Julia Kathleen Nancy McKenzie (born 17 February 1941) is an English actress, singer, presenter, and theatre director. She has premièred leading roles written by both Alan Ayckbourn and

Stephen Sondheim Stephen Joshua Sondheim (; March22, 1930November26, 2021) was an American composer and lyricist. Regarded as one of the most important figures in 20th-century musical theater, he is credited with reinventing the American musical. He received Lis ...

. On television, she is known for her

BAFTA Award The British Academy Film Awards, more commonly known as the BAFTAs or BAFTA Awards, is an annual film award show hosted by the British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) to honour the best British and international contributions to f ...

nominated role as Hester Fields in the sitcom '' Fresh Fields'' (1984–1986) and its sequel '' French Fields'' (1989–1991), as

Miss Marple Miss Jane Marple is a fictional character in Agatha Christie's crime novels and short stories. Miss Marple lives in the village of St Mary Mead and acts as an amateur consulting detective. Often characterised as an elderly spinster, she is one ...

in ''

Agatha Christie's Marple ''Agatha Christie's Marple'' (or simply ''Marple'') is a British ITV television programme loosely based on books and short stories by British crime novelist Agatha Christie. The title character was played by Geraldine McEwan from the first t ...

'' (2009–2013) and for her appearance in the

BBC One BBC One is a British free-to-air public broadcast television channel owned and operated by the BBC. It is the corporation's oldest and flagship channel, and is known for broadcasting mainstream programming, which includes BBC News television b ...

costume drama series '' Cranford''. McKenzie has also starred in numerous musicals, receiving a 1977

Tony Award The Antoinette Perry Award for Excellence in Broadway Theatre, more commonly known as a Tony Award, recognizes excellence in live Broadway theatre. The awards are presented by the American Theatre Wing and The Broadway League at an annual ce ...

nomination for her work in the Broadway

revue A revue is a type of multi-act popular theatre, theatrical entertainment that combines music, dance, and sketch comedy, sketches. The revue has its roots in 19th century popular entertainment and melodrama but grew into a substantial cultural pre ...

, '' Side by Side by Sondheim''. A six-time

Olivier Award The Laurence Olivier Awards, or simply The Olivier Awards, are presented annually by the Society of London Theatre to recognize excellence in professional theatre in London. The awards were originally known as the Society of West End Theatre Aw ...

nominee, she has twice won the Olivier Award for Best Actress in a Musical; for the 1982 revival of ''

Guys and Dolls ''Guys and Dolls'' is a musical theater, musical with music and lyrics by Frank Loesser and book by Jo Swerling and Abe Burrows. It is based on "The Idyll of Miss Sarah Brown" (1933) and "Blood Pressure", which are two short stories by Damon Run ...

'' and the 1993 revival of

's '' Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street''. She also starred in the original London productions of the Sondheim musicals '' Follies'' (1987) and ''

Into the Woods ''Into the Woods'' is a 1986 musical with music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim and book by James Lapine. The musical intertwines the plots of several Brothers Grimm fairy tales, exploring the consequences of the characters' wishes and quests. T ...

'' (1990). Her film appearances include '' Bright Young Things'' (2003) and '' Notes on a Scandal'' (2006).

Early life

McKenzie was born on 17 February 1941, in Enfield,

Middlesex Middlesex (; abbreviation: Middx) is a Historic counties of England, former county in South East England, now mainly within Greater London. Its boundaries largely followed three rivers: the River Thames, Thames in the south, the River Lea, Le ...

, England, the daughter of Kathleen Rowe and Albion McKenzie. She attended Woodside High School. She trained at the

Guildhall School of Music and Drama The Guildhall School of Music and Drama is a music school, music and drama school located in the City of London, England. Established in 1880, the school offers undergraduate and postgraduate training in all aspects of classical music and jazz al ...

Career

Theatre

McKenzie's early West End musical credits include '' Maggie May'' (1966), ''

Mame MAME (formerly an acronym of Multiple Arcade Machine Emulator) is a free and open-source emulator designed to emulate the hardware of arcade games, video game consoles, old computers and other systems in software on modern personal computers and ...

