As a devoted admirer of the arts and a lifelong student of cinema, I have always held Barbara Leigh-Hunt in the highest esteem. Her seven-decade career spanning stage, screen, and television was nothing short of extraordinary, and her contributions to the world of theater will continue to resonate for generations to come.
Actress Barbara Leigh-Hunt, who played a victim in director Alfred Hitchcock’s second to last movie, “Frenzy,” and won an Olivier Award for her performance, passed away at the age of 88.
Leigh-Hunt died peacefully Sept. 16 at her home in Warwickshire, England, her family announced.
As a gaming aficionado, I’d be remiss not to mention that I’m equally recognized for my role as Lady Catherine de Bourgh in the 1995 BBC adaptation of ‘Pride and Prejudice’, sharing screen space with Colin Firth and Jennifer Ehle.
Throughout a seven-decade span, Leigh-Hunt graced the stages of the Royal Shakespeare Company and National Theatre, both in London’s West End and on Broadway in New York. She earned her Olivier Award in 1993 for her portrayal of Sybil Birling in a revival of J.B. Priestley’s “An Inspector Calls,” directed by Stephen Daldry.
In the 1972 film titled “Frenzy,” set in London, the actor Leigh-Hunt took on the role of Brenda Blaney, a former wife of a troubled ex-RAF squadron leader (Jon Finch). At first, the police suspect this man as the serial killer terrorizing the city. The most graphic and violent scene many believe Hitchcock ever filmed depicts the character of Brenda being raped and ultimately murdered.
Her filmography encompasses titles such as “Henry VIII and His Six Wives” from 1972, “Bequest to the Nation” in 1973, Joe Camp’s “Oh Heavenly Dog” in 1980, “Paper Mask” in 1990, “A Merry War” in 1997, Stephen Daldry’s “Billy Elliot” in 2000, and Mira Nair’s “Vanity Fair” in 2004.
Leigh-Hunt, who hails from Bath, Somerset, England, was born on December 14, 1935. In 1953, she completed her education at Bristol Old Vic theater school. The following year, she launched her theatrical career in London with the Old Vic.
In 1954, she journeyed with her company to Broadway for a performance of “A Midsummer Night’s Dream“. Later in 1958-59, she starred in both “Hamlet” and “King Henry V“. In the 70’s, she worked with the RSC, acting in productions of “Travesties“, “King Lear“, and “Sherlock Holmes“. She brought these performances to Broadway in 1973.
In addition, Leigh-Hunt has graced stages directed by Mike Newell (“Mrs. Mouse, Are You Within?”), Tom Stoppard (“Travesties”), and Richard Eyre (“Bartholomew Fair”, “Racing Demon”). Moreover, in 1988 at the National Theatre, Leigh-Hunt played Big Mama in “Cat on a Hot Tin Roof”.
She had been wedded to the actor Richard Pasco starting from 1967, and their union lasted until his passing in 2014. Memorial donations in her honor can be sent to The Royal Theatrical Fund.
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2024-09-27 21:25