Rosemary Anne Leach (18 December 1935 – 21 October 2017) was a British stage, television and film actress. She won the 1982 Olivier Award for Best Actress in a New Play for 84, Charing Cross Road and was nominated for the BAFTA Award for Best Actress in a Supporting Role for her roles in the films That'll Be the Day (1973) and A Room with a View (1985).

She appeared in several TV mini-series, including Germinal (1970), The Jewel in the Crown (1984), The Charmer (1987), The Buccaneers (1995) and Berkeley Square (1998), and had a recurring role on the sitcom My Family (2003–2007).

Early life Leach was born at Much Wenlock, Shropshire. Her parents were teachers, related to the social anthropologist Edmund Leach; she attended Oswestry Girls High School in Shropshire. before studying acting at Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA), graduating in 1955 with an Acting (RADA Diploma).

Career After appearing in repertory theatres and the Old Vic, she became well known to UK TV viewers between 1965 and 1969 for playing Susan Wheldon, the mistress of building tycoon John Wilder (Patrick Wymark) in the TV boardroom drama The Power Game.

In 1970, she played the part of Marcelle in the BBC's The Roads to Freedom, their adaptation of the trilogy of novels with the same name by Jean-Paul Sartre. In 1971, she appeared as Laurie Lee'''s mother in a BBC adaptation of Cider with Rosie.

In 1973, she played Aldonza/Dulcinea in the BBC production of Don Quixote (retitled The Adventures of Don Quixote), starring Rex Harrison and Frank Finlay. In 1978, she played Queen Victoria in the four-part TV edition of Disraeli. In 1981, she played Emilia opposite Bob Hoskins's Iago in the BBC Shakespeare production of Othello.

In 1982, she played Aunt Fenny in The Jewel in the Crown and 1986 in a Jack Rosenthal British television Christmas play Day To Remember. She played a leading role as smitten Joan Plumleigh-Bruce in the six-part ITV 1987 production of The Charmer which starred Nigel Havers.

Her film roles included David Essex's mother in That'll Be the Day (1973), Ghost in the Noonday Sun (1973), the TV remake of Brief Encounter (1974), S.O.S. Titanic (1979), and a voice role in the animated film of The Plague Dogs (1982).

In 1987, she was nominated for BAFTA's Best Supporting Actress for A Room with a View (1985). In 1992, Leach starred in An Ungentlemanly Act, a BBC television film about the first days of the invasion of the Falkland Islands in 1982, portraying the real-life Lady Mavis Hunt, wife of the islands' then governor, Sir Rex Hunt. In 1995, Leach participated in the popular BBC miniseries The Buccaneers a five-part television adaptation of Edith Wharton's unfinished novel. Leach appeared as Selina Marable, Marchioness of Brightlingsea.

Leach played the part of Anna in BBC Radio 4's No Commitments, and Susan Harper's mother Grace in My Family. She made a guest appearance as 'Bessie' on Waterloo Road (the TV series), in Series 3 Spring Term. From 1994, she made occasional appearances in The Archers as Ellen Rogers, the ex-pat aunt of Nigel Pargetter. She portrayed Miss Twitterton in the Radio 4 adaptation of the Lord Peter Wimsey story Busman's Honeymoon, first broadcast in 1983.

In 2001, she played a leading role in Destroying Angel, an episode of Midsomer Murders. She played Queen Elizabeth II three times: in the 2002 television movie Prince William; in a 2006 updated edition of The Afternoon Play entitled Tea with Betty; and in 2009's Margaret. She played "Miss Plum" in an episode of Heartbeat called "Every dog his day" in 2004.

Death Leach died at Charing Cross Hospital, in London, aged 81, in 2017 following a short illness.

Filmography Film Year Title Role Notes1973That'll Be the DayMrs. MacLaine1974Ghost in the Noonday SunKate1975When Day Is Done1979A Question of FaithAnna Petrovna1981Turtle DiaryMrs. Charlie Inchcliff1982The Plague DogsVeraVoice1985A Room with a View Mrs. HoneychurchHa-KalaEstherAlso known as The 17th Bride1990The ChildrenMiss Scope1993The Mystery of Edwin DroodMrs. TopeThe HawkMrs. Marsh1998Bloodlines: Legacy of a LordLady Osborne1999Whatever Happened to Harold Smith?Harold's Mother2000BreathtakingMrs. Henshaw2002The Baroness and the PigMargaret2010Mission LondonMiss Cunningham2011The Great Ghost RescueThe Queen2012May I Kill U?Mags