'' (1969), and ''

Company A company, abbreviated as co., is a Legal personality, legal entity representing an association of legal people, whether Natural person, natural, Juridical person, juridical or a mixture of both, with a specific objective. Company members ...

'' (1971). She appeared in the West End revue '' Side by Side by Sondheim'' in 1976, and made her Broadway debut when the show transferred to New York in 1977, receiving a

nomination for Best Featured Actress in a Musical. She also received a

Drama Desk Award The Drama Desk Awards are among the most esteemed honors in New York theater, recognizing outstanding achievements across Broadway, Off-Broadway, and Off-Off-Broadway productions within the same categories. The awards are considered a signific ...

nomination. For her role as Miss Adelaide in the 1982 West End revival of ''

'', she won the first of two Olivier Awards for Best Actress in a Musical. For her role in the 1986 West End production of the Alan Ayckbourn play '' Woman in Mind'', McKenzie won the Evening Standard Award for Best Actress. She went on to appear in the original West End productions of two Stephen Sondheim musicals, playing Sally in '' Follies'' at the Shaftesbury Theatre in 1987, and the Witch in ''

'' at the Phoenix Theatre in 1990. She continued her association with Sondheim when she starred as Mrs Lovett in the 1993 London revival of '' Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street''. The role won her a second Olivier Award in 1994. McKenzie appeared in a National Theatre 80th birthday tribute to Lord Olivier, ''Happy Birthday, Sir Larry'', on 31 May 1987 in the presence of Olivier himself.

Film and television

McKenzie's early television credits include the sitcom '' Maggie and Her'' (1978–1979), alongside

Irene Handl Irene Handl () (27 December 1901 – 29 November 1987) was a British character actress who appeared in more than 100 British films; she also wrote novels. Life Irene Handl was born in Maida Vale, London, the younger of two daughters of an Aus ...

and ''That Beryl Marston...!'' (1981), with

Gareth Hunt Alan Leonard Hunt (7 February 1942 – 14 March 2007), known as Gareth Hunt, was a British television actor best remembered for playing footman Frederick Norton in '' Upstairs, Downstairs'' and Mike Gambit in '' The New Avengers''. Early lif ...

. She went on to greater popularity with British viewers as Hester in the 1980s sitcom '' Fresh Fields'' opposite Anton Rodgers, and its 1990s sequel '' French Fields'', for which she was voted TV Times Favourite Female Comedy Performance for five consecutive years. The role also earned her a 1985

BAFTA The British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA, ) is an independent trade association and charity that supports, develops, and promotes the arts of film, television and video games in the United Kingdom. In addition to its annual awa ...

nomination for Best Entertainment Performance. She appeared as Mrs Forthby in '' Blott on the Landscape'' and as a villager involved in a series of murders in an episode of ''

Midsomer Murders ''Midsomer Murders'' is a British Mystery fiction, mystery television series, adapted by Anthony Horowitz and Douglas Watkinson from the novels in the ''Chief Inspector Barnaby'' book series created by Caroline Graham (writer), Caroline Graham. ...

''. Film credits include '' Hotel du Lac'' (1986), '' Shirley Valentine'' (1989), '' Bright Young Things'' (2003), '' These Foolish Things'' (2006) and '' Notes on a Scandal'' (2006). She was the subject of '' This Is Your Life'' in 1981 when she was surprised by

Eamonn Andrews Eamonn Andrews, (19 December 1922 – 5 November 1987) was an Irish radio and television presenter, employed primarily in the United Kingdom from the 1950s to the 1980s. From 1960 to 1964 he chaired the Radio Éireann Authority (now the RTÉ ...

outside the Royalty Theatre in London. In 2007, she was reunited with Anton Rodgers (again as a husband and wife team) in the ITV comedy ''You Can Choose Your Friends''. Also in 2007, she co-starred with

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 ...

