Annette Crosbie

Scottish actor (born 1934)

Annette Crosbie

OBE

Born|

Annette Ross Mcleod Crosbie

(1934-02-12) 12 February 1934 (age 91)

Gorebridge, Midlothian, Scotland

Occupation| Actress
Years active| 1959–present
Spouse|

Michael Griffiths

(m. 1966; div. 1985)​

Children| 2, including Selina Griffiths

Annette Crosbie (born 12 February 1934) is a Scottish actress.[1] She is best known for her role as Margaret Meldrew in the BBC sitcom One Foot in the Grave (1990–2000). She twice won the BAFTA TV Award for Best Actress, for The Six Wives of Henry VIII in 1971 and in 1976 for Edward the Seventh.[2]

Also in 1976, she was nominated for the BAFTA Award for Best Actress in a Supporting Role for the 1976 film The Slipper and the Rose and she won the award for Best Actress at the Evening Standard British Film Awards for the same role.[3] Her other film appearances include The Pope Must Die (1991), Shooting Fish (1997), The Debt Collector (1999), Calendar Girls (2003) and Into the Woods (2014).

## Early life and career

[edit]

Crosbie was born in Gorebridge, Midlothian, Scotland, as Annette Ross Mcleod Crosbie to Presbyterian parents who disapproved of her becoming an actress.[4] Nevertheless, she joined the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School while still in her teens. She began her career with the Glasgow Citizens' Theatre Company in 1956.[5] She was educated at Boroughmuir High School in Edinburgh.[6] Her big break came in 1970 when she was cast as Catherine of Aragon in the BBC television series The Six Wives of Henry VIII, for which she won the 1971 BAFTA TV Award for Best Actress.[7] In 1973, she starred alongside Vanessa Redgrave in the BBC serial A Picture of Katherine Mansfield.

In 1975, Crosbie made a similar impact as another queen, Queen Victoria, in the ITV period drama Edward the Seventh, for which she won the 1976 BAFTA TV Award for Best Actress. She played Cinderella's fairy godmother in The Slipper and the Rose, which was chosen as the Royal Film Première for 1976. In that film, Crosbie sang the Sherman Brothers' song, "Suddenly It Happens". Crosbie voiced the character of Galadriel in Ralph Bakshi's animated movie, The Lord of the Rings, filmed in 1978. In 1980, she played the abbess in Hawk the Slayer. In 1986, she appeared as the vicar's wife in Paradise Postponed.[1]

Crosbie's next major role was as Margaret Meldrew, the long-suffering wife of Victor Meldrew (Richard Wilson) in the BBC sitcom One Foot in the Grave (1990–2000) for which she is best known. She also played Janet, the housekeeper to Dr. Finlay, in the 1993–96 revival of A. J. Cronin's popular stories. She also had a poignant role in the thriller The Debt Collector (1999).

Crosbie's other roles include playing the monkey-lover Ingrid Strange in an episode of Jonathan Creek (1997), Edith Sparshott in An Unsuitable Job for a Woman (1997–2001), and Jessie in the film Calendar Girls (2003).

In 2008, Crosbie appeared in a BBC adaptation of Little Dorrit. In 2009 she played Sadie Cairncross in the BBC television series Hope Springs.[1] In 2010, Crosbie appeared in the Doctor Who episode "The Eleventh Hour" and in an episode of New Tricks. In 2014 Crosbie appeared in the movies What We Did on Our Holiday and Into the Woods. In 2015 she appeared in a BBC adaptation of Cider with Rosie. In 2016 she appeared in the new film version of Dad's Army. In 2019 she appeared in an episode of Call the Midwife.

In 2020, Crosbie appeared in an episode of the second season of After Life, a British black comedy-drama series created, written, produced and directed by Ricky Gervais, which premiered on Netflix.

