Judi Dench Biography
Summary
"Dame Judith Olivia Dench", CH, DBE, FRSA, (born 9 December, 1934), usually known as "Judi Dench", is an English actress. She has won nine BAFTAs, six Laurence Olivier Awards, two Screen Actors Guild Awards, an Academy Award, two Golden Globe Awards and a Tony Award.
Personal life
Judi Dench was born in York, North Riding of Yorkshire, the daughter of Eleanora Olave (née Jones), a native of Dublin, and Reginald Arthur Dench, a doctor who met Judi's mother while studying medicine at Trinity College. Dench was raised a Quaker and lived in Tyldesley, Greater Manchester. Notable relatives include her older brother, actor Jeffery Dench, and her niece, Emma Dench, a Roman historian previously at Birkbeck, University of London, and currently at Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts.
When Dench was 13, she entered The Mount School, York. In 1971, Dench married British actor Michael Williams and they had their only child, Tara Cressida Williams (aka 'Finty Williams'), on 24 September, 1972. She has followed the family's theatrical tradition, becoming an accomplished actress in her own right.
Dench and her husband starred together in several stage productions, as well as separately, but then paired again to make television history with Bob Larbey's hit British sitcom, "A Fine Romance" (1981–84).
Michael Williams died from lung cancer in 2001, aged 65.
In Laurence Olivier's autobiography "Confessions of an Actor" (Weidenfeld & Nicolson, 1982) he describes her as 'the scrumptious Judi Dench'.
Public life
In Britain, Dench has developed a reputation as one of the greatest actresses of the post-war period, primarily through her work in theatre, which has been her forte throughout her career. She has more than once been named number one in polls for Britain's best actress. Research to find 'the perfect voice' has indicated that Dench's voice is one of the best.
Dench was awarded the OBE in 1970, became a Dame Commander of the British Empire in 1988, and a Companion of Honour in 2005. She gained worldwide popular fame after taking over the role of M in the "James Bond" film series in 1995, and subsequently through many acclaimed film appearances.
Dench is a patron of The Leaveners, Friends School Saffron Walden and the Archway Theatre, Horley, UK. She became president of Mountview Academy of Theatre Arts in London in 2006, taking over from Sir John Mills, and is also president of the Questors Theatre. In May 2006, she became an Honorary Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts.
Dench is an Honorary Fellow of Lucy Cavendish College, Cambridge. In 2000-2001 she received an Honorary "DLitt" from Durham University. On 24 June, 2008, she was honoured by the University of St Andrews, receiving the honorary degree of Doctor of Letters (D.Litt) at the university's graduation ceremony.
Career
20th Century
Before starting her professional career, Judi Dench trained for the stage at the Central School of Speech Training and Dramatic Art, and was involved in the first three productions of the modern revival of the York Mystery Plays in the 1950s. Most famously, she played the role of the Virgin Mary in the 1957 production, performed on a fixed stage in the Museum Gardens.
In September 1957, she made her first professional stage appearance with the Old Vic Company, at the Royal Court Theatre, Liverpool, as Ophelia in "Hamlet", then her London debut in the same production at the Old Vic. She remained a member of the company for four seasons, 1957–1961, her roles including Katherine in "Henry V" in 1958 (which was also her New York debut) and as Juliet in "Romeo and Juliet" in October 1960, directed and designed by Franco Zeffirelli. During this period, she toured the United States and Canada, and appeared in Yugoslavia and at the Edinburgh Festival.
She joined the Royal Shakespeare Company in December 1961 playing Anya in "The Cherry Orchard" at the Aldwych Theatre in London, and made her Stratford-upon-Avon debut in April 1962 as Isabella in "Measure for Measure". She subsequently spent seasons in repertory both with the Nottingham Playhouse from January 1963 (including a West African tour as Lady Macbeth for the British Council), and with the Oxford Playhouse Company from April 1964.
In 1968, she was offered the role of Sally Bowles in the musical "Cabaret". As Sheridan Morley later reported: 'At first she thought they were joking. She had never done a musical and she has an unusual croaky voice which sounds as if she has a permanent cold. So frightened was she of singing in public that she auditioned from the wings, leaving the pianists alone on stage'. But when it opened at the Palace Theatre in February 1968, Frank Marcus, reviewing for "Plays and Players", commented that: 'She sings well. The title song in particular is projected with great feeling.'
