| Georgina Hale | |
|---|---|
Hale and actor Murray Melvin at the Young Vic Theatre, October 2007 |
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| Born | Georgina Hale 4 August 1943 Ilford, Essex, England |
| Occupation | Actress |
| Years active | 1966-present |
| Spouse | John Forgeham (divorced) |
| BAFTA Awards | |
| Most Promising Newcomer 1974 Mahler |
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Georgina Hale (born 4 August 1943) is an award-winning English actress notable for many stage, film and television appearances; often in the works of director Ken Russell and writer Simon Gray. She is perhaps best known for her BAFTA-winning performance as Alma Mahler in the 1974 film, Mahler.
In 2010, Hale was featured in an article in the British newspaper The Guardian, where she was ranked third in a list of ten great character actors in British television.[1]
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Hale was born in Ilford, England, to George Robert Hale and Dorothy (née Fordham).[2] Poorly educated as a child, Hale was unable to read or write for many years.[3] As a teenager, she worked as an apprentice hairdresser and studied acting at a Stanislavski Method studio in London, before being accepted into the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art.
An accomplished stage actress, Hale made her professional debut at Stratford as a walk-on. She subsequently appeared in rep at Canterbury, Windsor and Ipswich; then at the Liverpool Playhouse in 1967, where her parts included the title role in Gigi, and Juliet in Romeo and Juliet. At the Thorndike Theatre in Leatherhead in October 1975 she played Liza Doolittle in Pygmalion, followed by an acclaimed portrayal of Nina in Chekhov's The Seagull at the Derby Playhouse in July 1976, making her West End debut in the production when it transferred to the Duke of York's Theatre in August 1976.[4]
Other roles included: Marie Caroline David in The Tribades (Hampstead, May 1978); Melanie in Boo Hoo (Open Space, July 1978); and Bobbi Michele in The Last of the Red Hot Lovers (Royal Exchange, Manchester, April 1979 - transferring to the Criterion Theatre in November 1979).
In 1981, Hale played the role of Josie in Nell Dunn’s play, Steaming, at the Comedy Theatre in London. Hale received a 1981 Best Comedy Performance Olivier Award nomination for her performance.[5]
A year later in April 1982 she starred opposite Glenda Jackson in Summit Conference at the Lyric Theatre, playing Benito Mussolini's mistress Clara Petacci in a revival of Robert David MacDonald's play for the Glasgow Citizens Theatre.[6]
Over the years, Hale has made numerous appearances with the Citizens. These include Mourning Becomes Electra (1991), The Milk Train Doesn’t Stop Here Anymore (1994), Britannicus (2002) and Chekhov’s The Cherry Orchard (2002).
Other notable stage appearances include Simon Gray's Life Support, opposite Alan Bates, at the Aldwych Theatre in London (1997), Noel Coward’s Semi-Monde at the Lyric Theatre (2001), Roger Hall's Take A Chance On Me at the New End Theatre (2003), and as Nell in Samuel Beckett’s Endgame at the Barbican Centre (2006).
Hale’s most notable film role is arguably that of Alma Mahler in Ken Russell’s Mahler (1974), a biopic of the Austrian composer and conductor, Gustav Mahler. Hale received the 1974 Most Promising Newcomer BAFTA Film Award for her performance.[7] Hale also made appearances in a number of Russell’s other films, with supporting roles in The Devils (1971), and The Boyfriend (1971), and cameo roles in Lisztomania (1975), Valentino (1977), and Treasure Island (1995).
"Georgina Hale...an actress of such sensitivity that she can make the hair rise on your arms."
Hale had a small role in the 1980 Walt Disney film The Watcher in the Woods, starring Bette Davis. Hale took the role of the younger version of Davis’ character largely because of her admiration for Davis.[9]
Subsequent film appearances include supporting roles in Butley (1974), McVicar (1980), Castaway (1986), Preaching to the Perverted (1997), Mrs Palfrey at the Claremont (2005), and Cockneys VS Zombies (2011).