## Honours

[edit]

Crosbie was appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the 1998 New Year Honours for services to drama.[8]

## Personal life

[edit]

Crosbie was married to Michael Griffiths from 1966 until their divorce in 1985. The marriage produced two children, a son and a daughter. Their daughter Selina Griffiths, is also an actress.[9]

Crosbie is a campaigner for greyhound welfare.[10] From 2003–2006, she was president of the League Against Cruel Sports.[citation needed] In 2014, she was a vice-president.[11] She was an honorary vice-president of the Scottish SPCA.[12]

Crosbie lives in Wimbledon, London.[13]

## Filmography

[edit]

### Film

[edit]

Year | Title | Role | Notes

|
|
|

1959  | The Bridal Path | 1st Waitress  |
1965 | Sky West and Crooked | Mrs. White |
1968  | Mrs. Brown, You've Got a Lovely Daughter | Maid (uncredited)  | (uncredited)
1972 | Follow Me! | Miss Framer |
1976 | The Slipper and the Rose | Fairy Godmother | Evening Standard British Film Award for Best Actress
Nominated – BAFTA Award for Best Actress in a Supporting Role
1976 | Mr Smith | Anon | Short film
1978 | The Lord of the Rings | Lady Galadriel of Lothlorien | Voice
1979  | A Question of Faith | Sofya Andreyevna  |
1980 | Hawk the Slayer | Abbess |
1984 | Ordeal by Innocence | Kirsten Lindstrom |
1991 | Chernobyl: The Final Warning | Dr. Galina Petrovna |
1991 | The Pope Must Die | Mother Superior |
1992 | Leon the Pig Farmer | Dr. Johnson |
1995 | Solitaire for 2[14] | Mrs Dwyer |
1997 | Shooting Fish | Mrs Cummins |
1999 | The Debt Collector | Lana Keltie |
2003 | Calendar Girls | Jessie |
2007  | She's Not Dead | Mum  | Short Film
2014 | What We Did on Our Holiday | Doreen |
2014 | Into the Woods | Granny |
2016  | Dad's Army | Cissy Godfrey |
Eat Locals[15] | Alice |

### Television

[edit]