Television

Year Title Role Notes1960Police Surgeon WPCEpisode: "Smash But No Grab" 1962–63 Z-Cars Mrs Outram/Ann Brown 2 episodes1963-68Armchair TheatreVarious5 episodes1964 Edgar Wallace Mysteries Mary Bell Episode: "Face of a Stranger" Gideon's Way Marion Grove Episode: "The Lady-Killer"1965Public Eye Judy ManningEpisode: "They Go Off in the End, Like Fruit"Sherlock HolmesKitty WinterEpisode: "The Illustrious Client" 1965–66 The Power Game Susan Weldon 21 episodes 1967–70 No – That's Me Over Here! Rosemary 25 episodesThe Wednesday PlayVarious4 episodes1968-75JackanoryStoryteller35 episodes1969Strange ReportMary HansonEpisode: "REPORT 2475 Revenge 'When a man hates'"1970 The Roads to Freedom Marcelle 8 episodes 1971-3 Now Look Here Laura 10 episodes1971-1982Play of the MonthVarious3 episodes1972 Cider with Rosie Mother TV film 1974 The Prince of Denmark Laura 6 episodes Brief Encounter Mrs Gaines TV film 1975 Sadie, It's Cold Outside Sadie 6 episodes1976Play for TodayRitaEpisode: Tiptoe Through the Tulips1978 Rumpole of the Bailey Mrs. Ida Tempest Episode: Rumpole and the Man of God 1978–80 Life Begins at Forty Katy Bunting ITV sitcom, 2 series 14 episodes 1984 The Jewel in the Crown Aunt Fenny TV mini-series, 7 episodes Swallows and Amazons Forever! Mrs Barrable 8-part (or two movie-length episodes) BBC adaptation of Coot Club and The Big Six 1987 The Charmer Joan Plumleigh-Bruce TV mini-series, 6 episodes1989BoonMarigold SampsonEpisode: "Banbury Blue"Theatre NightVioletEpisode: The Winslow Boy Summer's Lease Nancy Leadbetter 4 episodes1992 An Ungentlemanly Act Mavis Hunt BBC Film 1995 The Buccaneers Lady Brightlingsea 5 episodes The Tomorrow People Gladys Toms Serial: "The Living Stones" 1993 The World of Peter Rabbit and Friends Tabitha Twitchit (voice) 2 episodes 1995 Chiller Mrs. Leslie Episode: "Toby" 1996 Spywatch Amy Hobbs 10 episodes 1996-2000 Brambly Hedge Lady Daisy Woodmouse, Mrs Ivy Eyebright (voices) 8 episodes 1997 An Unsuitable Job For A Woman Miss Markland 1 episode 1998 Berkeley Square Nanny Collins 10 episodes 2000–05 Doctors Josephine Barker/Meg Carpenter 2 episodes 2000–2005 Down to Earth Irene 5 episodes 2001 Midsomer Murders Evelyn Pope Episode: "Destroying Angel" 2003–07 My Family Grace Riggs 6 episodes 2004 Holby City Barbara Rush Episode: One More Chance 2004–05 Heartbeat Dorothy Plum 2 episodes 2006 The Afternoon Play HM the Queen Episode: Tea with Betty 2007 Casualty Miranda Watts Episode: Strangers When We Meet 2008 Waterloo Road Bessie 1 episode 2009 Margaret Queen Elizabeth II TV film

Radio plays Shirley Gee: Moonshine (1977) Penny in "Love's Executioner" in the series True Encounters'' with Henry Goodman and Ben Daniels directed by John Taylor, a Fiction Factory production for BBC Radio 4. (1996)

Awards and nominations YearAwardCategoryWorkResultRef 1971 BAFTA TV Award Best Actress Germinal / The Roads to Freedom 1972 BAFTA TV Award Best Actress ITV Playhouse / Cider with Rosie 1974 BAFTA TV Award Best Actress The Adventures of Don Quixote 1974 BAFTA Film Award Best Supporting Actress That'll Be the Day 1977 Olivier Award Best Actress in a New Play Just Between Ourselves 1982 Olivier Award Best Actress in a New Play 84 Charing Cross Road 1987 BAFTA Film Award Best Supporting Actress A Room with a View 1994Olivier AwardBest Actress in a Supporting RoleSeparate Tables

References

External links

Leach profile, filmdope.com