Joan Blackham (15 May 1946 – 6 September 2020) was a British actress with a long stage, film and television career.

Education

Blackham attended

The Alice Ottley School The Alice Ottley School was an independent all-girls' school in Worcester that existed under this name – referencing its first headmistress – between 1883 and 2007 before it merged with the Worcester Royal Grammar School. She had already resi ...

, Worcester and was head of Carroll house.

Career

Blackham was a professional actress and supply teacher, including special needs. She studied at the New College of Speech and Drama in London and with the

Open University The Open University (OU) is a British public research university and the largest university in the United Kingdom by number of students. The majority of the OU's undergraduate students are based in the United Kingdom and principally study off- ...

. She was a board member of

Women in Film and Television UK The Women in Film and Television UK or WFTV Awards are presented in an annual award programme hosted by the Women in Film and Television (UK) to the most talented women in UK film, TV and digital media. Annual ceremony The ceremony previously ...

and co-produced script-reading sessions for its Writers' Group.

Selected stage, film and television appearances

Stage

*''

Calendar Girls ''Calendar Girls'' is a 2003 British comedy film directed by Nigel Cole. Produced by Touchstone Pictures, it features a screenplay by Tim Firth and Juliette Towhidi, based on a true story of a group of middle-aged Yorkshire women who produced ...

'' (Chichester/National tour, West End, 2008) – Brenda Hulse/Lady Cravenshire *''

Jane Eyre ''Jane Eyre'' ( ; originally published as ''Jane Eyre: An Autobiography'') is a novel by the English writer Charlotte Brontë. It was published under her pen name "Currer Bell" on 19 October 1847 by Smith, Elder & Co. of London. The first ...

'' (Shared Experience at the

West Yorkshire Playhouse Leeds Playhouse is a theatre in the city centre of Leeds, West Yorkshire. Having originally opened in 1970 in a different location in Leeds, it reopened as West Yorkshire Playhouse, on Quarry Hill, in March 1990. After a refurbishment in 2018-20 ...

Leeds Leeds () is a city and the administrative centre of the City of Leeds district in West Yorkshire, England. It is built around the River Aire and is in the eastern foothills of the Pennines. It is also the third-largest settlement (by populati ...

, 1999) – Mrs. Reed/Mrs. Fairfax *''

The Man of Mode ''The Man of Mode, or, Sir Fopling Flutter'' is a Restoration comedy by George Etherege, written in 1676. The play is set in Restoration London and follows the womanizer Dorimant as he tries to win over the young heiress Harriet and to disengag ...

'' (RSC) – Lady Townley *''

The Love of the Nightingale ''The Love of the Nightingale'' is a play by Timberlake Wertenbaker, commissioned for the Royal Shakespeare Company and first performed in 1988 in literature, 1988 at The Other Place (theatre), The Other Place, Stratford. It is an adaptation of the ...

'' (RSC) – Queen/Chorus *''

King Lear ''King Lear'' is a tragedy written by William Shakespeare. It is based on the mythological Leir of Britain. King Lear, in preparation for his old age, divides his power and land between two of his daughters. He becomes destitute and insane an ...

'' (RSC) – Goneril *'' Across Oka'' (RSC) – Margaret

Film

*''

Return to Waterloo ''Return to Waterloo'' is the debut solo album by Kinks' leader and chief songwriter Ray Davies. Three of the tracks on the album release were also available in near-identical form on The Kinks' 1984 release ''Word of Mouth''. All of The Kinks ...

'' (1984) – Mother *''

Keep the Aspidistra Flying ''Keep the Aspidistra Flying'', first published in 1936, is a socially critical novel by George Orwell. It is set in 1930s London. The main theme is Gordon Comstock's romantic ambition to defy worship of the money-god and Social status, statu ...

'' (1997) – Librarian *''

Bridget Jones's Diary ''Bridget Jones's Diary'' is a 2001 romantic comedy film directed by Sharon Maguire and written by Richard Curtis, Andrew Davies (writer), Andrew Davies, and Helen Fielding. A co-production of the United Kingdom, United States and France, it is ...

'' (2001) – Shirley *'' Mothers and Daughters'' (2004) – Paddy, a mother who just can't help but meddle *'' Twisted Sisters'' (2006) – Jennifer's mother *''

These Foolish Things "These Foolish Things (Remind Me of You)" is a standard with lyrics by Eric Maschwitz, writing under the pseudonym Holt Marvell, and music by Jack Strachey, both Englishmen. Harry Link, an American, sometimes appears as a co-writer; his input ...

'' (2006) – Mrs. Griffin *''

The Sweeney ''The Sweeney'' is a 1970s British television police drama focusing on two members of the Flying Squad, a branch of the Metropolitan Police specialising in tackling armed robbery and violent crime in London. It stars John Thaw as Detective Ins ...

'' (2012) – Landlady *'' The Knot'' (2012) – Aunt Claire *''

Battle for Sevastopol ''Battle for Sevastopol'' (russian: Битва за Севастополь, lit=Battle for Sevastopol; uk, Незламна, lit=Indestructible) is a 2015 Biographical film, biographical war film about Lyudmila Pavlichenko, a young Soviet Union, ...

'' (2015) –

Eleanor Roosevelt Anna Eleanor Roosevelt () (October 11, 1884November 7, 1962) was an American political figure, diplomat, and activist. She was the first lady of the United States from 1933 to 1945, during her husband President Franklin D. Roosevelt's four ...

*''

A Prominent Patient ''A Prominent Patient'' ( cs, Masaryk) is a 2016 Czech-Slovak biographical drama film directed by Julius Ševčík. It was screened in the Berlinale Special section at the 67th Berlin International Film Festival. It won twelve Czech Lions includi ...

'' (2017) – Mrs. Fitzgerald

Television

*''

The Fall and Rise of Reginald Perrin ''The Fall and Rise of Reginald Perrin'' is a British sitcom starring Leonard Rossiter in the title role. It is based on a series of novels written by David Nobbs and produced from 1976 to 1979. Nobbs adapted the screenplay for the first series ...

'' (1977) Season 2, 2 Episodes – Miss Erith *''

To the Manor Born ''To the Manor Born'' is a BBC television sitcom that first aired on BBC1 from 1979 to 1981. A special one-off episode was produced in 2007. Starring Penelope Keith and Peter Bowles, the first 20 episodes and the 2007 special were written by ...

'' (1980) Season 2, Episode 2 ''The Spare Room'' – Diana 'Podge' Hodge, a glamorous divorcee *'' Take a Letter, Mr. Jones'' (1981) All 6 episodes – Ruth *'' Sweet Sixteen'' (1983) All 6 episodes – Jane *''

Chocky's Challenge ''Chocky'' is a 1984 children's six-part television drama based on the 1968 novel of the same name by John Wyndham. It was first broadcast on ITV in the United Kingdom from 9 January to 13 February 1984. Two six-part sequels—''Chocky's Childr ...

'' (1986) All 6 episodes – Mrs. Gibson *''

Home to Roost ''Home to Roost'' is a British sitcom produced by Yorkshire Television between 19 April 1985 and 19 January 1990. Written by Eric Chappell, it stars John Thaw as Henry Willows and Reece Dinsdale as his teenaged son Matthew. The premise is that ...

'' (1987) Series 3, 6 Episodes – Fiona Fennell *''

The Castle of Adventure ''The Castle of Adventure'' (published in 1946) is a popular children's book by Enid Blyton. It is the second book in The Adventure Series. The first edition of the book was illustrated by Stuart Tresilian. Plot summary Jack, Lucy-Ann, Dinah ...

'' (1990) All 8 episodes – the school teacher *''

Inspector Morse Detective Chief Inspector Endeavour Morse, GM, is the eponymous fictional character in the series of detective novels by British author Colin Dexter. On television, he appears in the 33-episode drama series ''Inspector Morse'' (1987–2000), ...

'' (1993) Season 7, Episode 3 ''Twilight of the Gods'' – Helen Buscott *''

Judge John Deed ''Judge John Deed'' is a British legal drama television series produced by the BBC in association with One-Eyed Dog for BBC One. It was created by G.F. Newman and stars Martin Shaw as Mr Justice Deed, a High Court of Justice, High Court judge wh ...

'' (2003–2006) 8 episodes over 3 seasons – Lady Vera Everard *'' Blue Murder'' (2003–2009) 2 episodes over 2 seasons – Diane *''

Midsomer Murders ''Midsomer Murders'' is a British crime drama television series, adapted by Anthony Horowitz and Douglas Watkinson from the novels in the '' Chief Inspector Barnaby'' book series (created by Caroline Graham), and broadcast on two channels of I ...

'' (2011) Season 13, Episode 7 ''Not in My Back Yard'' – Maureen Stubbs *''

Doctors Doctor or The Doctor may refer to: Personal titles * Doctor (title), the holder of an accredited academic degree * A medical practitioner, including: ** Physician ** Surgeon ** Dentist ** Veterinary physician ** Optometrist *Other roles ** ...

'' (2012) Season 13, Episode 182 ''Baby Steps'' – Eleanor Lawson

References

External links

*
Women in Film and Television UK
{{DEFAULTSORT:Blackham, Joan 1946 births 2020 deaths Actors from Wolverhampton British Shakespearean actresses English film actresses English stage actresses English television actresses English voice actresses People educated at The Alice Ottley School Royal Shakespeare Company members