Year | Title | Role | Notes

|
|
|

1961  | St. Patrick's Day | Lauretta  | TV Short
1962  | ITV Television Playhouse | Liz  | Episode: "The Morning After"
1962  | Probation Officer | Jennie Walker  | Episode 4.3
1963  | BBC Sunday-Night Play | Julie Neill / Galia  | Episodes: "The Greevy Column" & "The Reward of Silence"
1963  | The Plane Makers | Brenda  | Episodes: "The Dividing Line" & Them: Or Us?"
1964  | Festival | Miss Vaughan  | Episode: "The Inner World of Miss Vaughan"
1964  | First Night | Ada Churnley  | Episode: "Goodbye, Gloria, Goodbye"
1965–1968 | Theatre 625 | Sister Catherine / Masha / Jennie Thomson / Girl | Episodes: "The Swallow's Nest", "The Seagull", "A Man Like That" & "Hermit Crabs"
1965  | Story Parade | Elsie Forrest  | Episode: "The Bachelors
1965  | No Hiding Place | Mavis Baker  | Episode: "It Could Always Happen"
1965-1970  | The Wednesday Play | Julie / Liz  | Episodes: "Wine of India" & "The Bond"
1966  | This Man Craig | Hanna Seaton  | Episode: "Dougie"
1966  | Thirteen Against Fate | Nell  | Episode: "The Murderer"
1966  | Four People | Martha  | Episode: "Mary Magdalene"
1967  | Boy Meets Girl | Mrs. Parkman  | Episode: "Long After Summer"
1967  | The White Rabbit | José Dupuis  | 3 episodes
1968  | Half Hour Story | Wendy  | Episode: "Venus Rising"
1970 | The Six Wives of Henry VIII | Catherine of Aragon | Episode: "Catherine Aragon"
BAFTA TV Award for Best Actress
1970 | Callan | May Coswood | Episode: "Amos Green must live".
1970-1977  | Play of the Month | Frances Trebell / Miss Cooper  | Episodes: "Waste" & "Separate Tables"
1970-1980  | Play for Today | Nanny / Elsie Lorrimer / Catherine  | Episodes: "Jessie", "The General's Day" & "The Lie"
1970  | Thirty-Minute Theatre | Woman  | Episode: "Hope"
1970  | Menace | Jean Crowe  | Episode: "Killing Time"
1971  | Shadows of Fear | Mrs. Darbon  | Episode: "At Occupier's Risk"
1972  | ITV Playhouse | Joy  | Episode: "A Splinter of Ice"
1972  | Crime of Passion | Emilie  | Episode: "Emilie"
1972  | ITV Sunday Night Theatre | Nesta  | Episode: "A Bit of Vision"
1973 | A Picture of Katherine Mansfield | L. M. | 5 episodes
1973  | The Edwardians | Margaret Lloyd George | Episode: "Lloyd George"
1973  | Special Branch | Sarah Lovett  | Episode: "The Other Man"
1975  | The Boy Dave | Mavis  | TV film
1975  | Rooms | Miss Hicks  | 2 episodes
1975  | Churchill's People | Elizabeth Rush | Episode: "March On, Boys!"
Edward the Seventh | Queen Victoria | 10 episodes
BAFTA TV Award for Best Actress
1976  | East Lynne | Cornelia Carlyle  | TV film
1977  | The Velvet Glove | Lilian Bayliss  | Episode: "Auntie's Niece"
1977  | The Sunday Drama | Noele  | Episode: "The Portrait"
1978 | Lillie | Henrietta Labouchere | TV serial, 2 episodes
1978  | BBC2 Play of the Week | Helen Langrishe  | Episode: "Langrishe Go Down"
1979  | The Lively Arts | Various  | 1 episode
1979  | Of Mycenae and Men | Kassandra  | TV Short
1980  | Festival: The Misanthrope | Arsinoe  | TV film
1980  | Twelfth Night | Maria  | BBC Television Shakespeare
1981  | Find Me First | Henrietta  | TV Short
1981  | The House on the Hill | Christina Rogerson  | 3 episodes
1981  | The Member for Chelsea | Christina Rogerson  | 3 episodes
1982 | East Lynne[16] | Cornelia | TV film
1982  | Saturday Night Thriller | Dorrie Childs  | Episode: "A Gift of Tongues"
1982  | The Disappearance of Harry | Lizzy  | TV film
1983 | Crown Court | Mrs Owen | Episode: "Mother's Boy" (Part 1)
1983  | Richard III | Duchess of York  | BBC Television Shakespeare
1984  | Dramarama | Rose  | Episode: "Que Sera"
1984  | Pericles, Prince of Tyre  | Dionyza  | BBC Television Shakespeare
1985  | Off Peak | Freda  | TV film
1986 | Paradise Postponed | Dorothy Simcox | TV mini-series, 10 episodes
1986  | Unnatural Causes | Helen  | Episode: "Partners"
1986–1989 | Screenplay | Mrs Holders / Cynthia | 3 episodes
1987 | Taggart | Maggie Davidson | Episode: "Funeral Rites"
1987  | Tickets for the Titanic | Mrs Pollard  | Episode: "The Way, the Truth, the Video"
1987  | Farrington of the F.O. | Julia  | Episode: "That Old Black Magic"
1988  | Game, Set and Match | Mrs. Miller  | Episode: "London Match: Part 1"
1989 | Take Me Home | Liz | 3 episodes
1989  | Bonne espérance | Miss Thurtson  |
1989 | Summer's Lease | Connie Tapscott | 2 episodes
1990  | Colin's Sandwich | Joyce  | Episodes: "Out to Lunch" & "Frank"
1990–2000 | One Foot in the Grave | Margaret Meldrew | 41 episodes plus Comic Relief sketches in 1993 (voice only) and 2001
Nominated – Best Light Entertainment Performance
Nominated – British Comedy Awards Top TV Comedy Actress
1991  | Jute City | Iris Kerr  | Episode 1.1
1992 | Heartbeat | Penelope Stirling | Episode: "Old, New, Borrowed and Blue"
1992  | The Ruth Rendell Mysteries | Irene Bell  | Episode: The Speaker of Mandarin: Part One
1993–1996 | Doctor Finlay | Janet MacPherson | 27 episodes
1994  | Performance | 1st Labour MP  | Episode: Message for Posterity
1995–1996 | Screen Two | Dr Elizabeth MacKay / Meg Kelso | 2 episodes
1997 | Jonathan Creek | Dr Ingrid Strange | Episode: "The House Of Monkeys"
1997-1999  | An Unsuitable Job for a Woman | Edith Sparshott  | 4 episodes
1997  | Underworld[17] | Aunt Doreen  | 6 episodes
1997  | Wyrd Sisters | Granny Weatherwax  | voice - 6 episodes
1999 | Oliver Twist | Mrs Bedwin | 4 episodes
2000  | Anchor Me[18][19] | Hattie Carter  | TV film
2001 | Waking the Dead | Moira Bowen | 2 episodes: "The Blind Beggar"
2002  | Bodily Harm[20][21] | Sheila Greenfield  | 2 episodes
2001–2003  | Murder in Mind | Rose Buttimore  | Episode: "Rage"
2004 | Black Books | Moo-Ma | Episode: "Moo-Ma and Moo-Pa"
2004  | William and Mary | Mrs. Driscoll  | Episode 2.5
2004  | Quite Ugly One Morning[22] | Mrs. Kincross  | TV film
2005  | Bremner, Bird and Fortune | Queen Elizabeth II  | Episode 6.4
2005 | Midsomer Murders | Amelia Plummer | Episode: "Sauce for the Goose"
2005  | Footprints in the Snow[23] | Julie's Mum  | TV film
2006  | Viva Blackpool[24] | Mrs. Berry  | TV film
2008 | Little Dorrit | Mr F's Aunt | 6 episodes
2009 | Hope Springs | Sadie Cairncross | 8 episodes
2010 | Doctor Who | Mrs Angelo | Episode: "The Eleventh Hour"
2010 | New Tricks | Miss Jones | Episode: "Coming Out Ball (New Tricks)"
2013  | Common Ground[25][26] | Brenda  | Episode: Nell, Ted & Marlon
2014–2018 | Lily's Driftwood Bay | Nonna Dog | Voice role
2015 | The Vicar of Dibley | Reverend Mavis Pipkin | Comic Relief: "The Bishop of Dibley"
2015  | Cider with Rosie[27] | Granny Trill  | TV film
2017 | Henry IX | Charlotte, The Queen Mother | 4 episodes
2019  | Dial M for Middlesbrough | Edna  | TV film
2019  | Call the Midwife | Clarice Millgrove  | Series 8 episode 2
2020  | After Life | Rosemary  | Series 2 episode 1

