Pam Ferris

Pam Ferris

Ferris in 2012
Born Pamela E. Ferris[1]
(1948-05-11) 11 May 1948[1]
Hanover, Lower Saxony, Germany
Occupation Actress
Years active 1971–present
Spouse(s) Roger Frost (m. 1986)
Parent(s) Fred Ferris
Ann Perkins

Pamela E. "Pam" Ferris (born 11 May 1948)[1][2][3] is a German-born British character actress. She starred on television as Ma Larkin in The Darling Buds of May, and as Laura Thyme in Rosemary & Thyme, and has played parts in family films based on works by British authors as Miss Trunchbull in Matilda and as Aunt Marge in Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban.

Personal life

Ferris was born in Hanover, Lower Saxony, Germany, to Welsh parents, while her father was serving in the Royal Air Force. Ferris spent her childhood in the Aberkenfig area, near Bridgend in Wales. Her father, Fred Ferris, was a policeman, and her mother, Ann Perkins, worked in her family's bakery business.[4] Her family emigrated to New Zealand when she was 13.[5] Ferris returned to the UK in her early 20s.[6] In 1986, she married actor Roger Frost. She lives in Elham, Kent, South East England.[7]

Career

Ferris performed in her younger years at the Mercury Theatre in Auckland,[8] and later with various regional companies in the UK.

Ferris 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. These include: 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.

Ferris portrayed the horrid school headmistress Miss Agatha Trunchbull in Matilda. Additionally, she played the nasty Aunt Marge in Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, and Miriam, a motherly activist in Children of Men, both of which were directed by Alfonso Cuarón.

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. In 2009 she appeared in the final series of the BBC comedy Gavin & Stacey. In 2010 she made a guest appearance in the sitcom Grandma's House.

From 2012 to 2016 Ferris played the part of Sister Evangelina in the series Call the Midwife.

In June and July 2015 Ferris was the guest of Sarah Walker on BBC Radio 3's Essential Classics.[9]

Filmography

Television series

Year Title Role Notes
1971 BBC Play of the Month Puck and Fairie
1984 Dramarama Dorothy
1985 The Bill Mrs. Draper
1985 Connie Nesta
1986 Ladies in Charge Charlie
1987 Hardwicke House Ms. Crabbe
1987 Lizzie's Pictures Grace
1987 Dramarama Paul's mother
1987 Casualty Linda
1988 The Fear Brenda
1988 Valentine Park Mrs. Fox
1988 South of the Border Brenda
1989 All Change Maggie Oldfield
1990 Oranges Are Not the Only Fruit Mrs. Arkwright
1990 A Sense of Guilt Magdalen Parry
1991-1993 The Darling Buds of May Florence "Ma" Larkin
1992 Mr Wakefield's Crusade Mad Marion
1992 Cluedo Mrs. White
1992 Performance Mrs. Bryant
1993 Comedy Playhouse Matron
1994 Middlemarch Mrs. Dollop
1994 The World of Peter Rabbit and Friends Aunt Pettitoes (voice)
1994 The Rector's Wife Eleanor Ramsay
1996 Wycliffe Pat Trethowan
1996 The Tenant of Wildfell Hall Mrs. Markham
1997-2000 Where the Heart Is Peggy Snow
1998 Our Mutual Friend Mrs. Boffin
2001 Linda Green Norma Fitts
2002 Paradise Heights Marion Eustace
2003 Clocking Off Pat Fletcher
2003-2006 Rosemary & Thyme Laura Thyme
2004 Agatha Christie's Marple Elspeth McGillicuddy
2006 Jane Eyre Grace Poole
2007 Lilies Alice Bird
2008 Little Dorrit Mrs. Hortensia General
2009 Gavin & Stacey Catherina "Cath" Smith
2010 Grandma's House Deborah Adler
2011 Midsomer Murders Liz Tomlin
2011 Luther Baba
2012–2016 Call the Midwife Sister Evangelina

Films

Year Title Role Notes
1983 Meantime Mavis
1996 Matilda Miss Trunchbull Nominated — Saturn Award for Best Supporting Actress
2001 The Life and Adventures of Nicholas Nickleby Mrs. Squeers
2002 Death to Smoochy Tommy Cotter
2004 Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban Aunt Marge
2006 Children of Men Miriam
2009 Nativity! Mrs. Bevans
2009 Telstar Mrs Violet Shenton
2009 Malice in Wonderland The Duchess
2012 The Raven Mrs. Bradley
2012 Nativity 2: Danger in the Manger Mrs. Bevans
2013 Saving Santa Mrs. Claus

References

  1. 1 2 3 Pamela Ferris Researcha.co.uk.
  2. ↑ "Little Dorrit star Pam Ferris on her 15 year rift with Catherine Zeta-Jones". Daily Mail (22 November 2008). Retrieved 18 August 2010.
  3. ↑ Pam Ferris at Directorcheck.co.uk
  4. ↑ BBC – South East Wales Bridgend – Coming Home: Pam Ferris
  5. ↑ "The day that changed my life". Daily Mail (16 May 2014). Retrieved 11 April 2015.
  6. ↑ "Not just Larkin around". Daily Mail (5 March 2005). Retrieved 18 August 2010.
  7. ↑ http://www.itv.com/news/meridian/update/2015-06-07/darling-buds-of-may-star-back-in-kent-high-life/
  8. ↑ "Mercury Theatre Records (1966–1990)". Auckland City Government. Retrieved 27 August 2008.
  9. ↑

External links

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