and

Judi Dench Dame Judith Olivia Dench (born 9 December 1934) is an English actress. Widely considered one of Britain's greatest actors, she is noted for her versatility, having appeared in films and television, as well as for her numerous roles on the stage ...

in the

costume drama series '' Cranford'', playing Mrs Forrester, a military widow of slender means, very attached to her cow Bessie. In 2008, she was announced as the replacement for

Geraldine McEwan Geraldine McEwan (born Geraldine McKeown; 9 May 1932 – 30 January 2015) was an English actress, who had a long career in film, theatre and television. Michael Coveney described her, in a tribute article, as "a great comic stylist, with ...

as ITV's

.Hemley, Matthe
"McKenzie to take on Miss Marple role for ITV"
''The Stage'', 11 February 2008 She noted: "It's difficult because Agatha Christie wrote her in two ways ... First, very much what Geraldine McEwan played: a slight, rather Victorian creature. Then, a little sturdier and tweedier. I chose the latter. A lot of people say they don't like the tweedier version. But they're both genuine." Also, she said: "Just about everybody in the world knows about Miss Marple and has an opinion of what she should be like, so I’m under no illusions about the size of the task ahead." McKenzie's first series of Marple comprised '' A Pocket Full of Rye'', ''

Murder Is Easy ''Murder Is Easy'' is a detective fiction novel by Agatha Christie first published in the UK by the Collins Crime Club in June 1939, and in the US by Dodd, Mead and Company in September the same year under the title ''Easy to Kill''. Christie ...

'', '' They Do It with Mirrors'' and '' Why Didn't They Ask Evans?''. The second series of the show, which aired in 2010, included '' The Pale Horse,'' ''

The Secret of Chimneys ''The Secret of Chimneys'' is a work of detective fiction by British writer Agatha Christie, first published in the UK by The Bodley Head in June 1925 and in the US by Dodd, Mead and Company later in the same year. It introduces the characters ...

,'' '' The Blue Geranium,'' and '' The Mirror Crack'd from Side to Side''. A sixth series, including adaptations of '' A Caribbean Mystery'', '' Greenshaw's Folly'' and '' Endless Night'', began filming in September 2012 and was broadcast in 2013. During 2012, she also played the role of Betty Nicholas in the ITV television series '' The Town''. On 26 December 2013, McKenzie appeared as the title character in the TV film adaptation of

David Walliams David Edward Williams (born 20 August 1971), known professionally as David Walliams (), is an English actor, comedian, writer, and television personality. He is best known for his work with Matt Lucas on the BBC sketch comedy series '' Little ...

's book '' Gangsta Granny''. In February 2015, McKenzie appeared as Shirley Mollison in the BBC mini series '' The Casual Vacancy''. She played the mother of one of the main protagonists in the 2019 TV series, ''

Gold Digger A gold digger is a person, typically a woman, who engages in a type of transactional sexual relationship for money rather than love. If it turns into marriage, it is a type of marriage of convenience. Etymology and usage The term "gold di ...

''. She joined an ensemble cast in the film '' Allelujah'', released in March 2023.

Other work

She is a radio performer with a long list of credits, including '' Blithe Spirit'', ''

The Country Wife ''The Country Wife'' is a Restoration comedy written by William Wycherley and first performed in 1675. A product of the tolerant early Restoration period, the play reflects an aristocratic and anti-Puritan ideology, and was controversial fo ...

'' and '' A Room with a View''. As a director she has staged '' Stepping Out'', ''

Peter Pan Peter Pan is a fictional character created by Scottish novelist and playwright J. M. Barrie. A free-spirited and mischievous young boy who can fly and never grows up, Peter Pan spends his never-ending childhood having adventures on the mythical ...

'', '' Hey, Mr. Producer!'', ''

Steel Magnolias ''Steel Magnolias'' is a 1989 American comedy drama film directed by Herbert Ross and starring Sally Field, Dolly Parton, Shirley MacLaine, Daryl Hannah, Olympia Dukakis, and Julia Roberts. The screenplay by Robert Harling is based on hi ...

