) | Hedda | |
1980 | Nijinsky | Emilia Marcus | |
1980 | Escape (TV series) | Wendy Woods | episode: Banned |
1981 | Priest of Love | Frieda Lawrence | |
1982 | The Draughtsman's Contract | Virginia Herbert | |
1983 | And the Ship Sails On | Edmea Tetua | |
1984 | The Midsummer Marriage (TV film) | Sosostris | |
1984 | The Zany Adventures of Robin Hood (TV film) | Eleanor of Aquitaine | |
1985 | Bright Smiler (TV film) | Avon Eve | |
1986 | Masterpiece Theatre: Lord Mountbatten - The Last Viceroy | Edwina Mountbatten, Countess Mountbatten of Burma | |
1986 | The Singing Detective (TV miniseries) | Nicola | |
1988 | Theatre Night (TV series) | Frosine | episode: The Miser |
1989 | Revolutionary Witness (TV short) | Theroign de Mericourt | segment: The Woman |
1989 | A Dry White Season | Susan du Toit | |
1989 | 4 Play (TV series) | Judith | episode: Nobody Here But Us Chickens |
1990 | Nuns on the Run | Sister Superior | |
1992 | Horizon (TV series) | Narrator | episode: Taking the Credit |
1992 | Leon the Pig Farmer | Judith Geller | |
1992 | The Secret Agent (TV series) | Margaret, Duchess of Chester | |
1993 | Inspector Morse (TV series) | Dr Claire Brewster | episode: Deadly Slumber |
1997 | The Ruth Rendell Mysteries (TV series) | Cecily Branksome | episode: Front Seat |
2002 | The Windsors - A Royal Family (Documentary) | Narrator | Originally released in 1994 by PBS, updated and re-released in 2002 |
2005 | Hiroshima (TV film) | voice | |
2006–2007 | Trial & Retribution (TV series) | Winifred Morgan QC | episode: Sins of the Father |
2008 | The Color of Magic (TV film) | Ninereeds | |
2010 | Midsomer Murders (TV series) | Lady Matilda William | episode: The Sword of Guillaume |
2011 | Tinga Tinga Tales (TV series) | Ostrich | |
2012 | Sinbad (TV series) | Grandmother/Safia | episode: Homecoming episode: Queen of the Water-Thieves episode: Pilot episode: The Siren |
2012 | Labyrinth (TV series) | Esclarmonde | episode: Episode No. 1.2 episode: Episode No. 1.1 |
2012 | Moominland Tales: The Life of Tove Jansson (TV film) | Readings | |
2013 | Felix | Mrs Cartwright | |
2020 | The Crown | Literary agent to Michael Shea | episode: Episode No. 8 Series 4 "48:1" |
2023 | Consecration | Mother Superior |
Reference: "Janet Suzman". IMDb. Retrieved 25 September 2013.
References
- Cleveland.com. Retrieved 9 February 2023.
- ^ "Janet Suzman Biography (1939-)". filmreference.com. Retrieved 6 September 2018.
- ^ "It's difficult to describe the grief", Times Online
- ^ a b c "Suzman, Janet (1939–)". Encyclopedia.com. Retrieved 9 February 2023.
- ^ Alberge, Dalya; Brown, Mark (8 December 2014). "Actor Janet Suzman criticised for calling theatre 'a white invention'". The Guardian. Retrieved 25 January 2022.
- ^ "No. 59808". The London Gazette (Supplement). 11 June 2011. p. 7.
- ^ "Forsyth knighthood heads honours". BBC News. 11 June 2011. Retrieved 6 September 2018.
- ^ "Meet The Team" Archived 11 September 2016 at the Wayback Machine, LIFT. Retrieved 9 August 2016.
External links
- Janet Suzman at IMDb
- Janet Suzman at Who's Who Southern Africa