### Radio Appearances

[edit]

* Good Behaviour (2014) on BBC Radio 4[28]
* One Foot in the Grave (1995) 4 episodes adapted from the British television sitcom of the same name, first aired between 21 January 1995 and 11 February 1995 on BBC Radio 2. The episodes are "Alive and Buried", "In Luton Airport, No One Can Hear You Scream", "Timeless Time" and "The Beast in the Cage". They are repeated regularly on BBC Radio 4 Extra.[29]
* Old Harry's Game as Edith Cordelia Barrington (from series 6 onwards) on BBC Radio 4
* The Price of Fear \- Episode: To My Dear, Dear Saladin (6 June 1983) on BBC Radio 4[30]
* The works of Robert Burns (2016) for BBC Radio Scotland[31]

## Awards and nominations

[edit]

Year  | Association  | Category  | Nominated work  | Result

|
|
|
|

1971  | British Academy Television Awards | Best Actress | The Six Wives of Henry VIII | Won
1976  | British Academy Television Awards | Best Actress | Edward the Seventh | Won
1977  | British Academy Film Awards | Best Actress in a Supporting Role | The Slipper and the Rose | Nominated
1977  | Evening Standard British Film Awards | Best Actress  | The Slipper and the Rose | Won
1994  | British Academy Television Awards | Best Light Entertainment Performance | One Foot in the Grave | Nominated
1995  | British Academy Television Awards | Best Comedy Performance | One Foot in the Grave | Nominated
1995  | British Comedy Awards | Top TV Comedy Actress  | One Foot in the Grave | Nominated

