Caroline Blakiston

Caroline Georgiana Blakiston (born 13 February 1933) is an English actress. She is best known for her role in the British television comedy series ''Brass'' and to international audiences as Mon Mothma in the ''Star Wars'' film ''Return of the Jedi'', and Aunt Agatha in ''Poldark''.

Early life

Blakiston was born in London, to the archivist and author Hugh Noel Blakiston (1905–1984), and (Rachel) Georgiana (1903–1995), daughter of barrister Harold John Hastings Russell (a descendant of the 6th Duke of Bedford) and Lady Victoria Alberta Leveson-Gower, whose father was the statesman Granville Leveson-Gower, 2nd Earl Granville. The Blakiston family originated in County Durham, and were related to the Blakiston baronets.

Blakiston attended RADA, graduating in 1957.

Career

In the 1960s, Blakiston appeared in three episodes of '' The Avengers'' as well a number of ITC productions such as '' The Saint'', '' Department S'' and the 1969 ''Randall and Hopkirk (Deceased)'' episode "Never Trust a Ghost". In 1971, she appeared in John Schlesinger's Sunday Bloody Sunday. She appeared to great acclaim as Marjorie Ferrar in the BBC Television adaptation of Galsworthy's ''The Forsyte Saga'' in 1967. In 1977 she appeared in '' Raffles'' as Lady Paulton, and also in ''Murder Most English'' as Helen Carobleat. In 1978, she appeared as Kathleen Fenton QC, (King's Counsel), in the ''Crown Court'' episode "Association". In 1980–1981, she starred in the BBC/Australian TV World War II comedy series ''Private Schulz'' as The Countess.

In 1983, Blakiston played the wayward character of Lady Patience Hardacre in the satirical Granada television series ''Brass'', which ran for three series. She portrayed Mon Mothma, the primary political leader of the Rebel Alliance in the 1983 ''Star Wars'' film, ''Return of the Jedi''. The 1980s saw Blakiston in a lead role as head of a special unit within British intelligence, opposite Alec McCowen in '' Mr. Palfrey of Westminster''.

In 1986, Blakiston played the glamorous adventuress Bess Sedgwick opposite Joan Hickson's Miss Marple, in the episode "At Bertram's Hotel" of the BBC's ''Miss Marple'' series. She also appeared as Lionel Hardcastle's ex-wife in an episode of '' As Time Goes By''. She and Geoffrey Palmer (Lionel) had previously played estranged spouses a decade earlier in Carla Lane's series '' The Last Song''. From 2015 to 2018, Blakiston played Aunt Agatha in the BBC adaptation ''Poldark''.

Personal life

In 1970, Blakiston married the actor Russell Hunter after they had played together in ''A Midsummer Night's Dream'' at the Open Air Theatre, Regent's Park. They had a son and a daughter together, but later divorced.

Filmography

Film

Television

References

External links

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Blakiston, Caroline
1933 births

English television actresses
English film actresses
Living people
Actresses from London
People from Chelsea, London
Alumni of the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art
20th-century English actresses
21st-century English actresses
Actors from the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea