Mary Miller (actress) facts for kids

Mary Elizabeth Miller (born Spinks; December 27, 1929 – July 11, 2020) was an English actress. She was famous for her work on television and in plays. Mary was also one of the first members of the National Theatre Company when it started in 1963.

Mary Miller's Acting Career

Starting Out in the 1960s

Mary Miller began her TV acting career in 1959. Her first role was in a series called The Golden Spur. That same year, she appeared in the police drama No Hiding Place.

In 1961, Mary was part of a TV series called The Younger Generation. This show helped new actors get noticed. Mary appeared in eight of the plays in this series.

A big moment for her was in 1963. She became one of the first 77 actors to join the National Theatre Company. This was a new and important theatre group led by Sir Laurence Olivier.

Mary also acted in The Protectors, a British TV series. She played a character named Tamara in an episode called "Freedom!". In 1964, she was in a BBC series based on Rudyard Kipling's The Indian Tales. She also showed her funny side in The Dick Emery Show.

In 1965, Mary appeared in the popular police drama Dixon of Dock Green. Later that year, she was in Mogul, a show about the oil industry. She also acted alongside Bill Simpson in Dr. Finlay's Casebook. They would later get married.

Acting in the Late 1960s

Mary continued to be very busy in 1966. She appeared in shows like Mystery and Imagination and The Wednesday Play. She also returned to No Hiding Place.

She took on a main role as Maggie Hobson in a BBC play called Hobson's Choice. This play was set in the late 1800s.

Mary also showed her comedy skills again. She worked with the famous comedian Marty Feldman in his series Marty (1968–69). She also appeared in other plays and TV shows, including a second time on Dr. Finlay's Casebook.

In 1969, she played Anna in the BBC legal drama Barrister at Law. She also worked with Marty Feldman again in two more series, Marty Amok and Marty Abroad. She even performed in a play called The Secretary Bird in Sydney, Australia.

Over the next few years, Mary appeared in many different productions. These included Tales of Piccadilly, ITV Playhouse, Sykes, and the science fiction show Space: 1999.

Playing a Lawyer in Crown Court

From 1976 to 1977, Mary Miller played a strong character named Angela Dunwoody QC. This was in the TV show Crown Court. It was a courtroom drama series.

Mary played a barrister in four different stories. These stories covered ten episodes. She acted with famous actors like Ben Kingsley and Patricia Routledge. The cases included a doctor accused of libel and a trawler captain accused of negligence.

More Roles in the Late 1970s

Mary didn't just act on TV; she also continued to perform in the theatre. She played Beth in the play Otherwise Engaged in London in 1975. She even repeated this role in New York City in 1977.

In 1977, Mary was in the BBC mini-series Fathers and Families. She then played Fay Passmore in eleven episodes of Rooms. This was a long-running series about people living in bed-sits. In 1978, she appeared in an episode of The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie.

Mary also acted in the 1979 TV film All Quiet on the Western Front. This movie was about the First World War from the German soldiers' point of view.

Interestingly, Mary Miller was offered a role in the sci-fi TV series Blake's 7. However, she turned it down, and another actress, Jacqueline Pearce, got the part.

The 1980s and Beyond

In 1981, Mary returned to London's Covent Garden. She was part of a Royal Ballet show about the famous dancer Isadora Duncan. Mary provided the voice of Isadora, reading from her life story.

She continued her stage career, appearing in plays like Pack of Lies in London in 1983.

In 1985, Mary lent her voice to several characters in the TV movie Alice in Wonderland. This was a fantasy show based on the famous book by Lewis Carroll. She voiced the Mouse, Duck, Parrot, Pigeon, Cook, and Baby.

In 1987, Mary played Deirdre Pilkington in the TV production "After Pilkington". She also joined the cast of the fantasy game show Knightmare. She often played characters like Lilith or Mildread in 27 episodes until 1988.

In 1990, Mary appeared in the popular BBC soap opera EastEnders. She played Joan Garwood, the older sister of Frank Butcher. Her character returned for one more episode in 1995.

Before that, she had roles in The Inspector Alleyn Mysteries (1993), Casualty (1993), and Cadfael (1995). In 1997, she was in the drama series Trial & Retribution. Her last recorded acting work was in 2005, in an updated version of Trial & Retribution.

Mary Miller's Personal Life

Mary Miller married Scottish actor Bill Simpson in 1965. He was known for his role in Dr. Finlay's Casebook. They got married in Scotland. The couple did not have any children. They divorced in 1969.

Mary spent the last eleven years of her life at Denville Hall. This is a special retirement home for actors in Northwood, London. She passed away there on July 11, 2020, at the age of 90.

Filmography