## References

[edit]

1. ^ a b c Annette Crosbie filmography at the Bfi database Archived 15 September 2015 at the Wayback Machine accessed 7 January 2016.
2. ^ "Actress". Bafta. Retrieved 9 February 2025.
3. ^ "Supporting Actress". Bafta. Retrieved 9 February 2025.
4. ^ Unipro Limited. "Interview: Annette Crosbie". Blockbuster.co.uk. Archived from the original on 19 February 2009. Retrieved 12 June 2009.
5. ^ "Hope Springs, a new family drama for BBC One – Annette Crosbie plays Sadie Cairncross". BBC Press Office. 30 April 2009.
6. ^ "Annette Crosbie". The Gazetteer for Scotland.
7. ^ "BAFTA Television- Actress in 1971". British Academy of Film and Television Arts\- www.bafta.org.
8. ^ "No. 54993". The London Gazette (1st supplement). 30 December 1997. pp. 1–28.
9. ^ "Annette Crosbie OBE". edinburgh-places.co.uk. Retrieved 23 November 2018.
10. ^ "BBC Inside Out – Postcode lottery". Bbc.co.uk. 24 February 2003. Retrieved 8 August 2018.
11. ^ "The state of greyhound racing in Great Britain: A mandate for change" (PDF). League Against Cruel Sports. 2014. Archived (PDF) from the original on 16 August 2024.
12. ^ "Our world record dog walkies attempt!". CBBC News. 2002. Archived from the original on 16 August 2024.
13. ^ "One Foot In The Grave's Richard Wilson and Annette Crosbie reunited: 'I wanted Victor Meldrew killed off!'". ITV.com. 22 November 2018. Retrieved 9 April 2021.
14. ^ "Solitaire for 2". BFI. Archived from the original on 15 November 2020.
15. ^ Ivan-Zadeh, Larushka. "Film Review - Eat Locals". The Times.
16. ^ "East Lynne - BBC Two England, 29 December 1982". BBC Genome.
17. ^ "Underworld Part One (1997)". BFI. Archived from the original on 21 January 2018.
18. ^ "Anchor Me [Part One] (2000)". BFI. Archived from the original on 23 May 2019.
19. ^ "Anchor Me [Part Two] (2000)". BFI. Archived from the original on 23 May 2019.
20. ^ "Bodily Harm Part 1 (2002)". BFI. Archived from the original on 8 April 2018.
21. ^ "Bodily Harm Part 2 (2002)". BFI. Archived from the original on 11 April 2018.
22. ^ Oliver, Robin (26 January 2006). "Quite Ugly One Morning". The Sydney Morning Herald.
23. ^ "Must-see TV: Footprints In The Snow". Manchester Evening News. 16 February 2007.
24. ^ "Viva Blackpool". BBC.
25. ^ "Common Ground". Radio Times.
26. ^ Keens, Oliver (25 February 2013). "Common Ground". Time Out.
27. ^ "Cider with Rosie". BBC One.
28. ^ "Good Behaviour". BBC Media Centre.
29. ^ "One Foot in the Grave". BBC Radio 4 Extra.
30. ^ "BBC Radio 4 FM - 6 June 1983 Listings". BBC Genome.
31. ^ "The works of Robert Burns - Works read by Annette Crosbie". BBC.