'', '' Putting It Together'' and '' A Little Night Music''. Throughout the early mid 2000s she played Ariadne Oliver in radio adaptations of Agatha Christie novels starring John Moffatt as

Hercule Poirot Hercule Poirot (, ) is a fictional Belgian detective created by the English writer Agatha Christie. Poirot is Christie's most famous and longest-running character, appearing in 33 novels, two plays (''Black Coffee (play), Black Coffee'' and '' ...

; one such novel was '' Elephants Can Remember''. She also recorded an audio book of

Lewis Carroll Charles Lutwidge Dodgson (27 January 1832 – 14 January 1898), better known by his pen name Lewis Carroll, was an English author, poet, mathematician, photographer and reluctant Anglicanism, Anglican deacon. His most notable works are ''Alice ...

's ''Through the Looking Glass''. McKenzie also lent her voice to several animated works for Martin Gates Productions including three films ''

The Snow Queen "The Snow Queen" () is an 1844 original fairy tale by Danish author Hans Christian Andersen. It was first published 21 December 1844 in ''New Fairy Tales. First Volume#New Fairy Tales. First Volume. Second Collection, New Fairy Tales. First Vo ...

'', ''Jack and the Beanstalk'' and '' The Snow Queen's Revenge'' and the TV series ''Bimble's Buckett.'' In 2018, Julia McKenzie was cast as The Twelve in a Big Finish production ''The Eighth Doctor – Time War 2 And 4''. In 2012 she appeared in the short film ''Happy and Glorious'', produced by Lisa Osborne for the BBC and directed by

Danny Boyle Daniel Francis Boyle (born 20 October 1956) is an English director and producer. He is known for his work on the films ''Shallow Grave (1994 film), Shallow Grave'' (1994), ''Trainspotting (film), Trainspotting'' (1996) and its sequel ''T2 Tra ...

as part of the opening ceremony of the 2012 London Summer Olympics, doubling for

Queen Elizabeth II Elizabeth II (Elizabeth Alexandra Mary; 21 April 19268 September 2022) was Queen of the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth realms from 6 February 1952 until Death and state funeral of Elizabeth II, her death in 2022. ...

in the scene where Her Majesty boards a helicopter alongside

Daniel Craig Daniel Wroughton Craig (born 2 March 1968) is an English actor. His accolades include two National Board of Review Awards, in addition to nominations for a Primetime Emmy Award, a British Academy Film Award, and three Golden Globe Awards. ...

James Bond The ''James Bond'' franchise focuses on James Bond (literary character), the titular character, a fictional Secret Intelligence Service, British Secret Service agent created in 1953 by writer Ian Fleming, who featured him in twelve novels ...

as her escort to the Olympic Stadium.

Personal life

In 1971 McKenzie married American actor-director Jerry Harte. He died in 2018. McKenzie was appointed a

Commander of the Order of the British Empire The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is a British order of chivalry, rewarding valuable service in a wide range of useful activities. It comprises five classes of awards across both civil and military divisions, the most senior two o ...

(CBE) in the

2018 New Year Honours The 2018 New Year Honours are appointments by some of the 16 Commonwealth realms to Orders and decorations of the Commonwealth realms, various orders and honours to recognise and reward good works by citizens of those countries. The New Year Hono ...

for services to drama. She is a critic of

fox hunting Fox hunting is an activity involving the tracking, chase and, if caught, the killing of a fox, normally a red fox, by trained foxhounds or other scent hounds. A group of unarmed followers, led by a "master of foxhounds" (or "master of hounds" ...

and was among more than 20 high-profile people who signed a letter to members of parliament in 2015 to oppose

Conservative Conservatism is a cultural, social, and political philosophy and ideology that seeks to promote and preserve traditional institutions, customs, and values. The central tenets of conservatism may vary in relation to the culture and civiliza ...

Prime Minister

David Cameron David William Donald Cameron, Baron Cameron of Chipping Norton (born 9 October 1966) is a British politician who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 2010 to 2016. Until 2015, he led the first coalition government in the UK s ...

