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; engaged)
Children	2, including Amy Rosenthal

Dame Maureen Diane Lipman (born 10 May 1946) is a famous English actress, writer, and comedian. She studied at the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art. She has performed with top theatre groups like the National Theatre and the Royal Shakespeare Company.

For her work in entertainment and for charity, she was made a dame, which is a high honour in the United Kingdom.

Lipman has been nominated for seven Olivier Awards, which are like the Oscars for British theatre. She won in 1984 for the play See How They Run. She was also nominated for a BAFTA award for the movie Educating Rita. You might also know her from her role as Evelyn Plummer in the popular TV show Coronation Street.

Early Life and School

Maureen Lipman was born in Hull, England. Her father, Maurice, was a tailor. Lipman grew up in a Jewish family and has said that Hull was a friendly place for the Jewish community after World War II.

She went to Newland School for Girls. As a teenager, she became very interested in acting. She performed in school plays and loved watching movies. Her mother encouraged her to become an actress. After high school, Lipman moved to London to train at the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art.

Acting Career

Lipman has had a long and successful career on stage, on television, and in movies for over 50 years.

Theatre Work

Lipman's first professional acting job was in a play called The Knack. She joined Laurence Olivier's famous National Theatre Company in the early 1970s. She also worked with the Royal Shakespeare Company.

She has played many different roles in the theatre. One of her famous parts was Aunt Eller in the musical Oklahoma!. She also starred in plays like Glorious!, When We Are Married, and Harvey.

Television Roles

Lipman became well-known on TV in the comedy show Agony. In the show, she played an agony aunt (someone who gives advice in a newspaper or magazine).

She is also famous for playing the writer and comedian Joyce Grenfell. She co-wrote and starred in a show about her life called Re: Joyce!.

Lipman performing as Joyce Grenfell.

In 2002, she had a short role in Coronation Street. She returned to the show in 2018 to play a main character, Evelyn Plummer, the grandmother of Tyrone Dobbs.

She has appeared in many other shows, including Doctor Who, where she played a villain called The Wire. She also starred in the comedy Ladies of Letters with actress Anne Reid.

Famous Adverts

In the 1980s, Lipman starred in a series of popular TV commercials for British Telecom (now called BT). She played a funny Jewish grandmother named Beatie. The character became so famous that a book was published about her.

Movie Appearances

Lipman has acted in several movies. She appeared in Educating Rita, which earned her a BAFTA nomination. She also played the main character's mother in the award-winning film The Pianist.

Writing and Charity Work

Lipman is also a talented writer. For over ten years, she wrote a monthly column for Good Housekeeping magazine. She has published several books based on her life and writings.

After her husband, the writer Jack Rosenthal, passed away in 2004, she helped finish his life story. She also supports many charities. She helped create a book of animal poems to raise money for Myeloma UK, a charity that fights cancer.

Lipman also supports the Burma Campaign UK, which works to bring democracy to the country of Myanmar.

Personal Life

Lipman is Jewish. She was married to the writer Jack Rosenthal from 1974 until he died in 2004. They had two children, Amy and Adam, who are both writers.

From 2008 until his death in 2021, her partner was Guido Castro. In 2023, she became engaged to David Turner.

Filmography

Film

Television

Awards and Honours

Lipman has won many awards for her acting. In 1994, she was given an honorary doctorate (a special degree) from the University of Hull.

• Laurence Olivier Awards: She won Best Comedy Performance in 1984 for See How They Run. She has been nominated six other times.
• BAFTA Film Awards: She was nominated for Best Supporting Actress in 1984 for Educating Rita.
• BAFTA TV Awards: She has been nominated twice for her acting on television.
• Inside Soap Awards: She has won multiple awards for her role in Coronation Street, including Best Newcomer and Funniest Performance.
• The British Soap Awards: She won Best Comedy Performance in 2023.

In 1999, she was made a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE). In 2020, she was made a Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire (DBE) for her work in entertainment and charity. This is one of the highest honours given in the UK.