## External links

[edit]

* Annette Crosbie at IMDb
* Annette Crosbie at British Comedy Guide

* v
* t
* e

BAFTA TV Award for Best Actress

1955–1975|

* Googie Withers (1955)
* Virginia McKenna (1956)
* Rosalie Crutchley (1957)
* Gwen Watford (1959)
* Catherine Lacey (1960)
* Billie Whitelaw (1961)
* Ruth Dunning (1962)
* Brenda Bruce (1963)
* Vivien Merchant (1964)
* Katharine Blake (1965)
* Gwen Watford (1966)
* Vanessa Redgrave (1967)
* Judi Dench (1968)
* Wendy Craig (1969)
* Margaret Tyzack (1970)
* Annette Crosbie (1971)
* Patricia Hayes (1972)
* Billie Whitelaw (1973)
* Celia Johnson (1974)
* Lee Remick (1975)

1976–2000|

* Annette Crosbie (1976)
* Siân Phillips (1977)
* Penelope Keith (1978)
* Francesca Annis (1979)
* Cheryl Campbell (1980)
* Peggy Ashcroft (1981)
* Judi Dench (1982)
* Beryl Reid (1983)
* Coral Browne (1984)
* Peggy Ashcroft (1985)
* Claire Bloom (1986)
* Anna Massey (1987)
* Emma Thompson (1988)
* Thora Hird (1989)
* Diana Rigg (1990)
* Geraldine McEwan (1991)
* Helen Mirren (1992)
* Helen Mirren (1993)
* Helen Mirren (1994)
* Juliet Aubrey (1995)
* Jennifer Ehle (1996)
* Gina McKee (1997)
* Daniela Nardini (1998)
* Thora Hird (1999)
* Thora Hird (2000)

2001–present|

* Judi Dench (2001)
* Julie Walters (2002)
* Julie Walters (2003)
* Julie Walters (2004)
* Anamaria Marinca (2005)
* Anna Maxwell Martin (2006)
* Victoria Wood (2007)
* Eileen Atkins (2008)
* Anna Maxwell Martin (2009)
* Julie Walters (2010)
* Vicky McClure (2011)
* Emily Watson (2012)
* Sheridan Smith (2013)
* Olivia Colman (2014)
* Georgina Campbell (2015)
* Suranne Jones (2016)
* Sarah Lancashire (2017)
* Molly Windsor (2018)
* Jodie Comer (2019)
* Glenda Jackson (2020)
* Michaela Coel (2021)
* Jodie Comer (2022)
* Kate Winslet (2023)
* Sarah Lancashire (2024)
* Marisa Abela (2025)

* v
* t
* e

Evening Standard British Film Award for Best Actress

* Glenda Jackson (1973)
* Glenda Jackson (1974)
* Wendy Hiller (1975)
* Annette Crosbie (1976)
* Billie Whitelaw (1977)
* Nanette Newman (1978)
* Maggie Smith (1979)
* Frances de la Tour (1980)
* Maggie Smith (1981)
* Jennifer Kendal (1982)
* Phyllis Logan (1983)
* Helen Mirren (1984)
* Miranda Richardson (1985)
* Coral Browne (1986)
* Emily Lloyd (1987)
* Billie Whitelaw (1988)
* Pauline Collins (1989)
* Natasha Richardson (1990)
* Juliet Stevenson (1991)
* Emma Thompson (1992)
* Emma Thompson (1993)
* Kristin Scott Thomas (1994)
* Kristin Scott Thomas (1995)
* Kate Winslet (1996)
* Katrin Cartlidge (1997)
* Julie Christie (1998)
* Samantha Morton (1999)
* Julie Walters (2000)
* Kate Winslet (2001)
* Catherine Zeta-Jones (2002)
* Emma Thompson (2003)
* Imelda Staunton (2004)
* Natasha Richardson (2005)
* Judi Dench (2006)
* Helena Bonham Carter (2007)
* Tilda Swinton (2008)
* Anne-Marie Duff (2009)
* Kristin Scott Thomas (2010)
* Olivia Colman (2011)
* Andrea Riseborough (2012)
* Maggie Smith (2016)
* Kate Beckinsale (2017)
* Kristin Scott Thomas (2018)

Authority control databases

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* WorldCat

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* Germany
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Artists|

* MusicBrainz

Other|

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*[m.]: married
*[div.]: divorced
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