After a long run in "Cabaret", she rejoined the RSC making numerous appearances with the company in Stratford and London over the next two decades, winning several best actress awards. Among her roles with the RSC, she was the Duchess in John Webster's "The Duchess of Malfi" in 1971. In the Stratford 1976 season, and then at the Aldwych in 1977, she gave two comedy performances, first in Trevor Nunn's musical staging of "The Comedy of Errors" as Adriana, then partnered with Donald Sinden as Beatrice and Benedick in John Barton's 'British Raj' revival of "Much Ado About Nothing". As Bernard Levin wrote in the Sunday Times: '...demonstrating once more that she is a comic actress of consummate skill, perhaps the very best we have.'
But one of her most notable achievements with the RSC was her performance as Lady Macbeth in 1976. Nunn's acclaimed production of "Macbeth" was first staged with a minimalist design at The Other Place theatre in Stratford. Its small round stage focused attention on the psychological dynamics of the characters, and both Ian McKellen in the title role, and Dench, received exceptionally favourable notices. 'If this is not great acting I don't know what is.': Michael Billington, "The Guardian". 'It will astonish me if the performance is matched by any in this actress's generation.': J C Trewin, "The Lady". The production transferred to London, opening at the Donmar Warehouse in September 1977, was filmed for television, and later released on VHS and finally DVD. She won the SWET Best Actress Award in 1977.
She enjoyed a romantic pairing with Jeremy Irons in 1978, in the BBC television film "Langrishe, Go Down", with a screenplay by Harold Pinter, directed by David Jones, in which she played one of three spinster sisters living in a fading Irish mansion in the Waterford countryside.
Dench made her directing debut in 1988 with the Renaissance Theatre Company's touring season, "Renaissance Shakespeare on the Road", co-produced with the Birmingham Rep, and ending with a three month repertory programme at the Phoenix Theatre in London. Dench's contribution was a staging of "Much Ado About Nothing", set in the Napoleonic era, which starred Kenneth Branagh and Samantha Bond as Benedick and Beatrice. In the same season, Geraldine McEwan and Derek Jacobi also made their directorial debuts.
She has made numerous appearances in the West End including the role of Miss Trant in the 1974 musical version of "The Good Companions" at Her Majesty's Theatre. In 1981, Dench was due to play the title role of Grizabella in the original production of "Cats", but was forced to pull out due to a torn Achilles tendon, leaving Elaine Paige to play the role. She has acted with the National Theatre in London where, in September 1995, she played Desiree Armfeldt in a major revival of Stephen Sondheim's "A Little Night Music", for which she won an Olivier Award.
In 1995, she became known to an international audience after taking over the role of M (James Bond's boss) with the James Bond film series, starting with "GoldenEye". She is one of the few actors from Pierce Brosnan's Bond films to remain in the rebooted franchise. She has appeared in 2006's "Casino Royale" and has been confirmed to be continuing the role in "Quantum of Solace", which is scheduled to be released in November 2008.
She has won multiple awards for performances on the London stage, including a record six Laurence Olivier Awards. She also won the Tony Award for her 1999 Broadway performance in the role of Esme Allen in David Hare's "Amy's View". Alongside her numerous award winning performances, she has also managed to take on the role of Director for a number of stage productions. Dench won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress as Elizabeth I in the film "Shakespeare in Love".
Judi Dench has frequently appeared with her close friend Geoffrey Palmer, in the series "As Time Goes By" and in the films "Mrs. Brown" and "Tomorrow Never Dies", both filmed in 1997. Dench has also lent her incredible voice to many animated characters, narrations, and various other voice work. She plays the role of 'Miss Lilly' in the children's animated series "Angelina Ballerina" (alongside her daughter, Finty Williams, as the voice of Angelina) and as Mrs. Calloway in the Disney animated film "Home on the Range". She has narrated various classical music recordings (notably Mendelssohn's "A Midsummer Night's Dream", and Britten's "Canticles-The Heart of the Matter"), and has appeared in numerous BBC radio broadcasts as well as commercials. Her many television appearances include lead roles in the series "A Fine Romance" and "As Time Goes By".
21st Century
Dench remains one of the biggest draws on the London stage. She is often compared and contrasted with Dame Maggie Smith, another British actress of the same generation, with whom she has appeared in several movies, including the 2004 "Ladies in Lavender", and on stage in David Hare's two-role play "Breath of Life" (Haymarket, October 2002). Dench returned to the West End stage in April 2006 in "Hay Fever" alongside Peter Bowles, Belinda Lang and Kim Medcalf.