's plan to amend the

Hunting Act 2004 The Hunting Act 2004 (c. 37) is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom which bans the hunting of most wild mammals (notably foxes, deer, hares and mink) with dogs in England and Wales, subject to some strictly limited exemptions; the ...

Theatre

Acting

*(London debut) '' Maggie May'', Adelphi Theatre, London, 1966 *Gloria, ''

'', Theatre Royal Drury Lane, London, 1969 *Girl in owl coat, '' Promises, Promises'', Prince of Wales Theatre, London, 1970 *April, ''

'', Her Majesty's Theatre, London, 1971 *'' Cowardy Custard'', Mermaid Theatre, London, 1973 *''Cole'', Mermaid Theatre, 1974 *(New York debut) '' Side by Side by Sondheim'', Music Box Theatre, New York City, 1977 *'' The Norman Conquests'', 1978 *'' Ten Times Table'', 1979 *Miriam Dervish, '' Outside Edge'', Queen's Theatre, London, 1979 *Lily, '' On the Twentieth Century'', Her Majesty's Theatre, 1980 *Maggie Hobson, '' Hobson's Choice'', Lyric Hammersmith Theatre, London, 1981 *Anna Kopecka, ''

Schweik in the Second World War ''Schweyk in the Second World War'' (German language, German: ''Schweyk im Zweiten Weltkrieg'') is a play (theatre), play by Germany, German dramatist and poet Bertolt Brecht. It was written by Brecht in 1943 while in exile in California, and is a ...

'', National Theatre, London, 1982 *Miss Adelaide, ''

'', National Theatre, 1982 *Susan, '' Woman in Mind'', Vaudeville Theatre, London, 1986 *Sally Plummer, '' Follies'', Shaftesbury Theatre, London, 1987 *Witch, ''

'', Phoenix Theatre, London, 1990 *Mrs Lovett, '' Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street'', National Theatre, 1993 *Ruella, '' Communicating Doors'', Gielgud Theatre, London, 1995 *'' Kafka's Dick'', Piccadilly Theatre, London, 1998 *'' The Royal Family'', Theatre Royal Haymarket, London, 2001 *'' Fuddy Meers'', Arts Theatre, London, 2004"Key Creatives and Cast"
Neal Street Productions, 2022 *'' The Philadelphia Story'', The Old Vic, London, 2005

Directing

*'' Stepping Out'', Duke of York's Theatre, London, 1984 *''

Just So ''Just So Stories for Little Children'' is a 1902 collection of Pourquoi story, origin stories by the British author Rudyard Kipling. Considered a classic of children's literature, the book is among Kipling's best known works. Kipling began ...

'', Watermill Theatre, Newbury, Berkshire, 1989 *''

'', Lyric Theatre, London, 1989 *'' Putting It Together'', Manhattan Theatre Club Stage I, New York City, 1993 * '' Hey, Mr. Producer! The Musical World of Cameron Mackintosh'' (stage direction, with Bob Avian), Lyceum Theatre, London, 1998 *'' A Little Night Music'', Tokyo, 1999 *'' Stephen Sondheim's Old Friends'', Sondheim Theatre, London, 2023

Filmography

Awards and nominations

References

External links

* ''(listed as "Julie N McKenzie" as a result of a previous Broadway actress called "Julia McKenzie")'' * {{DEFAULTSORT:McKenzie, Julia 1941 births Living people Actresses from London Alumni of the Guildhall School of Music and Drama English film actresses English musical theatre actresses English radio actresses English television actresses English theatre directors British women theatre directors English theatre managers and producers British women theatre managers and producers Laurence Olivier Award winners Actors from the London Borough of Enfield Singers from the London Borough of Enfield Audiobook narrators English stage actresses Commanders of the Order of the British Empire 20th-century English actresses 20th-century English women singers 20th-century English singers 21st-century English actresses 21st-century English women singers 21st-century English singers People from Enfield, London