Elizabeth Counsell (born 7 June 1942) is an English actress and singer, known for her role in the

BBC The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) is a British public service broadcaster headquartered at Broadcasting House in London, England. Originally established in 1922 as the British Broadcasting Company, it evolved into its current sta ...

television series '' Brush Strokes'', as well as for her work in classical theatre.

Career

She played Lady Macbeth to

Michael Gambon Sir Michael John Gambon (; 19 October 1940 – 27 September 2023) was an Irish-English actor. Gambon started his acting career with Laurence Olivier as one of the original members of the Royal National Theatre. Over his six-decade-long career ...

Macbeth ''The Tragedy of Macbeth'', often shortened to ''Macbeth'' (), is a tragedy by William Shakespeare, estimated to have been first performed in 1606. It dramatises the physically violent and damaging psychological effects of political ambiti ...

at the Forum Theatre, Billingham in 1968, and was

Michael Redgrave Sir Michael Scudamore Redgrave (20 March 1908 – 21 March 1985) was an English actor and filmmaker. Beginning his career in theatre, he first appeared in the West End in 1937. He made his film debut in Alfred Hitchcock's ''The Lady Vanishes'' ...

's leading lady in his

anthology In book publishing, an anthology is a collection of literary works chosen by the compiler; it may be a collection of plays, poems, short stories, songs, or related fiction/non-fiction excerpts by different authors. There are also thematic and g ...

''Shakespeare's People'', 1976–77. In 1983 she took the nominal part in Peter Hall's Jean Seberg at the

Royal National Theatre The National Theatre (NT), officially the Royal National Theatre and sometimes referred to in international contexts as the National Theatre of Great Britain, is a performing arts venue and associated theatre company located in London, England, ...

. Her film career includes roles in '' Hot Millions'' (1968), ''

Anne of the Thousand Days ''Anne of the Thousand Days'' is a 1969 British historical drama film based on the life of Anne Boleyn, directed by Charles Jarrott and produced by Hal B. Wallis. The screenplay by Bridget Boland and John Hale is an adaptation of the 1948 pl ...

'' (1969), '' Doctor at Sea'' (1974), '' Under the Doctor'' (1976), '' Killer's Moon'' (1978), and ''Claudia'' (1985). She featured in the

Channel 4 Channel 4 is a British free-to-air public broadcast television channel owned and operated by Channel Four Television Corporation. It is state-owned enterprise, publicly owned but, unlike the BBC, it receives no public funding and is funded en ...

comedy drama ''Hollywood Hits Chiswick'', alongside

Derek Newark Derek John Newark (8 June 1933 – 11 August 1998) was an English actor in television, film and theatre. Career Newark began his working life as a soldier in the Coldstream Guards before joining the Royal Artillery. However, he wanted to beco ...

as W.C. Fields. Her most recent film appearances include the 2012 film '' Song for Marion'' with

Vanessa Redgrave Dame Vanessa Redgrave (born 30 January 1937) is an English actress. In her career spanning over six decades, she has garnered List of awards and nominations received by Vanessa Redgrave, numerous accolades, including an Academy Award, a Tony A ...

, and the 2014 film '' Grace of Monaco'' starring

Nicole Kidman Nicole Mary Kidman (born 20 June 1967) is an Australian and American actress and producer. Known for Nicole Kidman on screen and stage, her work in film and television productions across many genres, she has consistently ranked among the world ...

. She appeared in the second series of the BBC1 drama '' The Split'' (2020). In December 2023, it was announced that Counsell had been cast as Gloria Knight in ''

EastEnders ''EastEnders'' is a British television soap opera created by Julia Smith (producer), Julia Smith and Tony Holland which has been broadcast on BBC One since February 1985. Set in the fictional borough of Walford in the East End of London, the ...

''.

Personal life

Counsell is the daughter of actress

Mary Kerridge Mary Kerridge (3 April 1914 – 22 July 1999) was an English actress and theatre director, who (with her husband, John Counsell) ran the Theatre Royal, Windsor and its in-house repertory company from the 1930s to the 1980s. Her daughter is ...

and stage director John Counsell, who together ran the Theatre Royal, Windsor. Her twin sister was the actress Jenny (Jennifer M) Counsell. Jenny died on 23 May 2020. In 1978, Elizabeth married the actor

David Simeon David John Townsend (born 17 May 1943, Chippenham, Wiltshire), known professionally as David Simeon, is a British actor. Career David Simeon began his acting career after being accepted into RADA, the Rose Bruford College and the Guildhal ...

, the couple have a son, who was born in 1979.

Filmography

Film

Television

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Counsell, Elizabeth 1942 births Living people English television actresses English stage actresses Actresses from Windsor, Berkshire English film actresses English soap opera actresses 20th-century English actresses 21st-century English actresses English twins