She finished off a busy 2006 with the role of Mistress Quickly in the RSC's new musical "The Merry Wives", a version of "The Merry Wives of Windsor". at Stratford-upon-Avon.
Dench's more recent film career has been extremely successful. She successfully garnered six Academy Award nominations in nine years for "Mrs. Brown" in 1997; her Oscar-winning turn as Elizabeth I in "Shakespeare in Love" in 1998; for "Chocolat" in 2000; for the lead role of writer Iris Murdoch in "Iris" in 2001 (with Kate Winslet playing her as a younger woman); for "Mrs Henderson Presents" (a romanticised history of the Windmill Theatre) in 2005; and for 2006's "Notes on a Scandal", a film for which she received critical acclaim, including Golden Globe, Academy Award, BAFTA and Screen Actors Guild nominations. At the end of 2006 Dench worked "pro bono" to record information announcements for Tramlink.
In 2007 the BBC issued "The Judi Dench Collection", DVDs of eight television dramas: "Talking to a Stranger" quartet (1966), "Keep an Eye on Amélie" (1973), "The Cherry Orchard" (1981), "Going Gently" (1981), "Ghosts" (with Kenneth Branagh and Michael Gambon, 1987), "Make and Break" (with Robert Hardy, 1987), "Can You Hear Me Thinking?" (co-starring with her husband, Michael Williams, 1990) and "Absolute Hell" (1991).
Dench, as Miss Matty Jenkins, co-stars with Eileen Atkins, Michael Gambon, Imelda Staunton and Francesca Annis, in the BBC One five-part series "Cranford". The series began transmission in the UK in November 2007, and on the BBC's US producing partner station WGBH (PBS Boston) in spring 2008.
Dench narrated the updated Walt Disney World Epcot attraction Spaceship Earth.
In February 2008, she was named as the first official patron of the York Youth Mysteries 2008, a project to allow young people to explore the York Mystery Plays through dance, film-making and circus. This culminated on 21 June with a day of city centre performances in York.
She is currently also working on the 22nd Bond adventure "Quantum Of Solace" and is reprising her role as M.
She is also interested in horse racing and in partnership with her chauffeur Bryan Agar owns a four-year-old horse 'Smokey Oakey'.
She will return to the West End from 13 March-23 May, 2009 in Yukio Mishima's "Madame De Sade", directed by Michael Grandage as part of the Donmar season at Wyndham's Theatre.
Filmography
She has also lent her likeness, and her voice, for the role of M in four James Bond video games:
"Everything or Nothing"
"GoldenEye: Rogue Agent"
Theatreography
Source: 'Judi Dench: With a Crack in her Voice' by John Miller
As an actress
"St Mary's Abbey"
1957
*York Mystery Plays - Virgin Mary
"The Old Vic Company"
1957
*Hamlet - Ophelia
*Measure for Measure - Juliet
*A Midsummer Night's Dream - First Fairy
1958
*Twelfth Night - Maria (also USA tour)
*Henry V - Katharine (also USA tour)
1959
*The Double Dealer - Cynthia
*As You Like It - Phebe
*The Importance of Being Ernest - Cecily
*The Merry Wives of Windsor - Anne Page
1960
*Richard II - Queen
*Romeo and Juliet - Juliet (also Venice Festival)
*She Stoops to Conqer - Kate Hardcastle
*A Midsummer Night's Dream - Hermia
*"Also walk-on roles in King Lear and Henry VI)"
"The Royal Shakespeare Company"
1961
*The Cherry Orchard - Anya, Aldwych Theatre
1962
*Measure for Measure - Isabella, Stratford
*A Midsummer Night's Dream - Titania, Stratford
*A Penny for a Song - Dorcas Bellboys, Aldwych
"The Nottingham Playhouse Company"
1963
*Macbeth - Lady Macbeth (also West Africa tour)
*Twelfth Night - Viola (also West Africa tour)
A Shot in the Dark - Josefa Lautenay, Lyric Theatre
"The Oxford Playhouse Company"
1964
*Three Sisters - Irina
*The Twelfth Hour - Anna
1965
*The Alchemist - Dol Common
*Romeo and Jeannette - Jeannette
*The Firescreen - Jacqueline
"The Nottingham Playhouse Company"
