Maureen Lipman facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Dame Maureen Lipman DBE
Lipman in 2023
Born	Maureen Diane Lipman (1946-05-10) 10 May 1946 (age 79) Hull, East Riding of Yorkshire, England
Alma mater	London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art
Occupation	Actress, writer, comedian
Years active	1968–present
Spouse(s)	Jack Rosenthal ​ ​ (m. 1974; died 2004)​
Partner(s)	Guido Castro (2008–2021) David Turner (2023–present)
Children	2, including Amy Rosenthal

Dame Maureen Diane Lipman is a famous English actress, writer, and comedian. She was born on May 10, 1946. She trained at a special acting school called the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art. Maureen has performed with very important theatre groups like the National Theatre and the Royal Shakespeare Company. In 2020, she was given the title of Dame for her amazing work in charity, entertainment, and the arts.

Maureen Lipman's Early Life and School

Maureen Lipman was born in Hull, England, on May 10, 1946. Her parents were Maurice Julius Lipman and Zelma Pearlman. Her dad was a tailor and had a shop in Hull.

Maureen grew up in a Jewish family. She found Hull to be a friendly place for the Jewish community after World War II. She lived on Northfield Road and went to Wheeler Primary School.

She later attended Newland School for Girls in Hull. Maureen became very interested in performing when she was young. She acted in school plays and even saw an early Beatles concert! She also watched the movie Butterfield 8 many times.

At home, she would pretend to be singers like Alma Cogan. Her mother really encouraged her to become an actress. Her mom would take her to pantomime shows and even push her onto the stage!

Maureen then went on to train professionally at the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art.

Maureen Lipman's Acting Career

Theatre Performances

Maureen Lipman started her acting career in theatre. Her first play was The Knack at the Watford Palace Theatre. She even made up a story about a documentary producer wanting to film her first job to get the role!

From 1971 to 1973, Maureen was part of Laurence Olivier's National Theatre Company. She also joined the Royal Shakespeare Company in 1973.

Maureen has continued to act in plays for over fifty years. She played Aunt Eller in the National Theatre's Oklahoma!.

From 2005 to 2006, she starred as Florence Foster Jenkins in the play Glorious!. This show was even nominated for an Olivier Award.

She also starred in When We Are Married by J. B. Priestley from 2010 to 2011. In 2012, she directed and acted in Barefoot in the Park. She also appeared in Old Money.

In 2013, she starred in Daytona and later in Harvey in 2015. In 2016, she was in My Mother Said I Never Should. She also performed with Felicity Kendal in Lettice and Lovage in 2017.

In 2018, she starred in The Best Man. She also returned to the Edinburgh Festival Fringe with her own show of jokes and stories called Up For It.

Television Roles

Maureen Lipman first became well-known on TV in the comedy show Agony (1979–81). She played an agony aunt (someone who gives advice) who had a tricky personal life. She also appeared with Alec Guinness in Smiley's People (1982).

She performed a famous speech by Joyce Grenfell called The Committee in 1982. She also played the main role in All at No 20 (1986–87). Maureen showed her talent by playing many different characters in the comedy series About Face (1989–91). She is also known for playing Joyce Grenfell in the show Re: Joyce!, which she helped write.

In 1996, she was in the BBC comedy-drama Eskimo Day, written by her husband, Jack Rosenthal. There was also a follow-up show called Cold Enough for Snow in 1997.

She played a character named Lillian Spencer in Coronation Street in 2002. She returned to Coronation Street in 2018, playing Evelyn Plummer, the long-lost grandmother of Tyrone Dobbs.

In 2003, she appeared in Jonathan Creek. Maureen also played Maggie Wych in the children's TV show The Fugitives in 2005. She has narrated TV shows about design, including one on Art Deco.

Maureen has also appeared on many panel shows like Just a Minute and Have I Got News for You. In 2007, she was a contestant on Comic Relief Does The Apprentice to raise money for Comic Relief. She also made guest appearances in Casualty and Holby City.

In 2009, she appeared in the teen drama Skins. She also starred as Irene Spencer in the comedy Ladies of Letters from 2009 to 2010.

Film Appearances

Maureen Lipman had an early film role in Up the Junction (1968). She played the main character's mother in Roman Polanski's film The Pianist (2002).

In the 1999 film Solomon & Gaenor, her character spoke Yiddish throughout the movie.

Advertising Work

In 1987, Maureen became very famous for playing "Beatrice Bellman" (also known as "Beatie/BT"). This was a character in a series of TV commercials for British Telecom. Her role was so popular that it led to a book called You Got An Ology in 1989.

Books and Writing

After her husband, Jack Rosenthal, passed away in 2004, Maureen finished his autobiography, By Jack Rosenthal. She also played herself in a radio adaptation of the book.

She wrote a book of animal poems called The Gibbon's In Decline But The Horse Is Stable. This book was illustrated by famous cartoonists and helped raise money for Myeloma UK, a charity that fights the cancer her husband had.

For over ten years, Maureen wrote a monthly column for Good Housekeeping magazine. These columns became the basis for several of her autobiographical books, including How Was It For You? and Lip Reading. She has also written a weekly column for The Guardian newspaper.

She writes for The Oldie magazine and is on the advisory board for Jewish Renaissance magazine.

Maureen Lipman's Personal Life

Maureen Lipman is Jewish. She lives in Muswell Hill, north London. She has two children, who are both writers: Amy and Adam Rosenthal.

She was married to the writer Jack Rosenthal from 1974 until he passed away in 2004. She acted in many of his works.

Her partner from 2008 until his death in 2021 was Guido Castro, a retired computer expert. In August 2024, Maureen became engaged to David Turner.

Maureen Lipman's Charitable Work

Maureen Lipman supports the work of the Burma Campaign UK. This is a large non-governmental organization (NGO) that helps with the process of making Myanmar (Burma) more democratic.

She also supports Prospect Burma, a charity that helps Burmese students study at universities overseas. Maureen spoke on behalf of Prospect Burma on a BBC Radio 4 Appeal in 2009.

Maureen Lipman's Film and TV Roles

Film

Television

Awards and Special Recognitions

Maureen Lipman has received many awards and nominations for her acting.

• In 1981, she was nominated for a BAFTA Award for her role in Agony.
• She was also nominated for a BAFTA Award in 1984 for Educating Rita.
• In 1985, she won the Laurence Olivier Award for Best Comedy Performance for the play See How They Run.
• The University of Hull gave her an honorary doctorate in 1994.
• Her show Live and Kidding was nominated for an Olivier Award for Best Entertainment.
• In 2003, she was nominated for Best Supporting Actress at the Polish Film Awards for The Pianist.
• In 2019, she won "Best Newcomer" at The Inside Soap Awards for playing Evelyn Plummer in Coronation Street.
• In 2023, she won "Best Comedy Performance" at The British Soap Awards for her role as Evelyn Plummer.

Honours and Titles

Maureen Lipman was made a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in 1999. This is a special honour from the Queen. In 2020, she was given an even higher honour: Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire (DBE). She received this title for her contributions to charity, entertainment, and the arts. She received her award from Charles, Prince of Wales at Windsor Castle in 2021, with her son Adam Rosenthal by her side.

Maureen Lipman's Legacy

Maureen Lipman's important papers, along with those of her husband Jack Rosenthal, are kept at the University of Sheffield. They are a valuable record of their work.

See also

In Spanish: Maureen Lipman para niños