Joan Plowright facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Dame Joan Plowright DBE
Plowright in 1958
Born	Joan Ann Plowright (1929-10-28)28 October 1929 Brigg, Lincolnshire, England
Died	16 January 2025(2025-01-16) (aged 95) Northwood, London, England
Alma mater	Old Vic Theatre School
Occupation	Actress
Years active	1948–2014 • 2018
Spouse(s)	Roger Gage ​ ​ (m. 1953; div. 1960)​ Laurence Olivier ​ ​ (m. 1961; died 1989)​
Children	3
Relatives	David Plowright (brother)

Dame Joan Ann Plowright, Baroness Olivier (born October 28, 1929 – died January 16, 2025) was a famous English actress. She had a very long career, acting for over sixty years! She won many important awards, like two Golden Globe Awards, an Olivier Award, and a Tony Award. She was also nominated for an Academy Award, which is a very big deal in movies.

In 2004, Queen Elizabeth II made her a Dame. This is a special honor in the United Kingdom, like being knighted. Joan Plowright was known for her amazing work on stage and in many popular films and TV shows.

Early Life and Training

Joan Plowright was born on October 28, 1929, in a town called Brigg in Lincolnshire, England. Her mother was Daisy Margaret and her father was William Ernest Plowright, who worked as a journalist.

She went to Scunthorpe Grammar School when she was younger. Later, she trained to be an actress at The Old Vic Theatre School. This school is famous for teaching acting.

Her Acting Career

Joan Plowright started her acting journey on stage in 1948. She made her first appearance in London in 1954. In 1956, she joined the English Stage Company at the Royal Court Theatre. She acted in many plays there, including The Country Wife and The Chairs.

Plowright as Jo (right) with Angela Lansbury as Helen, in the 1961 Broadway production of A Taste of Honey

In 1957, Joan Plowright acted alongside Sir Laurence Olivier in a play called The Entertainer. She later married him. She won a Tony Award in 1961 for her role in the play A Taste of Honey on Broadway in New York City. A Tony Award is one of the highest honors for stage acting.

As she got older, Joan Plowright started acting in more films. She was in Enchanted April (1992), which earned her a Golden Globe Award and an Academy Award nomination. She also played Nanny in the popular movie 101 Dalmatians (1996) and was in Dennis the Menace (1993).

On television, she won another Golden Globe Award for her role in the TV film Stalin (1992). She was one of only a few actresses to win two Golden Globes in the same year!

Her last movie appearance was in a documentary called Nothing Like a Dame (2018). In this film, she talked about her career with other famous actresses like Dame Maggie Smith and Dame Judi Dench.

Personal Life

Marriages and Family

Joan Plowright was married twice. Her first husband was an actor named Roger Gage. They got married in 1953 but later divorced.

In 1961, she married the very famous actor Laurence Olivier. They had three children together. Two of their daughters also became actresses. Joan and Laurence were married until he passed away in 1989. Joan's younger brother, David Plowright, was also important in television.

Later Years and Passing

Sadly, Joan Plowright's eyesight got worse over time because of an eye condition called macular degeneration. In 2014, she announced that she was retiring from acting because she had become legally blind.

Joan Plowright passed away on January 16, 2025, at the age of 95.

Her Legacy

The Plowright Theatre in Scunthorpe, England, is named after Joan Plowright. This shows how much she was respected in her hometown.

She received many honors throughout her life. In 1970, she was made a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE). Later, in 2004, she was promoted to Dame Commander (DBE). This is a very high honor from the British monarch.

After she passed away, Variety, a well-known entertainment magazine, called her "perhaps the greatest Anglophone actor of the 20th century." This means they thought she was one of the best English-speaking actors of her time.

Film Roles

Television Roles

Awards and Nominations

Joan Plowright was the second of only four actresses (as of 2024) to win two Golden Globes in the same year.

Images for kids

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  Plowright in 1958

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  Plowright as Jo (right) with Angela Lansbury as Helen, in the 1961 Broadway production of A Taste of Honey

See also

In Spanish: Joan Plowright para niños