Caroline Georgiana Blakiston (born 13 February 1933) is an English actress. She is best known in her native United Kingdom for her role in the television comedy series ''

Brass Brass is an alloy of copper (Cu) and zinc (Zn), in proportions which can be varied to achieve different mechanical, electrical, and chemical properties. It is a substitutional alloy: atoms of the two constituents may replace each other wi ...

'', to international audiences as Mon Mothma in the ''

Star Wars ''Star Wars'' is an American epic space opera multimedia franchise created by George Lucas, which began with the eponymous 1977 film and quickly became a worldwide pop-culture phenomenon. The franchise has been expanded into various film ...

'' film ''

Return of the Jedi ''Return of the Jedi'' (also known as ''Star Wars: Episode VI – Return of the Jedi'' is a 1983 American epic space opera film directed by Richard Marquand. The screenplay is by Lawrence Kasdan and George Lucas from a story by Lucas, who ...

'', and Aunt Agatha in ''

Poldark ''Poldark'' is a series of historical novels by Winston Graham, published from 1945 to 1953 and continued from 1973 to 2002. The first novel, '' Ross Poldark'', was named for the protagonist of the series. The novel series was adapted twice ...

''.

Early life

Blakiston was born in London, the younger daughter of archivist"the most widely known archivist of his generation in England"and author Hugh Noel Blakiston (1905–1984), and (Rachel) Georgiana (1903–1995), daughter of barrister Harold John Hastings Russell (a descendant of the

6th Duke of Bedford John Russell, 6th Duke of Bedford, (6 July 1766 – 20 October 1839), known as Lord John Russell until 1802, was a British Whig politician who notably served as Lord Lieutenant of Ireland in the Ministry of All the Talents. He was the fathe ...

) and Lady Victoria Alberta Leveson-Gower, whose father was the statesman

Granville Leveson-Gower, 2nd Earl Granville Granville George Leveson-Gower, 2nd Earl Granville, (11 May 181531 March 1891), styled Lord Leveson until 1846, was a British Liberal statesman and diplomat from the Leveson-Gower family. He is best remembered for his service as Secreta ...

. The Blakiston family originated in

County Durham County Durham ( ), officially simply Durham,UK General Acts 1997 c. 23Lieutenancies Act 1997 Schedule 1(3). From legislation.gov.uk, retrieved 6 April 2022. is a ceremonial county in North East England.North East Assembly �About North East E ...

, and were related to the

Blakiston baronets There have been three baronetcies created for members of the Blakiston family of Blakiston, County Durham, two in the Baronetage of England and one in the Baronetage of Great Britain. One creation is extant as of 2008. The Blakiston Baronetcy, ...

. Blakiston attended

RADA The Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA; ) is a drama school in London, England, that provides vocational conservatoire training for theatre, film, television, and radio. It is based in the Bloomsbury area of Central London, close to the S ...

Career

In the 1960s, Blakiston appeared in three episodes of '' The Avengers'' as well a number of ITC productions such as '' The Saint'', '' Department S'' and the 1969 ''

Randall and Hopkirk (Deceased) ''Randall and Hopkirk (Deceased)'' is a British private detective television series, starring Mike Pratt and Kenneth Cope respectively as the private detectives Jeff Randall and Marty Hopkirk. The series was created by Dennis Spooner and p ...

'' episode "

Never Trust a Ghost "Never Trust a Ghost" is the fourth episode of the 1969 ITC British television series '' Randall and Hopkirk (Deceased)'' starring Mike Pratt, Kenneth Cope and Annette Andre. The episode was first broadcast on 12 October 1969 on ITV. Directed b ...

". She appeared to great acclaim as Marjorie Ferrar in the BBC Television adaptation of Galsworthy's ''

The Forsyte Saga ''The Forsyte Saga'', first published under that title in 1922, is a series of three novels and two interludes published between 1906 and 1921 by the English author John Galsworthy, who won the Nobel Prize in Literature. They chronicle the vici ...

'' in 1967. In 1977 she appeared in '' Raffles'' as Lady Paulton, and also in ''Murder Most English'' as Helen Carobleat. In 1980/81, she starred in the BBC/Australian TV World War II comedy series ''

Private Schulz ''Private Schulz'' is a 1981 BBC television comedy drama serial set mostly in Germany, during and immediately after World War II. It stars Michael Elphick in the title role and Ian Richardson playing various parts. Other notable actors included ...

'' as The Countess. In 1983, Blakiston played the wayward character of Lady Patience Hardacre in the satirical Granada television series ''

'', which ran for three series. She portrayed Mon Mothma, the primary political leader of the

Rebel Alliance The Alliance to Restore the Republic (colloquial: Rebel Alliance; the Rebellion; the Alliance; or the Rebels) is a fictional stateless interstellar coalition of republican dissidents, imperial defectors, revolutionary factions and anti-imperi ...

in the 1983 ''

'' film, ''

''. The 1980s saw Blakiston in a lead role as head of a special unit within British intelligence, opposite

Alec McCowen Alexander Duncan McCowen, (26 May 1925 – 6 February 2017) was an English actor. He was known for his work in numerous film and stage productions. Early life McCowen was born in Tunbridge Wells, Kent, the son of Mary (née Walkden), a dance ...

in ''

Mr. Palfrey of Westminster ''Mr Palfrey of Westminster'' is a British television drama produced by Thames Television for ITV which ran between 18 April 1984 and 11 June 1985. Plot summary Mr Palfrey is a mild, middle-aged man—the epitome of a middle-ranking British Ci ...

''. In 1986, Blakiston played the villain Bess Sedgwick opposite Joan Hickson's

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

, in the episode "

At Bertram's Hotel ''At Bertram's Hotel'' is a work of detective fiction by Agatha Christie and first published in the UK by the Collins Crime Club on 15 November 1965Chris Peers, Ralph Spurrier and Jamie Sturgeon. ''Collins Crime Club – A checklist of First Ed ...

" of the BBC's ''

'' series. She also appeared as Lionel Hardcastle's ex-wife in an episode of '' As Time Goes By''. She and Geoffrey Palmer (Lionel) had previously played estranged spouses a decade earlier in

Carla Lane Romana Barrack (5 August 1928 – 31 May 2016), known professionally as Carla Lane, was an English television writer responsible for several successful British sitcoms, including '' The Liver Birds'' (co-creator, 1969–1979), ''Butterflies'' (1 ...

's series ''The Last Song''. From 2015 to 2018, Blakiston played Aunt Agatha in the BBC adaptation ''

''.

Personal life

In 1970, Blakiston married the actor

Russell Hunter Adam Russell Hunter (18 February 1925 – 26 February 2004) was a Scottish television, stage and film actor. He played Lonely in the TV thriller series '' Callan'', starring Edward Woodward, and shop steward Harry in the Yorkshire Television ...

after they had played together in ''

A Midsummer Night's Dream ''A Midsummer Night's Dream'' is a comedy written by William Shakespeare 1595 or 1596. The play is set in Athens, and consists of several subplots that revolve around the marriage of Theseus and Hippolyta. One subplot involves a conflict a ...

'' at the Open Air Theatre, Regent's Park. They had a son and a daughter together, but later divorced.

Filmography

Film

Television

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Blakiston, Caroline 1933 births English television actresses English film actresses Living people People from Chelsea, London Actresses from London Alumni of the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art 20th-century English actresses 21st-century English actresses