1965
*Measure for Measure - Isabella
*Private Lives - Amanda
1966
*The Country Wife - Margery Pinchwife
*The Astrakhan Coat - Barbara
*St Joan - Joan
"The Oxford Playhouse Company"
1966
*The Promise - Lika
*The Rules of the Game - Silia
1967
*The Promise - Lika, Fortune Theatre
"No Company"
1968
*Cabaret - Sally Bowles, Palace Theatre
"The Royal Shakespeare Company"
1969
*The Winter's Tale - Hermione and Perdita, Stratford
*Women Beware Women - Bianca, Stratford
*Twelfth Night - Viola, Stratford
1970
*London Assurance - Grace Harkaway, Aldwych
*Major Barbara - Barbara Undershaft, Aldwych
1971
*The Merchant of Venice - Portia, Stratford
*The Duchess of Malfi - Duchess, Stratford
*Toad of Toad Hall - Fielfmouse, Stoat and Mother Rabbit, Stratford
"No Company"
1973
*Context to Whisper - Aurelia, Royal, York
*The Wolf - Vilma, Oxford Playhouse (also at Apollo, Queen's & New London)
1974
*The Good Companions - Miss Trant, Her Majesty's
1975
*The Gay Lord Quex - Sophy Fullgarney, Albery
"The Royal Shakespeare Company"
1975
*Too True to be Good - Sweetie Simpkins, Aldwych
1976
*Much Ado About Nothing - Beatrice, Stratford
*Macbeth - Lady Macbeth, Stratford (also Donmar Warehouse and Young Vic)
*The Comedy of Errors - Adriana, Stratford
*King Lear - Regan, Stratford
1977
*Pillars of the Community - Lona Hessel, Aldwych
1978
*The Way of the World - Millamant, Aldwych
1979
*Cymbeline - Imogen, Stratford
1980
*Juno and the Paycock - Juno Boyle, Aldwych
"No Company"
1981
*A Village Wooing - Young Woman, New End
"The National Theatre Company"
1982
*The Importance of Being Ernest - Lady Bracknell, Lyttleton
*A King of Alaska - Deborah, Cottesloe
1983
*Pack of Lies - Barbara Jackson, Lyric
"The Royal Shakespeare Company"
1984
*Mother Courage - Mother Courage, Barbican
*Waste 0 Amy O'Connell, Barbican and Lyric
"No Company"
1986
*Mr and Mrs Nobody - Carrie Pooter, Garrick
"The National Theatre Company"
1987
*Antony and Cleopatra - Cleopatra, Olivier
*Entertaining Strangers - Sarah Eldridge, Cottesloe
1989
*Hamlet - Gertrude, Olivier
*The Cherry Orchard - Ranevskaya, Aldwych
1991
*The Plough and the Stars - Bessie Burgess, Young Vic
"The National Theatre Company"
1991
*The Sea - Mrs Rafi, Lyttleton
1992
*Coriolanus - Volumnia, Chichester
"The Royal Shakespeare Company"
1992
*The Gift of the Gorgon - Helen Damson, Barbican and Wyndham's
"The National Theatre Company"
1994
*The Seagull - Arkadina, Olivier
1995
*Absolute Hell - Christine Foskett, Lyttleton
*A Little Night Music - Desirée Armfeldt, Olivier
1997
*Amy's View - Esmé, Lyttleton
1998
*Amy's View - Esmé, Aldwych
"No Company"
1998
*Filumena - Filumena, Piccadilly
1999
*Amy's View - Esmé, Barrymore, New York
2001
*The Royal Family - Fanny Cavendish, Theatre Royal Haymarket
2002
*The Breath of Life - Frances, Theatre Royal Haymarket
"The Royal Shakespeare Company"
2003
*All's Well That Ends Well - The Countess, Stratford and Gielgud
"No Company"
2006
*Hay Fever - Judith Bliss, Theatre Royal Haymarket
"The Royal Shakespeare Company"
2006
* The Merry Wives - The Musical - Mistress Quickly, Stratford
As a director
1988 - Much Ado About Nothing, Reneissance Theatre Company
1989 - Look Back in Anger - Reneissance Theatre Company
1989 - Macbeth - Central School of Speech and Drama
1991 - The Boy from Syracuse, Regent's Park Open Air Theatre
1993 - Romeo and Juliet, Regent's Park Open Air Theatre
Selected discography
"Cabaret" (1968), Original London cast album CBS (1973)
"The Good Companions" (1974), Original London cast recording (1974)
"A Midsummer Night's Dream" (1995); from "Felix Mendelssohn" as Recitant. Conducted by Seiji Ozawa
"A Little Night Music" (1995) by Stephen Sondheim, Royal National Theatre Cast
Selected awards and recognition
Theatre
2004 - Laurence Olivier Award - Special Award for Outstanding Contributions to British Theatre"
