Kate Harcourt facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Dame Kate Harcourt DNZM JP
Harcourt in 2018
Born	Catherine Winifred Fulton (1927-06-16) 16 June 1927 (age 97) Amberley, New Zealand
Occupation	Actress
Years active	1960s–present
Spouse(s)	Peter Millais Harcourt ​ ​ (m. 1965; died 1995)​
Children	2
Relatives	Miranda Harcourt (daughter) Geraldine Harcourt (niece) Thomasin McKenzie (granddaughter)

Dame Catherine Winifred Harcourt (born Catherine Winifred Fulton on 16 June 1927), known as Kate Harcourt, is a famous actress from New Zealand. She has had a very long career, acting in comedies and dramas. You might have seen her on stage, in movies, on TV, or heard her on the radio!

About Her Life

Kate Harcourt grew up on a sheep farm in a country area called Amberley, New Zealand. Her mother was Winifred Harriet and her father was Gordon Fulton. Kate was the youngest of three children. She had an older brother, John, and an older sister. From the age of nine, she went to boarding school.

Music was a big part of Kate's early life, just like it was for her mother. She went to Christchurch to train as a kindergarten teacher. This also allowed her to keep up with her singing and piano lessons. She even studied opera in London!

Kate is the mother of actress Miranda Harcourt and TV presenter Gordon Harcourt. She is also the grandmother of actresses Thomasin McKenzie and Davida McKenzie. Kate acted in the movie The Changeover. She met her husband, Peter Harcourt (1923–1995), at the Wellington Repertory Theatre. Peter was from the family who started Harcourts International, a real estate company. He passed away in 1995. Peter was also a well-known actor and broadcaster. An award for new playwrights at the Wellington Theatre Awards is named after him.

Her Acting Career

After studying in London, Kate Harcourt came back to New Zealand. She first taught at a school in Havelock North. Later, she moved to Wellington and taught at Marsden College. She then worked at a department store called Kirkaldie and Stains. There, she helped organize and host weekly fashion shows for seven years.

Kate became known across the country when she was a regular voice on a radio show for young children called Listen with Mother. She later hosted a children's TV show called Junior Magazine.

Kate Harcourt has performed in many plays and screen productions. She has acted in comedies with a group called Hens' Teeth. She also performed in a play called Hedda Gabler. She worked closely with the Downstage theatre company for a long time. One of her favorite roles was playing Mary in the play Wednesday to Come by New Zealand writer Renée.

In 1998, Kate performed on stage with her daughter Miranda Harcourt. The play was called Flowers from my Mother's Garden. It was based on letters between Kate and her daughter. People said the play showed the experiences of a mother, daughter, and their family in a simple but very deep way.

Awards and Recognition

In 1996, Kate Harcourt was given a special award. She was made a Dame Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit. This honor was for her amazing contributions to theatre.

Film Roles

Kate Harcourt has appeared in many films. Here are some of them:

Television Roles

Kate Harcourt has also been in many television shows. Here are some of her TV appearances:

Short Films

Kate Harcourt has also acted in several short films:

Web Series

She has also appeared in a web series:

Theatre Performances

Kate Harcourt has a long history of performing in plays on stage: