"She delivered every line as if it were a jewelled crown on a velvet cushion. An utter genius." author Lissa Evans
A "national treasure" is a term often bandied-about - and often the epithet fits. None more so than in the case of the utterly delightful Dame Penelope Keith, who has sadly departed for Fabulon, aged 86, to sort out the hoi-polloi, teach them proper manners, and how to speak the Queen's English correctly, no doubt.
Her peerless encapsulation of the aspirational middle-classes, eccentrics and of genuine aristocrats, and in doing so make them funny and sympathetic at the same time, was the sign of a truly great actress (and belied her relatively low-status upbringing in Clapham, South London). Her "Audrey fforbes-Hamilton" in To The Manor Born and her "will-they-won't they" tentative romance with the upstart businessman to whom she has sold her family's country house, engaged the nation so much that the show garnered the highest audience for any non-live event on British TV in the 70s. She proved herself a game girl by her appearances on The Morecambe & Wise Show. She was a "trusted voice" for documentaries, and as a reader on Jackanory, but it was for one role alone with which she became forever associated...
...the indomitable Margo Leadbetter in The Good Life!
The Good Life - The "Ooh-Ah" Bird:
RIP, Dame Penelope Anne Constance Keith (née Hatfield, 2nd April 1940 – 29th June 2026)
She was truly fabulous. I watched The Wind-break War on BBC2 last night - it doesn't age.
ReplyDeleteI think Felicity Kendal must be the last one left of that foursome - so sad.
Sx
It is sad. It wasn't public knowledge that Dame Penelope had cancer, so came as a bit of a shock! Miss Kendal's on stage again in London at the moment, in High Society. Jx
DeleteFrom "To The Manor Born": Audrey: "Why not?" / Marjory: "You were, you've just said the most terrible things about him!" / Audrey: "Marjory, you must learn not to confuse money with breeding... He's got the money, I've got the breeding. ...
ReplyDeleteAmen! Jx
DeleteAn absolute treasure. The Man read the news in a feed yesterday and we both said " there will never be another."
ReplyDeleteSo very true. Sad, but true. Jx
DeleteA woman I grew up with and loved
ReplyDeleteWe have much in common. Jx
DeleteUtterly fabulous she was a joy in everything she was in.
ReplyDeleteShe was indeed. Such a sad loss. Jx
DeleteI was shocked to discover that Dame Penelope appeared in a film called "Rentadick". Fortunately, it wasn't what I thought it was.
ReplyDeleteI shall miss her terribly, but she'll always be there in the "The Good Life" - along with her fabulous wardrobe!
If Margo had rented one, it would have had to stand on newspaper...
DeleteDame Penelope was utterly fabulous - especially in that role! Jx
“ that’s the last time I play the tart for you Jerry “
ReplyDeleteMy favourite line of them all! Jx
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