Hale's television career spans five decades. Her first major television appearances were opposite Adam Faith in the ITV series, Budgie (1971–1972) and as Lili Dietrich in the miniseries The Strauss Family (1972). In 1975, Hale featured in two television plays written by Simon Gray. These were Plaintiffs and Defendants and Two Sundays, broadcast as part of the ITV series, Play for Today (1975).
In 1990, Hale succeeded Elizabeth Estensen in the eponymous role of T-Bag, the villainous, tea drinking sorceress in a succession of children’s adventure series produced by Thames Television. Hale played the role in four series and two Christmas specials broadcast between 1990-1992.
Other notable television appearances include guest starring roles in Upstairs, Downstairs (1975), Minder (1980), Hammer House of Horror (1980), the Doctor Who serial The Happiness Patrol (1988), One Foot in the Grave (1990), Murder Most Horrid (1994), The Bill (2002), Emmerdale (2006), and The Commander (2007).
From September 2010 to February 2011, Hale appeared as Blanche Longford in the long-running, British soap opera Hollyoaks.
| Year | Film | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1971 | The Devils | Phillippe | |
| The Boy Friend | Fay | ||
| 1972 | Eagle in a Cage | Betty Balcombe | |
| 1973 | The Love Ban | Joyce | |
| 1974 | Mahler | Alma Mahler | Received BAFTA Award for Most Promising Newcomer |
| Butley | Carol Heasman | ||
| 1975 | Lisztomania | Uncredited Appearence | |
| 1976 | Voyage of the Damned | Lotte Schulman | |
| 1977 | Valentino | Uncredited Appearence | |
| 1978 | Sweeney 2 | Switchboard Girl | |
| 1979 | The World Is Full of Married Men | Lori Grossman | |
| 1980 | The Watcher in the Woods | Young Mrs Aylwood | |
| McVicar | Kate | ||
| 1986 | Castaway | Sister Saint Margaret | |
| 1994 | Beyond Bedlam | Sister Romulus | |
| 1995 | Jackson: My Life... Your Fault | Josephine | |
| 1997 | Preaching to the Perverted | Miss Wilderspin | |
| 2002 | AKA | Elizabeth of Lithuania | |
| 2005 | Mrs Palfrey at the Claremont | Shirley Burton | |
| 2011 | Cockneys Vs Zombies | Doreen | In Production |
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1971 | Budgie | Jean | |
| 1972 | The Strauss Family | Lili Dietrich | Mini-Series |
| 1973 | A.D.A.M | Jean Empson | TV Film |
| Only Make Believe | Sandra George | ||
| 1974 | Electra | Chrysothemis | |
| 1975 | Plaintiffs and Defendants | Joanna | |
| Two Sundays | Hilary | ||
| Children of the Sun | Fran | ||
| 1978 | The Seagull | Masha | |
| 1980 | Minder | Renee | Guest Star, episode The Beer Hunter |
| 1989 | Murder by Moonlight | Allison Quinney | TV Film |
| 1990 | One Foot In The Grave | April | Guest Star, episode Love And Death |
| 1990 | T-Bag and the Pearls of Wisdom | Tabatha Bag | |
| 1991 | T-Bag and the Rings of Olympus | Tabatha Bag | |
| The Count of Solar | Countess Solar | TV Film | |
| 1992 | T-Bag and the Sunstones of Montezuma | Tabatha Bag | |
| Take off with T-Bag | Tabatha Bag | ||
| 1995 | Treasure Island | Mum | TV Film |
| 1998 | A Rather English Marriage | Sabrina's Maid | TV Film |
| 2002 | Trial and Retribution | Tammy Delaney | Guest Star, 1 episode |
| The Bill | Marilyn Costello | Guest Star, 3 episodes | |
| 2006 | Emmerdale | Beryl Chugspoke | Guest Star, 3 episodes |
| 2007 | The Commander | Vivian Littlewood | Guest Star, episode The Devil You Know |
| 2010–2011 | Hollyoaks | Blanche Longford | Recurring Role, 7 episodes |
| Awards and achievements | ||
|---|---|---|
| BAFTA Award | ||
| Preceded by Peter Egan for The Hireling |
Most Promising Newcomer to Leading Film Roles for Mahler 1974 |
Succeeded by Valerie Perrine for Lenny |