Pam Ferris

Pamela Ferris (born 11 May 1948) is a Welsh actress. She has starred in numerous television series, including Connie (1985), The Darling Buds of May (1991–1993), Where the Heart Is (1997–2000), Rosemary & Thyme (2003–2006), and Call the Midwife (2012–2016). Ferris also played Miss Trunchbull in Matilda, Aunt Marge in Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (2004), Mrs. Bevan in Nativity! (2009) and Mrs. Faulkner in the film Tolkien (2019)

Pamela Ferris
Ferris in 2012
Born
Pamela Ferris[1]

(1948-05-11) 11 May 1948
OccupationActress
Years active1971–present
Spouse(s)
Roger Frost
(m. 1986)

Early life

Ferris was born in Hanover, Lower Saxony, Germany,[2] to Welsh parents, while her father was serving in the Royal Air Force. After her parents returned to Wales, Ferris spent her childhood in the Aberkenfig area, near Bridgend. Her father, Fred Ferris, was a policeman, and her mother, Ann Perkins, worked in her family's bakery business.[3]

Career

Ferris performed in her younger years at the Mercury Theatre in Auckland,[4] and later with various regional companies in the UK. She played motherly Ma Larkin in the ITV series The Darling Buds of May, which ran from 1991 to 1993. She has also acted in a succession of television dramas, including Meantime, in which she played the Cockney mother of Phil Daniels and Tim Roth, Connie, Hardwicke House, Oranges Are Not the Only Fruit, Where the Heart Is and Paradise Heights. From 2003 to 2006, she played the gardening sleuth, Laura Thyme, in Rosemary & Thyme.

Her roles in costume dramas include parts in television adaptations of Middlemarch, The Tenant of Wildfell Hall, Our Mutual Friend, The Turn of the Screw, Pollyanna, and Jane Eyre. In 1996, Ferris portrayed the brutish, authoritarian school headmistress Agatha Trunchbull in Matilda. In 2004, she played the callous Aunt Marge in Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban. In 2006, Ferris took on the role of Miriam, a motherly activist in Children of Men. She has also acted in productions for BBC Radio 4.

Her career in the theatre has included parts in Royal Court Theatre and National Theatre productions. In 2007 she played Phoebe Rice in an acclaimed revival of John Osborne's The Entertainer at London's Old Vic Theatre. In 2007, Ferris took part in the BBC Wales programme Coming Home about her Welsh family history. In 2008 she played Mrs General in an all-star cast BBC adaptation of the Charles Dickens novel Little Dorrit. From 2009 to 2010, she appeared in the final series of the BBC comedy Gavin & Stacey as Cath Smith. In 2010, she made a guest appearance in the sitcom Grandma's House. From 2012-2016, Ferris played the part of Sister Evangelina in the series Call the Midwife. She chose to leave as filming was moved to a different location and the extra journey time was too stressful. In June and July 2015 Ferris was the guest of Sarah Walker on BBC Radio 3's Essential Classics.[5]

Personal life

In 1986 she married actor Roger Frost. She lives in Elham, Kent, England.[6]

Filmography

Film

Year Title Role Notes
1983 Meantime Mavis
1996 Matilda Miss Agatha Trunchbull
2002 Death to Smoochy Tommy Cotter
2004 Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban Aunt Marge
2006 Children of Men Miriam
2009 Nativity! Mrs. Bevan
2009 Telstar Mrs Violet Shenton
2009 Malice in Wonderland The Duchess
2012 The Raven Mrs. Bradley
2012 Nativity 2: Danger in the Manger Mrs. Bevan
2013 Saving Santa Mrs. Claus
2016 Ethel & Ernest Mrs. Bennett / Aunty Betty (voice)
2018 Holmes & Watson Queen Victoria
2019 Tolkien Mrs. Faulkner

Television

Year Title Role Notes
1971 BBC Play of the Month Puck and Fairie Episode: “A Midsummer Night's Dream”
1984 Dramarama Dorothy Episode: “Dodger, Bonzo and the Rest”
1985 The Bill Mrs. Draper Episode: “Death of a Cracksmen”
1985 Connie Nesta 13 episodes
1986 Ladies in Charge Charlie Episode: “Double Act”
1987 Hardwicke House Ms. Crabbe 2 episodes broadcast, 5 unaired and all 7 uploaded to YouTube in 2019.
1987 Lizzie's Pictures Grace 3 episodes
1987 Dramarama Anne Bailey Episode: “Peter”
1987 Casualty Linda Episode: “The Raid”
1988 The Fear Brenda Episode: “#1.1”
1988 Valentine Park Mrs. Fox Episode: “A Rose By Any Other Name”
1988 South of the Border Brenda Episode: “#1.6”
1989 All Change Maggie Oldfield Episode: “The Bosom of the Family”
1990 Oranges Are Not the Only Fruit Mrs. Arkwright 3 episodes
1990 A Sense of Guilt Magdalen Parry 3 episodes
1991–1993 The Darling Buds of May Florence "Ma" Larkin 20 episodes
1992 Mr Wakefield's Crusade Mad Marion 2 episodes
1992 Cluedo Mrs. White 6 episodes
1992 Performance Mrs. Bryant Episode: “Roots”
1993 Comedy Playhouse Matron Episode: “Once in a Lifetime”
1994 Middlemarch Mrs. Dollop 3 episodes
1994 The World of Peter Rabbit and Friends Aunt Pettitoes (voice) Episode: “The Tale of Pigling Bland”
1994 The Rector's Wife Eleanor Ramsay 2 episodes
1996 Wycliffe Pat Trethowan Episode: “Last Judgment”
1996 The Tenant of Wildfell Hall Mrs. Markham 2 episodes
1997–2000 Where the Heart Is Peggy Snow 36 episodes
1998 Our Mutual Friend Mrs. Boffin 4 episodes
2001 Linda Green Norma Fitts Episode: “Victim Support”
2002 Paradise Heights Marion Eustace 6 episodes
2003 Clocking Off Pat Fletcher 6 episodes
2003–2006 Rosemary & Thyme Laura Thyme 22 episodes
2004 Agatha Christie's Marple Elspeth McGillicuddy Episode: “4:50 from Paddington”
2006 Jane Eyre Grace Poole 4 episodes
2007 Lilies Alice Bird Episode: “The Serpent”
2008 Little Dorrit Mrs. Hortensia General 6 episodes
2009 Gavin & Stacey Catherina "Cath" Smith 2 episodes
2010 Grandma's House Deborah Adler Episode: “The Day Simon Announced He Was in Control of the Universe”
2011 Midsomer Murders Liz Tomlin Episode: “Echoes of the Dead”
2011 Luther Baba 3 episodes
2012–2016 Call the Midwife Sister Evangelina 36 episodes

References

  1. ltd, company check. "MS PAMELA FERRIS director information. Free director information. Director id 902329745". Company Check. Retrieved 16 September 2017.
  2. "Coming Home: Pam Ferris". BBC News. BBC. 12 March 2007. Archived from the original on 19 September 2007. Retrieved 16 September 2017.
  3. "Mercury Theatre Records (1966–1990)". Auckland City Government. Archived from the original on 24 July 2008. Retrieved 27 August 2008.
  4. "Monday - Sarah Walker with Pam Ferris, Essential Classics". BBC Radio 3. BBC. Retrieved 16 September 2017.
  5. "'Darling Buds of May' star back in Kent high life. She participated in the 96 Atlanta Olympics". Itv.com. 7 June 2015. Retrieved 16 September 2017.
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