1999 - Tony Award for Best Actress for "Amy's View"
1997 - Critics' Circle Theatre Award for Best Actress for "Amy's View"
1996 - Laurence Olivier Award for Best Actress for "Absolute Hell"
1996 - Laurence Olivier Award for Best Actress in a Musical or Entertainment for "A Little Night Music"
1987 - Laurence Olivier Award for Best Actress "Antony and Cleopatra"
1987 - Evening Standard Award for Best Actress "Antony and Cleopatra"
1987 - Critics' Circle Theatre Award for Best Actress for "Antony and Cleopatra"
1984 - Laurence Olivier Award for Best Actress in a New Play for "Pack of Lies"
1982 - Critics' Circle Theatre Award for Best Actress for "The Importance of Being Earnest" and "A Kind of Alaska"
1982 - Evening Standard Award for Best Actress for "The Importance of Being Earnest" and "A Kind of Alaska"
1980 - Laurence Olivier Award for Best Actress in a Revival for "Juno and the Paycock"
1980 - Evening Standard Award for Best Actress for "Juno and the Paycock"
1977 - Laurence Olivier Award for Best Actress in a Revival for "Macbeth"
Film and television
As of 2006, Judi Dench has been nominated for an Academy Award 6 times, winning once. No other artist over 60, in the history of the Academy Awards, has garnered as many Oscar nominations.
2008 - Nominated Emmy Award Outstanding Lead Actress in a mini-series/TV movie for " Cranford"
"2006 - Won Evening Standard British Film Award for Best Actress for "Notes on a Scandal"
2006 - Nominated Academy Award for Best Actress for "Notes on a Scandal"
2006 - Nominated Golden Globe Award for Best Actress - Motion Picture Drama for "Notes on a Scandal"
2005 - Nominated Academy Award for Best Actress for "Mrs Henderson Presents"
2005 - Nominated Golden Globe Award for Best Actress - Motion Picture Musical or Comedy for "Mrs Henderson Presents"
2002 - Nominated Academy Award for Best Actress for "Iris"
"2002 - Won BAFTA Award for Best Actress in a Leading Role for "Iris"
2001 - Nominated Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for "Chocolat"
"2001 - Won BAFTA Award for Best Actress in a Leading Role for "The Last of the Blonde Bombshells"
"2001 - Won Golden Globe Award for Best Performance by an Actress in a Mini-Series or Motion Picture Made for TV for "The Last of the Blonde Bombshells"
2001 - Nominated Emmy Award Outstanding Lead Actress in a Miniseries or a Movie for "The Last of the Blonde Bombshells
2001 - Nominated Screen Actors Guild Awards Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Television Movie or Miniseries for "The Last of the Blonde Bombshells
2001 - Nominated American Comedy Awards Funniest Female Performer in a TV Special for "The Last of the Blonde Bombshells
"1999 - Won Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for "Shakespeare in Love"
"1999 - Won BAFTA Award for Best Actress in a Supporting Role for "Shakespeare in Love"
1998 - Nominated Academy Award for Best Actress for "Mrs. Brown"
"1998 - Won Golden Globe for Best Actress" for "Mrs. Brown"
"1998 - Won BAFTA Award for Best Actress in a Leading Role for "Mrs. Brown"
1990 - Nominated for BAFTA Television Award for Best Actress for "Behaving Badly"
"1987 - Won BAFTA Award for Best Actress in a Supporting Role for "A Room with a View"
"1967 - Won BAFTA Television Award for Best Actress for "Talking to a Stranger"
"1966 - Won BAFTA Award for Most Promising Newcomer for "Four in the Morning"
References
Theatre Record and its annual Indexes
British Theatre Guide for reviews of Judi Dench DVDs
External links
(Judi Dench) at the Royal Shakespeare Company performance database
(As Time Goes By Central website)
(University of Bristol Theatre Collection) , University of Bristol
(Judi Dench British Academy Awards) , BAFTA Searchable Awards Database
Credit
This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article about Judi Dench.
