Elizabeth Spriggs Dies at 78

London Theatre Guide is reporting that Elizabeth Spriggs, the skilled character actress who forged a long and successful career with the Royal Shakespeare Company and National Theatre, died last week at the age of 78.

In 1962 Spriggs joined Peter Hall's Royal Shakespeare Company. Her relationship with The Ensemble Company contiured over the next 14 years.

Among her RSC performances were Gertrude opposite David Warner's Hamlet, Beatrice in Much Ado About Nothing and the Nurse in Romeo And Juliet. She also appeared with Peggy Ashcroft,Michael Hordern and Sheila Hancock in A Delicate Balance, and with Judi Dench in both London Assurance and Major Barbara.

In 1976, Spriggs rejoinEd Hall as he took charge of The National Theatre, where she appeared in plays including Blithe Spirit (as Madame Arcati), Volpone and Macbeth. It was for another National Theatre production, Love Letters On Blue Paper, that Spriggs won a Laurence Olivier Award (then Society of West End Theatre Award) for Actress Of The Year In A Supporting Role, in 1978.

On film she recently appeared as Mrs Jennings in the Emma Thompson Sense And Sensibility and played the Fat Lady in the first Harry Potter film.

Spriggs died on 2 July 2008. She is survived by her third husband, Murray Manson, and daughter Wendy.

Photo Credit www.museum.tv. 

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